Michael Brown Posted April 1 Posted April 1 On 3/22/2024 at 2:40 PM, andyfell said: Hello everyone. (Potential) new Vellfire owner here. I have paid a deposit on a 2013 Vellfire 2.4Z. Try as I might I can't find a quote cheaper than £1700 per annum. The S and X trims will be insured by loads of different companies, quotes around £600. I've spent the whole day on the phone to insurers and been told unequivocally by many people that this 2.4Z - for the purposes of insurers in the UK - does not exist. e.g. Adrian Flux: system doesn't like this car, £2200 per annum, which is think is for a policy to the effect of "we've no idea what this is so will quote you an astronomical price". Admiral were fantastic, tried really hard, but couldn't find it either. Any words of wisdom before I bail out of the purchase? I would be very grateful. So you think £1,700. is bad, I am now 72 and had the misfortune to have made 3 claims within a 5 year period. Not had a accident since June 2022. Bought my Alphard on 27th August 2022 and my insurance was £1,600. on top of the £560. I'd already paid on my Estima 2.4 04 plate. When insurance came due in 2023 it was over £4,000. This year around £3,600. Considering I had already forked out £5,600. including fitting for a new Inverter imported from Japan, I wanted to get my monies worth. The new Inverter was my best investment yet and not had a problem with it since. I have it regually serviced and drive with more care. I am with Aviva.
Rojie Posted April 2 Posted April 2 10 hours ago, Michael Brown said: So you think £1,700. is bad, I am now 72 and had the misfortune to have made 3 claims within a 5 year period. Not had a accident since June 2022. Bought my Alphard on 27th August 2022 and my insurance was £1,600. on top of the £560. I'd already paid on my Estima 2.4 04 plate. When insurance came due in 2023 it was over £4,000. This year around £3,600. Considering I had already forked out £5,600. including fitting for a new Inverter imported from Japan, I wanted to get my monies worth. The new Inverter was my best investment yet and not had a problem with it since. I have it regularly serviced and drive with more care. I am with Aviva. Clearly, your claims record is having an impact on premiums. Did you make the claims with Aviva ? I was with Aviva until I had my van converted. For the premiums you are paying surely it must be worthwhile spending significant time 'shopping around'. Perhaps you already have done that to no avail.
Michael Brown Posted April 2 Posted April 2 No Roger the claims were not with Aviva, but apparently Aviva were the only company that would insure me this time with the Alphard. I went for at least 20 years without a bump, then a few together, unfortunate it maybe. I consider myself a good driver, but fault is not always mine. I have been with the same insurance broker since 1975 and from time to time I have tried others only to find the difference in cost is only £5. Not worth changing companies for that. I was told if I changed my vehicle to one made for the UK market the cost would be be considerably less. I intend to keep the Alphard for a few more years yet. As yet I have not found a vehicle that I'd like to drive better than Alfie.
Rojie Posted April 2 Posted April 2 5 hours ago, Michael Brown said: No Roger the claims were not with Aviva, but apparently Aviva were the only company that would insure me this time with the Alphard. I went for at least 20 years without a bump, then a few together, unfortunate it maybe. I consider myself a good driver, but fault is not always mine. I have been with the same insurance broker since 1975 and from time to time I have tried others only to find the difference in cost is only £5. Not worth changing companies for that. I was told if I changed my vehicle to one made for the UK market the cost would be be considerably less. I intend to keep the Alphard for a few more years yet. As yet I have not found a vehicle that I'd like to drive better than Alfie. Well good for Aviva, at least you can drive and maintain your lifestyle. I am so sorry I cannot give you a good recommendation. Have you tried Saga. I was with them many years whilst travelling to and from Spain on a regular basis.
Michael Brown Posted April 2 Posted April 2 Thanks Roger, No I have not tried them, I may try them in future, or maybe the NFU (National Farmers Union) you don't have to be a farmer to use them
Alpha Hydrae Posted June 8 Posted June 8 Has anyone had any luck getting insurance between 2 vehicles alternating every 6 months? I want to use the Alphard during summer and then SORN it for winter, while I use another car. Hope that makes sense. I've asked a few companies, no-one can do this.
