Check your Adelaide policy

goodlad

Lads, this is purely my own fault for not reading every line of my policy documentation but i came across this in my policy.

Use: Use only for Social, Domestic and Pleasure purposes.

Excluding: Use by any person in connection with commuting to and from his/her place of business or employment.

I gave them a buzz and supposedly my policy has always been like that because it must of been what i request......Not a fooking hope i requested a policy that didn't cover commuting.

It was only 30 quid to add it on for the year but sweet jesus its a fair bit of luck i never had anything happen.

beefjerky

No way, mine says that as well, only got the insurance in Jan/Feb and no way I would have asked for that to be included!!
They never even mentioned it during any of the calls or communication I had with them.

But yeah, like above, I should have read it line by line. Will need to add that to it today... from work.. which I got to on the bike!

szatan84

Thsi is no ommision on their part it's delibarate. You want be able to prove that you asked for it in court and that's the point. A fullproof way to charge you for nothing. I record all my calls to insurance companies for that reason.

Mr Sheen!

szatan84 wrote: »

Thsi is no ommision on their part it's delibarate. You want be able to prove that you asked for it in court and that's the point. A fullproof way to charge you for nothing. I record all my calls to insurance companies for that reason.

Would you have to inform them that they are being recorded in order to ever actually hold it against them??

Out of interest what do you use to record them??

szatan84

leppla wrote: »

Would you have to inform them that they are being recorded in order to ever actually hold it against them??

Out of interest what do you use to record them??

Dont know if u have to inform them or not. They don't always let u know youre being recorded either so I consider it fair game.

There is plenty of software for smatphones for recording, just put call recorded into Google Play.

Krusty_Clown

My policy reads:

Use only for Social, domestic and pleasure purposes and by the Policyholder in person in connection with commuting to and from his/her permanent place of employment.

It's from last June though, so will scrutinize my renewal documentation in the next few weeks.

Wonda-Boy

Sure dont they always ask what is the bike/car is used for...and they say social, domestic and pleasure. Followed closely by how many miles a year you do? Its up to the policy holder to state if they are commuting to work is it not....?

blu3r0ri0n

I renewed my policy recently and I was specifically asked what the bikes was used for, commuting, pleasure etc... and it is also detailed in the policy documentation as well.

Regardless of what you asked or not asked for you should always check your policy wording as soon as you get it.

Mr Sheen!

As far as I know the category used to be social domestic and commuting however recently they have taking commuting into it's own separate category. I suppose it's fair enough for ppl that don't commute as before they were paying for something that did not need.

goodlad

I looked over my policy documentation.
In 2010 it had commuting. I renewed in 2011 and it didn't include it then or in 2012 or 2013.

So my policy did just change without me asking or them telling me.
Yeah i should read the documentation, as should everyone.

But this just highlights for people that don't do it that they really should do it.

copeyhagen

all of my adelaide policies included commuting, and they always went out of their way at renewal time to remind me "this quote includes commuting"

Andy_Dublin

Mine has always stated including commuting. No change here.

Canis Lupus

szatan84 wrote: »

Dont know if u have to inform them or not. They don't always let u know youre being recorded either so I consider it fair game.

There is plenty of software for smatphones for recording, just put call recorded into Google Play.

FWIW I'm faaaaairly certain you need to inform the party you're recording them otherwise you're just wasting your time if it ever came down to relying on said information recorded in the call and likewise, a company will never record you without informing you.

Cuddlesworth

goodlad wrote: »

I looked over my policy documentation.
In 2010 it had commuting. I renewed in 2011 and it didn't include it then or in 2012 or 2013.

So my policy did just change without me asking or them telling me.
Yeah i should read the documentation, as should everyone.

But this just highlights for people that don't do it that they really should do it.

Assuming you went through the normal renewal process, they are liable unless they can prove they specifically went out of their way to highlight the change to the policy.

gbob

Thanks for the heads up, just checked and i'm covered.

BrokenArrows

My insurance a few years ago had the same issue but I spotted it. Thing was the documentation they sent me didn't have commuting but when I called them they said it was a mistake in their end but I was actually covered. I'm curious if it is standard practice to leave it out!

