Happy New (Insured) Year!

[er-minio]

Ok – I was doing a few things at the same time yesterday, got some of my numbers wrong, but the total was still the same for 2024: ~1200.

HP2 was insured with Swinton for £355 (not 500, the figure I had stuck in my mind somehow).
To their credit, Swinton's renewal for the HP2 this year was £356.

Sadly if I try to bundle all the bikes together with Swinton it comes back as a "no quote across the panel".
It's becoming more and more clear that the issue is insuring the GS within London.
And, again, we are talking about an 18 year old bike that I insure for a grand total of 3.5k of value
HP2, as a reference, is insured at about 11k value.

Considering all the faff of managing two policies, etc... makes sense to have all the bikes under one policy with BMW Insurance services this year as the price is a tiny bit less than the total I had budgeted for 2025.

I'm curious what will happen to this 1 year NCB I accrued with Hastings in 2024 with the GS/DRZ policy. Maybe I should keep it on file in case I have to split the bikes again.

People you speak on the phone really do make a difference in sales and confidence and ease of looking at all possible combination, trouble that could arise.
I'd say the best three are, in order:
Footman James
BMW Motorrad Insurance (whoever the actual broker is)
Swinton



BTW, BMW Insurance is via Atlanta Insurance.
They do offer 365 days in Europe as standard. So, essentially, unlimited days abroad.

Funnily enough, Swinton is Atlanta too...

 

[wessie]

I'm curious what will happen to this 1 year NCB I accrued with Hastings in 2024 with the GS/DRZ policy. Maybe I should keep it on file in case I have to split the bikes again.

stays valid for 2 years so keep the renewal notice/email

BMW Motorrad Insurance (whoever the actual broker is)


BTW, BMW Insurance is via Atlanta Insurance.
They do offer 365 days in Europe as standard. So, essentially, unlimited days abroad.

Funnily enough, Swinton is Atlanta too...

As is Carole Nash who offer breakdown inclusive policies. With BMW including breakdown cover, my assumption is that the BMW offerings are just CNash rebadged and operated from the same call centres.

 

[GreatScot]

Seems like you're covering all the bases to get the best deal. The shitshow that is theft of BMWs in London is obviously a big hurdle. Although your GS is only worth c.£3.5k you're getting cover for third party and the value of your own bike might be a minor part of any potential claim (but you know that already).

Good luck finding the right price and quality of cover .

 

[er-minio]

Seems like you're covering all the bases to get the best deal.

I'm being Zen

you're getting cover for third party and the value of your own bike might be a minor part of any potential claim

Yep, but I don't understand how that is affected (third party) by the theft epidemic?
I mean, curiosity to understand how. It's not a life/death situation

Even when I spoke with the Swinton rep on the phone I was like "funny how the GS theft epidemic affects and old/cheap bike just because it's the same model".
And they commented: "but it's the risk".

What I don't understand is what risk do they have?
I insure the bike for 3.5k.

Remove 500 quid excess.
Then remove any other loss in value they will force because the bike hasn't been serviced at the dealer for years and I don't have all the receipts, etc. etc. (fair).

Let's say they want to refund me 2000-500 excess = 1500gbp if the bike is stolen.
I pay 1200 yearly.

Where is the risk?

Apart from the HP2, I work under the assumption, and been doing this for a few years, that insurance I pay for the GS and DRZ is just there for third party.
If I can get anything out of it in case of other claims (theft)... I'd consider myself lucky.


Anyway, I'm good.

my assumption is that the BMW offerings are just CNash rebadged and operated from the same call centres.

I think you are spot on.
I think they Atlanta has some sort of white label system they use.

This is the footer of the renewal email I had from Swinton:


This is the confirmation email from BMW Insurance:


It's the same backend sending them with just minimal configuration difference I'd say.

Funnily enough, if they are all Atlanta Insurance Group, I had three very different outcomes.
All three bikes together, garaged away from address, fully comp:

Carole Nash: ~£4900

Swinton: Would not quote

BMW Insurance: ~£1100.


I wonder how it works... or actually... I don't
It's sorted now. It will a problem for future me next year.

 

[Berin]

Spoke again with Footman James this morning (very nice/switched on people on the line) but my HP2 is just on year shy of what they insure.
Will try them next year for sure!

Odd. What year is your HP2?

 

[er-minio]

2011.
They told me I can from next year (I'll try them).

Have to say that 355 from Swinton to insure the HP2 last year was more than honest. It's on extremely low mileage per year on the policy as, essentially, it's insured for the transfers to/from Brands Hatch (other trackdays are in a van).
Apart from that it does very little road use, one or two jaunts out of London per year and the odd trip to the pub every once in a while for show

I was planning to take it out a bit more this coming year though. Both road and track.

Want to have a look at trackday insurance (both for car and bikes) as well, but plenty of time for that.

 

[ChasMill]

Up until this renewal the BMW scheme covered track days, now it does not.
Always bear in mind that your insurance premium includes unlimited third party liability insurance. The perceived value of the bike is pretty irrelevant in the great scheme of things.

 

[Pukmeister]

I was with CN for 10+ years, then last year something suddenly changed and they could no longer provide cover for a ‘19 1250GSA Rallye HP and an ‘11 Yamaha Tmax scooter with an Akra pipe fitted either individually or multi bike cover. The same story with many insurers, but why the sudden change ??

Weirdly, I found multi bike cover through Hastings (Gibraltar based) then CN started messaging me looking for repeat business. What’s that all about ??

 

[Berin]

2011.
They told me I can from next year (I'll try them).

Have to say that 355 from Swinton to insure the HP2 last year was more than honest. It's on extremely low mileage per year on the policy as, essentially, it's insured for the transfers to/from Brands Hatch (other trackdays are in a van).
Apart from that it does very little road use, one or two jaunts out of London per year and the odd trip to the pub every once in a while for show

I was planning to take it out a bit more this coming year though. Both road and track.

Want to have a look at trackday insurance (both for car and bikes) as well, but plenty of time for that.

That’s why, then, my HP2E is 2006, while you have a modern new fangled thing.

I think they will insure newer machinery as long as one of the bikes or cars counts as a “classic”

 

[er-minio]

Wow were they doing the Enduros in 2006 already?
I’m old
I thought they were more recent. But then, my 1200 GSA is a 2007… they came out around the same time… true.


I think my Sport is an 09 production (I think they are all, probably from the same “batch”) but first registration in Italy was in 2011.
61 plate here.