Insurance - mods

[chakraist]

Any relatively young chaps here want to recommend an insurance company that are good with modifications? I don't want massive loads on the premium, basically, can only afford TPFT as is! I heard good things from here about Carole Nash but the online price (no mods) came up as ?760 odd compared with H&R who I went with before at ?503.

Cheers,
Conrad

[yorkie_chris]

Mine's ?600 odd with 1 years NCB, 19yo, TPFT, garaged. That's with plenty mods declared including fullsystem, rejet, filter, GSXR suspendies.

[simon27]

Both Hastings and Express quoted around 350 fc, including legal, breakdown, pa, etc. Excess 350. These were with all mods declared. I'm 27 with 1yr NCD. Sickening thing is, without mods I could get a decent policy for less than 200.

[chakraist]

Mine's ?600 odd with 1 years NCB, 19yo, TPFT, garaged. That's with plenty mods declared including fullsystem, rejet, filter, GSXR suspendies.


You're with carole nash aren't you?

[GSXR Carlos]

Try Motorcycle direct, always good for me, i've been with them for 5 years, and were always cheaper than carole nash/bennets

[Malfunctioning-eddie]

I've always wondered how fussy insurance companies are on the definition of what a mod is (as opposed to an accessory) - particularly when it comes to making a claim - its probabaly in the small print somewhere - but do I ever read that?

[silent11]

bennets ?430 tpft, 2year no claims, month experience on A2

and they didn't even give me a option to tell them the mods (being exhaust) lol

[neio79]

bennets ?430 tpft, 2year no claims, month experience on A2

and they didn't even give me a option to tell them the mods (being exhaust) lol
i believe Bennets are one of the worst for honouring a claim if the bike has been modded?? i dont thin kthey accept mods, hence there not being an option for them ?

[Baph]

I'm with AutoNet Insurance.

I got insurance before my last birthday (turned 25 then). They applied the 'discount' for being 25 already (3 months in advance). They also applied 1years NCB.

Granted the only mod I have is the exhaust, but when I told them about it, their response was "That's ok, we'll send you the paperwork saying that should you claim for it, we'll replace it to standard, and if that's OK, we won't charge you anything extra."

Now, baring I'm 25, 1year NCB, held licence a little over 1 year and it's a K6, ?227/year FC. :D

[andyb]

I'm with Express Insurance. Don't take their first quote, haggle with them a bit. I had all my mods listed with them but agreed that they would only replace with OEM stuff should I have an accident etc. I'm only 25 with 3yrs NCB and the SV was £150ish TPFT!!!

[northwind]

I'm with Carole Nash, yes they are expensive but in my experience they're good. When comparing prices it's absolutely essential that you compare cover too- with my Carole Nash cover my mods are also covered, with my last shower (CIA) they charged nearly as much but they only covered for return to standard. My SV's worth about £1000 given its age and miles, the mods are covered for 3 times that!

You need to look at the bike's value from an insurer's point of view. The example I always use is the classic streetfighter, a GSXR 7/11. Now, to the owner it's a finely honed weapon, with a modified GSXR750 frame holding a tuned 1100 motor, usually a full system, often a more recent front end, custom paint, polished frame, total showstopper. To the insurance, it's a 20 year old bike with an engine swap, no fairings, damaged frame and replacement paint, all of which take money OFF the value- so the bike is worth about 50p.

CN's breakdown service is also good, I've used them and they were way better than the RAC- faster, more efficient, easier to deal with, more helpful, all round excellent.

[dyzio]

26yo, ?280FC, 8k miles, garaged, 1NCB. with HR insurance
added lowers, fuel can, scottoiler, DB screen, heated grips, hugger, seat cowl.
Not the most extreme of mods but made no change to the premium.

[neio79]

Also i think you have to understant the diff between mods and accesories. A lot of people are listing accesories. Mods are things that alter or enhance the bikes performance, such as brake liknes, discs, air filter, PCIII, exhaust etc. things like tail tidys, huggers, scotoilers are accesories.

[the_lone_wolf]

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/2000455272489756911_rs.jpg

mine is up for renewal in about a month...

23, 1yr NCB, garaged, ~£300 FC is the best so far from quinn direct, but the best thing about it is the excess - only £150! compared to £600-1000 with every other quote so far from confused/moneysupermarket and several other comparison sites. will have to start phoning around to get the quote down sometime soon i spose...

[dyzio]

Also i think you have to understant the diff between mods and accesories. A lot of people are listing accesories. Mods are things that alter or enhance the bikes performance, such as brake liknes, discs, air filter, PCIII, exhaust etc. things like tail tidys, huggers, scotoilers are accesories.

So you're saying I have NO MODS??:smt022:(

WAIT, I have one, Hagon springs :cheers:

[_Stretchie_]

I've just gone from a Thundercat, 1 years no claims TPFT was ?500 last year (due to ban), just bought a Blade OK now I have 2 years no claims but initial quotes for Fully Comp were ?950 ish..

Get hold of MCE Insurance.. Fully Comp, full European breakdown and legal cover for ?550.. BARGAIN

[K]

I'm another who can vouch for Motorcycle Direct - I now get change from ?100 :twisted: with exhaust and custom paintwork declared - both of which carry their own 'replacement' value to ensure my bike is repaired to 'as is' condition.

They also tagged my Varadero onto my policy for jack sh*t apart from an extra ?25 that covers all the Givi luggage and its contents up to a value of ?2k (so that's my laptop sorted).

