Insuring a car for a couple of months?

[Ferg]

Hi Guys,

I've inherited a wee Merc A-class (hateful thing but it was free so musn't grumble) to get me through these cold, snow laden times.

My cover under my old mans policy is up on the 12th and I'm looking at easy and cheap ways to ensure it. So far I've been getting quotes (from comparison sites) that make my Elise look cheap to insure! I've upped the excesses and reduced the cover and it's still coming in at around £300.

Any recomendations welcome.


Fergus

[campbell]

3rd party fire & theft maybe?!

[Ferg]

All on comparison sites so far but want to get a general view before phoning round. Got it down to £220 but this is including my NCB which strictly isn't true as it's in use. Do insurance companies make any compensation that you have a large NCB on another policy? I tried listing it with 0 years and the results was laughable. Ultimately I'm going to have to phone some of the bigger names and see what they say on the phone.

I know theres lots of you out there with multiple cars. Did you just have to stump up when startign a second policy? Very interested to here your experiences.

I found that 3rd party made the price go up, weirdly enough.

[BiggestNizzy]

I am running about in a nissan primera my old man picked up for £500 (clio is broken and I am not risking the elise's shiny paint job) I got temporary cover for it on my elise/clio policy £12 (only a week) maybe worth a shout.

If ou have a multicar policy they mirror your no claims

[Ferg]

Are you with Admiral? I'm currenlty with CCI, will give them a phone tomorrow.

I suppose I can enquire about how much I'd get back after a cancellation on a years policy. Interesting to see if it's cheaper to add it on on insure seperately.

[Peter]

I'm with CCI and my policy is underwritten by Avviva. If you can find another company that is underwritten by Avviva they will duplicate your No Claims bonus and give you a written statement that it's worth 5 years if you choose to renew elsewhere with a different company next year (This is based on my experience with mercedes insurance last week)..

Cheers, Peter

[cla5h]

Does you Elise insurance provide 3rd party cover for other vehicles you don't own? If so, leave the Merc in the current owner's name and drive it that way.

Alternatively, as you say, find a policy that doesn't shaft you if you cancel early and insure it for the full year.

As to TPFT being higher than fully comp - it can be in some cases, as they can view someone who only wants TPFT as being higher risk (e.g. take less care of car, etc.)

[Ferg]

Thanks for that Peter, thats interesting and very usefull. I'll check who CCI used as underwriters for my policy and then go hunting.

Hi Scott, unfortunately one of the features of the CCI Lotus policy (or my one anyway) is that it doesn't cover other cars.

[j2 lot]

I am in a similar situation with the Corsa that Mother in law has decided she no longer wants. We have driven it for years on her policy but now we want to insure it on our own and the premiums are mental - £370 PA for a car worth £1600 & that is with it added to our Admiral multi policy. Ours is a long term back up car so will be trawling sites to get the cheapest quote.
I was trying to be honest about how it will be used but am finding it is incredibly difficult to get a quote for a car that doesn't have a regular daily driver and is occassional use by more than one person- so I guess I will need name one of us and add the other as additional driver.

[mwmackenzie]

Does you Elise insurance provide 3rd party cover for other vehicles you don't own? If so, leave the Merc in the current owner's name and drive it that way.

Alternatively, as you say, find a policy that doesn't shaft you if you cancel early and insure it for the full year.

As to TPFT being higher than fully comp - it can be in some cases, as they can view someone who only wants TPFT as being higher risk (e.g. take less care of car, etc.)

Only works if the other vehicle is also insured... If your not using the Elise why not just do a change of vehicle and change back once the snow is gone, will only cost an admin fee?


Cheers

[Ferg]

Yeah but if I do that, the Elise isn't covered for theft. Just have to try and get the best deal I can.

[Ferg]

Well I tried CCI and they couldn't help me directly, and they're associated office tried hard but came in at £380.

Entertained Admiral to see if the multicar might help, but after much referal to the manager etc they wouldn't cover the Elise because of the mods. Fair enough, but then the quote for the Focus was almost double what Louise is paying elsewhere. SO we ended up on just the Merc and they gave me 3 years internal NCB (which means it's only valid within their insurance group, it's basically only a discount) and it cost £330. Expensive yes, but essentially starting with an NCB of 0 years. With the plans to make the Elise a second car in the near future I was going to have to start my second NCB sometime.

Still smarts a little paying that premium...but I'm covered.

[campbell]

Ferg,

Quality research and looks like you couldn't have done any more.

Console yourself with this. If you spade the Elise in this weather - let's face it, a very serious probability - then that's going to set you back waaaay more than the insurance premium for the MercMobile

Just be sure to park the Lotus away from the roof pitches

Campbell

[BiggestNizzy]

Console yourself with this. If you spade the Elise in this weather - let's face it, a very serious probability -
Campbell

I drove mine through the snow at the start of the year and it a nightmare it's rubbish on snow, I have temp cover on the nissan using my clio's insurance policy on my multicar.