Zurich don't insure Subaru's?

goodstuff!

A cousin of mine tried to temporarily transfer her insurance from a focus to an original irish subaru impreza turbo today with Zurich and they said that they don't insure subaru's full stop!
My cousin is in her 50's with full no claims and was just looking to use this car as a stop gap as the ford is f*#ked!
Anyone else have this problem with them? Seems a bit strange to me.

psycho-hope

thats very weird was looking on some of the comparsion sites during the week for a quote for a forester and the top quote each time was Zuirch

Delancey

Never hheard of that but thats not to say it's not the case , I would guess being a Subaru would make them wary but to refuse point blank to insure does seem OTT , especially for a middle-aged driver.

johnos1984

goodstuff! wrote: »

My cousin is in her 50's

Are you sure she hasn't been telling them that she is 29 1/2?

Sounds strange to me, although I once had a company (can't remember which one) refuse to do a temp transfer to a friends convertible. I just hung up, rang back and talked to someone else who just done it.

goodstuff!

johnos1984 wrote: »

Are you sure she hasn't been telling them that she is 29 1/2?
I just hung up, rang back and talked to someone else who just done it.

Thats what i told her to do tomorrow!
Am i right in thinking an insurance company "have" to give you a quote no matter what? Or did i hear wrong?

johnos1984

goodstuff! wrote: »

Thats what i told her to do tomorrow!
Am i right in thinking an insurance company "have" to give you a quote no matter what? Or did i hear wrong?

They have to but whats unusual is she is just doing a policy transfer and the driver profile (50 yr old woman) shouldn't be causing them worry.

I'd say she just spoke to someone new in the job who may of clicked something by mistake. As I said call back and if she doesn't get anywhere ask to speak to whoever is in charge to find out what the story is.

mailforkev

They told me that they wouldn't ensure a BMW Z4 for me a couple of years ago.

I was 30/31 at the time and they said they didn't cover that car at all, wouldn't even humour me with a nonsensical quote. Bought a different car in the end but still moved insurers out of principle.

Nissan doctor

goodstuff! wrote: »

Thats what i told her to do tomorrow!
Am i right in thinking an insurance company "have" to give you a quote no matter what? Or did i hear wrong?

So far as I'm aware an insurance company you are already insured with have to tranfare you to another car.

They don't have to quote you for new business though.

goodstuff!

johnos1984 wrote: »

They have to but whats unusual is she is just doing a policy transfer and the driver profile (50 yr old woman) shouldn't be causing them worry.

I'd say she just spoke to someone new in the job who may of clicked something by mistake. As I said call back and if she doesn't get anywhere ask to speak to whoever is in charge to find out what the story is.

Yea, shes already fully comp with them already with full NCB.

johndaman66

goodstuff! wrote: »

Am i right in thinking an insurance company "have" to give you a quote no matter what? Or did i hear wrong?

You are correct on that thought. Indeed they could quote you an extortionate figure though, in other words they are saying PFO if you want to look at that way. I do find it very peculiar they wouldn't provide cover to a lady in her 50's with a full ncb.

markc1184

Yes they do insure them. I am insured with them on my Subaru.

johnos1984

I'd just get her to call again OP, it sounds like a mix up or misunderstanding of some sort

vectra

I know it is not a Subaru but I have my vRS insured with them. Almost cheaper than anyone else.

Anan1

johnos1984 wrote: »

I'd just get her to call again OP, it sounds like a mix up or misunderstanding of some sort

I would have thought the same, but for my own experience with Aviva. I've a Forester 2.5XT, insured with Aviva. At my last service the garage were going to give me an Impreza 2.0 NA for the day - until we found out that Aviva don't insure Imprezas.

johnos1984

Anan1 wrote: »

I would have thought the same, but for my own experience with Aviva. I've a Forester 2.5XT, insured with Aviva. At my last service the garage were going to give me an Impreza 2.0 NA for the day - until we found out that Aviva don't insure Imprezas.

