Classic insurance - companies & brokers

snickers · 31-08-2018 8:41pm

Hi all wondering does anyone have a Jap mr2 turbo insured as a classic and if so with who mine is a 95 plate cheers .

selectamatic · 31-08-2018 9:19pm

snickers wrote: »

Hi all wondering does anyone have a Jap mr2 turbo insured as a classic and if so with who mine is a 95 plate cheers .

I believe autoline will cover jap imports as long as you're over 30.

Rado77 · 01-09-2018 7:04pm

snickers wrote: »

Hi all wondering does anyone have a Jap mr2 turbo insured as a classic and if so with who mine is a 95 plate cheers .

Hi Pal. Try Autoline Northern Ireland as they insure classics in Southern Ireland. Autoline sorted me out with 1997 heavily modified Jap import car. Because your car is 1995 you can insure it as classic as long as you have a policy on another car as your daily driver, for instance Toyota Yaris, ect. You could then get a very cheap ( I would say around €250 - 350 a year ) classic insurance on your MR2.
Nice choice of a beautiful car there, I used to own 1998 Mr2 Turbo privately imported from Japan. She was a rocket but you would have to be very careful on wet

Contact Eóin at Autoline and I am sure he will sort you out.

Eóin McHenry

Specialist Vehicle Sales Advisor

Direct Dial: 02870511001

Extension: 4261

Email: eoin.mchenry@autoline.co.uk

Esel · 01-09-2018 9:01pm

Rado77 wrote: »

Hi Pal. Try Autoline Northern Ireland as they insure classics in Southern Ireland. Autoline sorted me out with 1997 heavily modified Jap import car. Because your car is 1995 you can insure it as classic as long as you have a policy on another car as your daily driver, for instance Toyota Yaris, ect. You could then get a very cheap ( I would say around €250 - 350 a year ) classic insurance on your MR2.
Nice choice of a beautiful car there, I used to own 1998 Mr2 Turbo privately imported from Japan. She was a rocket but you would have to be very careful on wet

Contact Eóin at Autoline and I am sure he will sort you out.

Eóin McHenry

Specialist Vehicle Sales Advisor

Direct Dial: 02870511001

Extension: 4261

Email: eoin.mchenry@autoline.co.uk

Use 048 prefix instead of 028 - this makes it a local landline call.

Mini850 · 14-10-2018 7:25pm

Hi all. Has anyone successfully insured a”BMW” Mini under a classic insurance policy?

Now even the oldest BMW mini is only 18 years old but I know some insurance companies will insure certain cars at 15yo

Would the mini be one??

Lellostag · 14-10-2018 9:14pm

Mini850 wrote: »

Hi all. Has anyone successfully insured a”BMW” Mini under a classic insurance policy?

Now even the oldest BMW mini is only 18 years old but I know some insurance companies will insure certain cars at 15yo

Would the mini be one??

As long as its not a ”mass produced” japanese car you should be fine, but best call a few insurance companies to be certain.

Mini850 · 15-10-2018 10:09am

Lellostag wrote: »

As long as its not a ”mass produced” japanese car you should be fine, but best call a few insurance companies to be certain.

Ill give it a shot and let the world know how I get on in case anyone else has similar ideas.

Lellostag · 15-10-2018 10:37am

Mini850 wrote: »

Lellostag wrote: »

As long as its not a ”mass produced” japanese car you should be fine, but best call a few insurance companies to be certain.

Ill give it a shot and let the world know how I get on in case anyone else has similar ideas.

