Morris Minor Owners Club

A problem: on trying to renew my insurance policy with AON to a new agreed value, following much restoration work, they said they couldn't accept the valuation I'd sent them as it came from a garage that knew and had previously done some work on the car. My other local specialist place has actually done most of the recent restoration work on the car (and AON know this), so AON won't accept a valuation from them either! And I'm loath to pay for another valuation (which would mean going further afield), having already gone to the effort and expense of obtaining a perfectly decent one. Can the club (I am a member) support my valuation by correspondence? Or suggest another way forward if I decide to try to renew with AON? Obviously, I can shop around as well and see if another company will accept the valaution...

For discretion's sake, I'm keeping money, geography and the names of garages off this site... And I'm not trying to diss AON...

Jamesy

Message from Derby Office

I have been advised of your message and have contacted AON. However, my contact at AON is unable to advise on this until Monday, at the earliest. I will let you know as soon as any more information is available.

Liz Saxon

Okay, thanks.

By the way, given the recent Footman James-AON merger, if I were to ring Footman James for a quotation would I now get the same figure and precisely the same policy? Also, might I even end up speaking to the same person when I ring?! That could add a bit of confusion and awkwardness to the situation...

Jamesy

I suggest you contact Liz direct at our Offices 01332 291675 in Derby and she will be able to relay your concerns.

I would wait until Liz gets back to you from Head Office.

i know that when i have insured both my fiat and skoda i get two different quotes from elephant and admiral who are the same company based in the same office in cardiff. I have even managed to play one off against the other to get a lower quote. So just because footman james and AON are now the same company i would phone up both to try and get the best deal.

i have had no problem with footman james on my car when i needed to up the agreed valuation, previously markey value

then again i did have problems a few years ago with aon

I've never had a problem with self certification on the valuation - it's been accpeted by the insurance companies that I'd used (for the Minor and other cars).

One classic insurance company (non Minor) tried to avoid a claim because the car was modified (different wheels and bumpers). However I reminded them that all modification detail was specified in their condition form, including photographs - they phoned back and said it was no problem.

Therefore if something is non standard (e.g. later running gear etc..) make sure you use the condition form to cover yourself.

I know this might sound a bit weird, but the fact that Footman James include breakdown cover as standard in their insurance policies is slightly off-putting. I'm quite loyal to the RAC and am about to renew with them. Basically, I want to be sure that I'll continue to get swift, expert, high-quality assistance (and I tend to go for one of their more comprehensive breakdown cover policies, including home call-out, for peace of mind). So going with Footman James for insurance that automatically includes breakdown cover (but perhaps without policy features that I like in the RAC cover) would feel a bit like paying twice for the same call-out service - one that I end up using and one that I don't.

But maybe people out there would recommend the breakdown assitance that they've received via the Footman James scheme and rate it as high (or higher) than the RAC? I'd be interested to hear...

Jamesy

i have used the footman james breakdown cover once, and i was very impressed

came out within 30 mins and got me home

Can you please email liz.saxon@mmoc.org.uk and confirm your membership number for me please?

Thank you
Liz

I wouldn't rely on the RAC! Are you sure they cover older cars ? They were featured on TV a while back - for mercilessly flogging new inflated price batteries to just about every breakdown they attended! The drivers were hauled over the coals if they didn't flog enough batteries each month!

I am in the RAC, and have used them on a number of occassions for a variety of cars.

The FJ recovery service is excellent ... its backed by green flag IIRC which is a network of local garages - hence the fact that they often do an excellent job and are usually faster to arrive than the AA/RAC which prefer to send out their own cars, and on a busy day that can mean you waiting for over an hour.

Good to hear positive things about the FJ breakdown cover. My own experience of the RAC has been great so far. For one reason or another I've needed them five times in the past year (including for home call-out, which I now realize isn't included in the FJ cover) and each time they've been prompt to arrive, thorough, knowledgeable and good-humoured. Hence my hesitation before trading them in for an unknown quantity. But the Footman James quotation I got was by far the cheapest (by eighty quid!) and if I drop the RAC subscription too that's a pretty tidy saving! It's just the lack of home call-out cover that makes me hesitate. And I can't add that on for an additional fee.

Jamesy

bmcecosse wrote:I wouldn't rely on the RAC! Are you sure they cover older cars ? They were featured on TV a while back - for mercilessly flogging new inflated price batteries to just about every breakdown they attended! The drivers were hauled over the coals if they didn't flog enough batteries each month!

Well I have never had a problem with them and YES they cover the driver irrespective of the car they are driving.

egsj wrote: snip

But maybe people out there would recommend the breakdown assitance that they've received via the Footman James scheme and rate it as high (or higher) than the RAC? I'd be interested to hear...

Jamesy

I have found the FJ breakdown service fairly quick to respond but not terribly good at diagnosing problems on my '52 sidevalve. eg dizzy wobble [should have diagnosed that myself eh?] and another problem. Would have got me to a garage or home though. No recent experience of RAC.

Squiggle wrote:

egsj wrote: snip

But maybe people out there would recommend the breakdown assitance that they've received via the Footman James scheme and rate it as high (or higher) than the RAC? I'd be interested to hear...

Jamesy

I have found the FJ breakdown service fairly quick to respond but not terribly good at diagnosing problems on my '52 sidevalve. eg dizzy wobble [should have diagnosed that myself eh?] and another problem. Would have got me to a garage or home though. No recent experience of RAC.

Yeah, much the same with me .. dodgy wire connecting the dizzy to the coil .. again I should have noticed it, but they hoicked me up on the back of a low loader and brought me home no questions ... twice in almost as many weeks!

Just for the record: re my original posting: after a little nudge from the MMOC (thanks, Liz!) AON rang back to agree to honour my proposed valuation figure after all. Good to know for the record (and possibly for the future) - but not as good as a bargain quote from Footman James!

Jamesy