Bennetts grrrr

[bonio]

Just got my renewal letter from Bennetts. Not too bad tbh, up to £155 from £135.

Until I read the small print. 

The bike is garaged and the policy used to say it wouldn't be insured if it was stolen within 400m of home but wasn't in the garage. Ok, I can put it in the garage when I'm home, that's not unreasonable. But the new wording says it's not insured between 10pm and 6am unless it's locked away in a garage somewhere. Anywhere. No "within 400m of home". Ok, they now want me to plan every trip I do based on the availability of locked garages, which I don't want to sign up to, but the thing that's unreasonable is they've buried the change in the small print. Why treat people like this?

 

EDIT: It turns out I got the wrong end of the stick - carry on reading down the thread for the full story.

Edited October 16, 2024 by bonio
for clarification

[Simon Davey]

FFS! 

Considering they're one of the biggest bike insurers...... 

[Yorky]

38 minutes ago, bonio said:

JWhy treat people like this?

  

 

Because they're insurance, and they are all devious robbing barstewards

[AstronautNinja]

Major cvnt move is that. Who on earth can make sure a garage is to hand 365 days a year if they go away? Nuts 

[husoi]

You guys know Benetts are part of carol Nash group.....

Bought by Ardonagh's Atlanta division

[Fozzie]

1 hour ago, bonio said:

Just got my renewal letter from Bennetts. Not too bad tbh, up to £155 from £135.

Until I read the small print. 

The bike is garaged and the policy used to say it wouldn't be insured if it was stolen within 400m of home but wasn't in the garage. Ok, I can put it in the garage when I'm home, that's not unreasonable. But the new wording says it's not insured between 10pm and 6am unless it's locked away in a garage somewhere. Anywhere. No "within 400m of home". Ok, they now want me to plan every trip I do based on the availability of locked garages, which I don't want to sign up to, but the thing that's unreasonable is they've buried the change in the small print. Why treat people like this?

  

 

Got stung for £2000 in an old claim due to a tweak of the small print I hadn't seen when I had a claim. Similar to this kind of thing. Was MCE. 

And I bet when they say "locked away in a garage" they mean your garage and only your garage. I'd double check that. 

[manxie49]

FFS thats madness! I'm with Bennetts, but if thats part of the new policy I'll be going elsewhere come renewal time ........ Locking the bike away in a garage wherever you go is an impossible ask, and as bikers themselves  "or so they say", they should know that.

[Bender]

Stick something on one of their social feeds see what the response is.

[Stu]

Aren't bennetts just the broker and its the underwriter's that dictate that?

[bonio]

@Stu I don't know how Bennetts and the underwriters come to an agreement on what to include and what not to. But I am sure that it's a two-way conversation.

[Stu]

1 minute ago, bonio said:

@Stu I don't know how Bennetts and the underwriters come to an agreement on what to include and what not to. But I am sure that it's a two-way conversation.

 

I don't think it works like that 

 

A broker is a middle man just providing the details between you and the underwriter I don't think they have a say in what the underwriter dictates on their policy 

 

The broker just pockets the commision/fee's

[bonio]

Tried Hastings. They say this

Quote

What is not covered 

• Loss of or damage to keys, lock or ignition activators, alarm or immobiliser activators. • Repairs, re-programming or replacement of any component, including locks on the motorcycle, as a result of the loss of or damage to its keys, lock or ignition activators or alarm or immobiliser activators.

But isn't this the very part of the bike that's most likely to be vandalised? And if I had to fit a new lock and keys on an MV, they have to replace the dash too, and the total bill is somewhere north of 3 grand. 

Will keep looking...

[bonio]

1 minute ago, Stu said:

 

I don't think it works like that 

 

A broker is a middle man just providing the details between you and the underwriter I don't think they have a say in what the underwriter dictates on their policy 

 

The broker just pockets the commision/fee's

Yeah you may be right.

They don't say who the underwriter is (until after you've paid, that is). And they don't give you a choice of underwriters; you can only take the one they offer you. 

[Stu]

this is what my Bennetts policy states 

 

Quote

Compulsory Garaging Requirement
Section 1 of the policy booklet will not cover you for theft or attempted theft of your motorcycle unless, between 10.00 pm and
06.00am it is kept in a locked building or garage whilst at your place of residence or at another address which has been specifically
agreed with us.

 

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, bonio said:

Yeah you may be right.

They don't say who the underwriter is (until after you've paid, that is). And they don't give you a choice of underwriters; you can only take the one they offer you. 