O/T but could you just drive a garage car under your third party extension if you have it on your policy rather than doing a temporary transfer?

What would happen in that case if they don't cover a certain type of car but don't specify on your policy?

unkel

Let's face it, Imprezas are major muppet / skanger magnets, especially the more powerful ones. This can be objectively concluded from actuarial calculations (statistics) as used by insurance companies. I'm not surprised many insurance companies wouldn't even quote for these cars (not even giving massive quotes)

johnos1984 wrote: »

O/T but could you just drive a garage car under your third party extension if you have it on your policy rather than doing a temporary transfer?

Can do technically but as you say it is only third party. I guess the garage wouldn't be too keen if he wrote off the car

Anan1

johnos1984 wrote: »

O/T but could you just drive a garage car under your third party extension if you have it on your policy rather than doing a temporary transfer?

What would happen in that case if they don't cover a certain type of car but don't specify on your policy?

As unkel said, the garage would want comp on their car. AXA do comp driving of other cars, though, if you've been with them for a few years. Me, I ended up going home in a Fiesta..

Senna

Misleading Title. Underwriter probably has stipulated no Impreza Turbo's, I'm sure all other Subarus are fine, even legacy turbo's, B4 etc.

Anan1

I just got an online quote for my Subaru from Zurich.

Edit: Just tried to get a quote for an Impreza 2.5 WRX STI and it said that i'd have to call for a quote. Seems that it's down to the insured rather than the car.

Kamili

markc1184 wrote: »

Yes they do insure them. I am insured with them on my Subaru.

I'm also insured on my twin turbo legacy with them.

to be honest, I find them extremely awkward to deal with, when I originally called to switch over from my previous car and I had to speak with several people on there and nobody had a clue what they were on about.

I will be searching for quotes elsewhere.

PrzemoF

I asked them 3+ years ago about Mercedes SLK - the answer was "no, we're not insuring convertibles".
(They used to be called "Eagle Star" then)

Berty

Insurance companies are weird. One Direct / Hiberian tried to cancel my Insurance policy because I changed jobs. They said because I was now a Sales Rep they wont insure my car. It had to do with the long hours I would be driving and them coming home to drive a car under their policy. High Risk.

I told them that if they want to try and cancel my policy I would create a storm over it.

OP. What your cousin should have done was say "Fine, no problem, can I get that in writing please so I can contact Comreg".

Within minutes a senior manager will make a call and the car would have been transferred.

Kamili

PrzemoF wrote: »

I asked them 3+ years ago about Mercedes SLK - the answer was "no, we're not insuring convertibles".
(They used to be called "Eagle Star" then)

Funny that, I had my S2000 insured with them too three years ago...


I think it's a severe case of the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing in there.

goodstuff!

Senna wrote: »

Misleading Title. Underwriter probably has stipulated no Impreza Turbo's, I'm sure all other Subarus are fine, even legacy turbo's, B4 etc.

No. The lady in Zurich told her "we don't insure subarus".
Anyway, she's calling them later again and i'll tell you how she gets on.
Thanks for the replies.

PrzemoF

Beer Baron wrote: »

Insurance companies are weird. One Direct / Hiberian tried to cancel my Insurance policy because I changed jobs. [..]

Hibernian.... 5 years ago went to their office on South Mall, Cork and asked for a quote for an average saloon. Got the quote (not on paper), was OK, few days later bought the car, went back and ......... was told, that it's my first car, I don't have Irish licence and they can't insure my car!

Went to 2-3 others insurance companies, the same story, finally I got insurance from Eagle Star.

joolsveer

I got a quote from Zurich (through a broker) last month for my Subaru Impreza diesel. It was lower than my current insurer.

goodstuff!

