Anyone having problems with insurance

Griff71

Having over the last decade insured bugs, buses and Golfs all seriously modified i am fully aware that if HIC/Adrian Flux won't insure it no one will. Yet they appear to be making it seriously difficult to insure my T3 Crew Cab. It has a 2.5 Legacy Quad Cam, it's lowered 60mm, has 17" AMG wheels and a leather interior also donated by the Subaru. I have 7 years no claims, no points or convictions, i am 29, and live in WR postcode that is one of the lowest crime areas in the UK. Yet they have quoted me nearly £600!!!!!

This is the same as i paid for my 1st year of driving at 17 in a modified bug and more than than a years policy on a heavily modified Mk2 golf also with an engine conversion.

Has anybody had similar trouble?
Anyone recommend a realistic insure?

Have also tried Performance Direct who suggested i am not qualified to work on my car and hence could not insure the bus unless subject to an SVA.

Any help would be much appreciated?

Thanks
Griff

MostlyMonki · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:28 am Post subject:

to be honest i think £600 isnt far off, i expect both my subaru conversions will cost more than that to insure (im 2 years younger than you, and with 2 years less ncb though).

might be worth you trying the classic insurance route though... lancaster and RH will both insure classics with engine swaps.
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rjes · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:47 pm Post subject:

I'm with Adrian Flux, and pay around half that with full ncb and no points, etc. My converted camper is on limited mileage though (5000 / year, I think).
Lancaster were excellent with my very heavily modified Beetle, although they won't touch LHD's (or wouldn't when I last asked). It seemed no modification was too much, athough all the mods were based on VW and Porsche parts. My opinion is that if they will cover your conversion, they will probably be very competitive.

Buy a kit car magazine and try all the insurers who advertise in there. Footman James is one that springs to mind, but there must be others too.

I tend to agree that if Flux won't insure something, you're probably going to struggle. They seem the most open to modifications that I have tried. In my early 20's, everyone said all car insurance would go down a lot when I was 25. It didn't. When I was 30 it did though. There are some (but not many) advantages to being an old git!
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Griff71 · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:15 pm Post subject:

Ok Performance direct have come back to with a quote of £440 through Highway, which to me is reaonable and double what i paid for 6 months last year.

However the catch is that they don't believe the brakes are sufficient to cope with the extra power and wish to see evidence of an upgrade. This is definitely not going to happen as i feel they are more than capable. I did purchase new shoes, drums, pads and cylinders for peace of mind and to be sure all was 100% end of last year. Whether this can be accepted i am unsure.

Any ideas how to get around this one! Other than the obvious upgrading to bigger discs or rear conversion. Was wondering whether a substancial letter from a recognised converter/engineer may be possible if they accept this.

It's frustrating as they never requested any such evidence that the brakes were capable when i took a 30hp bug to 140hp and fitted a rollcage. Thats 5x the power and no questions asked!!

Griff

Griff71 · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject:

Ok just had a bitch with insurer who state they require Subaru Legacy Brakes, not just a bigger upgrade or TT/944 has to be off same vehicle, and by modifying brakes my policy may go up. Explained brakes rated for loaded bed etc and that T3's were fitted with larger hp engines but they just refused. Ridiculous!

rjes · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:34 am Post subject:

On one hand it sounds like they know far more about modifying vehicles than any insurer I have ever dealt with - not that it's the insurer's job to maks sure that conversions are not dangerous. There has been some interesting stuffin the practical Performance Car forums On the other hand, they clearly don't know their stuff if the only brakes thay think are suitable are Subaru ones.

MOT stations without full time 4WD brake test facilities have a decelerometer which they sit on the floor, then do an emergency stop. Being an MOT test instrument you would imagine they ought to be properly calibrated, etc. One would probably be the ideal tool to use to prove that whether brakes in anything are adequate or not - if they would accept the evidence. I suspect they don't really want to insure you.

BTW - mine is with Highway too, via Adrian Flux
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Richard,

R J Engineered Solutions
Quality Subaru Powered VW Components
www.rjes.com

DAVE · Initiate Jedi Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 29

i got a quote from adrian flux last week, told em everything thats been done to the bus, sti engine,16 inch merc steelies,lowered 70mm,ive 3 points,4 year no claims and im 31 living near portsmouth. price was £789 fully comp with £400 excess and no limited mileage. phoned B-wiser insurance told them the same, said they couldnt cover me coz the van had been lowered, they didnt have a problem with the 16v turbo engine hanging out the back. neither of them asked about the brakes of engine conversion either

andymcc · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

I'm in London SE4. Both my T25 are on KGM 'Family Camper' scheme through Glynwoods, which assumes you have another 'main' vehicle. That's my GTi. Both are on fully comp, unlimited mileage, £100 excess, parked on the street. Both have modified engines, the pickup has an 80bhp TD out of a Passat, the Kombi has a 165bhp EJ25, they both have non-standard steel wheels. The pickup is £275, and Kombi is £222.
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ElusiveStranger · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 12:56 am Post subject:

I'm with HIC, 40, not garaged, no proper NCD as both my cars are classics £327 FC for the van (78) on a 6,000 mile policy.
It went up £100 for the Scooby transplant.

Errrm, can't you tell them that the brakes were good enough on a stock bus at 70mph & the NSL is still 70 so you'll stop as quick as a stock bus?

HIC never asked me about brakes but I told them it was a 2l from the factory and had servo/front disks fitted as standard.
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Your experiences are worth shed loads to others, including the f'ups - live and learn.
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slammervan73 · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:07 pm Post subject:

hi, im with the NFU there great, ej2.2 with anti roll bars, lowerd, 17inch wheels, all notified. agreed value of 9k. £900 BUT im 21 with only 2 years no claims used as a daily, kept on a drive in Bristol.
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