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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - ZR mods and insurance loadings

Apologies but I can't just locate where this discussion has been held before and hence the new thread.

Having just had the MG side sill finishers fitted to my ZR (at a cost of £270 + VAT just for reference plus dealer trying to charge me an extra fiver plus a further fiver for loan of a courtesy car!) I did the honest thing and informed our insurance company.

Direct Line added on a whacking £90 for the remaining 11 months of the policy year. I also informed them of the chrome gear surround I self-installed but was told that had no effect on the premium even although it has been noted.

Listening to the Direct Line customer service adviser at the end of the phone talking as she went about the task of adding the side skirts it seems there is a generic "side skirts" loading and despite insisting this was more a side sill finisher than side skirts and not the typical boy racer four to the floor effect skirts, she was having none of it.

Anyone else had such a nasty experience?

This brings our total annual premium to nearly £500 which may not sound too bad but bear in mind the policyholder is my mother, not me, who is 50+, maximum no claims, no convictions, housewife plus me as a named driver, 26, again no convictions and no claims. Either Direct Line believe my mother is gonna be a woman racer or they think I'm the boy racer (which isn't far from the truth to be honest but I'm not the policyholder).
Findlay

Generally Insurance company personel, know sod all about modded cars. If you want to play around with your Zed or any car then you are better off going to a specialist insurance company.
David Harasym

Findlay,

I think you know exactly why they have raised the premium. While it is possible that a 50 year old woman would buy an MG ZR and allow her son to drive it, once the request comes through for some Max Power mods it does not require the intellect of a brain surgeon to work out that the real owner / driver is the son.

Recognise that it is most unlikely that you can come up with a cunning plan to fool the insurance company that they are not already aware of and have ways of detecting.

Cheers

Patrick
Patrick

Patrick...Afraid you've hit the nail on the head there. But still seems unfair!
Findlay

HI,
When I told my insurance company about my side skirts and 17" wheels they said the preiumum wouldent change as long as I left the engine and suspension alone..
Andy

£90 RISE!!! what a rip off, im 30 6 years ncb, 3 points and i only pay £708 for my 160 - group 16 insurance. I tried various other companies inc direct line who quoted me £1400, try ringing norwich union direct and if you get a good quote from them ring direct line and tell them to match it or you'll cancel, it might make them wave the loading?

insurance companies generally quote on the youngest driver when giving quotes even if its not in their name as a lot of people get insurance this way, i did it for a couple of years but realised getting insured in my own name wasnt getting any cheaper as no no-claims were being built up.

not long now to the 14th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rob
rob

Hi Rob
What happen's on the 14TH?
Mega
Mega

Hi Mega, not seen you on here for a while, the 14th is the northern meet organised by Findlay, why not come along.
Any news on the strut braces yet?

rob
rob

Hi Rob
Yes i may just do that:)
You will have to sort "Safe passage" form the MGF owners, but yes. I am trying to get a certain person to agree to put my design to the test.

I hate all the bulsh*t things you find in the likes of "Max Power". Some of the items couldn't possably work. I am trying.......Honest.
Mega.
Mega

Are those side skirts, sill finishers, call them what you will actually official MG-R OPTIONAL EXTRAS listed in the MGZR sales bumpff? If so they could hardly be considered modifications. If this is the case, anyone buying an MG ZR/S/T from new should consider listing these as optional extras and not modifications and see what reaction that causes from their insurers from day one.

>>generic "side skirts" loading <<

Over the years, motor insurance claims statistics will show which cars, driver profiles and which modifications have a higher than average claims record. If modified side skirted cars fall into one of those higher risk categories then understandably, premiums are loaded accordingly. After all, nobody wants to pay for all those other nutters on the road who cause all the heavy claims ..... :-)

Getting Mum to insure son/daughter's wheels "any driver" to avoid young driver loadings is one of the oldest tricks in the book and Insurance companies have been wise to it from day one. My advice, swallow it and earn your OWN No Claims Bonus .... invariably less costly in the long run over the years PROVIDED you dont make any claims of course .... :-)

John
John McFeely

John...YES, the side skirts are the official MG "side sill finishers" as fitted as standard to the ZR160 and as available as an option on the rest of the ZR (and R25) range.

I'd agree with you they are optional extras and not modifications. I may well get back to Direct Line and further my discussion with them.

Although 26, I've never had my own car as I still live at home and have shared a car with my mother since 17. As such I've never needed my own insurance and hence never gone down that route. Of course one day I will but hopefully that day will come when I'm a wealthy millionaire able to afford the £2,500 which is a rough average of what some on-line insurance companies wanted to charge me to insure the Zed in my name. It seems no company is willing to take note of my claimless 9 years of motoring under my mother's policy. In which case they don't deserve my money!
Findlay

Having been encouraged by what has been said above, I rang Direct Line and asked them to confirm that £90.33 was indeed the correct loading on our insurance policy for the side sill finishers.