I check it every time now.

Skill Magill

And it appears that if my bike is robbed or damaged outside my gaff my fully comp policy doesn't mean dick!

Hotblack Desiato

You are covered if the bike is garaged. Did they ask you if it was garaged when you looked for a quote?

Skill Magill

Yep and I said I didn't have a garage, I'll get on to them in the morning

Zascar

I'll just check mine, however if you do have a crash and you happen to be on the way home from work, how are they going to know? You could just say you were going to shop etc...?

KTRIC

Zascar wrote: »

I'll just check mine, however if you do have a crash and you happen to be on the way home from work, how are they going to know? You could just say you were going to shop etc...?

I'm thinking the same, sure even if you are on the way to work and you have an accident can't you just say you're out for a spin.

Cienciano

As far as I remember from renewal time, companies always ask if you'll use it for commuting. Now, someone who uses a car pretty much all the time to commute, and the bike 10 times a year when it's sunny would probably say "no". But technically you're not insured for those 10 journeys? Fairly ridiculous, but if a big claim came in, it wouldn't surprise me if the insurance company started to ask questions and didn't pay out.

goodlad

Zascar wrote: »

I'll just check mine, however if you do have a crash and you happen to be on the way home from work, how are they going to know? You could just say you were going to shop etc...?

If you didn't realise you were not covered to commute and you had an accident you wouldnt hide the fact that you were heading to work in any statement or information you give about the accident.

At claim time it would most likely be brought up and then you are over a fooking barrell.

RosieJoe

Skill Magill wrote: »

And it appears that if my bike is robbed or damaged outside my gaff my fully comp policy doesn't mean dick!

I hope your bike is not worth more than 10k cos if it is they won't insure you unless you have a garage

Skill Magill

^^^
No its not, but I'm waiting on a reply from them clarifying their position ie why is that clause there when I explicitly told them from the outset that it will not be garaged but it will be off road.
I'll post their reply when I get it

goodlad

Jeaysus!! I'm happy i post about this both here and on Biker.
There is a good few people that are finding weird stuff in their policy that they hadn't a clue about.

Wonda-Boy

Is it that much of a surprise that Insurance companies are "VULTURES" lads.....?

hrcbob

Lads i have been chatting to the folks in adeliade insurance up and down for a while getting quotes on various bikes while considering my options before putting a bike back on the roads after a few years of absence,

From what i recall, i think it is their policy not to cover commuting for people taking out their first insurance,
If its a case that you just renewed your insurance the following year without making any changes, then it is possible that that condition would remain as part of your insurance policy,

Skill Magill

Skill Magill wrote: »

And it appears that if my bike is robbed or damaged outside my gaff my fully comp policy doesn't mean dick!

Adelaide just got back and have corrected the policy, seemingly there is an option to keep it in the driveway or keep it garaged. There was no difference in price, but you can bet your bottom dollar this would have been held against me if the bike was stroked.

Wonda-Boy

Skill Magill wrote: »

Adelaide just got back and have corrected the policy, seemingly there is an option to keep it in the driveway or keep it garaged. There was no difference in price, but you can bet your bottom dollar this would have been held against me if the bike was stroked.

Thats exactly what they are looking for.....an oversight that they can use against you. :mad:

galwaytt

Jeebus: better check mine now too.

Pardon my LC (Leaving Cert, not RD LC !) English, but where commuting is not specifically EXCLUDED, then commuting is covered under the clause of 'social, domestic and pleasure' use. I mean, that's what 'domestic' is......

Can you imagine if they pulled that **** with car policies ??

Ins co's are a funny beast. I had a claim last year, and the net result is that I kept my NCB but, they still recorded the claim. I wasn't quick enough to agree that keeping my NCB should have excluded any reference to a claim. My bad.

However, when I renewed I asked for No Claims Protection this time - usually about €20 - but they told me that I could not buy it.

Apperently, on foot of a claim, you cannot buy NCB protection for 3 years after a claim.

Wtf not ? You think we're going to go out and deliberately fall off each year for the next 3 ??

Hotblack Desiato

I always thought that domestic use would include commuting too, unless it explicitly said otherwise.