[ljharmitt]

motorcycle direct, under ?500 tpft for me, screen race system, db screen, indi, etc lol

[Paws]

mce ;)

or carole nash

[DanAbnormal]

Motorcycle Direct won't insure me!
I hate the way they ask for 5 years previous claims. I've been pretty unlucky. I had my first bike stolen (my 125) in 2004, then a non-fault crash later in 2004, then recently a filtering accident last September which I have to put down as my fault as there is no decision yet :hackedoff: Lost all my no claims too. My Hornet insurance went from 220 to 570. All becuse some idiot decided to do U turn without looking and apparently thats MY fault!!!!!

I'm calm. :hackedoff::hackedoff:

[muffles]

Also i think you have to understant the diff between mods and accesories. A lot of people are listing accesories. Mods are things that alter or enhance the bikes performance, such as brake liknes, discs, air filter, PCIII, exhaust etc. things like tail tidys, huggers, scotoilers are accesories.

Be careful with this - every insurance policy (and in fact every quote) I've had in the last 9 years has considered mods - modifications - as anything modified from standard. It's debatable whether you'd consider Suzuki accessories as standard, but certainly if you're going for aftermarket pieces they are considered modified from standard.

In terms of whether they would actually affect the insurance - I agree that non-performance-enhancing modifications tend to not incur a charge, as their only effect is to make the motorcycle more appealing to steal, rather than also affecting performance.

Best thing to do is just give every change to the insurer and let them make up their mind.

[neio79]

Be careful with this - every insurance policy (and in fact every quote) I've had in the last 9 years has considered mods - modifications - as anything modified from standard. It's debatable whether you'd consider Suzuki accessories as standard, but certainly if you're going for aftermarket pieces they are considered modified from standard.

In terms of whether they would actually affect the insurance - I agree that non-performance-enhancing modifications tend to not incur a charge, as their only effect is to make the motorcycle more appealing to steal, rather than also affecting performance.

Best thing to do is just give every change to the insurer and let them make up their mind.

good advice, but i would argue with my insurance company that approved Kawasaki accesories are not mods for my bike.

[muffles]

good advice, but i would argue with my insurance company that approved Kawasaki accesories are not mods for my bike.

I would argue the same too :) manufacturer accessories are such a grey area it's worth a go.

[the_lone_wolf]

i can't wait to see what getting insurance is like on the DRZ come spetember...

Modified the airbox to increase flow
Full race exhaust system
Rejetted the carb
Removed PAIR system and air solenoid on the carb that stops the slide lifting 100% in 1st to 3rd gear
Goodridge Stainless brake lines
LED indicators
R&G brake light / plate hanger
Acerbis front fender
Suzuki handguards

...and she's not finished, not by some way yet...

[younggunns]

[/quote]23, 1yr NCB, garaged, ~£300 FC is the best so far from quinn direct, but the best thing about it is the excess - only £150! compared to £600-1000 with every other quote so far from confused/moneysupermarket and several other comparison sites. will have to start phoning around to get the quote down sometime soon i spose...[/quote]
i can vouch for quinn direct i also searched the comparison sites and quinn beat them all, aheadof second place by a clear £80 also i too was offered £150 excess. i'm 29, have 1 yrs ncd, parked off-road, 1 claim in 11/06 (slipped out on a sharp bend) 1 claim 07/07 (hit side on by a cager), 1 mod exhaust and for this i was quoted £386 comprehensive.

[Dangerous Dave]

In the insurance world I think you will find that a mod and an accessory although both different are categorised as the same thing, a non standard part!

Accessory - Manufactures approved product (whats in there accessories catalogue)
Modification - Non approved product (anything that doesn't appear in the catalogue)

Unfortunately I have had to go through all of this when making claims after my two big offs, the above came from the Insurance Ombudsman from the guidelines that an insurance company should be following.

[chakraist]

First off, thanks for the responses and I will definitely try MCE, Quinn direct and autonet come monday.

I'm fully trained up on all the mods business as I work for saga and I would agree to the bits above to a point, although Saga consider a modification to be anything added past the date the vehicle is first bought, for cosmetic or other reasons- so if the bike comes new from the dealer with a nitro kit, it's not a mod. :D

[Paws]

i work for a bike insurance co-we will insure bikes that are modded but parts will only be replaced with o/e parts-same goes for race cans-as long as they say "road legal" ist fine but if it gets bust in a accident-replaced with o/e can only

[northwind]

i work for a bike insurance co-we will insure bikes that are modded but parts will only be replaced with o/e parts-same goes for race cans-as long as they say "road legal" ist fine but if it gets bust in a accident-replaced with o/e can only

Which is fine for cans, because very few cost as much as OEM :thumleft: but for wheels, suspension and the like it's not so hot. All depends how modified the bike is.

[yorkie_chris]

Yeah that's all well and good for a standard policy, but what about if you've got some wierd thing, like what I thought about building before seeing the price of exhausts ... cagiva mito frame, powervalve 350 engine, RGV running gear, custom spannies. That would be a strange one...

[chakraist]

Called express this morning- £470 tpft, legal and excess covered. Delicious. They were fine about mods. Carole Nash said £3300 with mods covered.

[andyb]

Glad they sorted you out with a decent price. Did you manage to get them to lower the price at all?

[chakraist]

Yeah, started at about ?600 so not too shabby! Well chuffed with the excess cover, thanks for the recommendation.