Hoppy

Just been told that Norwich Union won't touch my Scoob with the 2.5l engine.

I sounded them out August, was assured it wasn't a problem, but now less than a week before it goes in, I get this

One suggestion was Liverpool Victoria but they are categorically not taking new business with ANY form of engine mods.

So who covers all the 2.33 and 2.5 lumps that are now rolling around in increasing numbers?

Yours in hope,

Richard.

PS Mods please leave here for a while as there are currently zero viewers in the Insurance section.

Mog

Norwich Union are insuring my Type 25!!!!!!!

Mog

Mark A

iTrader: (1)

Check this thread http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=369642

Mark A

Hoppy

Cheers Mog. Yes, I was told that by my insurance broker - who shall remain nameless for now, but they have dropped me majorly in the **** with this - but of course, my car is not (quite) a Type 25.

I have not given up on Norwich Union yet. I think they are under an obligation and I've paid them thousands over the years and never made a claim. But given what I have been told, that is Plan B.

I need a Plan A now

Richard.

PS 600bhp is not a problem, aparently, but an extra 500cc makes the car an uncontrollable death-trap

Mark A

iTrader: (1)

Richard YHM. Ring and tell them who you work for. That should getting going, I'm sure then you'll get insurance.

Mark

Hoppy

Mark, thanks. YHM.

Trouble is I need at least 10k miles per year.

The "do-you-know-who-I-work-for?" thing is worth a try, especially as Max Power now has a new columnist

Mark A

iTrader: (1)

C&C worth a call and a try with a higher mileage.
You could ask John Banks, I reckon that at least 50 2.5s around now so someone must be insuring them or are they all grinding the EJ257 mark off the block ?

Mark

Hoppy

Mark, thanks again. Will do.

Glennage

What about A Plan?

Hoppy

Many thanks.

I've had helpful replies here, and also by email that I'll follow up.

You learn some interesting things in a day of banging the phone - some good, some bad and a lot contradictory. One thing's for sure, if you declare every nut and bolt you'll end up with a huge list (as I did) and this frightens underwriters to death.

If you simply say "standard US spec 2.5l engine" and "modified induction and exhaust" it's 100% honest and it sounds much better than "huge motor with up-rated turbo VF1234 with ported this and hybrid that" and "absolutely enormous decat downpipe, so-and-so's mid-section and massively loud back-box" not to mention "ludicrously big brakes, fancy alloys, ultra-sports suspension" oh and "a boot full of ICE and a dash loaded with gauges"...

I also believe some people are not properly covered, mainly through no fault of their own, and we are definitely beginning to suffer from younger drivers now buying cheap Scoobs and binning them regularly

Cheers,

Richard.

PS I'll post later when I've got a result but in the meantime, keep the suggestions coming

john banks

Hi Richard,

How did you get on in the end with this?

BTW I keep replying to your emails but you don't get my replies. Thanks for ringing tonight, please e-mail me your phone number again so I can call you, my phone chewed up the number on the missed calls register.

Hoppy

John, YHM.

Okay, here's the conclusion on my insurance problems, which are now resolved with A-Plan. Having been refused continued cover for my 2.5l conversion by Norwich Union, and been turned down flat by Liverpool Victoria, I thought the best way forward was to email some ScoobyNetters with over-size motors and see what they were doing. Thanks to everyone

Two names came up from several people, and I phoned them with a general outline of the mods I have, ie "2.5l US-spec motor with induction and exhaust modifications, up-graded running gear etc." I didn't go into details of turbos and downpipes which nobody understands and can convey the wrong impression.

Churchill gave me an immediate yes, and were very pushy for a deal there and then. Cost varied between £1,128 and £1,009 fully comp, depending on the excess, but must have a tracker. Bear in mind that I am extremely old (51), have a clean license, no claims and the car is garaged and thoroughly immobilised in a good postcode, but no tracker. I could probably have negotiated this price down.

I tried A-Plan next, and they have various specialists who deal with modded cars, or imports, or whatever. They asked sensible questions like what was the power increase against standard, and who was doing the work. I said about 50% power hike, with work done by API Engines. I don't think they know API as such, but they want to see a receipt for the work so they know it's not a bodge-job, and proof of immobiliser. I also get business use, unlimited third-party cover for any other car, no tracker necessary, and they will allow my removeable roll-cage so that I can drive to and from track days with it. No actual track cover, though. £895 fully comp with £700 excess, and I've now signed up.

