Motorhome Insurance - Comfort info

[Minxy]

Our MH insurance is due shortly, Safeguard gave a silly renewal price so have been looking round for another provider, Comfort have so far come in best for cover and price at £312 for up to 10,000 miles but I can't recall ever being with them.

We won't be taking out European cover as our camper has a year's Fiat Assist left which will do what we want as we don't know if we'll even 'escape' the UK this year.

We're wondering whether it's worth protecting our NCD though - we've got over 9 years but if we make a single claim it would reduce to 3 years for the next year, however the cost with Comfort to protect it is £32.50 but the reduction in benefit from 9 to 3 years is only 6%, ie £19, which seems silly as we'd only make a claim if it was for something major as our excess is £200 anyway (no effect of glass claim on NCD at all).

If we do go with them apparently we can get a 15% 'friend recommendation' discount, so long as I have a friend who'll recommend me (they also get a 15% discount on their next renewal if I take out a policy) - do I have any 'Comfort friends' out there?

Any issues / comments will be gratefully received before I commit (yes I've already looked at the reviews!).

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

We're with Comfort and they were very efficient when we had a blow out which took part of the bodywork with it. You can use us as a "friend" if it helps. PM me for our details if you need us.
Neil

 

[M-J]

We are with comfort, cheaper than others and excess was half of other quotes too.

 

[Jagtazman]

We are with comfort made a 3k claim went up 12% sub £30 so was happy.
Claim service was excellent.
Just read the small print. Only cover contents/personal possessions if stored on driveway or a CaSSAO site.
However managed to get mine covered with my home insurance which incidentally is also Aviva dont figure. Would only make a claim for these items if fire/large theft in any event
Strange thou will cover on a campsite or wild camping but not in a non approved CaSSAO site.
And remember to specify any TV/
Satallite and/audio / sat nav equipment.

 

[TerryL]

Just waiting for renewal notice from Comfort - been with them 6/7 years now and always a good price. Provided there is no silly increase I'll probably just renew.

I do wonder, though, how they always seem to come out best?

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[normanandsue]

I have been with Comfort and will probably return but Caravanguard had an offer that undercut Comfort so I went with them.

 

[Lenny HB]

We're wondering whether it's worth protecting our NCD though - we've got over 9 years but if we make a single claim it would reduce to 3 years for the next year, however the cost with Comfort to protect it is £32.50 but the reduction in benefit from 9 to 3 years is only 6%, ie £19, which seems silly as we'd only make a claim if it was for something major as our excess is £200 anyway (no effect of glass claim on NCD at all).

But Comfort don't have a NCD they have a net policy.

Just renewed my Comfort Policy it's gone down again.
They have also improved breakdown cover now includes, Home Breakdown, Misfuelling and repatriation cover increased to £5,000 & still only £62.

 

[xsparks]

If its any comfort I'll be your friend.

 

[Just smiffy]

As @Lenny HB said I too thought they didn’t have a NCB system...?

I’ve been with them for 4yrs now as they’ve been the cheapest my policy went down this year as I tweaked the unlimited mileage down to 10k per year and now have breakdown through nationwide flex account.

I have used their breakdown service and they were excellent...

 

[Lenny HB]

now have breakdown through nationwide flex account.

Unless you use NW as your main account I find Comfort breakdown a lot cheaper, worked it out with the interest NW pay and loss of interest from account I wold have to transfer 2.5k from, NW breakdown works out at £118.

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[Just smiffy]

Unless you use NW as your main account I find Comfort breakdown a lot cheaper, worked it out with the interest NW pay and loss of interest from account I wold have to transfer 2.5k from, NW breakdown works out at £118.

We get some health cover and other cover for various things too Lenny and we do keep 2.5k in to off set the costs with interest so we’re winning at the moment...

 

[Lenny HB]

We get some health cover and other cover for various things too Lenny and we do keep 2.5k in to off set the costs with interest so we’re winning at the moment...

We have a Lloyds account at staff rates (Boss ex Lloyds) we use that for Travel ins, if we didn't have that I would upgrade the NW account.

