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Insurance Rip-Off

Just received my Bike Insurance renewal from Carol Nash. Last year the policy price was £425 which included an expensive mid-year adjustment to include a third bike. This year they want £550 for the same three bikes. That is roughly a 30% increase. The previous two years each saw a 25% increase which I was able to negotiate down to 10%. I have an unblemished 'no-claims' record and would like to know how they justify the price they are demanding.

Has anybody got a suggestion to get a better deal for two Classic Nortons and a four year old  Honda NC750?

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Phil,

My Carole Nash insurance was due renewal last month for two BMWs.  With 7 years NCD, no issues, limited mileage, trackers and bikes kept in a secure garage - £786.  I was able to trim this by over £200 (!) by phoning them, but due to work commitments and Covid, I have not been in a position to use the bikes, so did not renew and am about to start checking options.

 I was recommended to try Cornmarket, who do multi-bike policies.  The BMW sales guy I got this info from has his GS covered for £150, with no special circumstances or clauses.  Worth a quote at least?

Andy

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... do better by using Peter James for the Nortons and someone like Bennetts for the Honda.

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After loyalty of 25 years plus  I gave up on Carol Nash Insurance (especially when one of their so called specialist sales team asked if my Nortons were diesel). Switched to Hagerty, good deal all round, easy to deal with and very competitive.

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Hi Phil, et al,

   Last year I changed from Footman-James to Peter James (not Peter Best) for 1 Norton and 1 Honda with the usual comprehensive, breakdown and European cover. The 2 bikes have a combined value of £11,000 and last years premium was £102. This year it has sky-rocketed to £105. Go on-line for cover details and to get the best price.

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Carole Snatch, that’s the name they go by.......  

I use Bikesure and have done since they insured both my Hayabusas, one of them a road legal 525hp turbo. 

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I have insured with the above company who specialise in vintage vehicles for years. My fully comp. 1500  mile a year policy via cherishedcarinsurance,co,uk is £73.33 for this year. Never claimed so I cannot be certain of the quality of service, but they are nice people to deal with on the phone.

Phone 01252713148 email enquiries@ccins,co,uk

hello yes I have both my heavy twins Insured with Bike sure  and only pay 136 pounds for both and they have max value ratings  and breakdown or recovery   good deal I think  yours  Anna J 

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I have been with CN for many years now, with 2 Hondas and a Norton. No claims, no changes but premium up by 48% - totally rediculous. I think they have lost the plot! Customer service seems to have gone right out the window.

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Over the weekend I tried to get my 3 bikes insured on-line. Total waste of time.

Two companies asked for both a landline and a mobile number.  I can not give a mobile number as I do not have one. I instantly got Red-flagged and not allowed to proceed with the form-filling.

A third company said that it could not find my bike in its data-base and would not let me register it as a prototype or even special.

The fourth company let me form-fill two of my bikes but would not allow the modern Honda,  to be part of a group policy. This despite advertising that this type of mixed bike group policy was a speciality of that company. No it isn't.

A fifth company did not like my Cafe Race style 650, insisting that it had too many modifications from standard. ie. Cip-ons, Rear-sets and a Twin Leading Shoe Front Brake. Obviously these changes make the bike too dangerous to be on the road!!!

I can obtain a group policy for my two Nortons and a separate deal for the Honda but then I end up paying for two lots of extras  for  Recovery, Legal Expenses and Broker Fees. I notice that BikeSure gets lots of mentions.  I will give them a call.

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I've the Mk 3 Commando & a Guzzi 1200 2v Sport (purchased in March shortly before my CN policy expired), After a long telephone conversation CN & I finally agreed on £170 fully comp with 5k miles on each bike. Given that my previous policy (just for the Commando) was over £100 I thought this was pretty reasonable; my quotes are complicated by 9 points obtained within 6 days in September 2016, so I will probably struggle again next March - hey ho, we'll see what happens!

It seems that service/value for money depends on who one talks to.

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CN renewal increase18%,  rejected, second offer looks be around 15%

FMJ website riddled with issues which I abandoned.

Went to bike sure and had same cover at 30% less than last years bill.

signed up.

 

jon 

 

 

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Thanks to everybody who contributed to this thread. The general message regarding Carol Nash appears to be consistant. Unexplainable year on year high rises in premium costs. The usual CN reason of soaring repair costs for the Premium increase just does not hold. Inflation has been peanuts for a decade and the only significant change this year has been an increase in the Insurance Premium Tax. In my case up by £20. 

OK I am getting closer to becomming an old git and potential nuisance to other road users but recent retirement has seen my weekly mileage crash. One of my bikes is basically a show bike and this year will travel more miles on a trailer than ridden on the road.

I contacted CN and tried to get a better quote. The best they could offer for my 3 bikes was £499. The basic policy was around £300 but then just like Ryan Air you paid through the nose for the necessary extras. Recovery, Legal Costs, Govt Tax, Broker Fee etc.   I then contacted Bike Sure and then offered similar cover for £299. This included Recovery. Legal Cover costs were an extra for a few pounds more which I accepted and the only bad news was having to recover proof of no-claims from CN. 

This Proof of no-claims document is almost certainly going to become a charged item in the future and yet another rip-off cost for anyone wanting to change Insurance brokers.

 

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Considering we have all been staying at home ,not doing milage and there to guard our valuables for 6 months ,the claims bill must be minimal. We should all get a re-fund!!  Don't hold your breath.

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Just wasted the morning trying to phone Peter James for a quote. The line goes dead after one minute twenty one seconds, repeatedly!

The online form wants to know the day/month/year that I passed my test, 52 years ago. Also the same precision for medical conditions! Who has this info at our time of life. No quote given as I was unable to complete all mandatory boxes.

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I don't have a Norton at the moment, but have three Laverdas insured with Peter James. ...750SF2, a RGS 1000, and an RGS 1000 Corsa.  Total about £325 for the year.

 

Clean license etc

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Try Hagerty. They are good on the phone, seem to know their stuff and I found them far more competitive than CN who I also left after being with them for 20+ years.

My policy includes my 2 year old Triumph as well as several nortons and overseas breakdown cover is standard.

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I'm still with CN - I like to abuse thier recovery scheme!

If you call them they will reduce the cost - check all the values of the bikes on the policy (my modern bike was reduced by a few £K since it was new in 2018).

I got nearly a £100 reduction - so I renewed.

Regards - Paul.

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If you call them they will reduce the cost

 

Why as an existing customer should I need to ring to get a high renewal reduced. If you ring you are telling them to do you over every year. Any insurance company that tries inertia selling with me does not get any more business.

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A new law is coming into force banning the practice of penalising 'loyal' customers in favour of new business. It will only apply to home and vehicle insurance. It'll be interesting to see how the insurance companies get around this - I'm sure they'll find a way ... .

 


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