I also asked about further upgrades and was told there shouldn't be any problems, so long as the work is properly done to a high standard. An increase to 400bhp might be an extra 25%, but this was just a ball-park figure, not a firm quote.

Indeed, A-Plan are keen to take on this kind of risk, ie well-modded cars with sensible drivers over 25. If any ScoobyNetters want to sign up with A-Plan, mention my name and you'll get £30 off And if you have your home insurance with them, that could be worth maybe another 10% off.

Call Darren at A-Plan on 01635 874 646.

This has not been a comprehensive sweep of the market for modded car insurance - life really is too short, and after a couple of hours you begin to wish you'd kept the Vectra after all Nor am I saying that A-Plan is best. But on the basis of a few telephone conversations, a full and honest disclosure of what I've done to the car and what it means, I've now got the cover I want for only a small premium over what I was already paying. There is wind of change blowing against modded cars at the moment, with the likes of Liverpool Victoria and Norwich Union battening down the hatches until they've worked out what's going on. As it stands, I think if the average broker inputs the words Impreza and Modified, the screen just goes red.

As a guess, I would say this might have something to do with cheap Imprezas now becoming available to younger drivers who, after fitting a VTA dump-valve and flamer kit, promptly stuff it into the hedge. On the other hand, when the analysis eventually reveals a relatively low-risk group of modded car drivers (who would never dream of mapping a bit of extra fuel into the decat overrun ) there will again be a competitive choice of insurance options available.

Cheers

Richard.

Tentenths

Richard

Glad you managed to get it sorted.

Thanks for a very informative write-up, and for sharing the results with us fellow 'netters.

Tentenths

Or even A-Plan

L1J

Just phoned A Plan for a quote (MY98 UK, Hybrid Turbo, FMIC, GEMS, ASTs, AP 6 pots, approx 320bhp), was going really well until I mentioned I fitted the turbo and exhaust myself! After that they didn't want to know, the guy on the phone said they weren't interested in covering that kind of risk.

Do you think I'm being dumped into the VTA and flamer kit group?

They admitted that the price would have been about £900 if the mods had been fitted by a garage which beats my quote from LV by £300!

Anyone have any other suggestions to a company that deals with mods that you have fitted yourself?

Hoppy

L1J

What they don't want is, for example, someone who has taken a hacksaw to their suspension springs to lower it and made the car dangerous. I said my suspension was Prodrive, and, when I explained who they were, they were very happy to take my money.

As far as I can see, the only difference between mods fitted by a good DIY mechanic and a garage is a piece of paper. How's about you get your friendly local official Scooby dealer to check your car and declare that the modifications are fitted and operating according to professional standards?

Maybe someone from the insurance industry could comment? There's got to be a way around this. It would also need some legal disclaimer that said if the wheels fall off it's not the garage's fault, but that's no different to an MOT, is it?

Beaurocracy and red tape stopping us driving, and brokers from making money. Can't be right.

Richard.

L1J

Hoppy,

I asked them if I could get the car checked at a local gargae and they said they would check and get back to me. About 10 minutes later they called back and said no! Got the impression that once they found out I did the mods myslef they didnt want me on the books at all.

Quite funny really as I check and maintain over a million pounds worth of kit in work to make sure it is safe for people to use and they deem me unsuitable to fit an exhaust!

Don't think my age (25) helps either!

Never mind took a deep breath and paid LV which confirmed to me on the phone that mods weren't a prolem as long as the capacity didn't change. Need to see that one in writing though!

Hoppy

L1J, glad you're sorted, anyway.

So what if you got a garage to take everything off and refit it? I bet it was your age just tipped it against you.

Oh, and being from Wales, an' all, lovely, isnit

L1J

I did actually suggest doing that! They still said no though!

Maybe it's the welsh accent Far more risk of sheep up here you know!!

Gidney&Knowlesy

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Tom @ Schofields insurance (Subaru Insured) 0113 250 0377

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