Desperate man seeks help

Nick · 09-24-07, 02:15 PM

Hi,

The problem I have is that when I get round to building my GT40 it will be necessary to complete the build on my drive. With this in mind I started to look into the problem and I cannot find any insurance company in the UK that will cover me for this.

Apparently since Jan insurance companies will now only insure a part built car for two weeks for it to be road registered. They say they would have no problem insuring the car on my drive once completed and on the road, which I find a bit bizarre.

Has anyone got any solution to this problem, failing that, and clutching at straws, does anyone know of a lockup garage available in Warrington Cheshire for around 12 months.

Regards

Nick

Dalton · 09-24-07, 11:21 PM

If you think outside the square, it may be possible to tell these insurance companies to get stuffed. What about purchasing a guard dog, tethered to a running wire around the edge of your drive, who can patrol when you're not there?

I guess this isn't really practical, but I am disgusted with the way insurance companies are minimising their risk all the time, such that they will only take your money if they are absolutely certain they'll never have to shell out. My sympathies. Renting a garage seems like the best idea if ALL insurance companies are taking this approach.

Dalton

John Fitzpatrick · 09-24-07, 11:37 PM

Is it possible that your homeowners insurance would cover it on a special schedule as a "possession", as they do for furs, jewlery, etc, rather than define it a "vehicle"?

Chris_K · 09-25-07, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toy264

Is it possible that your homeowners insurance would cover it on a special schedule as a "possession", as they do for furs, jewlery, etc, rather than define it a "vehicle"?

Be very careful as this is explicitly NOT covered in my (USA) homeowner's policy. They wouldn't insure my build as a collection of parts, they wouldn't insure my trailer at all, and they wouldn't insure the car until it was road registered (even though it would be much simpler to steal at that point!).

I ended up switching companies to one which would insure it appropriately as needed (ANPAC, their "Chrome" policy, as someone on the forum pointed me toward).

It seems like this is a very good time to be upfront and honest with your agent as needing help in the event of a claim, it'd be pretty crappy to give them a loophole to deny compensation.

Jump on the web, I'd bet there are options...

Best of luck!

Paul Thompson 'Hooligan' · 09-25-07, 03:44 AM

Yep - Insurance = Licensed Extortion!

Best to be up front - honest - give ALL the facts and close any loopholes beforehand by thinking ahead if possible.

When we were burgled a few years back - insurance co were very good, BUT, they excluded paying out on a 'lap timing receiver' that was stolen. The reason they gave was along the lines of it being "something to to with a motorised or self-propelled vehicle"..... hmmmmm - slippery sods!!

Mal · 09-25-07, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p thompson

Yep - Insurance = Licensed Extortion!

Best to be up front - honest - give ALL the facts and close any loopholes beforehand by thinking ahead if possible.

When we were burgled a few years back - insurance co were very good, BUT, they excluded paying out on a 'lap timing receiver' that was stolen. The reason they gave was along the lines of it being "something to to with a motorised or self-propelled vehicle"..... hmmmmm - slippery sods!!

Paul, surely you remembered to claim for the 3000 pound racing bicycle that was attached to the timing equipment didn't you?

Peter D · 09-25-07, 08:08 AM

Here in Oz, we have at least 2 specialist "enthusiast's" insurance companies (Shannons & VGL) which offer "Restoration Cover" - basically covers fire & theft. It is cheap (say around A$280 pa for $30,000 cover).

The mainstream car insurers were completely useless.

Perhaps it is all in the terminology - "Restoration" might be the keyword ?

I can't believe that this market segment is not being addressed in the UK - there would have to be 10-20 times the number of cars being restored there than there are in Oz.

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

ChrisL · 09-25-07, 10:10 AM

I remember in the late 70s when the largest insurance company here in Victoria (calling themselves an auto club... what a joke) would not insure your car if you had radial tyres fitted to your car if it didn't have them fitted from the factory. I think the reasoning went along the lines of "if you want your car to handle better then you just want to drive too fast". Crossplys were OK because it meant that you were a careful driver. Lots of scientific studies supporting that theory I'll bet... NOT!

