Problems insuring a SORN'd bike
Discussion
My old man has two bikes, both SORN'd. The insurance is about to expire and I have called to renew on his behalf (he's on a boat somewhere in the Pacific).
The insurance company has checked the bikes' details (presumably with DVLA), informed me (and checked with me this is correct) that they are registered as SORN and told me they cannot insure a SORN'd bike. Asked what would happen if it got stolen right now, she said they would cover it, but they can't sell a fresh policy on a SORN'd machine and offered to give me the number of someone who would. This doesn't really work.
Firstly the insurance is so cheap on them that it's worthwhile insuring them for a year (he's retired, lives in sleepyville and has a billion years NCD), hence wanting to insure a for the year but is only used for the summer months.
Secondly he's had the insurance with this company for quite a while and they've continued the original "insured for pillion passenger whilst in Europe" condition on renewal but not on new policies. Phoning around for other companies there's a problem with his age / carrying pillions / cost of insurance. Hence wanting to just renew with this one.
The only thought I've had is to go to his house, get the details for the bikes, have them MOT'd, un-SORN them, renew the insurance, then SORN them again - but that's no simple task (he's the other end of the country, f**k knows if the bikes are laid up, or where the keys are. Oh, and I haven't got a licence!)
Seems bonkers that an insurance company wouldn't charge the normal annual premium and if someone choses not to use it on the road, their risk is reduced.. surely? The lady wouldn't say why they have this policy and I've no idea.
Has anyone got any bright ideas (or has even heard of this) ??
Thanks
Ben
The insurance company has checked the bikes' details (presumably with DVLA), informed me (and checked with me this is correct) that they are registered as SORN and told me they cannot insure a SORN'd bike. Asked what would happen if it got stolen right now, she said they would cover it, but they can't sell a fresh policy on a SORN'd machine and offered to give me the number of someone who would. This doesn't really work.
Firstly the insurance is so cheap on them that it's worthwhile insuring them for a year (he's retired, lives in sleepyville and has a billion years NCD), hence wanting to insure a for the year but is only used for the summer months.
Secondly he's had the insurance with this company for quite a while and they've continued the original "insured for pillion passenger whilst in Europe" condition on renewal but not on new policies. Phoning around for other companies there's a problem with his age / carrying pillions / cost of insurance. Hence wanting to just renew with this one.
The only thought I've had is to go to his house, get the details for the bikes, have them MOT'd, un-SORN them, renew the insurance, then SORN them again - but that's no simple task (he's the other end of the country, f**k knows if the bikes are laid up, or where the keys are. Oh, and I haven't got a licence!)
Seems bonkers that an insurance company wouldn't charge the normal annual premium and if someone choses not to use it on the road, their risk is reduced.. surely? The lady wouldn't say why they have this policy and I've no idea.
Has anyone got any bright ideas (or has even heard of this) ??
Thanks
Ben
I don't really understand why people SORN a bike during the non-riding months when the tax is relatively cheaper than car tax for a year & 6 months tax is not exactly proportionate is it? It never seems worth the bother to me in case there are some dry days.
(after all we are having globule warming aren't we ?
)
(after all we are having globule warming aren't we ?
)sprinter1050 said:
I don't really understand why people SORN a bike during the non-riding months when the tax is relatively cheaper than car tax for a year & 6 months tax is not exactly proportionate is it? It never seems worth the bother to me in case there are some dry days.
(after all we are having globule warming aren't we ?)
Not always practical!(after all we are having globule warming aren't we ?
)Surely there's more to it than this?
Tax would be the last thing you would buy as you'd need both of the others in place first, ie insurance first to ride to MoT station (pre-booked), pass MoT/get certificate & then finally use both of these to tax?
Suppose the insurance view is that everything useable could have been stripped off of the bike (or rusted away) and a claim put in for theft of a complete bike etc, then again that could happen over a period of days/weeks.
