The insurance thread.

[Bel]

Most of this is logic but have a look anyway.

Insurance advice from www.MotorCycleNews.com Part1
For a quote through MCN go to this website.

Cheap motorcycle insurance - five simple tips
-Finding cheap motorcycle insurance has always been important but in today's economic climate many riders are finding it more of a priority than ever before.
-Luckily, finding cheap motorcycle insurance quotes has never been easier. Whether you've been riding for years. Or are looking at a motorcycle, scooter or moped for the first time as a cheap form of transport, easy savings of £100s are there for the picking.
-We've gathered some simple advice on how to get a cheap motorcycle insurance quote next time you need to renew your policy or take out a new one.
-Cheap motorcycle insurance tip 1: Shop around, get as many quotes as possible!
The most effective way of getting the cheapest insurance is to contact as many insurance companies as possible. It's amazing the variation in quotes you can get from different firms - often hundreds of pounds.
-You can easily and quickly compare insurance quotes using one of a number of websites that allow to input your details once and get back dozens of competitive quotes instantly.
-A good place to start looking is MCN Compare, which will get you quotes from leading insurers in as little as three minutes the first time you use it - quicker than talking to a call centre operator.
-If you want to requote at any time in the future, say for a different bike. Just three minutes to save £200 or more has got to be worth the time! Even if you don't want to take up the cheapest insurance quote, you can use often it to negotiate a lower price with your current insurer.
-Cheap motorcycle insurance tip 2: Buy approved security devices
Insurance companies are also likely to offer a cheaper quote if you tell them that you use an approved security device to reduce the risk of your motorbike being stolen. Look for chains and locks that are 'Sold Secure' or 'Thatcham approved' as these are most likely to be recognised by the insurance companies.
-Cheap motorcycle insurance tip 3: Consider buying new
The credit crunch is hurting the motorcycle manufacturers and dealers, so at the moment there are some great deals kicking about as they try to shift existing stocks of new bikes. Not only that, but extras like free or cheap insurance and free accessories are often being used to sweeten these deals even more.
-When your year of cheap or free insurance is up, just use a insurance comparison service to try to beat the quote you'll get from the company that gave you the cheap insurance deal with the new motorcycle.
-Cheap motorcycle insurance tip 4: Get your policy on the web for an online discount
Many insurance companies offer their cheapest policies through websites - they pass back to you the saving they make by you doing all the hard work of inputting all your details instead of a phone operator doing it. Savings can be from 10-20%.
-Cheap motorcycle insurance tip 5: Get some advanced training
Insurance firms can sometimes offer their cheapest insurance to riders who have undertaken advanced motorcycle training. This is a great 'two birds with one stone' option, because advanced training will also improve your confidence and boost the enjoyment you get from motorcycling. Blow off some cobwebs and make yourself a safer rider, then earn a reduction in your insurance costs in the process! Try contacting the IAM for more information on suitable courses.

Read the small print
-When you get your motorbike insurance quote back, check the small print of the motorbike insurance quote very carefully. ie agreed value, claims, no claims bonus, and convictions.
-Some very small print has been known to say: "if you change type of tyres from standard fitment that could invalidate your insurance."
-You have a 14-day cooling off period that allows you to cancel the policy, less any time that you were on risk and an “administration charge”.

Changing your policy
-When you are getting a motorbike insurance quote it is always worth finding out how much is charged if you alter your policy in any way mid-term.
-Motorcyclists are far more likely to do this than car drivers and there can be significant hidden charges if you switch bikes in the summer and have to get an update on your motorbike insurance quote.

Check the excess
-When you are getting a motorbike insurance quote you should check if there are any restrictions in cover.
-The most important one is the level of excess, which is the amount you will have to contribute in the event of a claim on your motorbike insurance.
-This is usually about £250, but you can adjust it when you are getting a motorbike insurance quote.
-Generally the cheaper the premium when you get a motorbike insurance quote, the higher the excess.

Total loss claims
-When you are getting a motorbike insurance quote it's always worth asking whether your motorbike insurance will be cancelled if you have to make a total loss claim, for theft or a write-off.

