Insurance Recommendations / Warnings

[NE150N80]

Hi all! Hope you're all well!

 

I'm looking for some recommendations or warnings about the some of the insurance companies that I'm looking at for my first big bike.

 

So a bit of back story... After a lot of thinking & researching over the past year, I've chosen a CBR650R as my first big bike. With the market the way it is at the moment, bikes seem to be taking months to come into the country. So after passing my Mod 1, when I had the chance to grab my perfect CBR650R I jumped at it, even though my Mod2 is not for a few weeks.

 

However, Honda are requiring an insurance certificate with the purchase of the bike (PCP), so I'm having to look at insurance quotes for a 650 bike, prior to taking my Mod 2, which results in crazy expensive quotes! I insured my little 125 through Bennetts who came very highly recommended, but they are also coming out crazy expensive for the 650.

 

So my question (finally!) is peoples thoughts/view/opinions on the following companies:

 

BMF Insurance

Bikesure

MCN Insurance

Hastings Direct

Devitt

Carole Nash

 

Any help would be much appreciated, as being new to biking, I know nothing of these brands.

 

Thanks!!

[billy sugger]

Are you not restricted to the new rules for  bikes, so would not be allowed on a 650cc after mod 2 anyway? Is there not a 3 tier set-up to get to a big bike now? 

[Stu]

I have been with most of those insurance companies and have no complaints at all with them 

 

MCE on the other hand I will never touch them again with a barge pole 

 

58 minutes ago, billy sugger said:

Are you not restricted to the new rules for  bikes,

 

What new rules?  

[geofferz]

Just go for the cheapest - everyone love insurance companies when nothing goes wrong then hates them when they refuse to pay out, which most will try not to of course.

 

Just one point about MCE's trackday insurance they 'throw in'; the excess is half the value of the bike which isn't much use.

[Stu]

10 minutes ago, geofferz said:

everyone love insurance companies when nothing goes wrong then hates them when they refuse to pay out

 

Never had a claim with MCE but I still hate them  

 

I had all sorts of issues when just trying to change a bike and was being as obstructive as possible when they didn't like the fact I was going to cancel due to their incompetence and tried to keep my refund for 90 days saying they could legally do it! 

 

I had to involve the insurance ombudsman to get my refund 

[MikeHorton]

I'm guessing you will have to pay a lot more with your apet up to a big bike etc Hastings direct have always been good to deal with for me.

[Stu]

I suggest you try ringing the companies as online quotes won't work in your situation 

 

You need insurance for theft only really as you can't ride the bike yet so you would be no risk to anyone as you won't be on the road 

[bonio]

When my bike was nicked, I had to sort everything out directly with the underwriter. I'd insured the bike with BikeSure; the underwriter was Markerstudy. To be fair, they paid out without a fuss; I had the cash in the bank account after just a couple of weeks.

[bonio]

Another possibility - some of the larger manufacturers offer free 7-day insurance cover on a new bike (I guess this is a new bike we're talking about...) Do Honda do the same? If so, it would be enough for you to get the bike home, only thing is after the 7 days you'd have the bike at your risk if it got nicked or damaged somehow.

[fullscreenaging]

Try Principal Insurance & Tesco

I’ve used both of these in the past. I’ve never claimed so don’t know if they are decent when it counts. 

[billy sugger]

4 hours ago, Stu said:

I have been with most of those insurance companies and have no complaints at all with them 

 

MCE on the other hand I will never touch them again with a barge pole 

 

 

What new rules?  

I thought there was a 300 cc  or33 bhp limit to contend with before stepping up to a bigger bike, like the bhp restriction on say my 500, you had to be restricted for 2 years and have a certificate to show bike is throttled. I was under the impression you could no longer jump to a 650, etc, after passing mod 2, but had to endure more tests to rise up the cc size

[geofferz]

4 hours ago, Stu said:

 

Never had a claim with MCE but I still hate them  

 

I had all sorts of issues when just trying to change a bike and was being as obstructive as possible when they didn't like the fact I was going to cancel due to their incompetence and tried to keep my refund for 90 days saying they could legally do it! 

 

I had to involve the insurance ombudsman to get my refund 

Yeah fair enough. When I moved house they just gave me a refund for being in a cheaper area to be fair, no probs my end. 