Tax would be the last thing you would buy as you'd need both of the others in place first, ie insurance first to ride to MoT station (pre-booked), pass MoT/get certificate & then finally use both of these to tax?
Suppose the insurance view is that everything useable could have been stripped off of the bike (or rusted away) and a claim put in for theft of a complete bike etc, then again that could happen over a period of days/weeks.
I'm sure they can insure a SORN'd bike, but they are telling me they choose not to.
They knew it was SORN'd because my Dad told them when he did it in Jan (not sure why he did though). They asked me if it was still SORN'd and as it was, I replied truthfully.
All a bit odd. Wondered if there was some reason, ie. some scam ?
They knew it was SORN'd because my Dad told them when he did it in Jan (not sure why he did though). They asked me if it was still SORN'd and as it was, I replied truthfully.
All a bit odd. Wondered if there was some reason, ie. some scam ?
pikey said:
I'm sure they can insure a SORN'd bike, but they are telling me they choose not to.
They knew it was SORN'd because my Dad told them when he did it in Jan (not sure why he did though). They asked me if it was still SORN'd and as it was, I replied truthfully.
All a bit odd. Wondered if there was some reason, ie. some scam ?
No scam, no fiddle etc.They knew it was SORN'd because my Dad told them when he did it in Jan (not sure why he did though). They asked me if it was still SORN'd and as it was, I replied truthfully.
All a bit odd. Wondered if there was some reason, ie. some scam ?
Try them again and ask them to explain why they can't insure the bike. I'd be intrigued to know, as there is nowhere on the quote engine to put in that the bike is SORNed, as it's not relevant.
Right, I've pursued this to about as high a level as a pleb like me can and found out the answer.
Firstly, the policy is definitely in place for this insurance company. I wasn't being strung a line.
The reason is due to a sweeping generalisation; if the vehicle is SORN then it *probably* isn't tax'd and *probably* isn't MOT'd which *might* mean it's not roadworthy. They don't want the increased risk of insuring an unroadworthy vehicle (even though usage whilst SORN'd is prohibited by law) so they have decided on having this condition in their policy's T&Cs.
They also say they've always had this condition so considering my old man often takes his vehicles off the road during winter months of non-use and has been renewing with this insurance company for many years you could assume he might have had a problem should the need have arisen for a claim. There again, they wouldn't have been used whilst SORN'd so ...
It's all a bit odd. I wonder if they've been burnt so added it in at some point?
PS. For reference, one bike is a tiny thing that goes on the back of their motorhome when they travel round Europe in the summer months and the other is a big cruiser for warm sunny days. He simply has no desire or need to use either during the winter.
Firstly, the policy is definitely in place for this insurance company. I wasn't being strung a line.
The reason is due to a sweeping generalisation; if the vehicle is SORN then it *probably* isn't tax'd and *probably* isn't MOT'd which *might* mean it's not roadworthy. They don't want the increased risk of insuring an unroadworthy vehicle (even though usage whilst SORN'd is prohibited by law) so they have decided on having this condition in their policy's T&Cs.
They also say they've always had this condition so considering my old man often takes his vehicles off the road during winter months of non-use and has been renewing with this insurance company for many years you could assume he might have had a problem should the need have arisen for a claim. There again, they wouldn't have been used whilst SORN'd so ...
It's all a bit odd. I wonder if they've been burnt so added it in at some point?
PS. For reference, one bike is a tiny thing that goes on the back of their motorhome when they travel round Europe in the summer months and the other is a big cruiser for warm sunny days. He simply has no desire or need to use either during the winter.
pikey said:
Right, I've pursued this to about as high a level as a pleb like me can and found out the answer.
Firstly, the policy is definitely in place for this insurance company. I wasn't being strung a line.
The reason is due to a sweeping generalisation; if the vehicle is SORN then it *probably* isn't tax'd and *probably* isn't MOT'd which *might* mean it's not roadworthy. They don't want the increased risk of insuring an unroadworthy vehicle (even though usage whilst SORN'd is prohibited by law) so they have decided on having this condition in their policy's T&Cs.