If 'domestic' means running a household, without the ability to travel to work there would be no household to run!

Travelling all over the place for business use is something else entirely.

If they should be loading anyone imho, it's the 'fine weather weekend warriors' who have no experience of taking their shiny Ducatis* out in anything less than optimum conditions. The year round workaday rider has to be able to cope with whatever the roads and weather can throw at them.


* or whatever. Don't have anything against Ducatisti just hobby riders with far more money than sense

Skill Magill

Its man vs computer to an extent, as you're talking to them they're ticking the boxes off on the form they have, so its tiik tik tik for them, when you think you're having a normal polite conversation when its anything but. It grinds my gears

nutzbutz

just read this and said must check mine...and i'm not covered.It seems if you say you're unemployed they don't bother their arses asking you do you want commuting..so when i got part time work i've been driving to work blissfully uninsured for the last 3 yrs. Oh and that will be e63.23 for the pleasure of adding it on for the last 5 months of my policy and we hope to have your business next year...lol....So it seems that if your unemployed that commuting is an add-on to your policy, it's the first time i've ever come across that any of my policies...will definately make me think long and hard about renewing with them next year!!

Hotblack Desiato

None of this fills me with any confidence of how they'll act in the event of a claim.

I've been with them the last couple of years but this would make me more inclined to go elsewhere next time. They're no longer cheaper than their rivals either.

Wonda-Boy

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

None of this fills me with any confidence of how they'll act in the event of a claim.

And you think that any insurance company are gonna do you any favours if "they" have to pay out......

Nodster

Strange, but when I received my renewal it stated to make sure my details were correct - Name/Address/Occupation etc.

Seeing I was made redundant a few months ago I let them know and hey presto - they dropped €70 off my renewal

CJhaughey

Just got insured again with Adelaide, they specifically asked if I would ever use the bike to commute, even one day a year.
I answered in the affirmative and they have it listed on my policy, no difference in price.
Full comp inc helmet cover for 219, getting old has its pluses!

cantdecide

CJhaughey wrote: »

Just got insured again with Adelaide, they specifically asked if I would ever use the bike to commute, even one day a year.
I answered in the affirmative and they have it listed on my policy, no difference in price.
Full comp inc helmet cover for 219, getting old has its pluses!

It would be ridiculous to send your cage for a service and to own a roadworthy motorcycle, have a license, tax and insurance and have it sit there and not be able to ride it to work that day.

bladespin

Mine was always like that, the ask what it's used for, it's up to you to state that it will be used for commuting.

peckerhead

CJhaughey wrote: »

Just got insured again with Adelaide, they specifically asked if I would ever use the bike to commute, even one day a year.
I answered in the affirmative and they have it listed on my policy, no difference in price.
Full comp inc helmet cover for 219, getting old has its pluses!

I must double-check that, although it sounds like it may be adding a little extra. Is yours the standard RSA policy on their website here? I renewed last year for €179 — exactly €40 less than your quote — but have just checked the cert. to find that all this time I've been covered for "social domestic and pleasure purposes excluding travelling to and from the users place of business"! :eek:

Like yourself, I probably wouldn't use it to go to work more than a handful of times per year, but....

And I'm pretty sure I don't remember being asked anything about it over the phone (not that that excuses me for not having read all the documentation carefully).

Good thing I'm up for renewal at the end of the month! I just hope the €40 difference between the premiums is down to me being a bit older (wrong side of 50) or having a lower-rated bike (1989 CB-1 400).

CJhaughey

peckerhead wrote: »

I must double-check that, although it sounds like it may be adding a little extra. Is yours the standard RSA policy on their website here? I renewed last year for €179 — exactly €40 less than your quote — but have just checked the cert. to find that all this time I've been covered for "social domestic and pleasure purposes excluding travelling to and from the users place of business"! :eek:

Like yourself, I probably wouldn't use it to go to work more than a handful of times per year, but....

And I'm pretty sure I don't remember being asked anything about it over the phone (not that that excuses me for not having read all the documentation carefully).

Good thing I'm up for renewal at the end of the month! I just hope the €40 difference between the premiums is down to me being a bit older (wrong side of 50) or having a lower-rated bike (1989 CB-1 400).

