Insurance tips?

[daveinlim]

Insurance time again. 

Any tips on applying?

I presume all the comparison sites pop up the same quotes. 

MCE are quoting my renewal as the same as my go compare search. 

I know their policies are crap but they are by far the cheapest. 

Bike Sure are close to double what I'm quoted from them. 

 

 

Playing around with the setting online it makes literally not even a penny difference if I have datatag on my bike, if I add a few thousand miles to the allowed milage or if I say I have no security at all. Given that the industry 'experts' say adding simple lock like a disc lock can massively reduce the odds of it getting stolen, this isn't passed on in premium savings. All a bit mad I think

[fullscreenaging]

I find Go Compare quotes are always higher than Compare The Market for me. 
I haven’t used Go Compare for that reason for years. 
 

I’ve just renewed and paid £119 fully comp for my nearly 4 years old VersysGT 1K with 7 years NCD and 12000 miles stated. 
I’ve gone back to Principle Insurance after being with Carole Nash last year. 
I’m very happy with that. 
I have found if I start getting quotes a full month or the earliest you can in the comparison sites (usually 30 days) I tend to get better prices the earlier I take out the insurance. 
My insurance is due early March and I paid for it early Feb. 

Edited February 9, 2021 by fullscreenaging

[Guest]

I've got to say that Adrian Flux have consistently offered good quotes for me (not connected with them in any way, just a customer). 

 

Actually speaking to someone is also helpful when it comes to any mods etc. (bear in mind, some underwriters and insurers consider stickers on the bike as a mod).

[daveinlim]

No mods except a top box.

It's a 125 so there's no point in doing anything other than keep it serviced and clean. 

 

Over £600 though even though I'm no spring chicken and have a few years NCB. 

Living in London is the killer it think. 

 

Insurers like to show customer examples. They are never a greater London bike that's not garaged. 

 

 

[Stu]

Try bike sure on the phone number on this advert! 

 

The forum also get commission  

 

 

 

[Jerry1111]

4 hours ago, fullscreenaging said:

 

I have found if I start getting quotes a full month or the earliest you can in the comparison sites (usually 30 days) I tend to get better prices the earlier I take out the insurance. 
My insurance is due early March and I paid for it early Feb. 

Exactly, start as early as you can - prices are different. Having too many toys makes it difficult to remember which insurance ends when...

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Companies tend to have preferred areas of cover and it's pretty random how that works. That can be postcode, rider, bike. Bikesure multi bike works great for me, but not for everyone. 

 

It pays to ring round rather than just stick with comparison sites.

[Steve_M]

As a former employee of an insurance company, I would consider reviews on how good they are at customer service when considering your choice. Not just price, nor whether they’ll pay a claim, but the service you get should you have to claim. Do they keep you informed on progress on any claim, how easy are they to deal with etc. In my view it’s worth a few quid for decent customer service.

Edited February 10, 2021 by Steve_M

[daveinlim]

17 hours ago, Stu said:

Try bike sure on the phone number on this advert! 

 

The forum also get commission  

 

 

 

I'll give it a go tomorrow. I know there is a forum discount but it would need to nearly halve your online quote to be competitive. Nobody wants to insure in London. Still though, nothing to lose but a few minutes filling forms. 

Edited February 10, 2021 by daveinlim

[daveinlim]

7 hours ago, Steve_M said:

As a former employee of an insurance company, I would consider reviews on how good they are at customer service when considering your choice. Not just price, nor whether they’ll pay a claim, but the service you get should you have to claim. Do they keep you informed on progress on any claim, how easy are they to deal with etc. In my view it’s worth a few quid for decent customer service.

Yeah I totally agree. I'd be happy to pay a little more for a better experience. Value isn't necessarily cheap. However the cheapest fully comp policy is £600 below the 2nd cheapest which isn't small change especially since the majority of the bikes use is commuting in to London which hasn't been happening for a year now. 

[Pie man]

I'm no expert, but I have never just gone for the cheapest. I like to make sure I have legal protection. In the past I have gone for the cheapest just to get me on the road, unfortunately I found out the hard way it isn't always the best option. 

[dynax]

You are always better off talking to a real person, when I first took out my insurance I was getting online quotes well in excess of a grand and in one case over 2k, rang up Bikesure did it all over the phone Comprehensive cover with legal and personal injury, new policy with 0 NCD came in at £600 for the year, later in the first year added a second bike for £70, second year Comp cover on both bikes with same legal and personal £400 with 1 yr NCD, all done over the phone.

