Insurane Worries

[Guest Roy]

Hi All. I have contacteed two companies Frizzell and Sage for quotes on an Elddis Autostratus 2001, I was surprised at their lack of understanding about what a motorhome actually is. Thier quotes were almost identical and both gave me introductary discounts, but the worry is that would they pay up after an accident. has anyone had dealings with these or could recomend other companies

[Guest Wilf Nicholson]

Hi All, I have been insured with Safeguard for over 15 years apart from a cheaper quote during a lapse of my senses. The cheaper people didnt have a clue so after 1 year I went back to the people who only insure motorhomes and do not dable with everything and are qualified in nothing. I had a no fault accident many years ago and Safeguard were faultless in every way. I f you need further proof they have been voted BEST motorhome insurer by MMM/Which. Good Luck, Wilf Nicholson

[Guest patricia]

I've just insured with Safeguard, their package includes home and abroad breakdown cover. I was previously insured with NIG through Campton Insurance Brokers, had two "incidents" during that time and everything handled very smoothly, include reclaiming my excess from Portuguese insurer. I only changed this year because the Safeguard quote was about £75 cheaper (ie c.£361 instead of c.£436) for identical cover, including protected no claims. The Safeguard policy documents constantly refer to motorhome rather than cars as did NIG's. In both cases, the breakdown cover is/was specifically aimed at motorhomes, so no length problems. I should add I live in a low-risk area.

[Guest Clive]

We have been insured with Frizzels (Liverpool Victoria) and our motorhome is registered as a Mercedes Motorhome. This company cover 3 vehicles for us and I have made sure in writing that they know exactly what they are covering. This is the company that gets almost all of the Civil Service Motoring Organisation members business, so if its good enough for them ...... But you can never be sure until you claim - and that applies to ALL insurance companies! But I would steer clear of small companies and keep to the big guns as they don,t get big if their service is rubbish. Reputations are soon tarnished by poor service and wrigley settlement of claims Its your money! Good luck

[Guest Roy Hamilton]

Don't use Saga. Terrible service with a claim on my car, and of course Frizzell are the Caravan Club insurers aren't they? They've recently shown that they are not too keen on motorhome members. I use Safeguard with the all europe breakdown cover with no size restrictions. Fortunately I have not yet had to use them but all reports from those I've seen have only praise.

[Guest Roy]

To all. I will contact safeguard, I have had a caravan covered by the Caravan Club insurers for the last 32 years and they are brilliant, 2 accidents and no problems at all. I believe they are called Devitt, I have had a high quote from them and I got the hump because they would not transfer my caravan discount over and said I had to start from scratch. Frizzell are Liverpool & Victoria and I Have My car with them, I was a civil Servant? Roy

[Guest Derek Uzzell]

(Roy, I assume you mean "Saga" rather than "Sage".) Saga widely advertise motorhome-specific insurance, so their representatives should be up to speed on the subject. Perhaps you had contact with a new member of staff or you asked about things that were out of the ordinary. Frizzell offer car-orientated motor insurance, but (as far as I'm aware) make no claim to be motorcaravan specialists. I'm a long-standing member of the CSMA and, when I approached Frizzell in 1998 for a quotation for my Herald Templar, I was immediately advised that a motorhome insurance specialist might be a better choice as Frizzell's standard policies might lack the necessary scope (eg. gas-explosion cover, value of personal possessions, etc.) I think Clive's Frizzell policy for his 'van is not run of the mill and clearly he is happy with it. (Search MMM Old Forum on "Frizzell" for more on this - my posting of 04/04/2002 and Clive's reply) My personal-import Hobby is insured by NIG via the Caravan Club. This is primarily because only the CC's insurers were prepared to offer 'comprehensive' cover from the moment the motorhome was handed over to me in Germany, whereas other insurers insisted that the vehicle must reach the UK before cover could apply. (Mel Eastburn touches on this subject in his invaluable "Buying a Motorhome in Europe" guide.) Based on Mel's comments and those of the other insurers I admit to lingering doubts over the legality of the 'Accidental Damage cover while driving abroad', but it was a Catch-22 situation and I reasoned that, even if the CC cover's legality was iffy, I would be no worse off than if I insured the vehicle with another company. (Worth emphasising perhaps that I had 3rd-party insurance as part of the compulsory German registration process and it was Accidental Damage cover that I was keen to obtain.) Fortunately, all water under the bridge now... For what it's worth, I was insured with Frizzell for many years and had two car accidents during that period, both of which were handled efficiently by the insurers. As individuals' circumstances vary so much, quoting insurance premiums is largely academic, but I paid £175.75 for the Caravan Club policy and, more recently, I've obtained UK and European motorhome breakdown assistance cover (via Europ Assistence) for £66 from Shield Total Insurance. I'm surprised you're surprised that the CC's brokers (Devitt Insurance Services Ltd) would not agree to transfer your caravan discount to your motorhome. I guess you're actually referring to your tow-car's No Claims Bonus. Presumably you are retaining ownership of that car and, as long as you continue to do this, your existing NCB will remain with that vehicle. If you had disposed of your tow-car then its NCB could have been transferred to your motorhome. Essentially, each vehicle 'earns' its own NCB and, if you add an extra vehicle to your collection, it starts from scratch NCB-wise. To the best of my knowledge all motor insurers act similarly over this - if you haven't got a 'spare' NCB to transfer to a vehicle then you start from square one. That doesn't mean, of course, that an insurer won't offer a hefty premium discount to (say) gain new business.

[Guest Roy]

Derek. Sorry I did mean Saga, I have my car insured with Frizzell, but my Sterling van was with the Caravan Club on new for old at £495, it had three years no claims bonus the most you can earn with the CC insurance. both Frizzell and Saga gave me introductory discounts. I am a bit Paranoid about insurance,I would rather pay a little more for no problems.

[Guest Ian Stewart]

I bought a motorhome in Germany last October, it was a private sale and the German plates were left on until I got home. I had to insure on the VIN number. CC insurance was £700 for 12 months. When I got the headlights and speedo sorted out for MoT and UK registration, I asked the CC about recovery. At 6.8 metres it was "too big" ! Following some research, I cancelled the remaining cover with the CC and took out the combined insurance / recovery offered by Safeguard. Cost - £265 / annum. Whilst arranging this, I mentioned the cover on a VIN number issue and was informed that Safeguard would have covered the vehicle on a VIN number for 30 days.