My insurance is up for renewal mid May.
I'm having a few issues lately, I'm getting properly annoyed at this stage and I might be happy to be pointed towards other insurers and to get some advice.
Background:
Been in the UK since 2007. Got my first UK bike (R1100S Boxercup) in 2009ish, insured through Bennetts, then moved to BMW Financial Services. Been insured with them ever since.
I started with a clean slate, since it was a pain to translate all the docs from my italian insurance. My first premium was 1200, then went down around 500/600 quid per year, staying roughly the same even after Sept 2013 when I bought a 1200 GSA and added it to the policy (the extra bike was 100ish more a year).
Got my bike license in Italy in 1997. Converted to UK (late, my bad) in 2013.
I sold the Boxercup and bought an HP2 Sport last year.
So: 2007 GSA and 2011 HP2S.
Insurance went up to 1700 and was also forced to have a comprehensive cover.
Paid that ok. Everyone happy (not really).
I spoke with the insurer on the phone a few times. They explained me that since the bikes are garaged in what they consider a "public" garage, the insurance price is high. For the insurance it's like if I leave them on the street, at least this is what they told me.
If I managed to put the bikes in a lock-up where I was the only one with access, the price could have gone down to around 1k.
I live near central London. Prices for a lock-up are insane. The ones I tried to rent looked like bloody fucking cardboard boxes (for 200 quid a month minimum) with paper thin doors.
I've been using the garage where the bikes are for AGES. It is guarded. CCTV. It is closed at night. No access whatsoever. I'm happy with that.
The bike is chained + disc lock.
Now, a few weeks ago, I had a collision with the GS. Info here: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/396634-Collision-involving-pedestrian
Communicated that to the insurance. All ok.
They told me, since I wasn't at fault, it would have not affected my premium. Yeah right.
Now I get my policy renewal letter. 1799.
6 years NCB (up from 5 last year).
I call them to ask why the price wasn't any lower (it alway went down a bit the previous years), then I wanted to correct the statement of insurance because:
a) the accident I reported wasn't written up anywhere
b) regardless of the 6 years NCB it says that I have 2 years experience driving in the UK and that my driving test was passed on March 2013.
They told me the driving test dates and experience don't change anything. I begged to disagree, since we are talking about 10+ years of experience.
I also made them noticed that I've been insured through them for the last 5 years... so they should have double checked the dates, also because they have on file either my old Italian license and the UK one that replaced it.
They rang up the insurer (ERS) and, adding the collision (no claims on both sides, I wasn't at fault - I didn't claim my own damages, just ate it up) my premium goes up to 2060 quid, including the 10 quid fee for the pleasure to renew with them.
Now.
I'm not really up to renew on these terms.
The problem is even worse. Every other insurer I rang up refuses to insure me, as they don't like the HP2 to be insured at the address I give them. Not even at my home address.
I had similar problems when I had the Boxercup, but apparently only with Carol Nash, Bennets was ok, as was BMW Financial.
I'm technically unable to get a fucking quote from another insurer, and I'm being "held by the balls" by my current insurer.
So. Yes. It is an expensive bike. But we are talking a newish GSA worth (insured value is 10k, that is BELOW market value).
So, I have friends who insure Porsche cars that are worth 4 times that and parked on the street day and night, at similar premium fees, and no one bats an eye.
In all of this, I also have a car happily insured with Admiral. 4 years NCB (my first car here). No fuss.
All of this is not take in account (2 bikes + 1 car - no convictions whatsoever, I add up a decent amount of mileage per year combining car and GS, etc. etc.) anyway I digress...
What shall I do about the driving test dates.
Every time I speak with another insurer they use my ITA to UK conversion date as the start date for my license. Does it affect the policy? I guess so.
I can try to move the bikes at a different address in a relatively short time.
But I'm basically at the Insurer's mercy.
Do I need to ring the insurer and give them a range of places where to keep the bikes and see where they are happy with it? WTF...
Is there any way to fight back the increase in the policy after the collision, or is it just wasted time?
I'm not looking to spend 50 quid a year on the policy.
I knew it would have been expensive when I got the HP. it's just that at the moment I'm stuck with a single insurer and they can do whatever they want since I'm not able to quote/move anywhere else.
Carol Nash won't insure.
The one through UKGSer (forgot the name), they've been lovely, but they won't insure.
Hastings won't insure.
I's a bike, not a motherfucking Picasso left by the bins next to a pub.