[Gerontious]

quotes are generated by a computer. the difference lies in when you talk to an actual person, they can and do often reduce the computer quote. its almost like they are relying on people going with the first quote and not angling for the discount which is often 'built in'.

 

its good business to use computer quotes which are usually at the higher end. if enough people just opt for the quote from the computer then this means more profit. if every computer quote makes you an extra £20 for example.. that soon adds up over 100s and 1000s of quotes.

[fullscreenaging]

1 hour ago, Pie man said:

I'm no expert, but I have never just gone for the cheapest. I like to make sure I have legal protection. In the past I have gone for the cheapest just to get me on the road, unfortunately I found out the hard way it isn't always the best option. 

https://www.thecomplainingcow.co.uk/why-motor-legal-protection-is-a-rip-off-and-the-free-alternative/

[Steve_M]

2 hours ago, daveinlim said:

Yeah I totally agree. I'd be happy to pay a little more for a better experience. Value isn't necessarily cheap. However the cheapest fully comp policy is £600 below the 2nd cheapest which isn't small change especially since the majority of the bikes use is commuting in to London which hasn't been happening for a year now. 

Yup. £600 is not a few quid. The EU solvency laws (which still apply. For the time being) provides a degree of security that they won’t go bust on you, as happened to me in the early 1970’s. 

[daveinlim]

4 hours ago, fullscreenaging said:

https://www.thecomplainingcow.co.uk/why-motor-legal-protection-is-a-rip-off-and-the-free-alternative/

Interesting article. 

So much of insurance, not just motor is a complete scam designed to work for the broker not the policy holders.

 

44 teeth have a good interview with a solicitor regarding bikers getting severely ripped off when making claims

[fullscreenaging]

I’ll see if I can find that when I have a bit of time. 

[mthinesy]

So, I've just started the daunting task of getting quotes now. I got word yesterday that my bike has arrived at the dealer. I am hoping to take delivery in March. I quickly tried Go Compare and I only got 2 quotes from it. Both £1200+ with excess of £1000+. This is for the new Trident 660. I'm 38, just passed my test at the end of last year. I don't have a garage, but it's out of sight on a driveway. I'm guessing that and my post code in south Manchester is murdering it. I can live with £1000 for insurance, but the excess is wild! Might just give a few companies an actual ring instead of going online.

[husoi]

If you can build some locked shelter, like a metal shed, you then can tell the insurance company that the bike is in a locked garage. That will bring the insurance premium down.

Unfortunately there is not much you can do about being a new rider. I don't think it will allow you to add a more experienced rider to the policy to bring the premium down as you do with cars.

One thing it will also bring it down is security devices like disk locks and heavy duty chains.

[mthinesy]

I put plenty of security in the quote details. Chain, anchor, disc lock, etc.

[mthinesy]

So, Bennetts wont cover me because I'm a new rider. That was it, not the bike, or the postcode. Simply because I'm a new rider with 0 NCD and holding my license less than a year.

[daveinlim]

36 minutes ago, mthinesy said:

I put plenty of security in the quote details. Chain, anchor, disc lock, etc.

In my quote, I had chains, disc lock, alarm, datatag. Then I took it all off and it didn't make a penny of difference. So I'm taking the policy that states no security other than my steering lock. As husoi said, can you build a shed. There are metal boxes you can buy for motorbike that insurance might accept as an equivalent to a locked garage.

 

I've insured my excess with a 3rd party. £40 for £1k excess. I must dig that out as I can't remember who it's with

 

Post up some photos and your thoughts of the trident when you can. I'm really tempted by one myself. 

Edited February 12, 2021 by daveinlim

[mthinesy]

Well, at this current rate, I might not even be getting the bike!

 

Lexham and MCE are the only companies offering cover right now.

 

There is no room really to build a shed or box. There is already a shed at the rear and the driveway is pretty small, only slightly longer than a car. The whole drive is enclosed, you can't see it. The whole rear of the house is surrounded by 7ft tall fencing, including gates.

[mthinesy]

Just spoke to Bike Sure. I thought I'd give the forum sponsors a try. I think I'll be moving onto the next one......

[husoi]

On a rare event I've renewed with Dean & Grove https://www.grove-dean-insurance.co.uk/

They were closest to the cheaper quote with only £3 difference but includes breakdown cover.