Insurance company recommendations?
 

Hi, Guys.

Looking at getting myself insured soon, (to coinside for when i hopefully pass mod2)

Can anyone reccomend and good/cheap companies.
Iv tried the usual comparison engines etc, but i was just hoping for some first hand experience with good/bad insurers.

Who to go for/who to avoid etc.

Thanks

Rich

Re: Insurance!?
 

best bet would be Esure, just look on there and find the cheapest one, thats what ive done for the last 4 years,

Re: Insurance!?
 

Just use the comparison sites and check exactly what your getting once you've got the base price

Re: Insurance!?
 

i used "thebikeinsurer" and the best quote i got was £580 ish fully comp
from a company called MCE but i read some reviews and they seem like an awfull insurer,
and it made me think you can never be too sure what you're getting into.

Which is why im asking for first hand experience!

Re: Insurance!?
 

stay away from ebike, cheap but poo

Re: Insurance!?
 

quite a few of us are with carol nash, use the comparison sites go compare always worked out cheaper for me.

Re: Insurance!?
 

There is no best bet, everyone is cheaper/more expensive as per what their particular target audience is that year.
I've rang up endsleigh before because they were "guaranteed cheapest for under 21s" to hear "sorry that was last year we're going for 25s to 30s this year try xx" (which was actually quite handy).
I've always done a weekends worth of ringing when it comes to insurance -and always saved atleast a hundred£ (a grand one year) on any of the comparison sites best prices.
So far I've been with lexmans,norwich union ,(aviva),devitt,simply and bikesure.
There's also swinton (damn expensive for me), motorcycle direct (consistently second best for the last 4 years!), bennetts, (a contender this year for the first time ever),carolenash/footman james,hastings direct (over 21s only),ebike, etc etc. just google and pick up the phone.

Re: Insurance!?
 

ive just insured the sv with bennetts for the second year

the first year was my first year on 2 wheels quoted £250 full comp, helmet & leather, rac and legal cover, 6000 miles pa

they sent me a renewall for £320 for the same as above + 1 years ncb.
rang them said thats to much i want to cancell it, going to go with somone else the guy on the phone said leave it with me ill ring you back.

10 mins later rang back with a quote of £220 for the same level of cover.

im 31 with 1yr ncb on bike and 10+ years on a car.

do the comparison sites and go to the websites direct. pluss give them a ring can always get it cheaper when talking to somone

Re: Insurance!?
 

Swinton are giving good quotes at the moment. Davepreston is with them on a good deal on a multibike policy and i`m with them but i get 10% extra off coz i get staff sales :)

My 2000 sv with 1 years no claims, all the legal stuff and uk breakdown tpf&t £110 for the year. I may get it cheaper but cant be bothered looking.

Re: Insurance!?
 

No they're not.


;) Swinton quoted me over £1000 TPFT on the sv650 and the average quote elsewhere was £400. They must be homing in on the over 25s* crashymcgee market :D


*I'll dare to take the pish out of his crashyness but not guess his age!

Re: Insurance!?
 

thanks for the advice!
the trouble im having is probably down to the fact im only 22.
and it doesnt help that iv not passed my mod2 yet so not all the insurers on the comparison sites will quote me.

but theres alot there for me to look into.
Thanks again

Re: Insurance!?
 

ah they won't like you not holding a full license, might aswell just do a few quotes as if you do have the license and then you'll know who's the cheapest for when you do?
Or are you trying to insure it before then?

Re: Insurance!?
 

well id rather it not sit in the garage for then next week totally uninsured,
but yeh it does seem difficult trying to find anything,
though "the bike insurer" has an option for not yet passed but i suppose it doesnt really help get me an accurate quote!

anyone else know anyone specifically worth taking a look at/ avoiding?

Re: Insurance!?
 

How much is it worth/how secure is it? Might have to do a risk to cost weigh up. Mine went all winter uninsured but it's not worth a huuuuge amount and it's in a lock up in a decent area.

Re: Insurance!?
 

yeh its pretty well locked up!
and work a fair bit! lol
thought about trying to list it under the house insurance or something for the time being.

the promblem iv got it finding a decent insurer!
like iv said iv had loads of quotes off comparison sites but i dont want to sign up to a **** insurer, obviously i wana pay the least possible but i also want a legit reputable company and it seems like the cheaper ones arent....from the reviews iv seen
Im only really looking for fully comp though which is making it all more expensive

Re: Insurance!?
 

I've had really good luck with a company called call connect ltd. They put you in touch with insurers who have you as their target customer.

