Insurance class bands and how I can get around it?

Jaycottz

Little background info:

So I'm 27, 2 years driving and no claims, full license for about 1.5 years. I have no intentions of being a boyracer or speeding well over the speed limit for the craic, I consider myself a good and safe driver overall and look after my car pretty well. I want to upgrade my opel corsa to something I really like the look of and are reasonably priced generally too, a Subaru Impreza. Now of course everyone has opinions but I love the look of these cars in general, simple as. So I have the money to buy, can afford the tax, the petrol etc but my issue is with the damn insurance.


The story in brief:

Now I can understand a 2.0 litre would be a gigantic step from my Corsa so I wanted to ease my way up through the engine sizes essentially and 'graduate' to an end result of the 2 litre so I'm fully prepared for the power and handling associated with the car. So my plan was get a 1.6, seems reasonable to me, its only about 40 BHP more than my corsa, so its not a gigantic step like a WRX Turbo coming in over 200 BHP...


So I call up AXA (my current insurer) and just quote a few regs of cars I have been looking at, different types of Impreza's but no matter what they are telling me its a "class 50 band" and it requires 5 years of driving or over 30. They say with my current driving experience they would only insure me for a "class 30, but possibly stretch it with the underwriters (think thats what they called it) to a class 35" but probably will need to compensate that by paying extra on the premium etc. So I'm told the 2.0 is a class 50 and the 1.6 is a class 50, and then told there are many reasons how we class the cars and not just engine size; fine I accept that, but I want to drive this 1.6!


My Question:

Is there anything I can do instead of hopelessly waiting 3 more years to drive the car I want essentially? Are there any insurers who are a lot more reasonable and maybe say just pay an extra X amount or pay more to the excess or whatever and they will allow me to drive it? My heart is set on the Impreza, because - as I said already - I really love the look of it, how it sounds, and how it drives (friend let me test one for a tiny drive. I don't care that it's not as powerful as *insert car name here*, speed is not my prime concern, I just want to be in a car I enjoy (is that such a bad thing?) Is there any way I can get around this (and I don't mean providing false info.)

Thanks for any helpful replies,

Jay

Supergurrier

When i rang my insurer at the time to switch from my 2.0t Volvo S60 to my Focus ST the guy on the phone almost had a meltdown "Umm omg that's a group 6 car i need to talk to my supervisor" as i had them by the plums because i was on an active policy already.

Guy comes back panting and apolagising and apolagises for my 20e insurance rise (After all that)

My advice would be don't settle for a 1.6 and just get a quote on a WRX and see how you go.

Staph

Here's a link to insurance groups 1-50. http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/insurance/car-insurance-groups/ Not all Irish insurance companies use this system and this is a UK site, but it gives you an indication of where various cars are positioned on the scale. You'll see that sometimes certain cars that would be more powerful are in a lower group compared to others. Also, I've noticed that cabriolet cars seem to be on a higher position compared to their hardtop equivalent. I suppose it's all about the 'loading' and how susceptible certain cars are to making/causing claims.

I'm in a 227bhp Forester at the moment, 37 on the scale. Doesn't have the looks of the Impreza, but it has the power. So maybe have a look for something different at the moment, until you have more years driving/NCB.

Jaycottz

Using the page you have Staph would allow me (under UK classes) to drive the car I wanted as its around the class between class 23 and 27 for an Impreza saloon, however, Axa for example is saying class 50, now if I wanted a WRX model its around class 40 (depending on model). Its so strange that the UK and Irish brackets would differ to this extreme.

Jaycottz

Supergurrier wrote: »

When i rang my insurer at the time to switch from my 2.0t Volvo S60 to my Focus ST the guy on the phone almost had a meltdown "Umm omg that's a group 6 car i need to talk to my supervisor" as i had them by the plums because i was on an active policy already.

Guy comes back panting and apolagising and apolagises for my 20e insurance rise (After all that)

My advice would be don't settle for a 1.6 and just get a quote on a WRX and see how you go.

Oh I wouldnt mind a WRX haha but I'll try be a bit realistic and would happily settle for the 1.6 (for now!) But if I got a quote for a WRX from someone then I would highly consider

My dad told me he will ring his broker on Monday for me as Im at work and see if he can do anything. I'll gladly give a company the business if they are willing to insure me. As far as I see it companies like axa will lose me and my money.

mullingar

Staph wrote: »

Here's a link to insurance groups 1-50. http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/insurance/car-insurance-groups/ ......

Im in group 44

Dord

mullingar wrote: »

Im in group 44

Group 1 here. :P

B00MSTICK

You could look at getting an older one on a classic policy - may not be possible but worth calling a few places. Keep the Corsa for the commute and the Scooby for leisure.
Ive used Campion insurance previously on my FTO

ShaunieVW

Maybe look at legacy b4's? 280bhp with more room and less boy racer looks? I had one insured at 19/20 so you should have no issues. I just rang up and said I've bought this car you need to insure me as it was an active policy.

beauf

Jaycottz wrote: »

...So I'm told the 2.0 is a class 50 and the 1.6 is a class 50, ...

Was this in Ireland or UK. I've never known Irish companies to have any system. if they did it couldn't change massively in price at random, which it does.

Jaycottz

beauf wrote: »

Was this in Ireland or UK. I've never known Irish companies to have any system. if they did it couldn't change massively in price at random, which it does.

Ireland, and axa was using it (my current insurer). I tried a few others and they also won't either so Im gonna ask a broker tomorrow.

Jaycottz

ShaunieVW wrote: »

Maybe look at legacy b4's? 280bhp with more room and less boy racer looks? I had one insured at 19/20 so you should have no issues. I just rang up and said I've bought this car you need to insure me as it was an active policy.

Who was the insurer? And that sounds like a good idea I guess. Get the car and say you MUST insure me lol. Those B4's look great, defo would consider one.

Jaycottz

B00MSTICK wrote: »

You could look at getting an older one on a classic policy - may not be possible but worth calling a few places. Keep the Corsa for the commute and the Scooby for leisure.
Ive used Campion insurance previously on my FTO

FTO look great! Will defo try Campion tomorrow and ring up a broker to see what they can do.

colm_mcm

I got rid of my FTO because of mental insurance.

Jaycottz

colm_mcm wrote: »

I got rid of my FTO because of mental insurance.

They look nice, but I wouldnt get one personally Impreza is where my heart is at the mo, possibly on the legacy but!!!

colm_mcm

FTO is a great yoke to drive once you get good aftermarket suspension. They're not all show.
Not hugely practical though.

Toyotafanboi

You have to laugh.

27 year old man with a full license can't insure a 1.6 petrol japanese saloon. **** sake.

Where will it end.

JohnBoy26

The 1.6 impreza is nothing special. Underpowered and heavy on fuel. There are better cars out there tbh. A wrx is on a completely different level.

MadYaker

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

You have to laugh.

27 year old man with a full license can't insure a 1.6 petrol japanese saloon. **** sake.

Where will it end.

It'll end when 20something year old lads stop wrapping imprezas around trees and lamp posts

Toyotafanboi

MadYaker wrote: »

It'll end when 20something year old lads stop wrapping imprezas around trees and lamp posts

I doubt that happens too much. Just another one size fits all, **** off from the insurers. The impreza gets much less of a look in in the skanger scene than the likes of civics and corollas or even lancers.

Mycroft H

Naa, they've moved onto boras now.

legomanx51v

Mycroft H wrote: »

Naa, they've moved onto boras now.

Thank god! Bland flavoured bland box with 4 bland wheels and a bland cylinder engine!