Is this a new thing?

[Bart1664]

I sold my bike in June 25 and have been looking around for something else. I recently found one that interested me and then set about getting a quote. It appears now that as I haven't had an active policy for more than '2 months' they ignore any previous years of experience and I have to put down zero. I don't recall this in my previous quotes. Is this a new insurance company tactic to increase premiums. I doubt I've suddenly increased my risk when any bike I may have had could equally have been sat in a garage over for far more than 2 months not being riden?

 

[wessie]

I sold my bike in June 25 and have been looking around for something else. I recently found one that interested me and then set about getting a quote. It appears now that as I haven't had an active policy for more than '2 months' they ignore any previous years of experience and I have to put down zero. I don't recall this in my previous quotes. Is this a new insurance company tactic to increase premiums. I doubt I've suddenly increased my risk when any bike I may have had could equally have been sat in a garage over for far more than 2 months not being riden?

sounds like bollocks to me as a no claims discount lasts for 2 years from a policy expired or was cancelled.

on most quotation forms I have only ever been asked when I passed my test and not if I have ridden continuously since 1992.

I suggest finding a different broker with better underwriting questions more suited to reality.

 

[Bart1664]

I don't belive the question related to NCD but simply 'riding experience'. The way they determined this was 2 months or more without an active policy. Absolute bollox as you say. And yes, I'll be moving along

 

[Wapping]

‘Riding experience’ or indeed ‘Driving experience’ is not a new question per-se. Most commonly, it appears on high end vehicles and / or ‘above average performance’ sports cars.

 

[Bart1664]

It's just something I haven't seen on any vehicle insurance before. It doesn't make sense either as I could just as easily have my bike in hibernation for far more than 2 months for a variety of reasons but because I have an 'active policy' I'm not possibly disadvantaged. I can't see a reason for asking it unless it would in some way.

 

[Wapping]

You are applying for a new contract of insurance.

Just answer their bloody question truthfully. It’s really not very hard.

 

[Bart1664]

That wasnt my point. But thanks for your worthwhile advice I hadn't thought of!

 

[glenn2926]

I sold my bike in June 25 and have been looking around for something else. I recently found one that interested me and then set about getting a quote. It appears now that as I haven't had an active policy for more than '2 months' they ignore any previous years of experience and I have to put down zero. I don't recall this in my previous quotes. Is this a new insurance company tactic to increase premiums. I doubt I've suddenly increased my risk when any bike I may have had could equally have been sat in a garage over for far more than 2 months not being riden?

I’m not sure years of experience ever was taken into consideration. NCB yes but experience?

 

[Bart1664]

I'm not certain if it actually makes much/any difference but can't see a reason for asking the question if it doesn't have an impact. The same question appears in 3 of the main comparison sites.

 

[Wapping]

I'm not certain if it actually makes much/any difference but can't see a reason for asking the question….

If the person’s experience of the vehicle or similar vehicles is little to zero….. no quote.

 

[glenn2926]

If the person’s experience of the vehicle or similar vehicles is little to zero….. no quote.

One might have ridden track days and off road for 30-40 years. Now that’s a lot of experience. How does one prove it to the insurance people?

 

[er-minio]

I'm not certain if it actually makes much/any difference but can't see a reason for asking the question if it doesn't have an impact. The same question appears in 3 of the main comparison sites.

They are trying. Trying hard I'd say.
Of course there is no way to prove any of what they are asking.
There is collecting information to define a risk level, and there is taking the piss. I'd say this seems to be the latter.

I'd mention this request to the FCA and see what they think about it. Or maybe they can clarify that this is collected for other marketing purposes (I doubt it).

And, then, use a different insurer.

 

[wessie]

I'm not certain if it actually makes much/any difference but can't see a reason for asking the question if it doesn't have an impact. The same question appears in 3 of the main comparison sites.
View attachment 444080

the question and information box seem to ask different things

for example, one could be a named rider on another policy

one might be a professional rider such as police, paramedic, courier, blood bike using a company bike

the blue box does not cater for either case which would evidence continuous riding experience.

maybe you should ask the robot which question it wants answering?

 

[SBD]

When I bought my GS they asked me if I had recent riding experience on a “more powerful” bike. I pointed out that they’d insured me for the previous 19 years on a LeMans without claim, and the question was satisfactorily answered. I didn’t have the “two months” problem though.

 

[Wapping]

One might have ridden track days and off road for 30-40 years. Now that’s a lot of experience. How does one prove it to the insurance people?

As with any contract of insurance, it is based on the legally established principle of utmost good faith. In other words, that the person answering the questions, does so truthfully. The truthful answer in your example, would be the one you have given. Outside of proof of no claims discount (which you sometimes get asked to provide) there is all but no proof required, when entering into any insurance agreement.

I was asked the ‘experience’ question, over the phone, when I took up the free (10 days, I think it was) insurance offered by Porsche. I was able to tell fellow on the other end of the line the truth. He also asked about any previous convictions, claims and the like, the usual stuff. I guess it took about three to four minutes in all. Job done.

 

[Wapping]

the question and information box seem to ask different things

One is a question, the other is clarification, surely?

What the algorithm driven box seems to seeking to do is weeding out the ‘Born again’ riders, who passed their test in (by way of example only) on their Honda 125 or 250 in 1975 but gave up riding in 1980 when the kids came along and now (45 years or so later) fancy owning the YamHonKawa 1000cc bike, that their mother never let them have or they couldn’t previously afford, death of the mother and PCP having come along to solve those two problems.

I wasn’t asked the question when my motor insurance came up for renewal, during the extended period of being ‘off the road’ due to rupturing my Achilles. Had I of been, I’d have given the truthful answer and the truthful reason why. There again. I don’t buy my insurance on-line.

 

[Wapping]

I'd mention this request to the FCA and see what they think about it.

To approach the FCA, you have to first exhaust the insurance provider’s own ‘Complaints’ procedures. This (sadly) does not embrace asking UKGSer or your mate’s mate down the pub

What are you proposing the OP complains about? That he’s been asked a question? That the question, relating to experience, is unreasonable? That he’s been ‘dissed’, to use the popular expression?

 

[Bart1664]

When I bought my GS they asked me if I had recent riding experience on a “more powerful” bike. I pointed out that they’d insured me for the previous 19 years on a LeMans without claim, and the question was satisfactorily answered. I didn’t have the “two months” problem though.

Unfortunately its a basic time question and you don't get to be any more specific than years from the drop down menu.

 

[Wapping]

When I bought my GS they asked me if I had recent riding experience on a “more powerful” bike. I pointed out that they’d insured me for the previous 19 years on a LeMans without claim, and the question was satisfactorily answered. I didn’t have the “two months” problem though.

When you bought your Uber-GS, you were in effect, entering into a new contract of insurance. The chimp on the other end of the line very probably works off a script, doesn’t have the faintest clue what a Le Mans is or (very possibly) not really very much interested. They might not even have the full intimate details popping up on their screen.

One assumes that, once you had ‘educated’ the chimp, all was then well?

 

[wessie]

One is a question, the other is clarification, surely?

I disagree. The blue box raises ambiguity in the meaning of the question. If they want to know if you have any gaps in your insurance record then ask that as a separate question as that would be a simple drop down yes or no which might then lead to a follow up about the length of the gap.

If they want to know about continuous riding experience they should provide an opportunity to answer this is in good faith e.g. by stating one is a named rider on a partner's bike, a professional rider in the police or riding school.

There should be no ambiguity in the questions asked.