Mines a Dominator so probably a higher risk bike than the CB

peckerhead

Cheers, you're right there. I got a call from Adelaide the other day quoting me €219 to renew, and when I pointed out that it was only €179 the previous year (and that I'd now a third year claim-free) the sales guy said it was down to the commuting exclusion. So I asked him to check what it would cost to lift that exclusion and a few minutes later he came back on and said no, actually, it wouldn't make any difference to the price.

So I asked the question again (why €40 dearer) and this time he said that the insurer's rates (Royal Sun Alliance) had gone up and also that last year they (Adelaide) had waived their usual €30 admin charge, which was not possible now "because of their new system". Distinct smell of BS, rising rapidly...

And now you're telling me they quoted you exactly the same "magic number" for what is almost certainly a higher-rated bike. Hmm. Says a lot about what you can believe out of the mouth of an insurance salesman?

I've asked them to post out the written renewal notification and I think I'll give RSA a call before ringing Adelaide back and calling them out a bit. Don't get me wrong — €219 is not a bad quote, but as I get older I find I also take greater exception to being treated like an idiot by insurance companies...

CJhaughey

I'm no fan of Ins. companies but I think that of them all Adelaide consistently gave me the best quotes for the last 3 years and I rang around them all.
I don't think you'll get much better TBH but I'd love it if I was proved wrong!

phildin

Just adding my 2 cent worth, my first policy quote with Adelaide (2 years ago) was decent and I got them to send out the docs ready to sign. I did a quick scan and it said that commuting was excluded, I phoned up and asked "what if I don't generally commute but just happen to be going to work on that particular day, nudge nudge"? They told me that if I ever go to work on the bike then I'm commuting and not covered. They also said that they were not prepared to cover commuting on my first policy

They had no problem to give me a full refund (I guess that's distance selling legislation) but it seemed like slightly sharp practice. The CN quote I got was a little higher but nothing astronomical and it did include commuting.

From that point, I always specifically ask if commuting is covered.

galwaytt

peckerhead wrote: »

I must double-check that, although it sounds like it may be adding a little extra. Is yours the standard RSA policy on their website here? I renewed last year for €179 — exactly €40 less than your quote — but have just checked the cert. to find that all this time I've been covered for "social domestic and pleasure purposes excluding travelling to and from the users place of business"! :eek:

Like yourself, I probably wouldn't use it to go to work more than a handful of times per year, but....

And I'm pretty sure I don't remember being asked anything about it over the phone (not that that excuses me for not having read all the documentation carefully).

Good thing I'm up for renewal at the end of the month! I just hope the €40 difference between the premiums is down to me being a bit older (wrong side of 50) or having a lower-rated bike (1989 CB-1 400).

tbh excluding travelling to and from the users place of business wouldn't exclude commuting tbh.

Your place of 'work' is not necessarily your place of 'business'. As an employee, for example, you would have only the former, and not the latter..........just sayin' like..........

bladespin

galwaytt wrote: »

tbh excluding travelling to and from the users place of business wouldn't exclude commuting tbh.

Your place of 'work' is not necessarily your place of 'business'. As an employee, for example, you would have only the former, and not the latter..........just sayin' like..........

As a mobile rep that's a nugget. :cool:

CJhaughey

Mine states " permanent place of business" not place of business.

blade1

This is my one.
I didn't ask for anything so this is what I automatically got

Hotblack Desiato

galwaytt wrote: »

tbh excluding travelling to and from the users place of business wouldn't exclude commuting tbh.

I really wouldn't want to try playing semantics with an insurance company over a claim, and certainly not in court.

There is no way you will take these guys and their lawyers on and win in a dispute over the wording of the policy they themselves wrote.

galwaytt

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

I really wouldn't want to try playing semantics with an insurance company over a claim, and certainly not in court.

There is no way you will take these guys and their lawyers on and win in a dispute over the wording of the policy they themselves wrote.

That's what judges are for: they will go by the letter. And here, the letter fits. He who fights by the word. . Etc

Ins Co's don't phase me in the slightest : went toe-toe with mine last year so not completely Green in that regard. ..