Luckily we now have some insurance companies who have realized that enthusiasts are fanatical about protecting their cars and are actually a better risk.

sorry to steal this thread

JimmyMac · 09-25-07, 10:36 AM

Is this thread drift ?
What has the deficiencies or merits in foreign country insurances got to do with solving Nick's problem in Warrington ?

RichardH · 09-25-07, 01:50 PM

You can quite often rent a garage from one of the local housing associations.

Ian Anderson · 09-25-07, 04:07 PM

I got build up insurance through Adrian Flux for about £115 for a year

Get yourself atent and a couple of padlocks to hold the zips closed - it is as secure as any up and over garage door!

Ian

PosMan · 09-25-07, 04:42 PM

Nick

Have you tried MSM Insurance. Speak to Lynne she is very helpful 01279 870535. I struggled getting insurance for my CAV and they came up with a very competitive price. If they will insure a car built outside Im not sure, but they seem to have very flexible insurance.

Good Luck

John

Chris Simpson · 09-25-07, 06:30 PM

After many phone calls to brokers I eventually got insurance cover for my 40 while it was being built from Adrian Flux - about £300. 3 months into the second year, the car moved to Roy Smart's workshop and I informed Adrian Flux of the change of its address thinking it was just a formality. They wrote back to me saying they had cancelled the insurance as the car had to be at my home and there would be no refund of the outstanding premium. I was not pleased! There have also been bad vibes about Adrian Flux on the Lotus websites.

Hope you get your insurance, but my experience might indicate that they won't cover you if the car is in a lock-up as it isn't at your home. Incidently, if you are building on your driveway, what about the wet weather?

Chris

MikeP · 09-25-07, 07:12 PM

Hi Nick,
I wouldn't think that building a 40 on your drive would be a good idea. I'm in Oldham not far from you and in this region it's always raining buckets. You really need somewhere out of the rain and also preferable out of the cold as well. If you have some space then a prefab garage or some decent temporary structure is what you need. Even hiring a full size container would do the trick, even if it does piss off your neighbours ( ask Martin Gough who has a large blue container as a decorative feature in his front garden!).
Anyway come alomg to the next GT40 Enthusiasts Club meeting - first Wednesday of the month at the Whipping Stocks, Stocks Lane , Over Peover, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 9EX 8pm onwards and meet the local mob - there are usually a few cars making noises.
Cheers
Mike

Nick · 09-26-07, 02:29 PM

Hi all,

Thanks for all your encouragement and advice it has certainly given me a few more options to think about if a similar situation arrives.

I really do appreciate all your efforts on my behalf, however events have taken an unexpected turn in the wrong direction in that the car I was after which was virtually complete, is no longer for sale, so near and yet so far, it was obviously not meant to be.

One thing this forum and its members have taught me is that when one door closes another opens. So you can all add life coaches to your list of talents. I’ll go back to saving for an RCR, which is what I would realy like. It puts me 3 years back but at least I will be able to build it in a shed in the back garden, and then crane it out over the house once built, (but please don’t tell my wife).

In the words of that famous thespian actor and state governor “I’ll be back”

Regards

Nick

Big-Foot · 09-26-07, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ckouba

Be very careful as this is explicitly NOT covered in my (USA) homeowner's policy. They wouldn't insure my build as a collection of parts, they wouldn't insure my trailer at all, and they wouldn't insure the car until it was road registered (even though it would be much simpler to steal at that point!).

I ended up switching companies to one which would insure it appropriately as needed (ANPAC, their "Chrome" policy, as someone on the forum pointed me toward).

It seems like this is a very good time to be upfront and honest with your agent as needing help in the event of a claim, it'd be pretty crappy to give them a loophole to deny compensation.

Jump on the web, I'd bet there are options...

Best of luck!

I have Western National Insurance for my HomeOwner's policy. My GT40 is covered as "Automobile Parts" as a seperate rider on my HO policy.

My trailer is also covered under my Vehicle policies with the same company.

Now - my collectible cars are covered by American Collector's Insurance.