Insurance concerns/woes.

Just a little story that has happened to me that may prevent some other new members falling into the same trap:

My insurance was recently up for renewal so I decided to get a new policy for both bikes on one policy, I went through to Bennets and they quoted me £540.00 fully comp for both including legal and helmet and leathers cover.

I signed up right away but noticed that there was nowhere to put mods down, so I gave them a call and explained to the lady that I had some mods done to the bike, she said it wasn't a problem and that they were noted on the computer.

I returned home from business a week later and found my cover note which was full of errors (such as a bike being my only form of transport etc) so I called them up again to get these points addressed which they swiftly did, I then asked where the section was that stated the mods. "What mods?" came the reply. I went through it all over again and the woman said that it would need to go to underwriting but that the policy was still okay.

Unfortunately I had to go away for another 3 weeks and upon my return realised that there was no new documents, certificates or anything, so, once again I called back and spoke to a manager......to the point in hand.

The first person who set up the policy never put down any of the mods therefore leaving me technically uninured.

The second person put the policy through for underwriting which apparently came back declined and in effect cancelled the policy thereby leaving me totally uninsured.

Finally I had to fully terminate the policy and restart a whole new one which now costs £1080 fully come due to the mods (none are performance related), the main bugbear seems to be the exhausts to be honest.

So to any new riders out there (and old alike I suppose) be really careful with the details you give to insurance companies. When I asked the manager what would have happend if i'd had a crash she simply told me "We wouldn't have covered you due to the mods!!!"

For all those that already know this then cool

Blimey £1080!!! I have always used Bennetts, but I have had a good quote this time round from Ducati Insurance, quite a bit cheaper including mods.

Yeah I only have licence for just under 2 years though.

[Dave G]

Yikes!
Mine was only £150, for two bikes.
Only real benefit of getting older I suppose.

Originally Posted by Dave G

Yikes!
Mine was only £150, for two bikes.
Only real benefit of getting older I suppose.

Gulp...what?!?!?

I'm 35 so not a baby

You with Bennets?

This is worrying.

[Dave G]

Nope,thats with Ducati insurance.I'm (almost) 48 and live in a low risk area though, thats with an S2R and SS750, even when I had my 916 as a third bike it was only around £300..
I've never found Bennetts to be that cheap, its always worth checking around at least half a dozen insurance companies to get the best quotes.
Try one of those comparison sites on the internet

Hiya Yeti

I concur with the problems you have experienced with insurance companies. Most of them wont insure your bike if there are any mods on it.
I am currently with Ducati Insurance, £320 fully comp after they told me they couldnt insure the bike with mods. I was moving insurance to a new bike but modded. Called them a couple of weeks later and then they said the bike would be covered! All they had to charge was a £10 admin fee.
Depends who you speak to on the phone, I guess I was lucky.

Oh and amazingly I have only had my full licence since Sep 06, not having managed any NCB yet.

Some of the other quotes I had did go as far a grand!
Only took a day of phoning round companies to try Ducati on the offchance and they said yes.
The worst insurance company i would steer well clear of is Norwich Union. Not only did the guy ask how to spell Ducati, but he wanted to know if the bike was manual or automatic! Hmmm, not yet.
I was expecting him to then ask if it was left or right hand drive.

Oh well too late now as I don't want to go through another cancellation etc.

I really just posted this to deter new riders from doing loads of mods and then not telling their insurance company.

Ho de hum

Originally Posted by granite785

Not only did the guy ask how to spell Ducati, but he wanted to know if the bike was manual or automatic! Hmmm, not yet.
I was expecting him to then ask if it was left or right hand drive.

Hey there.

That there are class words LAFFO

Makes mental note to never call Norwich Union

Its always useful. Next year it should be really cheap for you.

Depends how much you could save though.

What exhausts have you put on?

eBike lets you put on all your mod's and costs - 40yrs new S4R tess £2000k of mods and a 2nd trials bike - £312 full comp

[bigredduke]

Originally Posted by smiler996

eBike lets you put on all your mod's and costs - 40yrs new S4R tess £2000k of mods and a 2nd trials bike - £312 full comp

Bikesure through Adrian Flux will cover bikes with modifications but in the event of a claim, they will only replace with standard bits. The problem is, you only really know how good an insurance company is in the event of a claim. They are, however, extremely efficient at taking premiums! I was with Ducati Insurance and had a shunt last year & I ended up doing most of the chasing and 'phoning around, which is what they are paid to do! They wouldn't cover me with a modded bike at renewal so I went to Bikesure. I just got my renewal through, thought it was a bit steep at £320 inc legal & personal accident cover (£13) so I said I had been on a bikesafe course & they reduced it to £288 f.c.

Originally Posted by granite785

Its always useful. Next year it should be really cheap for you.

Depends how much you could save though.

What exhausts have you put on?

I may have a look at it in a few weeks (away again).

Arrow rear pipes (Carbon) they didn't even ask for the type.

eBike lets you put on all your mod's and costs - 40yrs new S4R tess £2000k of mods and a 2nd trials bike - £312 full comp

Yeah I messed up with e-bike...long story.

Hi,
Same thing happened to me with CN. However once they'd listened to the taped telephone conversation I was given a full refund as I had disclosed the mods. It was only when I received my docs and in the mod box it said NO. I phoned to have it changed and the CN sales person informs me "Sorry Sir your not insured ??? Apparently the sales person put me with Equity Red Star and with CN they won't insure non E marked pipes. They did have an underwritters that would insure me and the premium jumped another £200!! Initially they bettered the quote from Ebike. To make matters worse they then inform me they recognise Screaming Eagle conversions on Harleys which is non E marked but not Remus DP pipes on a Ducati. I received a letter apologising and informing the sale person had been sent for further training. I subsequently phoned Ducati Insurance as their underwritters are Equity Red Star. DI have a different agreement with Equity Red Star and will allow non E marked pipes - confused ?? I was. In the end I went with Ebike.

Geoff

[spacemonkey]

Wow.. I;ve been with CN for years and not had grief. I'm 35 and I pay a total of £190 for the M900, CRM250 and the ickle 70cc Monkey bike. A further £50ish to add the 916 when i get it...