Be truthful
-When you are getting a motorbike insurance quote you should answer all questions truthfully.
-If you don't, your insurance could become invalid in the event of a claim.
-Click on the “terms” button once you start to get a motorbike insurance quote for full details of how to get an accurate motorbike insurance quote.

leftfield tips
-OK, so we’re all looking for cheap motorbike insurance, but there are some very drastic ways to get it.
-Your motorbike insurance is affected by where you live, so why not consider moving house as a route to cheap motorbike insurance?
-Alternatively, you could bring your insurance premium down by simply getting married. Apparently, this makes you more responsible.
-If marriage seems a bit of a step too far, then how about not buying a bike until you hit 40? Your age has a big part to play in how cheap your motorbike insurance premium is likely to be.
-Of course, you could always take the alternative – and slightly less off-the-wall – route of getting a low-value, low insurance group bike for a few years and building up some no claims bonus.

the easy way
-Do you really want to spend all day ringing round call centres to get a cheap motorbike insurance comparison?
-Do you want to talk to call centre numptys all day to get your cheap motorbike insurance sorted?
-The easiest option if you need a cheap motorbike insurance comparison is to use an web-based quote engine(or aggregator in the trade), which can give you a load of quotes from several different bike insurance firms at the same time.

15 minutes and you’re done
-If you can use a keyboard, even with just two fingers, then it could take just 15 minutes for you to get cheap motorbike insurance from MCN.
-Our new service will let you know what cheap motorbike insurance is available to you and at what price.
-You’ll get an insurance comparison by simply typing in a few important details on our website, and within 15 minutes you could have a screen full of cheap motorbike insurance comparisons to view at you leisure.
-And if dinner went on the table while you were typing slowly, don’t panic – you can save the results to come back to and view at a later date.

it’s not all about the premium cost
-Getting cheap motorbike insurance doesn’t mean you have to accept poor quality cover, but you do have to look beyond the quoted price to make sure the level of cover is one you’re comfortable with.
-So, make sure you compare the excesses (that’s the first part of any claim that you are responsible for), it’s typically ₤2-300, but it can be almost as much as the bike’s worth on some policies.
-Does the policy cancel if you make a total-loss claim, meaning you have to take out a fresh policy for several hundred pounds?
-Is there an annual mileage limit? If you plan on holidaying abroad on your bike, will you go over mileage, or indeed will they cover you, or is it extra?
-How about cover for your helmet and leathers?.

be honest
-It might sound blindingly obvious, but the cheapest motorbike insurance in the world will turn out to be useless if it comes to light that you lied to get a cheaper quote.
-Never be tempted to lie about things like where your motorbike is stored just to get a lower insurance quote.
-What happens if they turn up at your house to see the locked, brick-built garage that your bike was stolen from, only to find a rotten wooden shed with no door.
-It’s an extreme example, but if your motorbike insurance claim hinges around a small detail, it’s sod’s law that it will directly relate to a white lie on your initial request for a quote.
-Look at it this way: how do you explain your bike being torched in Glasgow when you live in Exeter and only do 200 miles a year?

watch your mileage
-There are many tricks to getting your motorbike insurance as cheaply as possible.
-One way to affect what you’ll be charged for your insurance is how many miles you really do cover on your motorbike each year.
-Many firms will ask you what your annual mileage is, or is likely to be, when you’re looking for a new motorbike insurance quote, so be honest with them.
-Admittedly, it can be a little bit tricky if you’re not sure of your annual mileage, but if you really only ever use your bike on sunny Sundays, the insurance firm isn’t going to think you’re any less a biker if your mileage is likely to be a couple of thousand miles a year.
-After all, the less time you spend on the road, the less likely you are to crash (in the eyes of an insurance company, at least).

shop around
-Looking for cheap motorbike insurance? Well, if you’re reading this on a computer screen, you’re already in the right place.
-It used to be the case that insuring your motorbike would take days of calling round insurance brokers and firms to get the best deal, playing one off against the next.
-But you can now get really good deals on motorbike insurance by just visiting an insurance comparison website and letting someone else do the searching for you.