They also say they've always had this condition so considering my old man often takes his vehicles off the road during winter months of non-use and has been renewing with this insurance company for many years you could assume he might have had a problem should the need have arisen for a claim. There again, they wouldn't have been used whilst SORN'd so ...
It's all a bit odd. I wonder if they've been burnt so added it in at some point?
PS. For reference, one bike is a tiny thing that goes on the back of their motorhome when they travel round Europe in the summer months and the other is a big cruiser for warm sunny days. He simply has no desire or need to use either during the winter.
What a crock of sFirstly, the policy is definitely in place for this insurance company. I wasn't being strung a line.
The reason is due to a sweeping generalisation; if the vehicle is SORN then it *probably* isn't tax'd and *probably* isn't MOT'd which *might* mean it's not roadworthy. They don't want the increased risk of insuring an unroadworthy vehicle (even though usage whilst SORN'd is prohibited by law) so they have decided on having this condition in their policy's T&Cs.
They also say they've always had this condition so considering my old man often takes his vehicles off the road during winter months of non-use and has been renewing with this insurance company for many years you could assume he might have had a problem should the need have arisen for a claim. There again, they wouldn't have been used whilst SORN'd so ...
It's all a bit odd. I wonder if they've been burnt so added it in at some point?
PS. For reference, one bike is a tiny thing that goes on the back of their motorhome when they travel round Europe in the summer months and the other is a big cruiser for warm sunny days. He simply has no desire or need to use either during the winter.
te!I don't mean I don't believe you, they just sound like imbeciles and you're probably best avoiding them anyway by the sounds of it!
srob said:
What a crock of ste!
I don't mean I don't believe you, they just sound like imbeciles and you're probably best avoiding them anyway by the sounds of it!
Aye, but... he'd been renewing with them for years and they provided cover he wanted at the price he wanted if he continued. As a new customer they wouldn't include the "pillion passenger in Europe" (as he's the wrong side of 70), but would on renewal. Finding an alternate company that includes the condition is possible but for a multiple of his current policy price. As one of these bikes only exists to be attached to the back of a motorhome as he tours round Europe, the condition is a necessity. te!I don't mean I don't believe you, they just sound like imbeciles and you're probably best avoiding them anyway by the sounds of it!
pikey said:
Aye, but... he'd been renewing with them for years and they provided cover he wanted at the price he wanted if he continued. As a new customer they wouldn't include the "pillion passenger in Europe" (as he's the wrong side of 70), but would on renewal. Finding an alternate company that includes the condition is possible but for a multiple of his current policy price. As one of these bikes only exists to be attached to the back of a motorhome as he tours round Europe, the condition is a necessity.
If they want to play it that way, then ring them back and tell them the bike is taxed. They can't check it and even if they try, just tell them you taxed it on your multibike policy.Then tax it straight off. Bike tax is bugger all anyway, given the descritions you've given I bet cover for both bikes won't be much more than £100 for the year.
Love to know who this insurer / broker is btw - PM me the details and I'll guarantee it's not in their policy booklet.
)R1 Loon said:
If they want to play it that way, then ring them back and tell them the bike is taxed. They can't check it and even if they try, just tell them you taxed it on your multibike policy.
Then tax it straight off. Bike tax is bugger all anyway, given the descritions you've given I bet cover for both bikes won't be much more than £100 for the year.
Love to know who this insurer / broker is btw - PM me the details and I'll guarantee it's not in their policy booklet.
I think their problem was more a concern over no MOT = unroadworthiness TBH.Then tax it straight off. Bike tax is bugger all anyway, given the descritions you've given I bet cover for both bikes won't be much more than £100 for the year.
Love to know who this insurer / broker is btw - PM me the details and I'll guarantee it's not in their policy booklet.
They say it is in their booklet and is clearly stated as a condition of renewal. I'm not near the house to query that at the moment.
Have PM'd you the company name.
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