Have got prices about 10% less than comparison sites the last 2 years (including ringing up haggling after quotes), just do their brief survey on phone then they call you back later and put you in touch with insurers.

Re: Insurance!?
 

Stick it on the house insurance if it's in the garage. Phone up and add it as an "expensive item"

Cost me about £9 for the year, so whenever it is out of insurance and locked up in the garage, it's covered for accidental damage, fire and theft.

Re: Insurance!?
 

ahh nice one!
i will do!

and cheers il check out that call connect company!

Re: Insurance!?
 

Im insured with MCD Motorcycle direct. i had a theft last year and i must say i couldnt fault them paid me a good price and i had the money in my account about 2-3 weeks after it was stolen. im insured with them again now and my insurance is the same as last year even thou i had the said theft and lost my no claims.

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

I have a look on MCN Compare and if nothing there grabs me I go to sites individually.

I'd avoid Swinton, they're a load of old rubbish. Terrible renewal quotes, and no interest in matching better quotes to retain my business either (note: same underwriter, KGM, but for some reason it cost twice with Swinton what it did with my new insurance broker!)

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

Swinton is ok with me, been with them for 3 years everytime cant beat their quote.

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

I'm struggling this year to find something cheaper.

23 with 1 year NCB. No claims/convictions. Want TPFT on my 2005 SV as fully comp means a stupid comulsory excess due to my age. Have found around £140 with no other benefits. Carole Nash wanted £240 and can't budge on that but you do get breakdown cover, ride other bikes and European riding...

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

I always pick the phone. I have never just renewed my insurance because it was the cheapest the year before. Picking up the phone will almost always get reductions. Get a quote, write it down and the company offering it, and then call the next one. Tell them this company quoted x. Can you beat it? If they say no, ring the next one. When you have done them all, go back to the start of the list and tell them what figure your best quote was. Continue until you can't get it any cheaper.

Doing the comparison sites doesn't give you any scope for haggling.

I am with Carol Nash. Have been for the past four years but only because they always quote better than the rest. You need to consider the extras as well. Such as breakdown recovery. Some insurance companies offer it but won't cover you for accident. I now have this in with my insurance and it's still better than anyone else quoted.

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

As per my previous post. CN give you breakdown cover. They do not cover for accidents. You have to make sure this gets included. Afterall, it would be quite a sickener after you've had an unfortunate experience and find your bike unrideable and call the recovery people only to find it's going to cost you an arm and a leg to get recovered when you thought it was for free.

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

Yeah iv checked loads of comparison websites and got loads of good quotes...£580 full comp, £700 full comp
but like i said before theyr from companies iv heard only bad things about.

So as much as im looking for the cheapest quote i can get, i want it from a legit company who arent going to offer a cheap price and shoddy service,
Carole nash, bennetts and swinton are all offering me pretty much the same quote...about £1k for fully comp.
as expensive as it is, im extremely reluctant to move away from fully comp because if anything happened and it was my fault or whatever there is no way i could find enough to money to replace what i've payed for my bike.

Seems so f***ing hard to find a good quote and a decent company!

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

Wicked Quotes is fairly cheap.

I'd avoid Falcon insurance.

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

Why? I was with them last year and other than them taking the p*ss on renewal and trying to charge me to remove my GPZ from the policy they were alright. Didn't try to claim though.

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

The pricing was fair. The only I problem i've had is that on the two or three occasions i've tried to ring them they've always done exactly the same thing - put me on hold whilst they transfer me to someone else about 3 times, then claim they're too busy to talk to me at all, offer to ring me back within 15 minutes and just never ring me back. :rolleyes:

They might be ok with other people, my opinion is just from my experiences :)

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

That's the trouble with recommendations isn't it. One person thinks they are great but there is alway someone else who thinks the opposite.

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

I suppose you gotta take each opinion with a pinch of salt really!

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

Or go with the majority decision and ignore the minor ones.

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

Avoid Swinton Bikes !!!

Rip off merchants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Loud enough? lol

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

Or go purely on price and accept they're all ****s

Re: Insurance company recommendations?
 

Haha you're right... Apart from it's worth checking 'hidden fees' with smaller companies. Some charge you the earth to make a claim etc i've heard.


Falcon did get back to me today (3 days later) and my issues are resolved. They sorted my issue very quickly and for a decent price.

Saying that, they're renewal for the SV I just bought was £590 TPFT and £650 excess compared to about £200 and £350 elsewhere. Aparently they've lost two major underwriters - might be worth considering for anyone else with Falcon!