How to shop around for motorcycle insurance
-To help you keep track of all the different policies out there here is a list of questions to ask as you shop around.
1, Answer all questions truthfully. If you don't, your insurance become invalid in the event of a claim. Any intermediary (broker, company representative etc) should warn you of the consequences while you are getting a quote.
2, Find out the identity of the insurer from the broker. That way you are better able to compare prices, and if you have a complaint you can contact the Chief Executives of both the broker and the insurer.
3, Check if there are any restrictions in cover. The most important one is the level of excess, which is the amount you will have to contribute in the event of a claim.
This is usually about £250 and if it is above this the broker is under a moral duty to tell you what it is.
The cheaper the premium, the higher the excess. Some excesses depend on whether the bike is garaged or not, ask what the conditions are if your bike's nicked from a mate's house for example.
Normally if you're not at home when your bike's nicked they'll pay out but there may be an increase in the excess.
4, Check if there are restrictions in the number of named riders or bikes covered.
5, Is legal cover offered? If so, how much are you being charged for it, and can you take it out later on in the event of a claim. It's a "nice little earner" for brokers.
6, Find out what administration charges over and above the premium the intermediary is levelling. There can be significant differences between companies in the level of these charges.
7, How much is charged if you alter your policy in any way mid-term?
Motorcyclists are far more likely to do this than car drivers and there can be significant hidden charges if you buy a new bike in the summer.
8, If you're switching to a new company, find out what charges are levelled for new business. Also how much is charged at renewal?
9, What are the cancellation charges - they can be excessive.
10, If you have to make a total loss claim, for theft or a write-off, ask if your insurance will be cancelled.
11, When you get the quotation back, check the small print very carefully ie agreed value, claims, no claims bonus, and convictions.
Some very small print includes: "if you change type of tyres from standard fitment that could invalidate your insurance."
12, What's the amount and extent of any Personal Accident cover? Is there a
24 hours claims help-line?
What about free collection and delivery from repairer following a claim?
Is a courtesy vehicle provided when yours is being repaired? Are you covered for Europe? If so, for how many days a year?

choose your excess wisely
-Making sure you get the cheapest possible motorbike insurance premium is especially pertinent in these times of universal hardship.
-But paying special attention to the voluntary excess that you must pay in the case of anything happening to your motorbike will potentially give you a cheaper motorbike insurance quote.
-Check your offer of motorbike insurance – the higher the voluntary excess figure is, the cheaper your insurance quote will be.
-Raise your excess and watch your premiums plummet.
-But be warned – don't just quote a ridiculously high figure, because if you do have to make a motorbike insurance claim you WILL be asked to stump up the excess!

read the small print
-Getting the lowest possible quote for your motorbike insurance can sometimes seem like a black art.
-But there are some tips that help you bring down the likely cost of your motorbike insurance, including reading the small print of any proposed motorbike policy.
-It might sound obvious, but not everyone does it – let's face it, we're all busy people, and some of us will just accept the first offer of motorbike insurance for an easy life, so long as the cost isn't offensive.
-When you're trawling through the small print, pay special attention to clauses that, on the face of it, look like a bonus, but in reality may turn out to be worthless.
-For instance, if the extent of your motorbike trips each year is a 20-mile round trip to work, why would you want full European breakdown cover?

Always get your bike looked over after an accident
-Sometimes you can be involved in a minor prang that you think hasn't caused any damage at the time, but then some hidden damage is shown up months down the line during a routine service.
-What to do? Providing you got the other driver’s details at the time of the accident, you can claim off the third party portion of his insurance policy.
-In which case, you have three years for personal injury and six years for property damage.
-They will send out an assessor to value the damage caused by the prang, but get the garage to prepare a report for you to make sure they don’t miss anything.
-It’s always best to get your bike checked over by a qualified mechanic after any kind of an accident.

What happens if a claim is still ongoing when your annual policy is due for renewal?
-If you've been using the legal expenses motorcycle cover that goes with the policy, if the claim is settled in your favour on a 100% no fault basis and if your insurer has recovered their financial outlay, then your no claims bonus will still be valid and your premiums should not be affected.
-Also, the legal service you're getting will only be concluded at the end of the case, regardless of whether you re-insure or not.

