|
|
Jun 24, 2020 13:26:39 GMT
|
Hello
I’ve been looking for some time now for a mk3 or mk3.5 Golf cabrio and it has been quite difficult to find one in budget, within a reasonable distance at the right time.
However, i recently located one on eBay, just down the road from me- perfect!
But, on ringing my insurers, Sky, who insure my daily and who I cant recommend enough, I've been told I’m uninsurable on it....
Now this is something I have encountered before when I was looking last year. Some of these Golf Cabrios were eye wateringly expensive to insure, some didn’t even come up with quotes. That’s from various insurers and comparison sites.
It’s really killing my enthusiasm for getting a second car, and all I want to do with it is a bit of weekend driving with the mrs.
Every insurance rep I’ve dealt with can’t understand why the insurance is so expensive, or unobtainable And I wondered if anyone on here knew? My daily insurance is reasonable, and these old Golf Cabrios are pretty old, not quite old enough to be classics just yet in the eyes of most, not that desirable compared to earlier and later ones, and not powerful or fast. Is spec/ engine size a likely issue?
And with that being the case, could anyone advise on what model I should be looking for?
To illustrate my point I recently got two quotes for two cars from the same insurance provider;
Car 1- ‘S’ reg 1998 Golf Mk3.5 Cabrio, 1.8 S (manual windows and hood): £500 to insure
Car 2- ‘Y’ reg 2001 Golf Mk3.5 Cabrio, 2.0 Avantegarde (electric everything): uninsurable
I really don’t care for the spec- I just want one where the roof goes down, and I would buy the S reg one, but it’s at the other end of the country.
My question is what is it that is making finding an incurable one so difficult, and what should I be looking for? Or can anyone recommend their insurers to me? As you may find in the ‘wanted’ section, I’ve been after one of these for what feels like forever...!
Thanks for reading, any help or constructive feedback appreciated! (I.e don’t tell me to go and buy the S reg one- if I had the means to do that, I would have already! Thank you!!!)
Alex
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 14:13:11 GMT
|
There are a number of variables with insurance which they will look at as a whole. Age, driving record, location and vehicle. Have you tried a comparison site and put a low annual mileage down, if your missus drives put her on as a named driver, will it be garaged, tracker or similar. When i insure my non-dailies including a Porsche Boxster I put in that I have no no-claims and they ask about other vehicles owned and insured where I have NCB back to the construction of Noah's Ark, they then make a risk adjustments also its a limited mileage SDP with no commuting etc etc.
Going online comparison site saved me money over the quote I had direct from the same insurer who when I rang them matched the price over the phone just to keep targets up.
|
|
Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
|
|
Phil H
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,448
Club RR Member Number: 133
|
Why can’t I get insured?Phil H
@philhoward
Club Retro Rides Member 133
|
Jun 24, 2020 14:14:08 GMT
|
Age of car is the only thing that jumps out. Over 20 years old they get cheaper - or so I’ve found.
Similar with me - start of last year had a 1997 Range Rover - about £180 as a second car through a “specialist 4x4 underwriter policy”. Changed a few months later to a 2003 Frontera (to lower fuel costs) - they couldn’t even quote. Still a 4x4, lower group, considerably slower and less desirable to pinch but “computer said no”.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 14:22:11 GMT
|
My '88 Scirocco got me quotes , with mods declared, from £132 to £10000+ Sometimes I think they just don't want the business for whatever reason.
|
|
Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 15:02:59 GMT
|
You don't quote your age / driving history / points no points / where you will store the car / how many miles you plan to use the car for per annum / If its SDP / business use etc all of which have an effect against the risks that a underwriter will take into account - its not just the vehicle - its the drivers that make use of it and where its's used even peoples occupations can make a huge difference to premium rating / cost - its also a convertible which makes it slightly easier to nick and it has no structural roof to protect the occupants of the vehicle should it ever become inverted in a accident therefore the injuries could be far more serious - if the cost is troubling you then look for different convertible with a lower insurance banding rating - there are so many variables when it comes to motor insurance it could well be that there are more recorded accidents with a certain model type but it could equally be down some unknown obscure reasoning by the underwriter
|
|
Last Edit: Jun 24, 2020 15:04:14 GMT by Deleted
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 15:32:01 GMT
|
Thanks for all replies.
