Discussion
I guess it's a much smaller market than "normal" car insurance, which means (a) fewer companies offer it so there's less competition and (b) the overheads involved in setting up and administering the policies have to be spread between far fewer customers, which outweighs the fact that claims are lower.
Still surprised that it's quite so much more expensive. Why would you but it of you can get a standard comprehensive policy for less?
Still surprised that it's quite so much more expensive. Why would you but it of you can get a standard comprehensive policy for less?
I went for theft-only laid-up cover on one of my cars and it was £60 per year Vs about £200 for fully comp driving cover.
There were options available such as accidental damage - I wasn't interested so no idea how much that loads it, but a car laid up around a workshop/yard is more likely to get stuff piled up next to it I guess.
There were options available such as accidental damage - I wasn't interested so no idea how much that loads it, but a car laid up around a workshop/yard is more likely to get stuff piled up next to it I guess.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I've also never seen a standard car insurance policy which states that a car has to be taxed or that it must not be SORNed. Even if one did, it's unlikely that the clause could be enforced unless the insurance company could somehow show that the lack of tax and/or SORN status was a contributing factor to whatever accident/fire/theft you were claiming for. (I'm certainly struggling to imagine a scenario where the fact that you didn't tax your car could cause it to burst into flames...)
Aretnap said:
I've also never seen a standard car insurance policy which states that a car has to be taxed or that it must not be SORNed.
The question was asked on the Z4 forum, and it showed that many insurance companies will not cover a car while it is under SORN:https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=132258
TBH maybe this just depends on the insurer and whether or not they actually want to offer laid up cover.
I've regularly had my Focus RS on / off laid up cover policies, via the specialist insurance broker i've used for all my cars for the last decade or more. That's since 2010 when there's been times i wasn't / couldn't use it for various reasons and in all cases the cover, for what is a fairly heavily modified / reasonable value car, has always been around 1/3 of what the total premium would be for the normal road use policy. It's never been more expensive.
The way it's always worked for me is that the car is put on a laid up policy, with confirmation given as to where / how it's securely stored / garaged, etc, and i pay the £120 odd for the policy. The broker puts in writing what the additional amount is that would need to be paid, if i wanted to return the car to the road at any point during the year, and if i did i call up, pay the amount and the policy is ammended to road use, certificate adjusted accordingly, etc.
I've regularly had my Focus RS on / off laid up cover policies, via the specialist insurance broker i've used for all my cars for the last decade or more. That's since 2010 when there's been times i wasn't / couldn't use it for various reasons and in all cases the cover, for what is a fairly heavily modified / reasonable value car, has always been around 1/3 of what the total premium would be for the normal road use policy. It's never been more expensive.
The way it's always worked for me is that the car is put on a laid up policy, with confirmation given as to where / how it's securely stored / garaged, etc, and i pay the £120 odd for the policy. The broker puts in writing what the additional amount is that would need to be paid, if i wanted to return the car to the road at any point during the year, and if i did i call up, pay the amount and the policy is ammended to road use, certificate adjusted accordingly, etc.
Sebring440 said:
Aretnap said:
I've also never seen a standard car insurance policy which states that a car has to be taxed or that it must not be SORNed.
The question was asked on the Z4 forum, and it showed that many insurance companies will not cover a car while it is under SORN:https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=132258
martinbiz said:
Sebring440 said:
Aretnap said:
I've also never seen a standard car insurance policy which states that a car has to be taxed or that it must not be SORNed.
The question was asked on the Z4 forum, and it showed that many insurance companies will not cover a car while it is under SORN:https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=132258
Sebring440 said:
martinbiz said:
Sebring440 said:
Aretnap said:
I've also never seen a standard car insurance policy which states that a car has to be taxed or that it must not be SORNed.
The question was asked on the Z4 forum, and it showed that many insurance companies will not cover a car while it is under SORN:https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=132258
I have for many years now had a track day car & each year (normally around October) when I decide I won't be doing any more track days till MOT/VED restarted around April, I have converted to laid up & generally end up with around £80 from the around £280 refunded.
My broker has been A-plan in Thatcham for all of this period.
My broker has been A-plan in Thatcham for all of this period.
Sebring440 said:
Read the whole thread. The forum's recommended insurer (Chris Knott) comes on and admits that they don't cover SORNed cars.
I'm not familiar with that insurer, but whatever their representative on the forum said, if you insured your SORNed car with them they'd only be able to decline a claim if either (a) they asked a clear question about the car's tax/SORN status when you took the policy out or (b) they had a clear term in the policy saying hat your car had to be kept taxed. Again, I've never seen an insurer do either. And even if they did it's doubtful whether they could decline a claim, at least in the case of (b).If you called them up and volunteered the information that your car was SORNed they could decline to cover you I suppose - they don't have to accept your business. However having sold you a policy, an insurer can't retrospectively decide not to cover your car on the basis of a question that they didn't ask or a clause that they didn't tell you about.
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