Insurance - Commuter - Add-On’S

[dmmsta]

So its insurance time again.

Renewal is £240, this includes Helemt & Clothing, Legal, Personal Accident, and EU Roadside & Recovery.


Ive done the MSE comparison steps and got that down to £111, but it without any of the add-ons (I can go as low as £74 for TPFT, but doing 16K miles a year and it being pretty much my only mode of transport I dont want to risk a total loss without any payout - not that I expect to be the cause but never say never)


So to the real point of the post. Are all the add-one really needed.

With my 80 mile round trip Im hesitant to drop the breakdown cover, Ive not considered what alternatives are available, but stuck on the side of the motorway without a knight in shining armour en route isnt a great thought.

Is legal worth it, what about H&L.


What do people do when their Bike is their main Commute method?


For reference the Best priced renewal equivelant quote is £185 so still a good saving, but should I aim lower?


TIA

[chrisr]

With what they eventually pay out I now wonder if it’s worth having anything other than the cheapest insurance you can get, but I would always pay for breakdown cover in the hope you don’t need it, being stuck by the side of the road when it’s cold, wet and dark trying to work out how to get home isn’t fun....and that’s when you wished you’d have bought it.

[dmmsta]

With what they eventually pay out I now wonder if its worth having anything other than the cheapest insurance you can get, but I would always pay for breakdown cover in the hope you dont need it, being stuck by the side of the road when its cold, wet and dark trying to work out how to get home isnt fun....and thats when you wished youd have bought it.

Totally agree with that.

Didnt use it this year, the year I dont add it is the year Ill need it.

[madmopedracer]

try Autoaid Breakdown im £43 year for myself and spouse you are insured for the vehicle you are in so covers me for bike and car

[James]

Just to clarify, I’m not a regular commuter. Work’s just not far enough away to get the engine properly warm; and the long way takes all day!


I’ve gone for comprehensive insurance for the last 15 years or so, some years it’s actually been the cheapest option.


Extras! I always get legal expenses (why do you have to have legal expenses on every policy you have?), protected NCB and that’s about it. I’m in the AA so breakdown cover isn’t a priority and when I looked into the cover you got, with a view to ditching the AA, it was very limited, minimal cover in comparison. Once ‘extras’ were added to match the cover, the price difference was minimal. If I’m going abroad then better Insurance cover and European breakdown cover might figure in my reckoning, but I don’t do that every year unfortunately. I’ve thought about kit and helmet cover but never bought it.


I use the comparison sites every year to try and get the best value - that’s usually not the cheapest.

[bjorge]

[...] but I would always pay for breakdown cover [...]

Just to make sure it's not a crosspost - this is the TDM forum, got it ?

[muddy]

Just to clarify, Im not a regular commuter. Works just not far enough away to get the engine properly warm; and the long way takes all day!


Extras! I always get legal expenses (why do you have to have legal expenses on every policy you have?)

Because it makes them money. But in actuality, it's paralegal expenses and the last time I used such a service was with Carol Nash and the bint who was assigned to me was next to useless. She did nothing to progress my case and I had to do all the research and make suggestions, non of which she showed any interest in. If you are insured and have an accident the insurance companies negotiate with each other in their best interests, not ours. The same applies to any legal team, after all they're working on behalf their client, the insurance company, not you. Only a legal team working pro bono that has you as the client, and consequently themselves, will aim to get the best deal they can.

[chrisr]

Just to make sure it's not a crosspost - this is the TDM forum, got it ?

Obviously not because my TDM is going to break down, more for if I have a puncture that can’t be fixed at the roadside!

[hallrob1]

Because it makes them money. But in actuality, it's paralegal expenses and the last time I used such a service was with Carol Nash and the bint who was assigned to me was next to useless. She did nothing to progress my case and I had to do all the research and make suggestions, non of which she showed any interest in. If you are insured and have an accident the insurance companies negotiate with each other in their best interests, not ours. The same applies to any legal team, after all they're working on behalf their client, the insurance company, not you. Only a legal team working pro bono that has you as the client, and consequently themselves, will aim to get the best deal they can.

 

 

One thing I'm not sure of is if I pay for Legal expenses on your House insurance does that cover you for claims on your car or bike?

[muddy]

 

 

One thing I'm not sure of is if I pay for Legal expenses on your House insurance does that cover you for claims on your car or bike?

Not sure about that I'm no expert on this and am open to being corrected. I'm just very sceptical about the practice of splitting services and then charging for them as added extras. If you buy house insurance then you would have a policy of what it covers. I do wonder what legal services is for. I do know brokers don't like those sort of questions.

[James]

One thing I'm not sure of is if I pay for Legal expenses on your House insurance does that cover you for claims on your car or bike?