 

This is what it states on my policy 

 

Quote

3. Whose products do we offer?
Bennetts work with the following insurers/underwriters to provide your cover: Ageas Insurance Limited, Aviva Insurance Limited, Axa
Insurance UK PLC, Liverpool Victoria General Insurance Group Limited, West Bay Insurance Plc, Sabre Insurance Company
Limited, Premier Underwriting Limited.
We offer products from our panel of insurers for motorcycle insurance·
We only offer products from a limited number of insurers·
We only offer products from a single provider for:·
Legal Expenses Cover – Underwritten by Financial and Legal Insurance Company Limited and administered byo
4th Dimension Innovation Limited
Personal Accident Cover – Underwritten by UK General Insurance Limited on behalf of Watford Insuranceo
Company Europe Limited
Helmet and Leathers Cover – Underwritten by UK General Insurance Limited on behalf of Watford Insuranceo
Company Europe Limited
Breakdown and Breakdown Plus – provided by RAC Motoring Serviceso
Breakdown EU – provided by RAC Motoring Services and RAC Insurance Service Limitedo
Premium Finance – provided by PremFina Limitedo
Premium Finance – provided by Premium Credit Limitedo
4. Bennetts is an insurance intermediary and provide the following:
Our Service
You have not been provided with any advice or recommendation. We previously asked you a number of questions to narrow down
the selection of products that we offered you. You selected this policy as being the most suitable for your needs. Please read your
documentation to ensure this still meets your needs.
When purchasing your policy through Bennetts, if you notify us of a claim, we may be working on behalf of the insurer.
We will be acting on your behalf for services which include:
Arranging your motorcycle insurance by searching our panel of insurers and selecting a range of best prices that we can·
offer, arranging your cover with the chosen insurer based on your requirements, dealing with your payment and providing
you with the details and documentation relating to your policy.
Deal with your requests for adjustments you make to your policy, such as changes to the cover required, the use and/or·
motorcycle insured. We will notify the insurer, deal with any amendments or adjustments of premium required and provide
you with confirmation of any changes to your policy. We may arrange cover with an alternative insurer if the amendments
to your policy are not acceptable to your original insurer.
We will also arrange the cancellation of your policy at your request, notifying the insurer, dealing with any refunds of·
premium, confirming the changes to your policy and arranging for the return of documents.
Deal with your requests for any duplicate or replacement documentation relating to your policy and/or additional products.·
We will arrange optional additional add-on products where you consider these products meet your needs.·
We will also arrange the renewal of your insurance and additional products based on your requirements (see Automatic·
Renewals section below). Where given permission, we will search our panel of insurers to find the best deal, otherwise we
will renew with your current insurer.
5. What will you have to pay us for our services?
Please note: If your Finance Provider is Premium Credit Limited, they will advise you of any fees applicable to your Finance
Agreement.

 

[bonio]

@Stu... so how do you go touring? Am I reading it wrong?

[Stu]

Just now, bonio said:

@Stu... so how do you go touring? Am I reading it wrong?

Yes I think you're reading it wrong 

 

At your address or one agreed by us 

 

So if you keep it at home it has to be in the garage 

 

If you keep it at another address it has to be in the garage 

 

Thats pretty much standard stuff these days 

[Yorky]

.........whilst at your place of residence.................

 

I think that bit means it's only applicable if you are at your home address

[Yorky]

Oops, too slow

[bonio]

Ooooh I seee. I think you're right. I can be very stupid sometimes. Like now.

Thanks to you both @Stu and @Yorky  

 

[Bungleaio]

4 minutes ago, bonio said:

Ooooh I seee. I think you're right. I can be very stupid sometimes. Like now.

Thanks to you both @Stu and @Yorky  

 

Please never change

[Stu]

10 minutes ago, bonio said:

Ooooh I seee. I think you're right. I can be very stupid sometimes. Like now.

Thanks to you both @Stu and @Yorky  

 

 

You may have helped someone else out with the same question you never know  

[S-Westerly]

Not an issue for me as my bike isn't garaged at my home as I don't have one. Probably also why my insurance is higher too.

Edited October 16, 2024 by S-Westerly

[Terry Came]

With so many people renting these days, I can foresee the situation where the place you are renting now has a garage, but now, though no fault of there own they have to move. The new place has no garage. What happens to his bike insurance now?

[Simon Davey]

43 minutes ago, Terry Came said:

With so many people renting these days, I can foresee the situation where the place you are renting now has a garage, but now, though no fault of there own they have to move. The new place has no garage. What happens to his bike insurance now?

 

They'll only insist it stays in a garage overnight if you have one. It's just to maximise the safety of the bike. 

Depending on location, you may have a premium increase if you move to somewhere without a garage. If you move to a "more desirable" location and no garage, there's always a chance of a decrease in premium.