Long motorcycle insurance claim? Don't get stung at renewal time
-If you have been involved in a drawn-out motorcycle insurance claim and your insurance needed renewing before it was settled, your insurer may have increased your premium and asked you to pay an excess to get the repairs done.
-Assuming that the other side has now admitted liability in full and you have not otherwise increased the risk to your insurer, for example by having fault accident's since the subject one, there's no reason why your solicitors should not include your excess paid in your financial losses claim in addition to the increase in premiums paid.
-Further, you insurer should not now count this as a fault accident and your premium should reflect the current risk which should mean reducing your premium accordingly with the correct no claim discount.

The layer approach
-Although motorcycle insurance companies look for you to have fitted a Thatcham Category One system to your bike to get a discount on the premium, the best type of security is a ‘layer’ approach.
-A mixture of locks, chains, electronic security and the ability to lock the bike to something solid such as a ground anchor at home, or when you’re out at an event lock a few bikes together.
-Try not to leave the bike in a position that it can be lifted into a van easily.

Lower your motorcycle insurance with some advanced training
-If you want to lower your motorcycle insurance getting some advanced training can pay dividends from day one.
-When you’re getting onto two wheels and through your test it’s a major budgeting exercise with the cost of all your kit, lessons, your first bike and then your insurance premium emptying your bank account.
-So paying out for some advanced training might seem like an unnecessary expense.
-But if you are just starting out you’ll only have one year’s claims discount at best, so your motorcycle insurance premium will almost be at the full whack.
-However, if you have an Advanced Test pass for ₤139 from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) you can get a ten per cent discount on the quote with a variety of insurers, according to MCE Insurance.
-That could be ₤50-100, depending on your motorbike insurance premium, so it could pay for itself in two years.
-If you build up a NCD over a few years that might take the place of the Advanced Test saving, but an added advantage of having an advanced test pass is that if you have to make a claim and lose that discount you can quote your test pass again to get some money off immediately.
-You don’t even have to ride a big bike to go on an IAM course either. According to their website http://www.iam.org.uk “motorcycles with an engine capacity that will enable the machine to achieve and sustain national speed limits” can take the test.

Paying monthly? You'll keep paying even after a write-off
-Motorcycle insurance can be a big cost, especially if you have to fork out for your annual premium in one go.
-Fortunately motorbike insurance intermediaries often give you the option of paying monthly to spread the cost.
-But what happens if you have a big crash and your bike is written off after three months through no fault of your own?
-Should you still be paying hundreds of pounds for motorcycle insurance you no longer need?
-The answer is yes because insurance is an annual contract you enter into with the company, regardless of whether you make a claim or not, and if the company didn't offer the chance to spread payments you would have already shelled out the full premium.

[Bel]

Insurance advice from www.MotorCycleNews.com Part2
For a quote through then go to this website.

Should you disclose previous non-motoring offences?
-If you have received an motorcycle insurance renewal notice from your broker asking if you have ever had a conviction for a non-motoring offence, here's why they're asking, and where you stand...
-The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 enables some criminal convictions to become 'spent', or ignored, after a period of time from the date of conviction. After this period, with certain exceptions, an ex-offender is not normally obliged to mention their conviction when applying for a job or obtaining motorcycle insurance, or when involved in criminal or civil proceedings.
-We can't see any justification whatsoever for the insurance broker to have asked for this information assuming the non-motoring conviction was minor.
-Bearing in mind insurance policies are policies of good faith it is arguable that any convictions for fraud or related to fraudulent insurance claims would be something they would be interested in and perhaps something that should be disclosed.
Legal advice after a low velocity impact
Q. I was leaving the M23 to join the M25, travelling at about 40mph in slow traffic in the nearside lane, when a white van cut in front of me at the last second to join the exit. He pulled into my braking zone and left about 5m of space in front of me. I pulled to the offside of the lane to try and get a view and more 'clear air' around me as there was nowhere else to go.
He slowed again because he was too tight up against the car in front. As I was manoeuvering across the lane, I ended up clipping his right rear quarter bumper. I didn't come off the bike and my engine bar clipped his quarter bumper and tore it off so it was hanging down. My bike looked barely touched (though there was a bit of minor damage). My point is, after three weeks I have just been told that the driver is claiming whiplash injury. I have legal protection insurance and I believe this person is making up a claim.
How, physically, can a motorbike clipping a van bumper at about 5-10mph cause this? If I didn't come off the bike it couldn't have been that serious. I would laugh if it wasn't so ridiculous. Is there any way of disproving this? I was told it might be a 50/50 case originally, but after hearing about this injury claim I'm worried he's going for broke with my liability. I am an advanced 'gold' RoSPA rider who knows how to ride and was merely dumped into a dangerous situation.
A further conversation today with my insurer hasn't instilled me with confidence. They are saying that where an injury is claimed and no proof is available to dispel it, they will probably give damages. I am incredulous, the fact I'm on a bike and he's in a van seems irrelevant, and these people acting on my behalf are casual at best about it. They're talking of writing his van off for a damaged quarter bumper, which all sounds a bit dramatic, but I know it¹s purely a monetary thing. All this makes me sound like a maniac driving a tank, how is it I'm made to feel like a bad guy, I thought motorcyclists were supposed to be vulnerable and potential organ-donors?
Peter Ruane, MCN legal forum
A. Low velocity impact (LVI) accidents are the subject of fierce debate. Some medical professionals support that whiplash can be possible, some don't.
From a common sense point of view I am very sceptical about this one and fear he is making it up (whiplash symptoms are easy to fake). If I were your insurer I would (a) deny liability for the accident and (b) deny causation (ie, that the accident caused any injury). I would also allege fraud. I would hope you recover your losses in full.
As far as your insurer's initial response, the whole point is that an injured claimant has to prove on the balance of probabilities (more than 50%) that he has been injured. That will require a medic examining the driver and writing a report saying that the injuries are commensurate with the accident.