Yes, please do let us know what you learn from them. I do find it somewhat ironic that a 15-year-old (or even 20-year-old) Japanese car won't qualify as a classic car because it is 'mass produced' while many European cars would. It kind of sounds like double standards, considering hardly any cars are not mass produced that we mere mortals will ever own. Or is it that anything non-japanese is considered sub-standard in quality terms so no sane person could possibly consider running a 15-year-old European car as a daily.... :ermm:

jozi · 15-10-2018 10:47am

My e36 will be 20 next year but it's my main car, would love to have it on a classic policy along with the e30 once finished. But 3 cars... :rolleyes:

Mini850 · 15-10-2018 11:28am

Lellostag wrote: »

Yes, please do let us know what you learn from them. I do find it somewhat ironic that a 15-year-old (or even 20-year-old) Japanese car won't qualify as a classic car because it is 'mass produced' while many European cars would. It kind of sounds like double standards, considering hardly any cars are not mass produced that we mere mortals will ever own. Or is it that anything non-japanese is considered sub-standard in quality terms so no sane person could possibly consider running a 15-year-old European car as a daily.... :ermm:

So I got a quote from Autoline, came back to me very quickly.

So for a comprehensive policy with a 1500 mile limit on a 2002 Mini cooper (not Cooper s) the premium is €390 which is not bad.............

Until you compare it to our current Mini Cooper S 2006 insurance with Liberty, standard policy, not classic, no mileage limit......€315.........

I must be getting the bargain of the century on insurance on my current mini

P.S. I should say that its my wife who owns the Cooper S technically, and I'm a named driver.......but still

Lellostag · 15-10-2018 1:18pm

Mini850 wrote: »

Lellostag wrote: »

Yes, please do let us know what you learn from them. I do find it somewhat ironic that a 15-year-old (or even 20-year-old) Japanese car won't qualify as a classic car because it is 'mass produced' while many European cars would. It kind of sounds like double standards, considering hardly any cars are not mass produced that we mere mortals will ever own. Or is it that anything non-japanese is considered sub-standard in quality terms so no sane person could possibly consider running a 15-year-old European car as a daily.... :ermm:

So I got a quote from Autoline, came back to me very quickly.

So for a comprehensive policy with a 1500 mile limit on a 2002 Mini cooper (not Cooper s) the premium is €390 which is not bad.............

Until you compare it to our current Mini Cooper S 2006 insurance with Liberty, standard policy, not classic, no mileage limit......€315.........

I must be getting the bargain of the century on insurance on my current mini

P.S. I should say that its my wife who owns the Cooper S technically, and I'm a named driver.......but still

That's mad! Have you checked with Carole Nash as well?

Mini850 · 15-10-2018 3:58pm

Lellostag wrote: »

That's mad! Have you checked with Carole Nash as well?

Not yet, but I will.

That's who I used to insure my old Minis with. But it seems you can get a quote for the newer Minis anyway

phester28 · 15-10-2018 7:30pm

Not sure of the full ins and outs of classic. I have tried first ireland on my 1998 E36 318i and it did quote only it was like 1100 euro. My renewal has gone from 300-600-800 and now 950 euro. Only reason given is "its a year older now"

As its my daily driver am I correct in assuming that my NCB will be not accruing if it is my daily driver. (assuming I find someone to take me) I only do small miles per year 3000-5000 tops and its just a shame to have a perfect car be put off the road by crazy insurance.

unkel · 17-10-2018 2:13pm

Lellostag wrote: »

I do find it somewhat ironic that a 15-year-old (or even 20-year-old) Japanese car won't qualify as a classic car because it is 'mass produced' while many European cars would. It kind of sounds like double standards

It's not really because it is mass produced. They just use that as a diplomatic way of saying they refuse insurance on Japanese cars because they are typically driven by people who are a higher insurance risk. Cars that are attractive to boy racers. Not fair if you are a decent owner, but insurance is never fair, it is all about statistics and averages...

Wibbs · 18-10-2018 1:57pm

unkel wrote: »

It's not really because it is mass produced. They just use that as a diplomatic way of saying they refuse insurance on Japanese cars because they are typically driven by people who are a higher insurance risk. Cars that are attractive to boy racers. Not fair if you are a decent owner, but insurance is never fair, it is all about statistics and averages...

