Tombo wrote:
An important thing is to keep your story straight. Insurers share a data base so if you tell one its one thing then you cannot tell another it is something else.
they are also increasingly sharing this info with cops, DVLA/VOSA, HM Revenue and Customs as well!
unfortunately we have only the gary boys / max power types to blame for the current situation. when insurers were less strict there was widespread abuse and fraud.
Health and safety laws, although sometimes complicated are not passed for fun – but there is clearly a problem with vehicles being inexpertly modified and creating hazards to drivers, passengers and other road users.
All modification of a safety-critical device such as a motor vehicle has potential risks. For an insurer to take on these risks would either entail raising premiums or other less risky motorists subsidising the more risky ones.
In an extremely competitive market this can’t be done or the insurer risks losing market share of less problematic customers. This is called “customer segmentation” and is carried out in all businesses; those which offer lower prices now cherry pick easy customers and walk away from more problematic ones where a claim or other issue may wipe out the profit on the contract.
Quote:
I have insured campers in the past as vans, that happen to be carrying the interor of a caravan. I cannot see how they could argue with this, although I am sure they would. I never made a claim though.
I have all ways found Cornish Mutural Assurance good in the past.
I will ask my friends who are going to Europe about which insurers they use.
Incidentially I would expect the policy still only protects everyone if there is an RTC or so you can legally drive in the EU; if a vehicle was impounded or damaged because of the actions of a law enforcement agency (anywhere in the world) when the owner was breaking a law in the local jurisdiction there is usually an exemption clause in the policy which the insurers would use (otherwise criminals would claim for pranged getaway cars!)
its an expensive game however you play it (face it, you are modifying a vehicle to drive hundreds of miles to use for a high-risk leisure activity, the insurers aren’t daft)
but its good to see people actually wanting to be legit.
In the old skool days people often didn’t even bother with insurance or licenses – worse, many didn’t even legitimately own the vehicle, which was often a family car belonging to a young mother (and sadly often ended up being burned out later).
even today anti-rave operations are still led by traffic cops for this reason.
