Insurance - once more probably :-)

[Arek]

Hi all,


I just felt the need to write it here.
Regarding my new RT I started looking for insurance. And I'm a bit surprised the outcomes.
I was prepared that RT will be more expensive than my current Kawasaki, that's OK. Especially when I have only 2y NCB. For many reasons really. I changed my bikes usually in the middle of insurance, and had really bad luck that current underwriters I had, not offered insurance for new bikes. So had to cancel (loosing months) and run new. And that way I lost 3 years .... Life sucks.
Anyway enough crying 


Calling to my current insurer- Bennets. Standard story, underwriter will not insure BMW. OK, fine. Run through ne quote. Price sky rocket. So I'm telling them that I run search on comparison site and I have quote from them for over £200 less. Answer, go through website, and then call us as we can't offer you this same via phone.  ???


Calling BMW insurance run by Devitt. And the customer service representative telling me - I can't give you quote, we have to check with underwriters, and we will come back to you. So I'm telling her, look your company (Devitt) gave me quote via comparison site already. So why you can't do that? No answer.... ???


I never had any issues with insurance for any of my bike, why the RT is so problematic? It is less powerful than my previous kawasaki, definitely less sporty. Yes, more expensive, but the ride style is also more calm.


And the bit when your car accidents affect your motorcycle insurance is insane in my opinion.


I will probably go with one of the companies from comparison sites, Devitt, MCE, Bennets (LOL via website because of the price).
Do any of you know something good or bad about Grove&Dean Insurance? they offering good quote for me too, but never heard of them.

[Sprintgull]

Surprised at this.  Never had a problem with any of my BMWs (1200GT/1300GT/RT LC).  I'm currently with Cornmarket under the IAM scheme.  Can you find out why they don't want to quote?  Can your dealer offer you any help if it is a new bike?

[Arek]

All of them said. Only 2 years NCB and very expensive bike. That's the standard answer. Didn't dig deeper really, as I have some options. So I will survive. But that annoying me still.
My dealer said - we can give a phone number to the BMW Insurance  ::)  Yeah, I can find that number myself.

[Viking John]

Have you tried Bikesure in Norfolk?.....  a decent broker and discount for MAG & BMW Club membership.
Good Luck

[milleplod]

My 1200RT renewal from Bennetts (owned by Saga.....owned by the same group that run those Meerkats...) dropped through the letterbox a few days ago. Up £40-ish from last year, despite everything being the same. Quick call to say 'I'm leaving you, you robbing gits'......and 2 minutes later it's down to £6 less than last year's paltry premium of £70-odd, with the same insurer as before, Zenith/Markerstudy.

I don't even bother being annoyed by the sharp practice these days - I made a brew, the call was free, 5 minutes of my life spent saving money!  ;D


Pete

[bandytales]

....and 2 minutes later it's down to £6 less than last year's paltry premium of £70-odd,

Sorry, am I reading this right? You pay an annual premium of around £70? Are you sure?

[austin1964]

Couple of points to look out for are:-

most motorcycle insurance now only cover new for old replacement for the first six months (used to be 12 months)As it's nice and new you might want to consider GAP insurance.
Some insurance policies (the one I have) requires you to tell them if you go overseas ( if you don't you will be travelling on a third party insurance only).

[milleplod]

Sorry, am I reading this right? You pay an annual premium of around £70? Are you sure?

Er....yep, I'm sure! I also know exactly how much I pay for car insurance, home insurance, breakdown cover et al!!
Bear in mind the bike's an '06 one, I'm a '59 model......and I don't live in a thieving scrote-infested area. 


Just double checked.....last year £79.70, this year £74.

Pete

[mondeoman]

Er....yep, I'm sure! I also know exactly how much I pay for car insurance, home insurance, breakdown cover et al!!
Bear in mind the bike's an '06 one, I'm a '59 model......and I don't live in a thieving scrote-infested area. 


Just double checked.....last year £79.70, this year £74.

Pete

That's probably the monthly payment. 

[MikeS]

I think it's just part of the insurance industries business model these days. Reel us us in with a reasonable premium then hike it up each year with the hope that either we don't notice or are too apathetic to challenge it.


My recent experience with Hastings (which I posted on here) reflects that.


I agree with Pete, don't get bothered by it. View it as a bit of a game that we just have to play each year.


Mike

[beemerboy9]

Hi all,


Calling BMW insurance run by Devitt. And the customer service representative telling me - I can't give you quote, we have to check with underwriters, and we will come back to you. So I'm telling her, look your company (Devitt) gave me quote via comparison site already. So why you can't do that? No answer.... ???

Same for everybody, I'm afraid. All insurance companies have been hit so hard by the recent wave of BMW GS (and other bike) thefts in London, that BMW Insurance by Devitt refers every single quotation to the underwriters. The BMW policy is superior to the Devitt one because more accessories are covered - and is, of course, more expensive.

[Arek]

Same for everybody, I'm afraid. All insurance companies have been hit so hard by the recent wave of BMW GS (and other bike) thefts in London, that BMW Insurance by Devitt refers every single quotation to the underwriters. The BMW policy is superior to the Devitt one because more accessories are covered - and is, of course, more expensive.

So obviously no call back from BMW insurance. i will not be bothered to chase them up. really if they do not want deal with me, that's fine.
I'm not even close to London. In fact I'm in small village outside Oxford, and I do not commute. So from my perspective I'm ideal customer. But insurance companies seems to have different opinion 

[guest4915]

Don't knock the present system. For the time it takes to run a few comparisons, motorcycle insurance is ridiculously cheap in the UK. Obviously if you're younger, live in a high risk area or have previous, it's going to bump the price up. However, would any of us insure anybody on a relatively high performance, high risk vehicle costing £15000 +  for £250 odd pounds a year?  BTW my 2015 Triumph Sprint was less than £100 fully comp.

[Arek]

Don't knock the present system. For the time it takes to run a few comparisons, motorcycle insurance is ridiculously cheap in the UK. Obviously if you're younger, live in a high risk area or have previous, it's going to bump the price up. However, would any of us insure anybody on a relatively high performance, high risk vehicle costing £15000 +  for £250 odd pounds a year?  BTW my 2015 Triumph Sprint was less than £100 fully comp.

Cheap? I can probably agree with it, sort of  8)
I'm closer to 50 than to 20 in age  ;D , not in very high risk area (London, any bigger city), so the quotes should be good. they are not really.
Don't get me wrong. I understand that expensive bikes in hands of young riders and kept in risky places will be expensive. That's fine.
What really bothering me that my car related accident influence my bike insurance (in theory they should not, but they are).
But this is probably a long discussion with beer in the hand 


We all do this same. Run comparison sites, shop around and choosing the best one. At least I always doing it.
My initial post was the result of a bit shock when I called insurer and got quote £300 more than I got in comparison page, and they told me to do it online rather than via phone.


Anyway. I've got my reg number now. So I definitely will use one of the comparison results.