 

[bobandjanie]

I have been with Comfort and will probably return but Caravanguard had an offer that undercut Comfort so I went with them.

Our friends were with Caravanguard and broke down on day two of their winter break, refused to repatriate them home, because their return crossing was 3 months away, so they had to have a new engine fitted in france cost them over €8000 , the trouble is the frenchman says it needs a new engine and thats it.

Never had much luck with Comfort, but I thought they did not give no claims bonus, they are very strict on where you park, and gave us very high quote fulltiming policy probably because the address was in Norwich city centre.
The clue was in the policy we required, living in a motorhome.
Safeguard we OK for a few years, but kept putting it up like most, but normally a phone call got it down again. Bob.

 

[Minxy]

Thanks for all the comments guys.

I rang Safeguard just to see if there was any movement on their price but after a long time on the phone there was no reduction as apparently they'd already applied the £90 discount to try to keep business due to the rise in premiums (renewal £458 ... was only £360 last year!). Whilst talking to the lady though she informed me that Safeguard no longer do unlimited mileage policies, now you have to state your mileage and your policy is based on that.

Consequently, I've taken out a policy with Comfort, the original quote was £323 but with a 5% discount (off the base price only) I got it for £309! I didn't go for protected no-claims though ... if I had we would have been restricted to 90 days EU travel in a 12 month period, but by NOT protecting it we have 9 months EU travel in 12 months ... I did question it as I though the chap had told me it the wrong way round, but nope, it was correct - might be worth checking your policy if you have taken out protection. I didn't bother with breakdown as we still have the 2nd year of Fiat Assist left so will rely on that.

 

[pelican]

Re Comfort 3rd party
I spoke with them yesterday ref the above post 3rd Party only abroad they told me it was comprehensive.
Caravan and Motorhome Club quoted £25 less but no Breakdown add on apart from expensive Red Pennant.
So will stick with Comfort provided the 3rd party issue abroad is rectified.

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[Ernesto]

Can I just confirm ..... the Fiat coverage for their new vans is good enough for the first couple of years? I'd read its European-wide, and the only caution I'd picked up on was that it doesn't kick in until you're over 30 miles from home - but that's a risk I'm happy to take. If it is ok, then I'll do the same as @Minxy Girl I think

Just navigating the minefield of Moho insurance fro the first time ... company one is happy with just Fiat security, company two allows 14 days to get alarm or tracker fitted, company 3 say it cannot leave the dealer without extra security .... funny old game

 

[Speve]

I’m just in the process of renewing ours and so far it’s been a right pain in the arse.
One company (comfort)will not insure unless tracker fitted (already have strikeback and non starter) the next (Caravan Guard)won’t insure because van parked on drive the said they would only insure if in secure storage facility.( don’t think there are any close to us) and anyway we want to be using our van. The next one (NFU)want £998 + to insure no breakdown as over 3500kg, and stipulate a minimum of £550 excess as it is a self import??? What’s that all about.
I am still awaiting (Safeguards)renewal quote so not holding my breath there?
And finally (Adrian Flux)quoted £735 with breakdown and 90 days + EU travel but only £1000 windscreen cover.
I’m beginning to think that they don’t want to insure anything over £86000 value.
And by the way I have six years no claims and live in a reasonable post code area.

 

[TerryL]

@Speve judging by the reaction of all the brokers I would suspect it is your postcode causing the grief.

I once had a similar problem (and it was in a CaSSoa Gold storage site) and it was only resolved by the broker (Comfort) who went back to the underwriter with fuller details.

Try getting a broker to investigate a little deeper, rather than just quoting what is on their computer screen. That's what they get paid for!

 

[Speve]

Try getting a broker to investigate a little deeper, rather than just quoting what is on their computer screen. That's what they get paid for

Thanks I’ll certainly ask and see what the response is but our post code is in very rural Wiltshire and we were previously covered through Comfort with our Exsis I for around £400 so I think it’s probably more likely the value of the van
I’m not expecting it to be as obviously but it’s a pain trying to get quotes as the brokers usually say they need to speak to the underwriters before quoting.

