OT - Insuring multiple cars

Apologies for the off topic post, but I was wondering how those of you who own several cars have found the cheapest way to insure them all.

Typically, I've only had one car, but now I find myself with one main car, a van and a cheap run-around for the gf/backup for me for when the others are out of action.

Currently, I'm with DirectLine. I can only use my NCD on one policy, but I can get the same discount applied to the other vehicles, providing I am the only named driver. If I want to add the GF, I have to start at 0 NCD again for that vehicle and pay through the nose accordingly.

This seems to be the only place where I can find a discount for insuring a number of cars. Is it really just a case of having 3 separate policies and finding the best price possible for them each?

None of the cars are worth much, so I'd be happy enough even if the cover was limited to 3rd party only. Some of them maybe be old enough (12 years) to consider classic policies if that helps?

Many Thanks

Reply to
MikeL
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Try speaking to Footman James. I have two bikes insured with them - not classics - and I know they do multiple car policies for classics. I don't know about modern, but it's worth a call.

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Reply to
gazzafield

get yourself a motor trade policy for third party only from someone like TRADEX

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

I also have multiple classics in a FJ policy. I have my Merc - my main car - on a normal policy. Three classic cars over 30 years old on a fully comp Footman James policy for £103! And my Mini, which is "only"

27 and doesn't yet qualify for that, on another classic policy, for which Firebond gave the cheapest quote at £101. Comp, unlimited mileage.

Firebond might be worth speaking to; their online quote was nowhere near, but they phoned me back to say they could get it down much lower. They do classic policies for cars over 9 years old. However one thing to watch for is that classic policies don't accrue any NCD.

Reply to
Chris Bolus

Chris Bolus ( snipped-for-privacy@RILEYELFb0lus.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

So did I, until this year.

FJ are useless, and will happily slap an admin charge on you for breathing in their presence. The trouble is that very few companies do multi-car classic policies. I spent a day ringing around, and FJ were the only one apart from the lot I ended up using - a proper broker with proper customer service - and the price wasn't much different.

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Reply to
Adrian

As, sadly, does every other company I've used in the last few years. My main policy had a £20 admin charge just to change my car - no increase in premium.

It's handling a claim, IMO, that tells you how good an insurance company is. Happily I have not had to do this with FJ in five years as a customer.

My wife had a minor bump in my car - we use the same main insurer (AutoDirect). That was completely hassle-free. I'm still waiting to see what happens to the renewal premium however...

Reply to
Chris Bolus

Chris Bolus ( snipped-for-privacy@RILEYELFb0lus.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Stop using large companies with impersonal (and clueless) call centres, then. They don't all do that.

Nor did I. My experiences with their "customer service" in quoting and paperwork (which they repeatedly "lost") indicated I wouldn't want to.

Reply to
Adrian

Thanks all. Given me a few places to checkout. Tradex looks particularly appealing, just waiting for them to get back to me with a quote.

Chars!

Reply to
MikeL

Admiral have just started doing one - they're an alrightish mainstream company and you can quote online.

Otherwise I'd look into trade fleet insurance, could work out far more flexible and even a bit cheaper.

Reply to
fishman

Let us know how you get on. I've been wondering about a trade policy myself.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Willy Eckerslyke (oss108no snipped-for-privacy@bangor.ac.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Likewise - but I'd heard they'd rocketed up in the last few years, and weren't really an option for us "normals".

Do cars get explicitly specified on trade policies, and show up on the centralised insurance database - or are you heading into a nightmare of tugs from plod, no more online taxing, and having to explain to the old biddy down the PO how that certificate covers that car?

Reply to
Adrian

But FJ _are_ a proper broker. I've never had any trouble with them and always found them extremely efficient. Sure, they've charged me 30quid for adding temporary additional vehicles, but that was hardly unexpected. Adding a Minor to my classic policy at renewal time only cost an extra 13quid, which I found pretty amazing.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Is it still the case that you do get get any no claim discount with a trade policy?

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

Willy Eckerslyke (oss108no snipped-for-privacy@bangor.ac.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No, they're a large call centre sausage machine where you can only ever speak to numpty fone-fodder who know nothing about classic cars. If you're trying to insure something that isn't on their computer, they're useless.

By "Proper Broker", I meant somebody that you ring up for a quote in the morning, and when you ring back in the afternoon to check a detail, they remember you.

Reply to
Adrian

Sorry, I'll say that again in English!

Is it still the case that you do not get any no claim discount with a trade policy?

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

Ah yes, I have heard that about them elsewhere too. But since they're only brokering services provided by others, I wonder how much flexibility any broker has over cars they don't have listed. Do others simply pick the closest match and quote on that? In which case, I'd want to check the details very thoroughly.

Depends how you want to be remembered...

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

No you have to declare within two weeks of owning another vehicle its details to tradex.

There is a no claims bonus system.

It has hiked in recent years.

My policy is a trade and domestic cover for me and wife, we both have clean licences and no accidents. and are over 40.

10000 pound limit on our own vehicles, unlimited on any one else's, comp cover for anything we sit in, except American stuff (third party) And motorcycles are in there too!!

last years renewal with max no claims was 1300 pounds in a relatively high risk post code area. It would be about 750 for third party only.

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

mrcheerful. ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Ta. WAAAAY higher than my current classic policies.

Reply to
Adrian

Ta. Sounds a fair bit, but as I'm in a low risk area it'd still be worth my making enquiries when my 4th vehicle's ready for the road...

Are they fussed about the nature of the trade? I mean do you have to prove you're doing something legit, rather than just accumulating lots of vehicles?

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

They just ask where you trade from Home is ok. Give them a ring, if he is still there it was Keith that dealt with my policy renewal last year. I have been with them for ages, I did once make a claim for someone that ran in to me (15 years ago), it was dealt with quickly, but my no claims was reduced !! and there is no NCD protection available.

mrcheerful

Reply to
mrcheerful

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