[SometimesSansEngine]

I agree with others. For every good story you hear about a particular insurer someone else will want to pipe up and tell you their horror story. I've had someone in the industry tell me you get what you pay for (specifically when trying to tell me why Cornmarket's insurance pushed by the IAM to members was still great value despite being double - at the preferential member rate - what I was being quoted elsewhere), but another say he's worked for a few companies and no matter what you pay they're the same. Me, I can appreciate some will be generally worse to work with than others but at the end of the day they have a job to protect their profits.

 

Never had issues with Hastings or Bennetts but never had to claim from either.

 

44Teeth are sponsored by Bemoto so of course are always raving about them, the whole "ran by bikers" spiel, they're on my list to get a quote from next time I need one but maybe they'll help you out. Not a recommendation, just another to put in there! They do do laid up insurance which might help you out https://www.bemoto.uk/sorn-and-laid-up-bike-insurance

[peatear]

Your insurance WILL be ridiculous for the first year (at least). And as Stu said, your situation is a little more complex than online quotes

are going to be able to give you.
I'm still waiting to get my first big bike, passed Mod2 a month or two ago, and try insurance quotes on all the bikes I find that i'm interested in.

So far, it ranges from £1500-£5000 - various engines from 650's to 1200 BMWs. 

So expect to pay a stupid amount for the first year at least.

 

As for companies to go with, Hastings have been brilliant with me for cars. My first 125 I used MCE, never again. Pain in the arse. Swapped to Hastings which

was easy enough but didn't need to use them at all.
Then second 125 I used Bikesure. Always cost me just over £1000 to insure whoever i'm with for the 125's.

[Gerontious]

Just go for the cheapest you can find, though you will need to talk to them rather than rely on comparison sites. one thing. you absolutely must never make a claim for anything aside from a complete loss. ie theft. So the onus is on you to make sure this does not happen.

 

Is there no way the dealership will not hang on to the bike for you until you gain your license?

[Stu]

4 hours ago, billy sugger said:

I thought there was a 300 cc  or33 bhp limit to contend with before stepping up to a bigger bike, like the bhp restriction on say my 500, you had to be restricted for 2 years and have a certificate to show bike is throttled. I was under the impression you could no longer jump to a 650, etc, after passing mod 2, but had to endure more tests to rise up the cc size

 

Its all age dependent on what you can do  

 

But thats not the rules its all to dso with power to weight ratio's I believe 

[fastbob]

I'm with Swinton . My insurance is so cheap that I can't remember how much it is .

[Pie man]

I'm assuming this must be a caveat with the PCP deal. All the insurance companies you mention will take yer hard earned £. You need to speak to a human and preferably one who knows what they are doing. I have been insured with 3 of those you mention over the years (no loyalty, its not worth it, you can take your no claims discount anywhere) I'm now with bemoto who beat every quote I had. Not saying they are any better to deal with however, I don't wish to find out. Please speak to a person, then again.........I spoke to a clown at Bennetts who wanted to to know the engine No, Frame No etc. (I was after a multi bike policy) I just hung up and then called them again and spoke to someone different, who only wanted the make, model and reg and insured from. 

[Bungleaio]

Give bemoto a try.

[Bungleaio]

5 hours ago, billy sugger said:

I thought there was a 300 cc  or33 bhp limit to contend with before stepping up to a bigger bike, like the bhp restriction on say my 500, you had to be restricted for 2 years and have a certificate to show bike is throttled. I was under the impression you could no longer jump to a 650, etc, after passing mod 2, but had to endure more tests to rise up the cc size

[NE150N80]

12 hours ago, Stu said:

I have been with most of those insurance companies and have no complaints at all with them 

 

MCE on the other hand I will never touch them again with a barge pole 

 

 

Yeah I've heard this a few times about MCE!

[NE150N80]

14 hours ago, billy sugger said:

Are you not restricted to the new rules for  bikes, so would not be allowed on a 650cc after mod 2 anyway? Is there not a 3 tier set-up to get to a big bike now? 

 

Sorry @billy sugger I should've mentioned that I'm 41, so can go straight to a full A license. Otherwise I think you're right!

[NE150N80]

3 hours ago, Pie man said:

I'm assuming this must be a caveat with the PCP deal. 

 

Yes, I believe so - effectively they own the bike, so they don't want it leaving the showroom without it their asset being insured, which is completely understandable.