I bought a bike with outstanding finance
MCN expert Marc Abbott is here to answer any questions you have on anything bike related.
If you have any questions, ask an expert here
Q. I bought a 2007-model Honda Fireblade in a private sale on eBay in July last year. I was told by the original owner that it had been with a dealer over a few months, but hadn’t sold, so now he was selling it privately.
Having been told that the bike had been advertised for sale at a dealer I did not do an HPI check.
I took delivery of the bike and paid the original owner in cash in August.
When I paid and took delivery of the bike I received a receipt, V5 and the old service receipts.
Unfortunately my bike was subsequently stolen a month later. I reported the theft to the police and my insurance company the same day. The insurance company sent out a third party assessor a week later and I was told that my claim was in order and that I should hear from the insurance company in “two to three weeks”.
Apparently, the company misplaced my claim and I had still not had offer eight weeks later, so I phoned them again. This time they said they could not make me an offer as they had found out that there was outstanding finance on the bike from the original owner whom I bought the bike from.
I was not told by the original owner that there was outstanding balance on the bike and there was nothing in the sale advertisement, nor in the documents that I received that indicated that there was outstanding balance on the bike.
I contacted the finance company who told me that they would look into the matter, and that they might consider releasing the bike if “I had a case”.
I tried to find out explicitly what that meant, but the finance company could not answer that question.
I understand that the finance company have a hold on the bike, but surely the finance agreement is between them and the original owner.
I bought the bike in good faith and I have the receipts and documents to prove it. How can the insurance company not compensate me when I have an insurance agreement with them?

A. As you’re not a motor trader, and bought the bike in good faith without knowing finance was present, you‚re in a reasonably good position, especially as the finance outstanding is HP and not a lease.
The Consumer Credit Act 1974 gives “good title‚ to the innocent private purchaser of a bike which later turns out to be subject to a claim by a finance company because of a previous, unpaid hire-purchase agreement”.
This means that the finance company would not be entitled to repossess the bike from you if you still had it and you can make a claim for its loss with your insurer.
You need to get back in touch with your insurers telling them there is a title dispute and they are NOT to pay anyone out just yet.
Get back in touch with the finance company to confirm that you had the bike, and then answer their questions so that they are able to conform that you are an innocent purchaser. At that point you should acquire title and the insurer can pay you.

