Any insurance experts on here?

[acropolis22]

How can I get a quote that someone has actually thought about rather than taking the number churned out by an algorithm? The starting point for this rant is trying to move the moho to a new storage location. My current premium is £460. To change the storage site they want an extra £600 odd over a full year. So new premium will be £1060. When I queried this the muppet on the phone said she would check and "Yes, it's correct. It's because of the postcode". Now the old site and the new site are, subjectively, in very similar areas, and in the postcode rating lists I have been able to find, are both rated the same. She told me that the old site, in BL3, was in Group 1, and the new one, OL16, is in Group 3, worse group. This just doesn't gell to me. Anyone any thoughts?

 

[Figaro]

Can you try a fresh quote from another provider to see how that compares ?
Are you dealing with a broker or directly with an insurer, I know postcode does make a big difference but that example seems extreme.
Edit : not an insurance expert

 

[acropolis22]

Can you try a fresh quote from another provider to see how that compares ?
Are you dealing with a broker or directly with an insurer, I know postcode does make a big difference but that example seems extreme.
Edit : not an insurance expert

Yup. I've started the process of getting other quotes. The annoying thing about the slavish reliance on postcodes is that the insurers don't seem to take any account of the fact that the motorhome is on a secure site. Surely that over-rides any postcode statistics?

 

[sedge]

As a broker I well recall an insurer telling me that Far Forest in Worcestershire was in the river Severn flood plain whereas the property in question just within the forest itself, was continuously uphill for 4-ish miles outside Bewdley from the river, accessed by a road called Long Bank. All of Bewdley itself, and Stourport etc would have to drown above the height of several church towers and steeples before that could possibly happen. I just laughed and placed the cover with a sensible UK based insurer. Life's too short to try changing one insurer's mind.

However motor insurance rating is pretty much 100% based on what amount of claims insurers have had from a postcode, so unless you happen to have access to such info - which isn't in the public domain - who really knows.

 

[The Wino]

Insurance is all about gambling. They are gambling that you won't need to claim your taking the bet because you don't want to take the odds of needing to pay yourself. If you don't like the odds offered the only option usually is to try and find better odds somewhere else.

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[Pausim]

Looks like you have moved into an insurance black spot.

 

[Otter Spotter]

How can I get a quote that someone has actually thought about rather than taking the number churned out by an algorithm? The starting point for this rant is trying to move the moho to a new storage location. My current premium is £460. To change the storage site they want an extra £600 odd over a full year. So new premium will be £1060. When I queried this the muppet on the phone said she would check and "Yes, it's correct. It's because of the postcode". Now the old site and the new site are, subjectively, in very similar areas, and in the postcode rating lists I have been able to find, are both rated the same. She told me that the old site, in BL3, was in Group 1, and the new one, OL16, is in Group 3, worse group. This just doesn't gell to me. Anyone any thoughts?

OL Oldham postcode even though your storage is probably Rochdale way, too many claims for shunts with many neck injuries there is a certain community in Oldham that have made claiming a national sport

 

[Geistguy]

Although I retired from insurance brokerage some years ago the basic rules don't change. Risk and the resulting premium is assessed on several factors, with motor insurance where the vehicle is kept overnight can affect premiums dramatically. Areas quite close together can be rated very differently, this is based on the amount of claims, of any sort, based in that given area. It seems that you have unfortunately found a very high risk area to keep your van.

 

[125BEER]

I know this will not help with your OP but I have recently taken out cover with "Scenicinsurance".
Is a broker but it beat my renewal by £100 not bad seeing my previous insurer was by far cheapest last year.I know cheapest is not always best but I've always used this method.
And the cover was with the same underwriter

Cheers

 

[Pausim]

Perhaps you should try to find a storage site in a better postcode, even if it means a bit more travelling.

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[acropolis22]

Thanks to all for your contributions. I understand all the points made, but I'm really looking for an answer to the question in the first sentence of my original post.

 

[acropolis22]

OL Oldham postcode even though your storage is probably Rochdale way, too many claims for shunts with many neck injuries there is a certain community in Oldham that have made claiming a national sport

Don't suppose many of the claimants have motorhomes.

 

[acropolis22]

Although I retired from insurance brokerage some years ago the basic rules don't change. Risk and the resulting premium is assessed on several factors, with motor insurance where the vehicle is kept overnight can affect premiums dramatically. Areas quite close together can be rated very differently, this is based on the amount of claims, of any sort, based in that given area. It seems that you have unfortunately found a very high risk area to keep your van.

I get that. But it seems to me that insurers don't have any understanding of the motorhome world. I have a motorhome not a campervan or a PVC. It's not something that you would use as a daily drive, and even if it was, you'd hardly keep it in a locked compound 8 miles from your home address. When it comes off the compound it then heads somewhere else in the UK, or abroad. So the postcode of the storage site seems to be of very little relevance.

 

[Otter Spotter]

I get that. But it seems to me that insurers don't have any understanding of the motorhome world. I have a motorhome not a campervan or a PVC. It's not something that you would use as a daily drive, and even if it was, you'd hardly keep it in a locked compound 8 miles from your home address. When it comes off the compound it then heads somewhere else in the UK, or abroad. So the postcode of the storage site seems to be of very little relevance.

