Insurance Suggestions

[zeldarms]

Hi all,

I've almost had my bike for a year, now, which also means my insurance is up for renewal.

For the year I've been with Devitt, and they were completely fine (probably because I never had to contact them) even though it was on the more premium end of the pricing scale. I figured it was best to be covered for everything whilst getting used to my first bike. Now, I've made no claims so paying over £700 for another year seems a bad choice when I know it can be done cheaper.

Does anyone have any recommendations, warnings, and/or tips for myself and anyone else looking at facing the same mundane task?

Thanks!

[husoi]

moneysupermaket.com or any other comparison website worked for me.

Usually I go to 3 comparison sites and pick the one I want then go searching for it to see if I can get an even better deal.

At the moment I'm with Grove & Dean They offer EU breakdown cover for free for the same price I would have a normal comprehensive insurance.

[Tiggie]

Give bikesure a try using this link.

https://themotorbikeforum.co.uk/app.php/bikesure :

They are a forum sponsor after all!

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I'm with Bikesure - they've been very good and their multibike policy certainly works out very competitive.

Just be careful about what you get for your money. I've had cheap insurance and it's cheap for a reason. Once you start needing them to do anything all the hidden extras emerge and it's suddenly not so cheap anymore.

[rob m]

Carole Nash for me, insured my last 3 bikes with them. I spoke to them direct rather than do it online, made a huge difference. When I bought my BMW in May, my no claims bonus (10 years) had gone beyond the usual two year grace period by 6 months since my last policy, but after talking to them and being a loyal customer, never claimed etc. they honoured it. So I kept my NCB and in the end I paid £237 fully comp with all the legal cover and UK/Euro breakdown included. £200 voluntary excess.

[husoi]

They are all good unless you need them.

Had my bike insured with Hogdson and MacKenzie and was fine until they left me on the side of the M77 with a flat tyre from 8:30pm till 5AM and were absolutely useless.

Had to sign up with RAC to get home.

H&M are a different name for Carole Nash so those are excluded from my Xmas list.

The idiot in the 24/7 useless line couldn't care less of me being in a dangerous place.

Kudos for the police that never showed up. I'm sure if I was speeding would have them all over me

[JRH]

Hi all,

I've almost had my bike for a year, now, which also means my insurance is up for renewal.

For the year I've been with Devitt, and they were completely fine (probably because I never had to contact them) even though it was on the more premium end of the pricing scale. I figured it was best to be covered for everything whilst getting used to my first bike. Now, I've made no claims so paying over £700 for another year seems a bad choice when I know it can be done cheaper.

Does anyone have any recommendations, warnings, and/or tips for myself and anyone else looking at facing the same mundane task?

Thanks!

 

I am with Devitt and they are a broker. For the past 3 years with my renewal they have offered an alternative that has the same level of cover but cheaper rate.

Been with Devitt for many years and in that time been insured with lots of different companies. Sometimes alternating with 2 or 3 companies on yearly rotation. I’m now back with a company that last insured me about 7 or 8 years ago.

[geofferz]

Use a comparison site and out of courtesy to tmfb check bike sure who aren't on said sites. Everyone and every bike is different so I won't recommend anyone specifically as prices vary drastically.

[Guest Richzx6r]

I'm with mce as I have been for years never had a problem with them and fully comp with 1yr ncb £372 on the zx6r which I thought was reasonable

[husoi]

I'm with mce as I have been for years never had a problem with them and fully comp with 1yr ncb £372 on the zx6r which I thought was reasonable

 

There is a difference between finding it reasonable and finding the best deal possible.

My insurance was £120 last year and renewal was £140 following your line of thought it would be a reasonable deal.

Changing I went from £140 to £117 and better breakdown cover.

This country have an old saying "take care of your pence and they will care for your pounds."

[Fish]

Give LV a shout, that's who I'm with.

Fish

[zeldarms]

Great responses everyone! Will go through the lot of them this week and see what's what.

