Car Insurance??

[Spacer]

Although this isn't directly related to military aviation, I need your advice! I'm looking for advice on which company is best for car insurance when you are "in". Are there any pitfalls I should be aware of before I start or things to mention/not mention? Many thanks in advance.

[Didntdoit]

Spacer lad

Car Insurance companies are consistent in their treatment of everybody. They don't care whether you are blue, brown, civvy, mil or Martian. They'll look at your postcode, car, your age, sex and occupation and take an arbitrary view. Granted, I've been out for 10 months now, but in my time in, I did not find an insurer that was sympathetic to the military. In some respects, quite the opposite.

Example:

"Is your car garaged overnight Sir?"
"No, but it is parked on the drive and there is an armed guard within 24hr line of sight 50 yards away."
"So it's not garaged then?"

Get my drift. Ring around and get the best quote you can. Although, having seen how you threw that green Caravelle around, buy, are we in trouble!!;).

Good luck!

[Spacer]

Thanks for the prompt reply. I was just wondering if there were any insurers specifically for the Forces (or any traps that I may need to watch out for in policies)? So, I met you at RIAT then?? The Caravelle was only the worse off from one of my colleagues treatment. We'd only had it an hour at that stage. Doh! :rolleyes:

[BEagle]

One pitfall you need to be aware of is that very few car insurance companies cover 'airside use'. As far as I'm aware, the Norwich Union will cover you through a NAAFI agreement; however, if your place of work is 'airside' and you some decrepit piece of service MT runs into you, beware that you will not be covered if you don't have airside cover!

Oh - and MoD will try to tell you that your private vehicle is only permitted on their hallowed turf 'at your own risk'. This has, I believe, been proven to be utter bolleaux in law before, but they may try to hide behind it they damage your vehicle. They have just as much a duty of care towards you and your property as does anyone else.

[Didntdoit]

Spacer Dude,

You'll recall that you admitted to me what your user name was!!!:ok:

[Spacer]

Thanks BEagle. That's exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for. Didntdoit: go on... gis a clue :cool:

<Edited for spelling>

[Background Noise]

Most of it's been said but just to add that I've never seen a definition of where airside actually starts and finishes. Additionally, you need to have certain minimum insurance if you are going to claim duty mileage - the details are on the claim form I think. In any event your cover needs to include business use if that's what you are going to do, but again you need to be sure of the definitions.

[BEagle]

As far as I'm aware, 'airside' starts wherever you pass one of those 'Manouevring Area' signs!

[Spacer]

Thanks everyone for the info on insurance. I've just ordered my new car, and am just trying to make sure I get the insurance correct! I've found Elephant so far the cheapest, but just wanted to make sure that there wasn't anything I hadn't though of (in their or anyone else's small print regarding HM Forces).

didntdoit: Ah, finally I have worked out who you are, but I'll not give it away here. I think you said to me at RIAT 2002 that you were retiring at Xmas. :cool:

[Ali Barber]

Try getting hold of the Forces discount guide. P2 probably have a copy. No guarantee that they're the cheapest, but it's worth a try.

[Didntdoit]

Spacer

Ah - I knew you'd work it out in the end! Good luck with your career and see you next year?

H4

[Spacer]

didntdoit: Thanks and I should hopefully be able to get to RIAT 2004. I thought it was wicked fun this year, no matter what anyone else says! :)

Ali Barber: Thanks for that tip. I've got the guide, but never really read it. I'll dig it out.

[maxburner]

Try More Than. If you insure more than one car with them you get a big discount, plus their rates are very good in the first place. If you have an unusual car try insuring through the owners club.

[Fujiflyer]

Spacer, just in case you haven't already tried it, run your proposal through Moneysupermarket ( www.moneysupermarket.com ). I have just reinsured our two cars and got a £30+ reduction on each of the renewal quotations which were fairly reasonable to begin with.

[ComJam]

Spacer, i'd suggest Quoteline Direct as a good option.

They offer discounts for various professions including aviation, I've got a BMW M3 insured through them for under a grand (Norwich Union just laughed when i asked them for a quote! :))

Cheers

[flyboy007]

SO FAR Have heard these beauts from insurance co's.

Insurer) So, is the car garaged?
A) No but it's kept on base under armed guard:
Insurer) That's gonna cost more because it's obviously at risk from terrorist attack.

Insurer)Occupation?
A)Pilot.
Insurer) Thats gonn'a cost you more, you might drive your car like you drive an aeroplane!

Do not at all think that the forces "discount book" actually offers cheapest deal. If you are a pilot, suggest you don't admit it, rather say you're an officer.

Don't know the answer but seems they have an answer for everything.

G'night

[vascodegama]

The other thing to watch is cover when you are claiming 1771- you need business cover. For us old ones it is not usually anymore expensive but essential. The other way round the problem is to refuse to use your own car for service business.

[Spacer]

I tried QuoteLine Direct. £2999. Aghhh! Thanks for all the tips from everyone. The help is appreciated.

