Insurance - Bennetts going bonkers, or dropping bikes?

[aesmith]

Hi,

I've insured with Bennetts for a couple of years, initially because they were the lowest price whose name I recognised when I ran a couple of price comparisons. Now they seem to be losing the plot, or are they deliberately wanting rid of bike insurance business of some types?

First idiocy, I have two bikes but they would only add the SV onto the existing policy if both bikes were kept in a locked garage overnight. Taking out a separate policy, no problem with neither being garaged. That was a shame because it makes the NCD situation more complex, but there you go.

Now I've got the SV renewal and they've put the price up from £84 to £91, although I should have another year's NCD and there's been no change. I checked out the price if I change to Third-Party Only but add business travel, and it jumps up to £512!

Guess who won't be getting either of my renewal? I can get that cover for £74.20.

Tony S

[nikon70]

I recently did my car insurance, renewal price was £1100, a quick search got that down to £600 :)
they sometimes change underwriters which causes this HIGH price difference.

[Biker Biggles]

Many of them do this.They jack the renewal price up a bit hoping that you will just pay it and not bother to switch.It often works for them.If they were actually getting out of bike insurance and didnt want your custom they would quote you a renewal with three noughts on the end.

[maviczap]

As TamSV pointed out the other day & he's in insurance, the currently business model used by insurance companies is to offer cheap prices for new customers, but existing customers find their policies going up, sometimes by more than they thought.

Just go for a cheaper quote, then go back to Bennetts in a couple of years

[Kenzie]

My Bennetts policy was cheaper this year. They had hiked the voluntary excess to £200 without my say so. They took it off and it made no difference. Also you no longer have to declare any mods on their accepted as standard list.

[aesmith]

That's a good point about their "standard modifications" which saves some hassle. However Devitt don't even ask if the bike's modified, so the issue doesn't arise.

Edit ... whoops, they don't ask if the bike's modified or allow you to declare any such modifications, but the final confirmation says they've assumed it's unmodified. Looks like a phone call needed before I commit. Does anyone in the whole world have an unmodified bike?

[DJFridge]

That's a good point about their "standard modifications" which saves some hassle. However Devitt don't even ask if the bike's modified, so the issue doesn't arise.

Edit ... whoops, they don't ask if the bike's modified or allow you to declare any such modifications, but the final confirmation says they've assumed it's unmodified. Looks like a phone call needed before I commit. Does anyone in the whole world have an unmodified bike?

First, find an industry accepted definition of the word "modified"