Rojie Posted June 8 Posted June 8 57 minutes ago, Alpha Hydrae said: Has anyone had any luck getting insurance between 2 vehicles alternating every 6 months? I want to use the Alphard during summer and then SORN it for winter, while I use another car. Hope that makes sense. I've asked a few companies, no-one can do this. You can always cancel, but I wouldn't, and there will be a cancellation charge. I would consider downgrading the insurance on the vehicle you are not using, or have your wife / girlfriend insure one while you insure the other. Two drivers on each policy. You will need to co-ordinate your road tax very carefully.
Noni2022 Posted June 29 Posted June 29 Just had a renewal quote from Safeguard which is nearly double last year with no changes/ claims - £601! Are others finding similar? Sixty three years, no medical issues and live Essex /London borders inc. 9 years NCD and 90 days EU travel. Bonkers!
Pete S. Posted June 29 Posted June 29 That’s very annoying! Luckily i renewed with Adrian Flux ant the beginning of June and the increase was less than I expected. Now £380 fully comprehensive, only driver, 9 yrs NCB. 06 plated, 2.5 ltr, converted to camper. Don’t fill out the online form, speak to them direct. You get a better deal I find. Good luck.
Rojie Posted June 29 Posted June 29 3 hours ago, Noni2022 said: Just had a renewal quote from Safeguard which is nearly double last year with no changes/ claims - £601! Are others finding similar? Sixty three years, no medical issues and live Essex /London borders inc. 9 years NCD and 90 days EU travel. Bonkers! I am hoping I am not with Safeguard, as I had a windscreen replaced during the year ! Shop around, it's the only way. I agree with Peter, use the phone, not comparison websites.
Alphard Club Posted June 29 Author Posted June 29 3 hours ago, Noni2022 said: Just had a renewal quote from Safeguard which is nearly double last year with no changes/ claims - £601! Are others finding similar? Sixty three years, no medical issues and live Essex /London borders inc. 9 years NCD and 90 days EU travel. Bonkers! I had the same issue. I shopped around and managed to get it lower but nothing like year before. Things to help Add a partner to the policy as a "Named driver", even if they dont drive it If you have 2 cars in the house then add yourself as a Named Driver to the other car if you have already not. Some co's sell Excess Cover, it's usually cheap, so volunteer a higher excess and then insure the excess, So if in total the excess is 500 then insure the whole amount.. This worked for me, I paid £40 for £500 cover but saved £90 in policy cover) If you do less miles then what you are insuring then lower the amount on the policy. Only insure it for the trade value, not what you bought it for. You will only get book value, never what you want. (consult with ins co. first) 1
Noni2022 Posted June 29 Posted June 29 Thanks for the advice some useful pointers - comparison sites were £250 more!