OK, she rang Zurich back.
Same again, they said they don't insure subaru's. So my cousin asked for that in writing so she could send it to comreg (as i was told in an earlier post, thanks). The woman got all snotty and said that "it was perfectly within their rights not to insure such a car"! But she then came back with a quote of 100 euro extra to cover it for 2 weeks!:mad:
Taking into account that my cousins insurance is only 350euro for the year, this seems a bit rich.
Isn't it unusual how "its perfectly within their rights not to insure such a car" when they're threathened with comreg they magically "can insure such a car"!:mad:
CNUTS!

Tabnabs

Beer Baron wrote: »

OP. What your cousin should have done was say "Fine, no problem, can I get that in writing please so I can contact Comreg".

Lol, who?? :pac:

www.financialombudsman.ie

Anan1

goodstuff! wrote: »

Isn't it unusual how "its perfectly within their rights not to insure such a car" when they're threathened with comreg they magically "can insure such a car"!:mad:
CNUTS!

I would have thought it was perfectly within their rights to decide what cars they insure? Given that Zurich do in fact insure Subarus, though, it sounds as if you just got a bad employee.

Jimmy Bottlehead

I had the lovely annual 'ring everyone for insurance' last week.

Told all companies I'd be changing to an S2000 in Jan, most said they'd not cover it. Zurich said they'd decline to insure that car. Fair enough...

Rang Chill.ie, who got me a quote from Zurich, who had said they'd insure the S2000 in January no bother. Just before Chill put it through, Zurich changed their mind.

Not Chill's fault mind, they were excellent to deal with, but Zurich seem to be slightly clueless. The previous posts prove this.

Anyways, ended up paying more for a Travellers policy, but they've said they will do the changeover in Jan, so it's worth it for that.

Muckie

I could only get a quote from Avia on my Impreza, other insurance companies didn't want to know because it 15 year old Jap import.
Its totally standard wagon and i'm 36!
Think alot of the time it all depands who you talk to at the time.

Mr Keek

Beer Baron wrote: »

Insurance companies are weird. One Direct / Hiberian tried to cancel my Insurance policy because I changed jobs. They said because I was now a Sales Rep they wont insure my car. It had to do with the long hours I would be driving and them coming home to drive a car under their policy. High Risk.

I doubt that, Insurance companies love sales reps, they get to slap on Class 3 Business loading and charge you 60% extra.

What ever agent you were dealing with hadn't a clue, one's occupation is not an underwriting factor.

Certain occupations if the car is actually being used for business have various business loadings, you will never be told to take your business elsewhere.

fluffybunny124

Mr Keek wrote: »

I doubt that, Insurance companies love sales reps, they get to slap on Class 3 Business loading and charge you 60% extra.

What ever agent you were dealing with hadn't a clue, one's occupation is not an underwriting factor.

Certain occupations if the car is actually being used for business have various business loadings, you will never be told to take your business elsewhere.

Occupation is an underwriting factor.

As is Class 3 Business Insurance- This is for very high mileage so the risk is going to be greatly increased, considering the amount of miles class three uses.

All insurer's have certain decline cars. From an underwriting perspective, its all about the acceptance of a risk.

Often brokers will cover these cars, which is silly really as often its the same company underwriting these policies.

Mr Keek

fluffybunny124 wrote: »

Occupation is an underwriting factor.

As is Class 3 Business Insurance- This is for very high mileage so the risk is going to be greatly increased, considering the amount of miles class three uses.

When I meant occupation not being an underwriting factor, i was referring to the fact tht occupation does not form any part of acceptance criteria, i was quoting another poster who said tht his company refused to insure him because of a job change.

He also mentioned tht they wouldn't cover him as he would be driving his private car after a hard days work / driving which I know the Aviva/One Direct underwriters would never mention. If what he says is true, he would need to call back his companies supervisor and report one of their call center agents for being a spoofer

fluffybunny124

Apologies for that " Mister Keek"

I didnt read that properly there, yes unless, he was trying to change from private to a commercial policy or going to be using his car for something mental, a job change would not have been a valid reason for declining him.

The second one- about using his car after work does sound like a spoof alright!! Very odd!