Classic bike insurance buying guide
To get the best value classic bike insurance, there are a few basic tips and tricks to learn if you're one of those currently dreaming of a cool 60s, 70s or 80s classic motorcycle.
The good news is that classic bike insurance is usually much more affordable than for a typical modern bike, and understanding why should help you track down the best deals.
For a bike to qualify for classic motorcycle insurance it must have been made and registered in a year up to and including 1982. So it's not just old Brit classic twins that qualify for these discounts nowadays. And some insurers now run "modern classic" schemes for bikes built between 1983 and 1998, bringing even more bikes within range of savings.
Why is classic bike insurance cheaper?
There are several reasons why classic motorbike insurance is cheaper than for modern bikes - the chief one being there are many fewer claims involving classic bikes.
Classic bike owners generally take extra care of their machines and cover less mileage. Fixing a maximum annual mileage is one typical way that you can save even more on insurance costs.
The market for stolen classic motorcycles is also tiny compared to that for new superbikes, say, and this also dramatically decreases the risk for an insurer to quote against.
Unfortunately this doesn't mean classic bikes are immune to theft, and, as with any policy, taking out extra security precautions can help reduce the cost of your classic bike insurance. Check out MCN's top tips to keeping your motorcycle safe.
What if I'm not going to ride the bike?
Many classic motorbikes are never ridden on the road, but still need insurance. Whether you're doing a winter restoration project or you just take your concours classic round the shows circuit on the back of a trailer, you're probably going to be looking at a 'storage policy' - which covers the bike for theft or fire damage. Specialist classic motorbike insurance brokers are the best bet for this kind of cover, which will be cheaper still than a policy that includes road use.
If you do ever transport the bike on a trailer it is important to be clear whether your storage policy covers damage in transit or away from the home, or whether your car policy (which will need to include towing cover) will cover damage to whatever is being towed. One of them will need to!
Specialist brokers for classic motorcycle insurance
When it comes to classic motorcycle insurance there are lots of smaller specialist firms that understand the specific needs of classic owners and offer policies tailored with special features, like multi-bike policies to cover collections.
Insurers like Footman James, Lynbrook and Adrian Flux all specialise in classic bikes and specials. Carole Nash also started out specialising in classic motorcycle insurance policies.

[MCW]

We have modern and classic bikes on a classic policy, it seems to work out much cheaper than a modern bike policy.

 

[cooperd5]

Guys,

being a "middle-aged git" (43) I've just renewed my Street Triple insurance for £84 FC. The one and only advanyage of getting old!! 

Coops

[AvengingPaladin]

I'm 2 years ahead of you, but with only about 18 months on two wheels I'm still paying approx. £250 for FC.

On this subject, I just saw a couple of traffic wardens (or whatever politically correct term they use these days) checking bike plates out with a hand-held automatic number plate recognition gizmo.

AP

[SpaceMonkey]

Just had my renewal come through & had a quick look on Devitts & came back alot better.
30 years old
Full license held for just over 2 years
2 years NCB
FC
£255 
Happy days I say.

My renewal from my existing insurers was £385.

[CookieMonster]

think a lot of it's to do with where you're parked and possibly milage (ie do you commute or not) as well as NCB

[cooperd5]

maybe, I'm in Suffolk and bike is garaged. I have commuting cover too though

Coops

[CookieMonster]

Originally Posted by cooperd5

maybe, I'm in Suffolk and bike is garaged. I have commuting cover too though

Coops

yeah try getting that price while parked on the street in london 

[captin--kirk]

  I'm a 41 year old £79 fc with protected no claims, age certainly has its advantages. 
   

[Rosbeef]

50 years young Striple rider
DAS passed 2001, full car licence since 78 ( it helps )
8 years ncb last sept renewal
Yes France had up to 10 years ncb
rural location ( so rural we only got street names and house numbers 3 years ago )
340 euro's FC and breakdown assist ( no RAC or AA in France )
But NO road tax or MOT to pay for.

Shame they won't count the 31 years NCB for cars 

Rosbeef

[jamm89]

21 fist bike after passing the DAS in january, Garaged, £1100 FC  
Its worth every penny though  

[StreetHawk]

holy sh*t £1100

[murtimuss]

Agree with you cookie. That's why mine is insured at my Dad's, garaged in Cambridshire apparently!!!

[dantrodgers]

Originally Posted by jamm89

21 fist bike after passing the DAS in january, Garaged, £1100 FC  
Its worth every penny though  

yep, i can relate to that.  23, first bike (well, it was... now its #3) passed DAS, was between 800-900 FC, next year its prob gona go up to around 1300 is the cheapest... next one is around 2k...