smurf Posted June 29 Posted June 29 Just wanted add my two penneth worth in regards value and what you get back. I've been insuring classic cars for longer than I care to think about, and a common feature of these policies is "agreed value". Basically, the total loss value of the vehicle is agreed at inception of the policy, and if anything happens then you know exactly what you will get paid out. Having spent a lot of money on a camper I wanted the same piece of mind, so I got an agreed value policy with Adrian Flux( who were the only camper van insurer I could find that offered it). I could have got equivalent insurance cover elsewhere for less, but without any guarantee of what would be paid out if I suffered a total loss. The value you state when getting quotes generally means nothing come claim time as the small print will say "market value" somewhere, and that can be very subjective and take a lot of researching to prove a higher value right when you probably just want the claim paid out as soon as possible. 1
Donald F Posted September 18 Posted September 18 Well I’m having a right job finalising insurance on my about-to-be-purchased Alphard. First quote from Sterling was £1700. Then Just Kampers ( part of Sterling) quoted £757. Adrian Flux ( also part of Sterling) said they wouldn’t insure the vehicle - didn’t know what an Alphard was ( yet some on this thread are with Adrian Flux!). Waiting 2 others mentioned in this thread to call back. For some a straight car is fine to insure but not if it’s converted. Some will only insure campers/motor homes but insist on photos and confirmation conversion was done professionally. Life feels too short for all this. But I hate wasting money! I’ll let you know how it works out 🤞 1
Rojie Posted September 18 Posted September 18 3 hours ago, Donald F said: Well I’m having a right job finalising insurance on my about-to-be-purchased Alphard. First quote from Sterling was £1700. Then Just Kampers ( part of Sterling) quoted £757. Adrian Flux ( also part of Sterling) said they wouldn’t insure the vehicle - didn’t know what an Alphard was ( yet some on this thread are with Adrian Flux!). Waiting 2 others mentioned in this thread to call back. For some a straight car is fine to insure but not if it’s converted. Some will only insure campers/motor homes but insist on photos and confirmation conversion was done professionally. Life feels too short for all this. But I hate wasting money! I’ll let you know how it works out 🤞 Adrian Flux are an Insurance Broker; which may explain why they claim they didn't know what an Alphie was ! If yours is not a camper, try Aviva. Aviva were happy to insure mine until I had it converted.
smurf Posted September 18 Posted September 18 It is strange that Adrian Flux said they didn't know what an Alphard is as many owners, myself included, are insured with them.
Donald F Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Hi. Update. Rather protracted telephone call with Caravan Guard, including photos of “ light conversion” to show it was done professionally. Their questions were more detailed than others I had had. 3 named drivers. Insured as campervan not car. One driver has 3 points ( not me!) 2 locations where it might sit on the drive. 7000 miles expected in the year. Social domestic and pleasure ( no business or commuting). £499. I'm happy with that. 🤠🏴☠️ Interestingly they called me back twice to query overnight parking on drive - they had consulted Google maps and wondered if there was room!! I had measured. There is. But interesting this aspect was checked.
Rojie Posted September 19 Posted September 19 3 hours ago, Donald F said: Hi. Update. Rather protracted telephone call with Caravan Guard, including photos of “ light conversion” to show it was done professionally. Their questions were more detailed than others I had had. 3 named drivers. Insured as campervan not car. One driver has 3 points ( not me!) 2 locations where it might sit on the drive. 7000 miles expected in the year. Social domestic and pleasure ( no business or commuting). £499. I'm happy with that. 🤠🏴☠️ Interestingly they called me back twice to query overnight parking on drive - they had consulted Google maps and wondered if there was room!! I had measured. There is. But interesting this aspect was checked. Quite reasonable. Living where you do make sute you have it undersealed.
Donald F Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Thanks for suggestion. Vehicle has just been waxoyled. And will do it annually.
Picasso Posted October 8 Posted October 8 adrain flux has just upped my insurance from £650 last year to £950 no accidents or convictions full ncd 54 years old every where im phoning want over a £1000 looks like i will be getting rid of the alphard got to november the 6th to renew
Donald F Posted October 8 Posted October 8 Hi, Picasso. Not sure if yours is a camper or an MPV. I have 2 rows of seats and rear kitchen “ light conversion) and got insurance recently for £499 with 7,500 limited mileage and 3 named drivers. This with Caravan Guard.
smurf Posted October 8 Posted October 8 You may have one already, or might not wish to confirm or deny it on a public forum, but it may be worth looking into the discounts available for having a tracker installed.
Chris.ac Posted October 8 Posted October 8 3 hours ago, Picasso said: Hello Donald just standard alphard no conversion Please try Mark Richards, unless you already did. 1
Picasso Posted October 8 Posted October 8 I have insurance approved tracker and alarm also insurance approved dash cam not made difference to any insurance quotes cheers Chris already tried mark Richards £1100 postcode lottery I think
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