Which seems OK U. On the surface. The same cars had much lower premiums when there were many times more of them on the road, so many more being written off, or stolen, or otherwise showing up on the actuarial radar. The premiums were low even when they reached the bottom of the price curve so more "boy racers" could afford to buy them. Never mind that "boy racers" these days are far more into drifting and doughnuts and lock diffed RWD German iron. Never mind that "boy racers", or anyone under 30 won't get the sniff of an insurance quite for one.

Yet as a second car, driven limited mileage as a classic by usually middle aged drivers with long proven records and NCB's the prices for Jap iron are double, triple, even quadruple of what they were? Yeah I buy that. Not. TBH U I don't buy into the majority of the lines the Irish insurance industry pushes. IMHO the Irish insurance industry is a farce and an expensive one and a protectionist one and has been for decades.

My personal take on Japanese cars and insurance? The mainstream Irish car business got burnt by the massive import scene from starlets to supras in the 90's/noughties. They wanted them gone and they are and remain a major lobby group. First the VRT was hiked up near overnight, then the insurance biz got into the game. The same insurance biz that was only happy to insure them at one time. Case in point: When I was looking at getting an Integra Type R in the early noughties when they were coming in by the boatload(literally), I also looked at original Irish market sold cars. I didn't go for one in the end, because at the time they were more expensive to insure. Yep. Even though they were not "imports" and had basic immobilisers as standard. The same cars. But more hay was being made in the import bubble... Mark my words watch the same trajectory kick in with the recent increase in UK imports coming in. If that starts to worry SIMI then watch for insurance hikes and no doubt "News" reports on the dangers of buying one.

unkel · 20-10-2018 11:02pm

100% agreed

I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for the likes of yourself, a mature safe driver with presumably a full no claims bonus, trying to get insurance for a youngtimer like an ITR as a second car

I guess there is sweet fook all anyone can do about this. Maybe you should switch allegiance and buy some fine German insurable metal like a Porsche instead? :pac:

Wibbs · 20-10-2018 11:46pm

Well U it's my only car. I never joined the better heeled fancy feckers running a second car. The frivolous buggers.

Joke is various brokers have told me straight that I'd be paying exactly the same if I was running a 3 year old hybrid Pious* as my primary.

I could go German iron, or indeed some lairy French iron, which the insurance eejits seem to have a major blindspot over, but with a few mates who have such as both primary and "pet cars"(that's how my mechanic refers to mine

) the running costs are way higher. The glorified Civic on the other hand is farcically cheap to run. EG What I paid for this years insurance premium would have covered what I paid out in total maintenance on the yoke for the last 8 years. In fairness, it's little more than an engine with seats attached, which helps.

That's another aspect of dealing with these muppets. I've had the car since 2005, when it came fresh off the boat from Japan with me as the second owner. I reckon I've built up a fair oul picture of consistency and (lack of) risk at this stage of the game. None of that seems to matter.

Neither does the fact it's completely standard. I've suggested engineer's reports if that would help. Nope. Neither does the added security. For fun I said to one broker I had no alarm and the price didn't change. Yet in the UK if I said a full Thatcham 1 setup, with extras like trackers and mechanical deterrents on top, I'd get a significant reduction.

Never mind that those of us continuing to drive young timers, especially as primary cars are far more bloody "green" than somebody who got into the first series hybrids and changed every three years and are now in a 2018 Leaf. Which they will "upgrade" in three or four years. And so on...

Like you say, sadly there's sweet fook all anyone can do about this. I just hope I'll still get insurance come the new year when mine is up. If I don't, well I'll be on shank's pony and the jalopy will sit in my driveway, started up twice a week and "driven" back and forth the length of my driveway. Too many memories and ghosts to ever sell it. Hell, it's mentioned in my will.

*The autocorrect gave me that and I'm sticking with it.

unkel · 21-10-2018 12:41am

Wibbs wrote: »

If I don't, well I'll be on shank's pony and the jalopy will sit in my driveway, started up twice a week and "driven" back and forth the length of my driveway.