I explained these were official MGR optional extras supplied and fitted by an official MGR dealer and, having had my case looked at by a "referrals unit" the following was forthcoming...

In calculating additional premium charges, the cash value of those mods (and ANY changes from the standard vehicle spec is considered a 'modification') is taken into account as well as the actual mod and why it's been fitted and what impact it has on the vehicle.

In light of my enquiry, Direct Line have reduced the extra premium by a third meaning the loading is now £60.33.

Bit of a result then. Not free but a victory for people power!
Findlay

Findlay,

Just been through this Insurance exercise for my son Martin who's just passed his driving test aged 17 and 2 months. Have you tried CIS (Coop Ins) who often treat younger drivers very favourably? They certainly did for my son with his MG Metro for which most other companies wanted phone number size premiums .... :-(

As a bonus, we re-arranged his mother's insurance on her Montego with him as driver for an ANNUAL premium ONE THIRD of the ADDITIONAL premium required to add him to her current policy. Also, see how much they want to cover your mother's car with you as a driver. Could be worthwhile. In your position, I'd get a very cheapo low insurance group car and insure that in your own name and after a year you'd have a reasonable discount and premium now that you've passed the 25 year old threshold so beloved of Motor Ins Cos. Still drive your "mother's" MGZR in the meantime ..... :-)
John McFeely

Thanks John. CIS and Tesco apparently offer everyone an initial discount as I was steered down that route by Honest John of the Daily Telegraph.

I have thought about buying an old banger just to park in the garage and insure in my name just so as to build up a no claims discount. Maybe I should give that greater thought now.

Problem is, when my then 17 year old brother got an £1,100 classic Mini last March, we looked at various ways to insure that. In my name alone would have been £800! As it was, we did it in his name alone for £1,200 now reduced to £800 following one year's no claim.
Findlay

if you bought a banger to keep off road to build up the ncb it did you get a quote for third party only without theft cover?

rob
rob

Findlay,

You should be able to get a reasonable introductory discount using the insurnace record you have built up in the years you have been a named driver on your mothers policy.

Also be aware that if you are the main user of the car, even though you are named, the insurance company may turn awkward. If you are the main user it needs to be stated.

Rog
Roger Parker

Rog...when I did an initial (albeit small scale) search round, NO INSURANCE COMPANY was willing to take on board my 9 years of claim and conviction free driving. Tesco and CIS offered an initial no claims discount as they do to ALL drivers but this was not specifically as a result of previous driving history on someone else's insurance. If you know of a company who is willing to take this into account, please let me know.

As for the main user issue, it's already noted that I am the main user as that issue had cropped up in the past. But thanks for the tip anyway.
Findlay

Yesssssssssss!!!

Mega's going on the 14th. Yippeeee. I am really looking forward to this now....

How many days to go?? Where's that calendar???.....
Chris

Chris and Mega...Not only is this not the place to be discussing the 14th but I also have no recollection of seeing either of your names on my list. This means you will not be booked in for lunch and nor we will hang around for you if late as, for all intents and purposes, you're not coming. Please visit www.FindlayColquhoun.com and complete the on-line form. We are now up to 19 people officially booked in.
Findlay

Hi Finlay
I don't know if i am coming as yet. Will know in the next few days.
Mega.
Mega

Hi Findlay!

Cor blimey Guv'nor, your a strict one!

I haven't booked yet because I want to bring the wife and we need to sort out a baby sitter.

However, I can always sort lunch elsewhere for me and the missus if I need to.

Anyway hope to put faces to all these names on 14th (especially Mega!!!)



Chris

Mega and Chris...posts not intended to be 'strict' but to ensure you are fully aware of the position. Lunch is an integral part of the meet-up in that it is scheduled to occur approx a third of the way round the route. There's a load of us already signed up for lunch so would be good if you guys could make it too.

I intend phoning through our confirmed numbers to the pub on Wednesday 10th April. So if you could fill out that on-line form in advance of then that would be cool.
Findlay

Will do Findlay, really want to attend the whole package!

Chris

Nice one Chris. But for future reference, check out MGs Events and Social UK thread for full details. There's a post labelled Northern MGF Meet which was originally intended only for Fs but was expanded and now takes in the entire MG fleet. Details of Northern MG Owners will be posted there plus on the microsite at www.FindlayColquhoun.com
Findlay

This thread was discussed between 26/03/2002 and 03/04/2002

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