Discussion
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on insuring a Griff. Mine's been with Mannings in Henley-on-Thames since I bought it from Str8six in 2012, on their recommendation, and this year's quote for renewal if £539, whereas online comparison sites come back with around £230, selecting like-for-like requirements as much as possible. The premium from Mannings hasn't varied hugely over the years, it might have been say £450 when I started with them.
I appreciate you get what you pay for (for example with Mannings I get to choose the repairer should I prang my car, which is certainly very important to me) but can anyone reassure me from their own experience that it's worth my while staying with them or should I look elsewhere?
Many thanks.
Nick
I appreciate you get what you pay for (for example with Mannings I get to choose the repairer should I prang my car, which is certainly very important to me) but can anyone reassure me from their own experience that it's worth my while staying with them or should I look elsewhere?
Many thanks.
Nick
That sounds steep to me, but is it 'classic' cover with limited mileage? I use Footman James myself and fortunately haven't had to claim, their underwriters are Equity Red Star and some have had poor service from them.
It's a bit 'how long is a piece of string' because it will vary a lot if you want to commute in it, limit the annual mileage (I do), drive abroad, do track days, have other vehicles, postcode where it is parked etc etc.
It's a bit 'how long is a piece of string' because it will vary a lot if you want to commute in it, limit the annual mileage (I do), drive abroad, do track days, have other vehicles, postcode where it is parked etc etc.
Agreed, sounds steep to me too but individual circumstances can have a significant bearing on the premiums. FWIW I insure my Chimaera with Footman James and being a member of the TVR car club means I only pay £185 for 7k miles pa, fully comp, named driver (wife) with a ban (speeding) and 3 points fixed penalty on my licence.
Thanks for the quick reply.
I'm 55, have one other car, have 7 yrs NCB, live near Bracknell, clean licence, car parked outside but in private parking area, do about 3 or 4k miles a year (have a limit of 5k) purely for pleasure (track days are automatically included but not at an extra premium. I don't do track days), the car is probably worth around £20k, not on a classic policy (apparently if I did this the premium would go down by about £80 but I would lose my NCB after 2 years of this sort of policy which apparently doesn't "use" NCBs).
I agree, it's hard to know what a policy is worth until you need to claim off it! I'm tempted to stay with them.
Nick
I'm 55, have one other car, have 7 yrs NCB, live near Bracknell, clean licence, car parked outside but in private parking area, do about 3 or 4k miles a year (have a limit of 5k) purely for pleasure (track days are automatically included but not at an extra premium. I don't do track days), the car is probably worth around £20k, not on a classic policy (apparently if I did this the premium would go down by about £80 but I would lose my NCB after 2 years of this sort of policy which apparently doesn't "use" NCBs).
I agree, it's hard to know what a policy is worth until you need to claim off it! I'm tempted to stay with them.
Nick
Again, thanks for all the quick replies people, much appreciated.
Track day cover is included in the policy and removing it wouldn't change the premium, that was my first question to them.
Being a TVRCC member has no effect on my premium, or at least it didn't when I asked last year, but I will ask again.
Those Footman James premiums are incredible. Will certainly give them a call!
Cheers chaps
Nick
Track day cover is included in the policy and removing it wouldn't change the premium, that was my first question to them.
Being a TVRCC member has no effect on my premium, or at least it didn't when I asked last year, but I will ask again.
Those Footman James premiums are incredible. Will certainly give them a call!
Cheers chaps
Nick
A few years ago, I 'registered' some NCD on a classic policy so that although it didn't earn any, it didn't expire within 2 years. You could always insure a group 1 car that doesn't go anywhere for peanuts too.
I'm surprised you're not running more than one car with an old TVR. You have faith!!
I'm surprised you're not running more than one car with an old TVR. You have faith!!
Haha, no I do have a daily as well! That has 9 years NCD.
Anyway have just been quoted £185 by Footman James so am well chuffed. Made a huge difference being a TVRCC member, so won't be dropping that any time soon! Get to specify repairers too which I wanted.
Wish I'd tried FJ previously, could've saved a small fortune over the years!
Happy boy - thanks to you guys!
Anyway have just been quoted £185 by Footman James so am well chuffed. Made a huge difference being a TVRCC member, so won't be dropping that any time soon! Get to specify repairers too which I wanted.
Wish I'd tried FJ previously, could've saved a small fortune over the years!
Happy boy - thanks to you guys!
FWIW I tried FJ for my 4.6 turbo, all mods declared, and including track days. It came out within £5 of Classic Line in the high £400s.
Clean licence, 65 years old (me, not the car), live in a decent enough area and no accidents in 10 years.
It was the track days that did it - FJ have twigged that a large number of TVR owners buy them to polish, but clearly they worked out that i wasn't standard.
Clean licence, 65 years old (me, not the car), live in a decent enough area and no accidents in 10 years.
It was the track days that did it - FJ have twigged that a large number of TVR owners buy them to polish, but clearly they worked out that i wasn't standard.
Hardly fair.
I've got 3000 miles p.a. cover on my TVRs, they live outside, and I haven't polished them for about 5 months. No point in the winter although I clean them enough times! But I don't do track days. It wasn't something I considered when I insured them, in fact I wasn't asked I don't think (?) but now I see why the premium was so reasonable, well I thought so anyway.
ETA: just checked my Footman James booklet and it's an add on and you can only have 1 day or 3 days of cover in any period of insurance! UK only, over 30 years old and previous track experience. Max payout £50k with a 10% or £1500 excess, whichever is higher.
I've got 3000 miles p.a. cover on my TVRs, they live outside, and I haven't polished them for about 5 months. No point in the winter although I clean them enough times! But I don't do track days. It wasn't something I considered when I insured them, in fact I wasn't asked I don't think (?) but now I see why the premium was so reasonable, well I thought so anyway.
ETA: just checked my Footman James booklet and it's an add on and you can only have 1 day or 3 days of cover in any period of insurance! UK only, over 30 years old and previous track experience. Max payout £50k with a 10% or £1500 excess, whichever is higher.
Edited by ianwayne on Thursday 21st March 16:37
The OP's renewal sounds very steep, my Griff 500 is insured by Footman James at £200. I've got some extras like breakdown cover, but the original quote without that was about £160.
The mileage is limited to 5,000 per year, but that's not a problem. I shopped around and got some truly outrageous quotes of £2,000 and upwards, Footman were the cheapest and friendliest so I went with them.
The mileage is limited to 5,000 per year, but that's not a problem. I shopped around and got some truly outrageous quotes of £2,000 and upwards, Footman were the cheapest and friendliest so I went with them.
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