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help! need to find a wacky insurance company...

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 3:54 pm
by wibble_puppy
...to insure my wacky van 8)

Thing is, right, it's insured with Aon at the moment, absolutely no problems, they give excellent customer service and blah blah.

BUT

as you are all thoroughly sick of hearing, my van is in the process of a full chassis-up bare metal restoration

INCLUDING

a full new paint job using Chromaflair paint (v costly).

I've chatted to Aon about this and they say that they will only insure my van for its agreed resale value :-?

The resale value (once the thing is finished - it's a shell at the moment) will be the same as for any tip top Condition 1 van - maybe slightly less, in fact, given that it will be a "non-standard" colour (putting it mildly).

But I would ideally like to be able to insure it for what it would cost to replicate it - in other words, at least double the value of a Condition 1 van, because of this blimmin fancy paint.

I've spoken to an insurance broker and there was the sound of teeth being sucked and some advice to approach the Club and ask about specialist insurance.

I know some of you bods have non-standard vehicles 8) ......

Does anyone know a (good) insurer who would insure it on the basis of its replication value instead of a resale value????

Any pointers gratefully received!!! :)

juliet xxxxx

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:09 pm
by rayofleamington
PM underway

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:21 pm
by wibble_puppy
cheers dude :D

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:31 pm
by plastic_orange
The NSRA and the NASC both offer agreed value insurance to members for modified vehicles.
PM me for further info if you wish.

Pete

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 5:32 pm
by wibble_puppy
will do, Pete :D - thanks for that, I had a feeling you might know about insurance of non-standard classics :wink:

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:59 pm
by aupickup
hi
you could also try peter best, for non standard classics.
by the way i still have your book
au

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:30 pm
by wibble_puppy
Eeee-yup aupickup :D
aupickup wrote: you could also try peter best, for non standard classics.
Ooooh cheers. Got any contact details for 'em? or are they in the club mag?
by the way i still have your book
Yeah listen out for the sirens :wink:

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:54 am
by KirstMin
Ello ello, I had the same problem with AON with my modified convertible: they would insure it up to £5000 but I had just spent a great deal more than that. I am now with Lancaster Insurance who do a ‘agreed value’ which you can come to if you send receipts, pictures etc. I had a valuation cert from Charles Ware MM but you don’t need one to come to a final agreement.

Oh, PS: I haggled them down on the final quote so dont be afraid to

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:59 am
by wibble_puppy
nice one, thanks for that KirstMin 8)

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 11:04 am
by Packedup
Not sure how non-standard friendly Peter Best are (could just be they don't like me!) but they'd certainly get first shot at my cash over and above Lancaster every time.

So far I've found Best to be good at answering the phone, good at talking on the phone, good on price, good on paperwork... Basically IMO they're good :)

In typical fashion I don't know where I've put my paperwork, so just Google them and look for the classics department number :)

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 11:51 am
by wibble_puppy
I'm loving the mental image of you trying to find any of your paperwork, PackedUp - it's just so not going to happen is it roflolol :wink: :D

thanks very much for the info re Best. Of course I don't just want an insurance company which will do the insurance I want: above everything else I want one which will deal properly if and when I ever do need to make a claim. So it's very handy to hear you've had good experiences with them - cheers mate :D

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 2:52 pm
by paulk
I'm loving the mental image of you trying to find any of your paperwork, PackedUp - it's just so not going to happen is it roflolol
I like the mental Image of a classics dept

A corner of the telesales dept with bakelite clock on the wall and tweed wearing pipe smoking telephonic insurance representatives.
ask them how many china ducks are on the wall of their cubicle :lol:

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 5:45 pm
by aupickup
i am with footman james and they will do agreed valuation, receipts etc.
they are freindly and helpful, i have not had to make a claim but they are good, also they will insure more moggies on the same insurance and terms for an extra £20.00

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 5:53 pm
by wibble_puppy
aupickup wrote:i am with footman james and they will do agreed valuation, receipts etc. they are freindly and helpful, i have not had to make a claim but they are good/
Cool - will add them to my list, cheers au dude 8)
also they will insure more moggies on the same insurance and terms for an extra £20.00
Arrrrr, sadly i am not in the fortunate position of needing that service :( :wink:

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 12:03 am
by Packedup
I'm loving the mental image of you trying to find any of your paperwork, PackedUp - it's just so not going to happen is it roflolol
Hey! I'll have you know I almost saw some of my desk under all the clutter at least once in the last 6 months!
I like the mental Image of a classics dept

A corner of the telesales dept with bakelite clock on the wall and tweed wearing pipe smoking telephonic insurance representatives.
ask them how many china ducks are on the wall of their cubicle :lol:
Sadly, I think it's a small office with some very pleasantly voiced females in there... And I'm just a total sucker for a pretty voice :oops:

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:10 am
by Multiphonikks
Hi Juliet,

Footman and James were quite happy to insure Carrie for £10k...

If you've had extensive modifications it may help to have an engineers report to back up your car's condition and mechanical improvements. These insurance types like things to be carved in stone, printed in triplicate and also like the pummice copy to be sent to Ross in finance.....

Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:37 pm
by wibble_puppy
thanks everyone for all your advice and for the contact details :)

the van is shortly to arrive home, basically a rolling shell, but covered with raaaather valuable paint. So I've been hitting the phones over the last few days.

Results:

Peter Best. I emailed them and they rang back very fast but said no, it's too valuable, they can't provide cover.

Footman James. I emailed them on 28 April and finally got tired of waiting and rang them this afternoon. No good - they would require it to be kept in a locked garage.

Firebond. Filled in the form on their website which says they will call you back. That was on 28 April. Finally rang them myself this afternoon. Very pleasant but no go - too valuable.

Lancaster. They couldn't offer cover due to lack of locked garage, value too high, and it's been modified. HOWEVER they gave me the number for.....

Adrian Flux. Ta daaaaa! Sorted. They've offered me cover, underwritten by Equity Red Star (part of Lloyd's): fully comp; 1,500 mile limit; £150 excess; £25,000 agreed replacement value, including if it is written off...... for £185 a year.

This cover can start as soon as the van is ready for the road, and they suggest that until then it could be covered by our house contents insurance - v cunning! so will be looking into that.

Phew!

:D

Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:42 pm
by Cam
wibble_puppy wrote:£25,000 agreed replacement value, including if it is written off......
Good Grief! :o :o I'd like to see then cough THAT amount up! :o :o Must be the most expensive Minor on the planet. :o :o

Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:44 pm
by Onne
Well done Juliet!

Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 7:10 pm
by wibble_puppy
cheers onne dude! :D :D

wait till you see it, cam........ 8)