Cheers.
I'm having a few issues lately, I'm getting properly annoyed at this stage and I might be happy to be pointed towards other insurers and to get some advice.
Background:
Been in the UK since 2007. Got my first UK bike (R1100S Boxercup) in 2009ish, insured through Bennetts, then moved to BMW Financial Services. Been insured with them ever since.
I started with a clean slate, since it was a pain to translate all the docs from my italian insurance. My first premium was 1200, then went down around 500/600 quid per year, staying roughly the same even after Sept 2013 when I bought a 1200 GSA and added it to the policy (the extra bike was 100ish more a year).
Got my bike license in Italy in 1997. Converted to UK (late, my bad) in 2013.
I sold the Boxercup and bought an HP2 Sport last year.
So: 2007 GSA and 2011 HP2S.
Insurance went up to 1700 and was also forced to have a comprehensive cover.
Paid that ok. Everyone happy (not really).
I spoke with the insurer on the phone a few times. They explained me that since the bikes are garaged in what they consider a "public" garage, the insurance price is high. For the insurance it's like if I leave them on the street, at least this is what they told me.
If I managed to put the bikes in a lock-up where I was the only one with access, the price could have gone down to around 1k.
I live near central London. Prices for a lock-up are insane. The ones I tried to rent looked like bloody fucking cardboard boxes (for 200 quid a month minimum) with paper thin doors.
I've been using the garage where the bikes are for AGES. It is guarded. CCTV. It is closed at night. No access whatsoever. I'm happy with that.
The bike is chained + disc lock.
Now, a few weeks ago, I had a collision with the GS. Info here: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/396634-Collision-involving-pedestrian
Communicated that to the insurance. All ok.
They told me, since I wasn't at fault, it would have not affected my premium. Yeah right.
Now I get my policy renewal letter. 1799.
6 years NCB (up from 5 last year).
I call them to ask why the price wasn't any lower (it alway went down a bit the previous years), then I wanted to correct the statement of insurance because:
a) the accident I reported wasn't written up anywhere
b) regardless of the 6 years NCB it says that I have 2 years experience driving in the UK and that my driving test was passed on March 2013.
They told me the driving test dates and experience don't change anything. I begged to disagree, since we are talking about 10+ years of experience.
I also made them noticed that I've been insured through them for the last 5 years... so they should have double checked the dates, also because they have on file either my old Italian license and the UK one that replaced it.
They rang up the insurer (ERS) and, adding the collision (no claims on both sides, I wasn't at fault - I didn't claim my own damages, just ate it up) my premium goes up to 2060 quid, including the 10 quid fee for the pleasure to renew with them.
Now.
I'm not really up to renew on these terms.
The problem is even worse. Every other insurer I rang up refuses to insure me, as they don't like the HP2 to be insured at the address I give them. Not even at my home address.
I had similar problems when I had the Boxercup, but apparently only with Carol Nash, Bennets was ok, as was BMW Financial.
I'm technically unable to get a fucking quote from another insurer, and I'm being "held by the balls" by my current insurer.
So. Yes. It is an expensive bike. But we are talking a newish GSA worth (insured value is 10k, that is BELOW market value).
So, I have friends who insure Porsche cars that are worth 4 times that and parked on the street day and night, at similar premium fees, and no one bats an eye.
In all of this, I also have a car happily insured with Admiral. 4 years NCB (my first car here). No fuss.
All of this is not take in account (2 bikes + 1 car - no convictions whatsoever, I add up a decent amount of mileage per year combining car and GS, etc. etc.) anyway I digress...
What shall I do about the driving test dates.
Every time I speak with another insurer they use my ITA to UK conversion date as the start date for my license. Does it affect the policy? I guess so.
I can try to move the bikes at a different address in a relatively short time.
But I'm basically at the Insurer's mercy.
Do I need to ring the insurer and give them a range of places where to keep the bikes and see where they are happy with it? WTF...
Is there any way to fight back the increase in the policy after the collision, or is it just wasted time?
I'm not looking to spend 50 quid a year on the policy.
I knew it would have been expensive when I got the HP. it's just that at the moment I'm stuck with a single insurer and they can do whatever they want since I'm not able to quote/move anywhere else.
Carol Nash won't insure.
The one through UKGSer (forgot the name), they've been lovely, but they won't insure.
Hastings won't insure.
I's a bike, not a motherfucking Picasso left by the bins next to a pub.
Cheers.