That brings back memories of my 928. Bought in January 2008. With hindsight, a very bad timing

Did all that starting up once in a while and driving on my driveway, but had to sell out in the end many years later. Sure hope we will never see a recession like that again

alrightted · 24-10-2018 5:52pm

Folks,

Appreciate any help here that you can give. I thought I have classic car insurance but may not! Am afraid to ask the broker, First Ireland, in case I open a can of worms.

Basically I have had classic insurance for a number of years. But I don't have a "primary" car any more. At the time I knew nothing of the need for this. I only came across it when another broker told me that I couldn't use the NCB from my classic car insurance to get normal insurance and to forward them on the ncb cert from my "normal" insurance. When I said I didn't understand they said you must have this second insurance to have classic car insurance in the first place. I told them I was never asked for same and they were shocked, told me to check it out and that it was not normal industry practice. This was all news to me.

So the question I am asking is if anyone else is in the same situation and how do I find out if Im covered? I was never asked for any details of my "normal" insurance. All I was asked for was the NCB cert from my previous insurance which I duly forwarded and I was covered and have been since. I looked through all my documentation received from them and nowhere explicitly does it mention the second car policy. There are a number of catch all declarations that say if you are withholding information that could affect the reasons for offering cover etc but I did not know this was an issue. I am now really worried that I am driving around uninsured, let alone that Ive lost my ncb if I went back to a "normal" car let alone the expense of buying one. Its all very confusing. The insurer is AIG. Does anyone have any advice or think of anyway for me to check it out without showing my hand. I never received a proper policy booklet. Ive asked for one now given that this could be an issue to red the small print.

Really worried. Appreciate any steer.

tc20 · 24-10-2018 10:43pm

alrightted wrote: »

Basically I have had classic insurance for a number of years. But I don't have a "primary" car any more. At the time I knew nothing of the need for this. I only came across it when another broker told me that I couldn't use the NCB from my classic car insurance to get normal insurance and to forward them on the ncb cert from my "normal" insurance. When I said I didn't understand they said you must have this second insurance to have classic car insurance in the first place. I told them I was never asked for same and they were shocked, told me to check it out and that it was not normal industry practice. This was all news to me.

..but, im assuming, you did originally have a 'primary' car, as you say that you now don't any more.

A couple of questions-
Did you approach FI with both cars (ie the daily & the classic) and ask for policies for both?
Or did you initially only have the daily (on a regular policy) and then buy the classic & look to get that insured?
When you sold the daily, you must have cancelled (or not renewed) its policy - surely FI would have made you aware at that time?

I have been in a somewhat similar situation (to a point) - we sold the daily, but didn't replace it immediatley. We suspended the policy on the daily until we bought a suitable replacement - iirc it was 2/3 months - all the time i/we drove the classic on a daily basis. This was also with AIG through FI

unkel · 24-10-2018 10:48pm

You know the answer here already. Ring First Ireland and clarify the situation. Record the conversation or request them to email you a confirmation of the outcome.

You need to treat your insurer in utmost good faith and claiming ignorance is not an excuse. Good luck and report back here! And welcome to boards BTW

I have been with FI (as a broker - AIG is the insurer) for years and I have not got insurance in my name on a daily car (but I am a named driver on my wife's car (the family's main car), so it can be done.

Kenny Logins · 25-10-2018 10:29am

Are you named driver on another car?

RR3.5 · 25-10-2018 10:55am

Cop yourself on. Park the car and contact your insurance company.

alrightted · 25-10-2018 10:24pm

unkel wrote: »

You know the answer here already. Ring First Ireland and clarify the situation. Record the conversation or request them to email you a confirmation of the outcome.

You need to treat your insurer in utmost good faith and claiming ignorance is not an excuse. Good luck and report back here! And welcome to boards BTW

I have been with FI (as a broker - AIG is the insurer) for years and I have not got insurance in my name on a daily car (but I am a named driver on my wife's car (the family's main car), so it can be done.