No it doesn’t. I asked the same ‘multiple legal expenses’ question of a friend who’s been in the insurance industry all his working life. He told me it’s because the legal cover is attached to the policy, not the policy holder. And yes, it’s a bit of a racket.


I also asked if you could buy a legal expenses insurance policy separately, and then be covered for car, bike, house, etc. As far as he was aware, you couldn’t. After all, why would insurance companies want to offer us something like that, it’s not in their best interests.

[hallrob1]

No it doesn’t. I asked the same ‘multiple legal expenses’ question of a friend who’s been in the insurance industry all his working life. He told me it’s because the legal cover is attached to the policy, not the policy holder. And yes, it’s a bit of a racket.


I also asked if you could buy a legal expenses insurance policy separately, and then be covered for car, bike, house, etc. As far as he was aware, you couldn’t. After all, why would insurance companies want to offer us something like that, it’s not in their best interests.

 

Exactly what I expected

[James]

Not sure about that I'm no expert on this and am open to being corrected. I'm just very sceptical about the practice of splitting services and then charging for them as added extras. If you buy house insurance then you would have a policy of what it covers. I do wonder what legal services is for. I do know brokers don't like those sort of questions.

I’m sceptical about most insurances to be honest. If I’m buying a comprehensive policy everything should be included - the clue’s in the name I’d think that legal expenses should just be a standard part of comprehensive insurance, but then I’m very naive

Exactly what I expected

Yes, sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings!

[TKH]

Because it makes them money. But in actuality, it's paralegal expenses and the last time I used such a service was with Carol Nash and the bint who was assigned to me was next to useless. She did nothing to progress my case and I had to do all the research and make suggestions, non of which she showed any interest in. If you are insured and have an accident the insurance companies negotiate with each other in their best interests, not ours. The same applies to any legal team, after all they're working on behalf their client, the insurance company, not you. Only a legal team working pro bono that has you as the client, and consequently themselves, will aim to get the best deal they can.

 

I had the same problem. Ended up sorting it all out myself. I don't bother now with legal.

 

My cover is commuting and leathers no breakdown for about £120. I'm thinking of adding breakdown as I had clutch cable go and the only way of getting the bike home (broke in a dodgy area) was a tow from SWMBO. Very brown underpants. 

Just a point, the leathers cover on mine is a separate insurer so it means 2 excesses and 2 claims.

This post was last modified: 02-11-2017, 07:20 PM by TKH.

[dmmsta]

 

I had the same problem. Ended up sorting it all out myself. I don't bother now with legal.

 

My cover is commuting and leathers no breakdown for about £120. I'm thinking of adding breakdown as I had clutch cable go and the only way of getting the bike home (broke in a dodgy area) was a tow from SWMBO. Very brown underpants. 

Just a point, the leathers cover on mine is a separate insurer so it means 2 excesses and 2 claims.

:rant:

[muir1848]

according to esure - legal protection is required for when some twat runs into you - even though it is not my fault i have to claim back my excess from other driver's insurance company - when i queried this i was told cause i did not have legal protection cover

 

what a racket :rant:

[Studley Ramrod]

Yeah, they set the compulsory excess, then ask you if you want insurance cover for your excess.   High time the govt. got a grip on insurance rip offs.

[muddy]

Owning a bike that's 13 years old and as duffed up as mine has benefits.

You can insure third party only

You worry far less about it getting stolen or damaged

You know it's quirks and issues

You spend more time riding it than admiring it

[dmmsta]

Owning a bike that's 13 years old and as duffed up as mine has benefits.

You can insure third party only

You worry far less about it getting stolen or damaged

You know it's quirks and issues
You spend more time riding it than admiring it

I definitely fit into this category too!

[fixitsan]

I'm not a fan of no win no fee organisations, but I have been on the receiving end of their good work. This company are simply excellent. They're all well trained lawyers who also just happen to be bikers.

 

My insurance company and it's appointed legal panel solicitor did a shabby job of getting me compensation for injury and lost leathers, so i turned to Motorcycle Law and they stepped in and everything was sorted out pronto..

 

They sent me to see a private consultant (who also happened to be a biker.....) and I asked him for his opinion of MCL...he just tapped their folder with his pen and said "They're absolutely the best".

 

They are now offering a free legal protection cover program.  http://www.motorcyclelawscotland.co.uk/s...rotection/

 

I don't think they only operate in Scotland either...

 

 

 

 

There is a good story here about thinking twice about accepting the insurer's appointed solicitor, which is also the mistake I made http://www.motorcyclelawscotland.co.uk/b...hink-twice

This post was last modified: 04-11-2017, 09:12 AM by fixitsan.