Insurance - utter incompetence

[oldseas]

In the process of renewing my escort insurance today I was shocked at what I encountered.
I've been with a very well known provider of classic insurance for the last 5 years and it appeared that I was getting a good service......
During the call I was asked to confirm the usual details including the "any modifications" question.
My reply was that the car only had the modifications I had notified them of at the time of mod (all notifications via phone call and each time an agent told me the records had been updated).
I was then told that the records showed the car was totally standard.
This is where the major problems would begin should I ever have had to make a claim as I had no written proof of me notifying them of the mods - only my word against theirs. Effectively the policy would have been void if I had ever claimed.
After venting my disgust at this situation, the agent asked if we could go through the mods to re-quote for this years policy.
The fun began ...the agent did not have a clue what a carb, diff of shock absorber was and I mean not a clue. I had to spell each one to her.
The question came back..is the differential a type of air filter - I kid you not.
I am now an ex customer of that particular company (not naming as I'm not finished with them yet)
I then phoned a further "specialst" in classic car insurance and before i would give any details, I asked the fellow to explain purpose or location of a diff on a car - I could hear the tumbleweeds going over his desk. Not a clue.
3rd phone call I spoke to a young lady at a "run by enthusiasts" company who got the same question and answered well.
After taking my details she gave me a good quote on a guaranteed value policy and I'm insured again.
Rant over for now.
I made assumptions that when the agent told me the records had been updated that they were - I now intend to find out why this was not the case as I could have ended up in deep shit.

Anybody had similar experiences with "knowledgeable" staff ??

Norman

[alancdavis]

If they tell you would not have been insured then ask for all of your premiums back

[mk1gaz]

lol , my old insurance company thought that by fitting a roll cage it meant you where going to roll the car down a ditch .

[LOUIE]

lol , my old insurance company thought that by fitting a roll cage it meant you where going to roll the car down a ditch .

i thought that was the look you were going for gaz

[mexicol]

if you checked your insurance policy it would have stated if any mods were declared it pays to check and double check the policy with what had been arranged over the phone there all too quick to come up with a competitive offer over the phone always too good to be true and then duck and dive saying this and that were not covered or specified ,personally hagerty have been the ones too beat great service and very knowledgeable about fords in particular

cheers

colin

[Warby]

I made a claim two years ago and only then found out that in the small print it said, if your car is damaged and they can't find a panel to repair it, they only need to give you the last known retail price for that part!

I also found out that when you have legal insurance, the solicitors can't act against your own insurance company, you're the client but the insurance company instructs them.

My car was a brand new, £75k GP4 MK2 Escort and I asked for a specialist inspector whose first words when he turned up were, right then what have we got here, an old MK1 Escort! His report said I hadn't suffered a loss because of the cars age!

The insurance broker was REIS (who couldn't be arsed) and the insurance company was Chaucer who are supposed to sell specialist insurance which is bollocks, they're just looking for easy money.

[Aled]

,personally hagerty have been the ones too beat great service and very knowledgeable about fords in particular

colin

As above....pointless wasting time looking anywhere else (unless your car is heavily modified / cossied etc )

[Martin]

Just spoken to Hagerty Insurance for a quote to insure my RS2000 and the lady was not only knowledgeable and helpful but has given me a price that is £120 cheaper than Need2Insure and also has my car covered with the RSOC agreed valuation

Happy Days

[para144]

I insure mine through David Auden Insurance. They do competition cars & compete themselves.

You simply list all the mods & take pictures of the expensive bits like the Atlas etc.

I understand that Richard Eggar Insurance is also V,good. He competes in an RS1600

[rwdrs]

I made a claim two years ago and only then found out that in the small print it said, if your car is damaged and they can't find a panel to repair it, they only need to give you the last known retail price for that part!

I also found out that when you have legal insurance, the solicitors can't act against your own insurance company, you're the client but the insurance company instructs them.

My car was a brand new, £75k GP4 MK2 Escort and I asked for a specialist inspector whose first words when he turned up were, right then what have we got here, an old MK1 Escort! His report said I hadn't suffered a loss because of the cars age!

The insurance broker was REIS (who couldn't be arsed) and the insurance company was Chaucer who are supposed to sell specialist insurance which is bollocks, they're just looking for easy money.

Get a loss adjuster in yourself, and explain the circumstances to him.
That and a couple of "nice" letters from your solicitor should buck up their ideas somewhat.

[Tim]

I understand that Richard Eggar Insurance is also V,good. He competes in an RS1600

i believe richard now has nothing to do with the insurance,he sold the company off