Thanks for the welcome. Thats good information. I had always intended ringing the broker but wanted to know did anyone here have an angle that they would know would work. I will contact them and let you know the outcome.

I am not a named driver but can easily get to be one on my partners policy. Looks like from talking to other brokers that Ive lost my NCB. Seemingly you have one for your "normal" car, one for your "classic" car and if you drove a van or similar "commercial" vehicle one for that as well. This is all news to me. Cheers.

alrightted · 25-10-2018 10:30pm

tc20 wrote: »

..but, im assuming, you did originally have a 'primary' car, as you say that you now don't any more.

A couple of questions-
Did you approach FI with both cars (ie the daily & the classic) and ask for policies for both?
Or did you initially only have the daily (on a regular policy) and then buy the classic & look to get that insured?
When you sold the daily, you must have cancelled (or not renewed) its policy - surely FI would have made you aware at that time?

I have been in a somewhat similar situation (to a point) - we sold the daily, but didn't replace it immediatley. We suspended the policy on the daily until we bought a suitable replacement - iirc it was 2/3 months - all the time i/we drove the classic on a daily basis. This was also with AIG through FI

Thanks for the response.

I only approached FI with the classic. They asked for the NCB cert from the previous car which I had got rid of. At no time did they ask me anything about my "other" car. Seriously knew nothing about the requirement. Once they got the NCB cert all was ok. Since then, and I have all the emails and paper documentation, there is nothing mentioned about a requirement for another car.

The old policy was cancelled when I sold it, a week or two before I got the classic insurance to the best of my memory.

I would have the option of being a named driver on the partners policy if that helped.

alrightted · 25-10-2018 10:31pm

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Are you named driver on another car?

Not at the moment but could get on the partners car.

tc20 · 26-10-2018 9:30am

alrightted wrote: »

Thanks for the response.

I only approached FI with the classic. They asked for the NCB cert from the previous car which I had got rid of. At no time did they ask me anything about my "other" car. Seriously knew nothing about the requirement. Once they got the NCB cert all was ok. Since then, and I have all the emails and paper documentation, there is nothing mentioned about a requirement for another car.

If I'm reading your post correctly, at no point did you have 2 cars (a daily and a classic) concurrently..you sold the daily before you bought the classic.
What did you say when you spoke with FI regarding insuring the classic - did you tell them it was a classic policy you were looking for?
In all my dealings with FI (close to 20 years with various policies; driving instructor, private & classic cars) they were always very clear re having a daily if you wanted a classic policy.
Classic insurance has changed somewhat in recent years, and iirc in the past, one could insure an older car as a one and only car, but it wasn't under a classic policy, but it proved prohibitive cost wise, and it was more correct to have the daily & the classic on separate policies.

Another question for you - how long did you have the daily car before you moved it on, and how long have you had the classic only?

Kenny Logins · 26-10-2018 9:39am

alrightted wrote: »

Not at the moment but could get on the partners car.

Do it.

homingbird · 04-11-2018 9:20pm

I am in the same boat i gave up my own insurance a few years ago i am on parents policy i am also a carer for them the problem now is they have turned 80 years old & no insurance wants to know them some wont quote others are between 800 & 1500 euro so that is a no go i am thinking of going as named driver on sisters car to keep my classic policy.

Rippy · 13-11-2018 11:52pm

Nosing around Donedeal and being tempted towards various 80s and 90s Mercs, BMWs and even Citroen CX or XM.
I have a modern crewcab van as my daily , which fulifils my social domestic and 'pleasure' needs ,as well as work. so would be looking for a limited milage classic policy.
I dont have another car , but do have a motorbike . i'm also named driver on partners car
Anybody know of a classic insurer that would be happy to accept limited use if my main vehicle is a commercial?
Or will I have to ring them all ?

Classic insurance - companies & brokers

Comments