Have you checked the theft and damage history of the storage site, it could be that they have had regular attempts. A site in Burnley with over 100 stored leisure vehicles, caravans and Motorhomes had a period where theft and damage occurred every week. Try getting insurance if you want to use that site

 

[Minxy]

Trouble is that the place its going to be left at unattended is in the bad area and thus at a greater risk than when away from there. Unfortunately there's no way to change this unless you leave it at the old site or look for another in the cheaper areas.

As for speaking to someone who can think and find you cover without using a 'system' generated one, probably best to try some independent brokers who deal with specialist vehicles too as they may be more understanding of the situation and be able to help.

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[Otter Spotter]

Try NFU I believe there are a few branches that will get you cover, I am sure someone will point you in the right direction soon.

 

[Nanniemate]

this post does make me wonder how much extra I have to pay due the neighbours who claim for something or another at least 3 times a year either cars, telephones, work vans, house hold stuff accidental damage ..........you get my drift I'm surprised they can still get insurance

 

[MichaelT]

I get that. But it seems to me that insurers don't have any understanding of the motorhome world. I have a motorhome not a campervan or a PVC. It's not something that you would use as a daily drive, and even if it was, you'd hardly keep it in a locked compound 8 miles from your home address. When it comes off the compound it then heads somewhere else in the UK, or abroad. So the postcode of the storage site seems to be of very little relevance.

But the fact is for maybe 70% of the time it is in the compound? Is it a CASSOA rated compound?

 

[Pausim]

Try NFU I believe there are a few branches that will get you cover, I am sure someone will point you in the right direction soon.

I insure with NFU and the Brockenhurst office has always been very helpful. However they still use post codes of where it is kept overnight to assess risk. I moved mine from a storage site with a BH post code to one with a BN one and there was only a small difference to the insurance cost.

Sadly for the op the OL16 post code is ringing insurance alarm bells. Perhaps the theft and damage aspects of insurance are not just about how nice the area is itself but how accessible it is to big conurbations. OL16 looks like it is easily accessible from 3 conurbations Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Merseyside thanks to the M62.

 

[Pausim]

But the fact is for maybe 70% of the time it is in the compound? Is it a CASSOA rated compound?

I was told CASSOA ratings made little difference it was all about post codes.

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[MichaelT]

I was told CASSOA ratings made little difference it was all about post codes.

Well it must do and when we used to store it certaily did as more security in a gold site to a standard than a farmers field or a bronze site with less security?

 

[acropolis22]

But the fact is for maybe 70% of the time it is in the compound? Is it a CASSOA rated compound?

Yes, Gold. Insurers all say it's automatically accepted.

 

[acropolis22]

Another point is that when I got a quote from one company by talking to a human being, she had the CaSSoa registered storage sites on a pick list from a menu on screen. When I gave her the name of the site, she found it and entered it into the quote. Surely if there had been break-ins at that site it would have flagged up straight away as unacceptable? And my current insurer tells me that a CaSSoa Gold certified site is always accepted automatically. It just feels as though the postcode takes precedence over everything else, despite other indicators that might render it not relevant.

 

[Pausim]

It doesn’t matter what security a site has, if Messrs Scrote and Sons want a particular motorhome they will find a way of getting it out. The last site we were on had two sets of gates and cctv. They cut through the cctv wires and forced their way through both gates and drove off with a motorhome. The site I currently use has cctv, electric gate, a large Ridgeback dog and the owners live on site by the only gate. They cut through the rear fencing and dragged a couple of caravans across a field to a nearby road. They have now dug trenches around the site but I don’t doubt that if someone wants to nick a motorhome or caravan they will find a way. NFU told me they did not give discounts for CASSOA sites the only discount was for a Thatcham tracker.

 

[acropolis22]

It doesn’t matter what security a site has, if Messrs Scrote and Sons want a particular motorhome they will find a way of getting it out. The last site we were on had two sets of gates and cctv. They cut through the cctv wires and forced their way through both gates and drove off with a motorhome. The site I currently use has cctv, electric gate, a large Ridgeback dog and the owners live on site by the only gate. They cut through the rear fencing and dragged a couple of caravans across a field to a nearby road. They have now dug trenches around the site but I don’t doubt that if someone wants to nick a motorhome or caravan they will find a way. NFU told me they did not give discounts for CASSOA sites the only discount was for a Thatcham tracker.

Agreed, but the point is it only happens rarely. And the postcode is not relevant because it won't be local scrotes. If it's such a determined attack, it's probably done to order by out of towners.

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[Minxy]

Agreed, but the point is it only happens rarely. And the postcode is not relevant because it won't be local scrotes. If it's such a determined attack, it's probably done to order by out of towners.

You don't know that though, if the area has a bad reputation then the insurer will base risk on that and no amount of protestation will change their stance.

 

[scotzsue]

I was told CASSOA ratings made little difference it was all about post codes.

We have stored our motorhomes at the same storage facility for 13 years, initially it was a CASSOA gold site, ownership changed, security was improved and insurance went up !