Insurance - It’s a problem, given my circumstances

[grantmac]

Well my first foray into the joys of on line insurance in UK has been a baptism of fire. Spend 3 hours today trying various options but all return “ computer says no” verdict.
Clearly the forms seem to be a standard platform across all insurers.
Thankfully there has been some good info on our forum and some quite recent. Also Erminio has been helpful. Tomorrow I’ll start by making some calls. Really baffled as to why it all has to be so difficult. My guess combination of type of bike, price and location seem to an issue. Never had a problem over here in Euroland.
Let’s see if my plans to buy a nice new GSA are scuppered by insurance woes…

 

[grantmac]

Well, well, well,....who'd have thought it. I cant get insurance for East London. Too many issues, I haven't had a policy before, garaging is not suitable blah blah bah. WTF is this all about???
Plans to buy the new bike in UK now out the window and I'll bite the bullet and pay the extra tax and get it here. No issue with insurance.
Just all very depressing really.....

 

[EVskiy]

Yep, dreading my renewal insurance costs around April or is it May time.

 

[wessie]

Pretty sure in your original post, it was mentioned that parking in a communal bunker in London would make you persona non grata.

Maybe the underwriters and actuaries watch too many gangster films, and police/spy TV shows? All the bad stuff mostly happens in the underground garages of London tower blocks!

 

[grantmac]

Pretty sure in your original post, it was mentioned that parking in a communal bunker in London would make you persona non grata.

Maybe the underwriters and actuaries watch too many gangster films, and police/spy TV shows? All the bad stuff mostly happens in the underground garages of London tower blocks!

Bingo! that and fact that I had no previous insurance......
Underground communal bunkers surrounded by millionaire's toys. Ferraris, Maclarens, RR, G Wagon's pimped by Brabus and Bentleys still didn't deter the insurance mafia.....

 

[wessie]

Bingo! that and fact that I had no previous insurance......
Underground communal bunkers surrounded by millionaire's toys. Ferraris, Maclarens, RR, G Wagon's pimped by Brabus and Bentleys still didn't deter the insurance mafia.....

presumably, they know the G Wagon is owned by a Portuguese (via Moscow) oligarch who is likely to load your GS into a trailer and have it shipped to his S African dacha ready for his winter holiday...

 

[er-minio]

I think Wessie mentioned some time ago that the main problem is the way insurance consider the risk individually Vs grouped, as this was explained in one some tv program about insurance, do I remember correctly?
You were answering to me saying that this insurance issue is almost non-existent in the EU (at least in Italy where I asked fellow 1300 owners).


As I said via MP and as I said in another thread, you are facing the same issues I faced for years before renting a lock-up to store the motorbikes.
And even the lock-up is now an issue.

Communal garages are "bad".
I used one that would be locked (with the guard inside) at 8PM. No way.

Insuring a GS anywhere in London is a problem. I face similar complexities insuring my 18 year old 1200GSA of a total declared value of 3k (against >1k premium). And it's still an issue even when trying to quote without fire & theft for some reason.
This is the same issue, on smaller scale, as Range Rovers & co.

If I try to insure my HP2, that is valued much more than 3k, on its own I don't have to jump through all those rings of fire required for the GS. And it costs 250 quid on its own (declared value >11k).


Again, I said it before. It's reaching a point where managing insurance is getting a bit ridiculous.
This can (my assumptions) be due to both rampant micro-criminality in London, for which the rather big increase in cost for a part of the population is apparently not an issue for the elected Mayor, and due to the the way motor insurance seems to work and manage/calculate risk.

I think this is something that could/should be covered a bit more by newspapers to try and push the relevant bodies to work towards a solution or improvement.
Small motorbikes (not GSs ) can and do help ease congestion and can be a transport alternative for some medium distance commuters. A lot are available on electric motors, so zero local emissions. Motorbikes and scooters also used to be classed as light vehicles (the ones pushed a lot into inner cities) until change of verbiage in recent years.

Sadly I do not see this happening as "defending" anything remotely related to "motorists" (electric or not) seems not to be kosher lately.
And I say this without wanting to get into into any conspiracy theory.


In your specific case, I think an UK dealer will be at loss of about 20 grand.

 

[wessie]

In your specific case, I think an UK dealer will be at loss of about 20 grand.

and HMRC in VAT as he would not be exporting it

 

[grantmac]

You were answering to me saying that this insurance issue is almost non-existent in the EU

It is really a sad state of affairs but understandable I guess.....
Its not all perfect over here. Even with my bike in my garage with alarm I do pay EURO 96 pcm but that's fully comp and full replacement value of the bike in write off up to 3 years. And that with BMW own Allianz insurance

 

[er-minio]

Just to clarify my post above, I have no issue in cost.
I currently pay about 1.2/1.3k to insure 3 bikes that I'm ok with. I wish it was less (and I know for a fact that about 1k of all that is the GS, because I tried different combinations at renewal) but spread around three bikes is acceptable for inner London I'd say, and comparable to other larger cities.

It's the complexity of finding someone that is willing to insure that is the problem.
I've had one friend that already sold his only bike for this and defaulted to renting one when he needs it. GS with communal residential garage.

 

[Posh Pete]

What about a second hand deal? The saving might be sufficient to pay for the insurance?

Or move to Scotland! Or anywhere away from London!

 

[grantmac]

I like it...moving to Scotland is a bit further to commute.....
Second hand not an option as i have just ordered the new 1300 GSA

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

Just all very depressing really.....

That just about sums up the U.K.

 

[Gavla04GS]

i have just ordered the new 1300 GSA

I know a location on the east coast, cheap to insure, it will have shelter and company in the form of an old 1250. I am sure others will offer, but I can keep it ticking over with genteel runs, whilst you are overseas.

 

[Easy_Rider]

You can see why so many dont have insurance. The cost is just silly.
I remember buying a bike first before looking at insurance.
Not these days, you need to get a quote for every make of bike you look at first.
I do feel sorry for the young ones these days trying to get insurance.