 

[Lenny HB]

Thanks I’ll certainly ask and see what the response is but our post code is in very rural Wiltshire and we were previously covered through Comfort with our Exsis I for around £400 so I think it’s probably more likely the value of the van

As you know I have the same van, I just insured it for what I paid for it which kept it under Comforts £75k limit for a tracker. Just renewed £380 for 8,000 miles or £427 for 10,000 miles.

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[Speve]

As you know I have the same van, I just insured it for what I paid for it which kept it under Comforts £75k limit for a tracker. Just renewed £380 for 8,000 miles or £427 for 10,000 miles.

Yes Lenny I think with them it’s the new for old replacement cost in first two or three years or 15000 miles, I think I could undervalue it and probably get insured but if the worst happened it would not cover replacement cost.

 

[SteveRallye]

Just going for renewal now and Comfort seem to be leading the field. How things have changed I remember in 2008 getiing our 1st MH after 30years of caravaning and coming away from the NEC having done a great deal on a panel van conversion and then realising we were to pay £33k plus and had not thought about insurance on it. At the time we were paying out £550 on a twin axle Rallye Compass and £350 on a Sorento on insurance. Imagine our delight to find our 1st years insurance on the new MH was £220! Happy days then¬

 

[Ronny]

Taken the advice of those that recommend Comfort , was with Devitt (C&MHC) who wanted £450 and got £307 off Comfort for 8000 miles and 9 months abroad which also included wifey for the first time. Underwritten by AXA too!

 

[wiljoy]

I've been round all the insurer's over 35years and Comfort are the only people who have never hiked my premium at renewal. Been with them 3 years in a row which I have also never done before.

 

[SpeedyDux]

Renewed mine again with Comfort, including pan-European breakdown cover.
The total premium has gone up since 2018 by £5.99 including IPT.

Seems reasonable.

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[Langtoftlad]

Prodded by this thread, I thought I'd check out my Safeguard policy as it's getting to that time of the year.
As with a lot of insurance companies, documents are online in your account...
...except that Safeguard has apparently discontinued that 'service' .

So now I have to go & rummage to see if I printed off any paper copies

I wonder is Swinton/Safeguard are wanting out of the MH market?


Edited to add:
Found last year's printout but not the current one - but the renewal date is 4th June, so it's a bit disappointing Safeguard have yet to send a renewal notice.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Anyone heard of Advance or Principal as Motorhome insurers?
Came up on Comparethemarket at a very cheap price

 

[SpeedyDux]

Anyone heard of Advance or Principal as Motorhome insurers?
Came up on Comparethemarket at a very cheap price

I got fooled by the one I picked for travel insurance - 4 star rated cover, that seemed to offer the best VFM although not the cheapest. From Comparethewotsite.

Should have checked the online insurer (in fact a brokerage offering a policy underwritten by a major insurer) on independent review sites before making payment. The fact that their website was only partly functional should have raised a red flag. Only 1 star on Trustpilot because their service was terrible, as I found out. Documents never received (via email) so all I had to go on was a policy number ... so I cancelled during the cooling off period. They tried fobbing-off by not accepting the cancellation notice. I had to prove twice that I had given proper notice. Lord knows what making a claim would be like. How long will it take to get a refund of premium ...? Watch this space.

It's embarrassing. Of all people, me not doing my own due diligence.

 

[MichaelT]

We are in same situation as OP, last years Safeguard £623 inc NCD protection, breakdown and legal protection, this year £821. Called and as they have changed insurer and kept over £200 of the increase to keep costs down they cannot go lower.

Tried Comfort but they want a tracker, Adrian Flux totally useless and wanted over £1k.

Looks like a long week of calls to get some pricing, maybe even have to get a tracker fitted now van is more expensive.

 

[Speve]

Called and as they have changed insurer and kept over £200 of the increase to keep costs down they cannot go lower

Their new insurer is part of LV=

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