[lightbob]

The best deals around at the moment are from www.tesco.com - they are busy attracting customers at the expense of the other insurance companies and have cut their rates significantly. I have just quoted a Rover 75 Tourer at £305 compared to my current through Norwich Union of £460. Direct Line are another alternative. Good hunting.

[MadsDad]

As regards occupation pilot will get a loading from most, if not all, companies. 'Commisioned Officer' on the other hand will not. As regards companies don't know about rates but if you are trying to build up no claims bonus Admiral give a years no claim per 10 months insured.

And I've had the 'Secure accomodation/not garaged but armed guards/sorry, no garage not secure' converation. With Admiral.

[whowhenwhy]

What ever you do for Gods sake don't waste you're time going through NAAFI insurers. They will tear off your arm, and even if you don't insure with them once they have your number that's it, you're a marked man!

[Spacer]

Hey guys. After doing a bit of digging, I have found some very disturbing news. I am getting a car with approx £3000 of factory fitted options. Now, it turns out, that although you have to disclose these to Elephant for the premium, they will only return your car to the base spec (ie without any factory fitted options). :uhoh: I have emailled them to ask if I can have my options pack added to the name of the actual car (thereby forcing them to replace it to that standard), and am waiting for the reply. If anyone is in the same situation as me (with large amounts of factory fit options), you'd be advised to check with your insurer to see if they have a "standard parts only/base spec" replacement policy.

Thanks for all the other tips with the companies.

[MG]

To all of you tempted to go with Tesco's, DON'T! I was with them a couple of years back and yes they were the cheapest. For a very good reason! Had a couple of accidents and it took months for them to sort things out. In the end, I left them to another insurer with one office arguing with another within the same company. If you insure with Tesco's, don't have an accident, you may as well be uninsured.

[TURNBULL]

Try www.thisismoney.co.uk site, they do a search of 50 insurers, incl TESCOs! Its basic and okay for a straightforward quote, any quirks and you need to go further into the actual insurer's site to get a more comprehensive figure.

[Didntdoit]

I suppose that comes to the crux of it really, this quality v cost thing. It's like having the second best hand in a poker game - you feel good while it's in your hand, but boy, are you gutted when it comes to diclosure time.

I guess the best advice is to drive carefully for 5 years, build up your no claims (protected no claims is worth the extra) and as yoor premium levels with age, go for companies that specialise in insurance. Tesco sell food and ae good value with it. But, without sounding snobbish, does their own brand stuff measure up to McV or whatever?

[Spacer]

Thanks again for all the tips. I think the best quote is with Norwich Union, who are quoting £1400 (and will actually insure the whole car, not just parts of it :rolleyes: ), and the worst is £22000 (not a mistake!) with Lloyds. Hmmm. It'll be a tricky choice! NU actually have 'Forces Car Park' as one of the options for where the car is parked.

Again, thanks for all the help.

[raytofclimb]

Madsdad, I've been with Admiral for years and annually find them the most competitive and forces friendly by far.

My car is kept in a 'works car park' overnight, at their suggestion, on regailing the armed guard/10 foot fence story.

They also accept the fact that you dont have a house number or name that goes with the station postcode if you live in the mess. Furthermore they didn't ask if I was aircrew (fortunate since we all use our private cars to do acm)

worth a try

Ray

p.s the 10 month 'bonus accelerator' scheme (a years no claim bonus after 10 months) is only accepted by a very few other companies. Probably so you'll have to stay with them forever or lose the 'discount'. Beware

[c130 alm]

Try www.elephant.com or forces direct - 01473 211951 . I shop around every year and these 2 are always way cheaper. Elephant was £300 cheaper than the closest rival. Hope this helps.

[PlasticCabDriver]

I can only think that the "Garage or not Garage" question comes up so often because of the computer systems that the companies use. So that they can pay peanuts to barely trained monkeys on the phone those questions will all be in a Yes/No tick box, so removing any sort of initiative requirement from aforementioned neo-simian types.

Similar to the no house number in the mess, trying to get quotes for BFPO can be difficult, particularly for the emerald toilet, where no one seems to want to insure anyway.

ComJam, did you try BMW's own insurance, heard they can be pretty competitive. I would recommend Privilege, have renewed with them for a couple of years, as their premiums have actually been going down!

[Spacer]

PlasticCabDriver: I know all about the problems getting insurance in Irlande Du Nord. Most people wouldn't give me policy for any money! This is one time I can be thankful of an NG postcode in the near future!

[Spacer]

Sorry if it looked like I was being lazy, as my intention was far from it. I was just asking to see if there were any things I might not have considered regarding the military (eg the business category insurance that was mentioned was something I'd never thought of, as on a 1771 I've only claimed rail, etc so far). I was only asking because I know you guys (and gals) have been through it before.

[TURNBULL]

Make sure you are only asking for class 1 business use, you're not a rep who uses his car for work! It was only about an extra £15 for me to add it on.
:O