Funnily enough, today I get an e-mail from Devitt to renew, instead of the £715 I paid for the first year, it's now £360 for (what I assume) is the same policy (though I will look into that before I continue).

[Gerontious]

Insurance is always an odd one.. for me, Devitt were the 3rd cheapest after MCE and Bennetts. I was with Carole Nash for getting on 15 years and throughout that time were very competitive. but that ended abruptly when I got the Africa Twin and i was forced to look elsewhere. The best they could offer me was almost 3 times the amount I pay Devitt. Another year when the bike hits its 3rd birthday i will try them again. My NCB dates back to 1997 in real terms. but, apparently the Africa Twin is highly desirable for professional thieves and CN are known to lean always towards the lowest risk owners and bikes. So, unless you tick all their boxes they just don't want to know. Only a few days ago someone posted elsewhere that they had asked him for a £1000 + fees, to add a bike to a £250 multi-bike. it was a HD and obviously one they didn't want to touch.

Just my opinion, but, in most cases its best to treat insurance as a tax on ownership and try to never, ever claim. I would only claim if the bike was either stolen or written off.. anything else and they will claw-back every penny they have paid out in increased premiums. if the bike fell over awkwardly and i needed say, a new tank costing £1000. I still wouldn't claim.

[MikeHorton]

Consider getting your IAM qualification it will bring the price of your insurance down considerably. IAM recommend an insurer who offers great policies with quality cover in the event you need it

[TimR]

Consider getting your IAM qualification it will bring the price of your insurance down considerably. IAM recommend an insurer who offers great policies with quality cover in the event you need it

 

Sadly it doesn't bring it down as much as people claim .

Considering i Have

Rospa Gold abd IAM Masters Distinction,

Which are both considered the highest civilian Riding awards i used to get more discount by using a bikesafe award or my ERS award

IAM surety are good ( cornmarket) as an observer as they add business cover for free and they will pricematch but off the bat they are not the cheapest.

[manxie49]

Try this comparison site https://www.thebikeinsurer.co.uk as for advanced rider qualifications, I'm with Tim. I have IAM and ROSPA and it didn't really make much of a difference to my insurance, unless you go with one of their approved insurers, which in my case, cost more anyway. Do the training to improve your riding standards but don't count on it giving you cheaper insurance.

[geofferz]

Try this comparison site https://www.thebikeinsurer.co.uk as for advanced rider qualifications, I'm with Tim. I have IAM and ROSPA and it didn't really make much of a difference to my insurance, unless you go with one of their approved insurers, which in my case, cost more anyway. Do the training to improve your riding standards but don't count on it giving you cheaper insurance.

 

You with Hastings?

[manxie49]

Try this comparison site https://www.thebikeinsurer.co.uk as for advanced rider qualifications, I'm with Tim. I have IAM and ROSPA and it didn't really make much of a difference to my insurance, unless you go with one of their approved insurers, which in my case, cost more anyway. Do the training to improve your riding standards but don't count on it giving you cheaper insurance.

 

You with Hastings?

 

Bennetts, I had to challenge the renewal quote this year though. That said, they did give me a more realistic quote when I rang and said I'd go elsewhere. I could have got it a bit cheaper with Carole Nash but quite like Bennetts, especially the reward scheme they do.

[MikeHorton]

Consider getting your IAM qualification it will bring the price of your insurance down considerably. IAM recommend an insurer who offers great policies with quality cover in the event you need it

 

Sadly it doesn't bring it down as much as people claim .

Considering i Have

Rospa Gold abd IAM Masters Distinction,

Which are both considered the highest civilian Riding awards i used to get more discount by using a bikesafe award or my ERS award

IAM surety are good ( cornmarket) as an observer as they add business cover for free and they will pricematch but off the bat they are not the cheapest.

 

Insurance is an absolute lottery I halved mine with cornmarket on gaining the qualification but as a new returner to biking with only 2yrs no claims I'm guessing my situation was not the same. I don't think anyone can work out how it all worked. Prior to this Hastings used to generally give good quotes for me. Just shows how much you need to shop around for the best deal so time consuming