New A-plan insurance woes

[eye121]

Hi All

I was phoned yesterday by A-plan about the insurance company who normally cover my road-registered highly modified Scooby, including up to five track days a year. For some kind of financial 'regulation' reason A-plan can no longer use the insurance company. From memory the company is Markerstudy.

I'm coming up to renewal and I think it may be hard to reproduce the policy that I've been happy with for a few years. I rang ClassicLine yesterday but their quote was high even before the £56 they'd charge for each track day.

Anyone else facing loss of a Markerstudy policy? Are there any other insurers or brokers that you'd recommend for about five days a year?

Thanks for any info.

[E-bmw]

Have you actually asked A-plan if there is another company as when I used them they were excellent at remaining competitive at all times?

You are using the Thatcham branch aren't you?

[charltjr]

IIRC Greenlight did a similar 5 days a year bundle.

[Monkeylegend]

The obvious first step, ask A Plan for an alternative quote, unless of course they have already told you they cannot offer you cover anymore.

[anonymous-user]

Try Adrian Flux.

[eye121]

Hi

Thanks to one and all. Yes, using the Thatcham branch and they've told me that they haven't been able to source an alternative insurer. My policy expires in January and I'll be covered until then.

I'll try Greenlight thanks and am considering tracking it without insurance as I always used to. The risks of claiming are difficult to assess and presumably opinions differ widely. I have spent a large fortune on the car but of course it's not worth anywhere near what I've spent to anyone else. The trouble is that I'd only have to spend a lot to get a similarly reliable road registered track day car if it's wrecked.

[stevemcs]

It’s not something to do with A Plans recent take over is it ?

Could you try and insure direct with Markerstudy ?

[sparks85]

Footman James have arranged a fully comp policy with 5x trackdays per year for me, you can extend this at a fee per trackday too

[eye121]

Thanks very much for those thoughts. I suppose Howden, who took over A-Plan, might have different financial rules about insurers that they deal with. The explanation about why they won't carry on with the insurer was annoyingly vague.

I'll try and find out whether another broker can deal with Markerstudy and I'll try Footman James. Zurich Private Clients are rather unwilling to cover a very modified car and priced accordingly last time I asked them to add to my fleet policy for my road cars, although they did offer included cover for three track days.

[Aeroscreens]

The following was posted by a Howden employee on the Caterham & Lotus 7 club site in October.

"We have been part of Howden group for 2 years and on 1st October we merged brands, this has no effect on the insurance service and policies offered as it was simply a name change. Same phone number, same people - still Thatcham Branch.

Markerstudy have temporarily paused insuring new business and renewals whilst they change their capacity providers, this is not something that only effects A-Plan/Howden and it effects all motor insurance policy types. They hope to be back up and running very soon - please note this has no adverse effect on existing policies. In the meantime, we are unable to create policies with this insurer during this brief moment of limbo."

So it looks like the problems at MarkerStudy are still ongoing?

[mmm-five]

I asked A-Plan for a quote on my car when my renewal came back 60% higher than last year.

Called on 13th December, explained the 2 options I was considering (one road covered, the other laid up for now), and told them my renewal was due 27th December, and they asked for few days to have a look around. Still not heard anything from them.

[E-bmw]

mmm-five said:

I asked A-Plan for a quote on my car when my renewal came back 60% higher than last year.

Called on 13th December, explained the 2 options I was considering (one road covered, the other laid up for now), and told them my renewal was due 27th December, and they asked for few days to have a look around. Still not heard anything from them.

Have you rang them back?

[healeyneil]

I’ve been using A plan for about 5 years. I had the same issue with them going away from Markerstudy, but they offered an alternative. I’m not going with them though, because I feel that A plan’s customer service has plummeted in the last year or so, so there are losing about 4 various policies from me

[FNG]

I'm in the same boat, used A-Plan loads in the past and they were never fazed by number of mods, circumstances or accident history.

Went to them to insure a reasonably-modified 325ti last month and they couldn't quote at all - parked on the road, not enough mods (!), poor accident history (one loss due to fire, one non-fault accident) cited as the reasons.

But 12 months before they were happy to cover my Monaro, with similar mods, parked on the road, same claims on my record.

I've ended up with Flux but feel like I'm paying well over the odds - significantly more than for the Monaro - and I don't have trackday cover.

[mmm-five]

E-bmw said:

Have you rang them back?

No, I just continued with my current insurer, as the comparison sites (which are terrible for this vehicle's requirements) were even more expensive (by 2x).

A few of others I called couldn't/wouldn't even quote, and a couple of the others I've seen mentioned for modified cars are ones I've had dodgy documentation and/or claims experience of in the past.

[Kev_Mk3]

wormus said:

Try Adrian Flux.

You wouldnt say that if you had to claim with them

[Saleen836]

Kev_Mk3 said:

wormus said:

Try Adrian Flux.

You wouldnt say that if you had to claim with them

Why? I had a claim with them and had no problems

[Dingu]

Saleen836 said:

Kev_Mk3 said:

wormus said:

Try Adrian Flux.

You wouldnt say that if you had to claim with them

Why? I had a claim with them and had no problems

If nobody used a company anyone had ever had a bad experience with nothing would ever be bought.

[Wh00sher]

Reis are even worse.

I've been with them for year, after changing underwriters earlier last year, they now won't even quote me when I rang for a modified car. I've read loads of others having the same issue recently too.

It's not great is it.

[dunc_sx]

I've just had to move away from A-Plan due to the Markerstudy issue as well, my renewal went from £300 to £1,300 with A-plan so went to Admral for sensible money, no track insurance.

Cheers,
Dunc.

Edited by dunc_sx on Monday 8th January 12:25