Hi All,
Importing a MH isn't getting any easier. I've done it before and it was as simple as....
But quiet apart from that, insuring it has been interesting. Following on from an earlier post I read on here regarding leaving the UK for more than six months I got the jitters and decided to really question the agency I was using. I was offered what I thought a really great premium of £556 which included RAC cover and personal effects up to £3,000. This is for a Carthago Mondial 58DRH valued at £55k. It included 365 days European cover at Fully Comp with no limit on individual trips. Fantastic I thought! But the earlier post was niggling me so I pushed the agency to confirm both the RAC cover was applicable to larger vehicles that simply can't be put on a truck because of the height and weight but importantly the Euro cover as I intend to make a longer than average trip this year. Natalie seem surprised that I was questioning what was clearly written in the policy document but conceded she would enquire.
She came back to me quiet surprised. "It was good that you made me ask Mr Swanwick......."
Even though the policy booklet says 365 days with no limit on number or length of trip, it doesn't cover 'extended trips'.......! They appear to accept within the wording of the policy 'normal holiday' trips but not lengthy tours of say (and it is just of 'Say') three months or more. There is no definitive term which could define what is deemed a 'lengthy trip'. Mmmmm. My plan this year is when, if, my van ever is allowed to be registered (more on that later) I will disappear for an amble which may or may not take me all the way to Autumn. Had I not pushed the issue I would have assumed I was insured for this.
Of course, if it doesn't say it in the policy booklet then what leg do they have to stand on if they contested a claim? Probably none but I for one do not wish to find that out following a crash where I'll be in no mood to start fighting in court. One phrase that was used was "if your intending to spend longer in your MH than you will in your home........" It appears its not important your defo not a 'Full Timer' only that you have so much free time to use your MH much more than for typical holiday use.
Natalie did however assure me that the RAC cover is perfectly ok for larger vehicles. I still doubt this one as I am aware of cases where larger vehicles simply can't be 'rescued' due to size unless a tow is appropriate. But a tow would only be a 'get you off the highway' solution I think. However, I'll take that one for what it is.
The insurance company is Aviva and the agency is AJ Insurance Services Ltd who I can't praise enough. Importing a vehicle nowadays is difficult due to some agreements with the EU which insurance companies have interpreted as not allowing them to insure on a chassis number before registration in the UK. The fought bravely for me and managed to be able to issue a cover note insuring me for registration purposes. The catch 22 being of course that you need insurance to register a vehicle but you can't get insurance without having a british registration number. No one thought of that in Brussels! Thank you so much AJ Insurance.
It's a bit strange but i now have a 'Full Timers' policy even though I'm not one, at a very much inflated premium of £1064.....eek! But it is a big expensive lump and I feel better knowing I don't have to second guess my cover (I hope!). But I guess it's all about intentions and I know what my intentions are and so does my insurer and I want to make sure I'm covered for them.
Importing a MH isn't getting any easier. I've done it before and it was as simple as....
But quiet apart from that, insuring it has been interesting. Following on from an earlier post I read on here regarding leaving the UK for more than six months I got the jitters and decided to really question the agency I was using. I was offered what I thought a really great premium of £556 which included RAC cover and personal effects up to £3,000. This is for a Carthago Mondial 58DRH valued at £55k. It included 365 days European cover at Fully Comp with no limit on individual trips. Fantastic I thought! But the earlier post was niggling me so I pushed the agency to confirm both the RAC cover was applicable to larger vehicles that simply can't be put on a truck because of the height and weight but importantly the Euro cover as I intend to make a longer than average trip this year. Natalie seem surprised that I was questioning what was clearly written in the policy document but conceded she would enquire.
She came back to me quiet surprised. "It was good that you made me ask Mr Swanwick......."
Even though the policy booklet says 365 days with no limit on number or length of trip, it doesn't cover 'extended trips'.......! They appear to accept within the wording of the policy 'normal holiday' trips but not lengthy tours of say (and it is just of 'Say') three months or more. There is no definitive term which could define what is deemed a 'lengthy trip'. Mmmmm. My plan this year is when, if, my van ever is allowed to be registered (more on that later) I will disappear for an amble which may or may not take me all the way to Autumn. Had I not pushed the issue I would have assumed I was insured for this.
Of course, if it doesn't say it in the policy booklet then what leg do they have to stand on if they contested a claim? Probably none but I for one do not wish to find that out following a crash where I'll be in no mood to start fighting in court. One phrase that was used was "if your intending to spend longer in your MH than you will in your home........" It appears its not important your defo not a 'Full Timer' only that you have so much free time to use your MH much more than for typical holiday use.
Natalie did however assure me that the RAC cover is perfectly ok for larger vehicles. I still doubt this one as I am aware of cases where larger vehicles simply can't be 'rescued' due to size unless a tow is appropriate. But a tow would only be a 'get you off the highway' solution I think. However, I'll take that one for what it is.
The insurance company is Aviva and the agency is AJ Insurance Services Ltd who I can't praise enough. Importing a vehicle nowadays is difficult due to some agreements with the EU which insurance companies have interpreted as not allowing them to insure on a chassis number before registration in the UK. The fought bravely for me and managed to be able to issue a cover note insuring me for registration purposes. The catch 22 being of course that you need insurance to register a vehicle but you can't get insurance without having a british registration number. No one thought of that in Brussels! Thank you so much AJ Insurance.
It's a bit strange but i now have a 'Full Timers' policy even though I'm not one, at a very much inflated premium of £1064.....eek! But it is a big expensive lump and I feel better knowing I don't have to second guess my cover (I hope!). But I guess it's all about intentions and I know what my intentions are and so does my insurer and I want to make sure I'm covered for them.