Dorset Insurance and teh MR2DC Policy

[markiii]

Chaps,

feel free to cross post to IMOC.

Having not heard back from my emails for a while today I called them to clarify a few points.

For those not aware the DIG scheme has always been popular because it covers trackdays and Mods at no extra charge.

Recently there have been rumblings with regard to changes in teh interpretation of this and the mega BHP numbers some of The MK2 Turbo boys are acheiving.

Personally I do feel that it is a little unreasonable to expect cover for these big mods at no extra charge. Which is not to say I advocate being raped on teh cost either.

Anyway teh upshot of teh conversation was pretty much that existing policy holders for existing modifications will not have a problem though depending on the severity of them they may incur a cost increase come renewal.

New modifications to existing policyholders will probably carry an increase and performance mods for new enquiries will probably be a flat NO. This isn't DIG this is their underwriters. Obviously each individual case will be looked at indivdually but it is worth bareing this in mind.


Specifically I asked regarding Turbo conversions and was given a more or less flat no, a turbo roadster would not be covered. Without mentioning names I discussed that Martin has and does, to which the response was that he would have taken out the policy/mod prior to teh last 6 months when  the underwriters started getting jittery.

Reading between the lines I would expect Martin to get a price hike next year and the rest of us get told not to be silly.

I am waiting on a specific comment on the TTE kit (they are checking tihs out now) but as an official Toyota accessory this may well be alowed. The irony being that this is because it is fitted and maintained by Toyota techs who know what they are doing. (anyone else see the funny side of that)

I would reccomend anyone on any policy with any insurer get a written response from their Insurance Company detailing the mods and agreeing that they are covered. this I am still working on.

[aaronjb]

Very much as I found out the other day Mark - good to get additional clarification though.

The insinuation to me was that the 'special relationship' they used to have with their underwriters that allowed the exceptionally good terms on the MR2DC policy basically no longer exists.. So to all intents and purposes, they're now no different than phoning around the other brokers (I think that's borne out by the fact that I got an identical price from them, Herts and Endsleigh).

Shame, really, as one of their policies would have cut down no end on the phoning round!

[markiii]

I know you had issues with getting what you needed.

But for me DIG were/are unique in that they provide me with mods value cover, trackdays at no charge and business cover.

There are still benefits, just. I think teh main problem is the Mk2 boys. Not that I have anything against them exploiting the loophole, I would too. Unfortunately when the DC scheme was dreamt up it was very much a case of teh middle aged cardigan brigade tootling around in modern day MGBs and doing all teh boring stuff the DC is famous for (personal opinion , and not intending to start a war with teh DC) When teh MK2 tubby came along and especially when the price dropped they found themselves accidentally being stuck with covering Nova boy with money (you can get a MK2 tubby for £4000) and a car that is faster than some porches (again personal  opinion, and some generalisation for effect, not wishing to start a flame war with IMOC either). this was always going to be against teh spirit of the agreement, and then last year there were an awfull lot of them written off (just from reading IMOC)

I hope DIG do manage to find a middle ground, if not and they become like everyone else, then Mr kinnersley at teh DC will be having kittens as 50% of his membership fees up and walk.

[aaronjb]

But for me DIG were/are unique in that they provide me with mods value cover, trackdays at no charge and business cover

I think if I'd been able to get that level of cover out of them, I'd have happily paid a £2-300 premium over the Bell Direct & Adrian Flux quotes.. But all they offered me was the same as your average high street broker  s:( s:(  Perhaps I just ended up talking to the wrong person..

I know what you mean about the Mk2T's though - I was always amazed that it was 'any mods' in the first place..

[markiii]

It's always worth talking to Sarah Ashford. She's been doing it long enough now that she knows whats what.

Of course the fact that I'm 31 may have helped.

A tip (off topic, slaps own wrist,) add an older driver, I'm talking your mom or dad as a named driver. They may use it rarely or even never but for some reason teh fact that they might seemed to knowck off a couple of hundred quid with ost companies.

[aaronjb]

It's always worth talking to Sarah Ashford. She's been doing it long enough now that she knows whats what.

Yeah - I thought I did.. but then.. I've slept since then - I don't actually even remember calling them now!

Of course the fact that I'm 31 may have helped.

Almost certainly, and the chances of you living in a higher risk area than me are very small too - so location likely helped your cause. ( I really need to move house! Preferrably one with a double garage.. )

A tip (off topic, slaps own wrist,) add an older driver

I did that originally with Bell actually, but forgot to try it with Dorset or Flux - I may give them both another call and check, just in case..
It seems that with my cover, what upped it the most was the chrome style bar - it's classed as a rollbar, which insurance companies hate with a passion..

(And now I'm O/T too..  s:oops: :oops: s:oops:  )

[markiii]

I would push the pint about the roll bar. They cannot accept that as a roll bar because it won't protect you in case of an accident (it's them thats covering damage to your head) so if it's not a roll bar (it hasn't passed any safety tests so it isn't) then it's a style item and should be treated as such.

They crying about rollbar becuase they're scared that makes you a racer.

Might be worth taking it off getting the policy, putting it back on and then notifying the, It's amazing teh difference once they have your business.

[aaronjb]

You're right about the style bar, of course - 'most' insurers just stare (well, erm.. you know what I mean!) blankly when you say 'style bar', and then put it down on their fixed-format forms as a rollbar.. I already knew insurers hated rollbars & cages (for the reasons you stated) - which is why I never fitted one to my '5 or the 300, as it would have rendered them virtually uninsurable. Never thought about it when I put the stylebar on the '2 though..

Good plan with taking it off, though - I'll give Dorset (and Flux, and a couple of others) another shot tomorrow.

Cheers Mark,
Aaron