I’m very aware that there are lots of variables when it comes to car insurance. I’ve worked in the motor trade for the best part of 15 years, and have dealt with insurers for a good part of it as a damage assessor. I’ve owned and insured plenty of different cars in that time, as well as spent some time as a private trader.
My question wasn’t directly about why I couldn’t get insurance in general, because I don’t really have issues in general with it, but why these particular cars (Golf Cabrios) are either not insurable for me, or the ones that are have such a major gap between quoted premiums.
My work daily is a TDI Mk4 Golf, I’ve got a new TSI Polo on a lease and I also have a Mk3 Escort on a classic policy. All of these are completely affordable for me to insure and run.
I’ve not quoted my entire driving history and my circs on here because I didn’t feel it relevant. My question was more around, based on people’s experience, is there an effect that the vehicles age (even within a finite model run, i.e. the Mk3.5 Golf), engine size or spec level would have on a models insurability? -Phil H, your experience with the Range vs Frontera seems to make sense here...
And off the back of that, if there are any old Golf Cabrio drivers on here, where do you go for your insurance?
Hope that clears up the question a little bit.
Alex
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 15:54:32 GMT
|
There is an element of pot luck with this in my experience, down to the individual car. My daily Mercedes costs £100 more a year than any other on the road, £100 more than entering the details manually or entering the reg of an identical car. No idea why.
|
|
|
|
|
Why can’t I get insured?ballbagbagins
@ballbagbagins
Club Retro Rides Member 164
|
Jun 24, 2020 15:56:20 GMT
|
maybe a big bump in one would likely result in a write off due to lack of parts? And there may not be enough left on the road to arrive at a agreed value?
Ask the insurer when you ring up, they may tell you.
|
|
|
|
|
Why can’t I get insured?accord83
@accord83
Club Retro Rides Member 51
|
Jun 24, 2020 16:06:12 GMT
|
I have a 92 Golf Clipper Cabrio auto, (Clifford alarm/immobiliser/Blackjack system fitted), insured with my Mk1 Escort, 1300 Sport mechs plus declared mods. by Hagarty, £295. 1500 miles each, The Golf increased my policy from a P6 V8 by about £100. and costs me almost double what the Escort is on its own.
|
|
74 Mk1 Escort 1360, 1971 Vauxhall Victor SL2000 Estate.
|
|
stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,926
Club RR Member Number: 174
|
Why can’t I get insured?stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
|
Jun 24, 2020 16:19:40 GMT
|
The MK3 Golf might still be falling into banger territory for insurers. The cost of insuring low/no value stuff has gone ridiculous since bangernomics became a known thing. Try asking a specialist about insuring it with modifications it usually brings the price down a lot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 16:39:33 GMT
|
Thanks for the further replies- yeah I can see how the bangernomics thing could be affecting premiums, and that’s purely the reason I want one. If I was buying a forever car, I’d be going for a Mk1 Golf Cabrio. I just want some cheap convertible fun, and I’m a VW man. The Mk3/3.5 represents a cheap starting point with little risk (to me, not insurers, evidently).
I only ever insure low value cars as third party, which is why I’m doing here. Though that’s a good point raised about insuring it as modified rather than standard. I will make some more phone calls tomorrow and see if a change of wheels and exhaust would help me out.
I believe that my next steps with looking for cars will be to look for 20 years old or more, and the 1.8 rather than the 2.0.
Thanks for all the good advice and replies so far!
Alex
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 16:52:09 GMT
|
I'm always fully comp as its often no more expensive at all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 17:40:16 GMT
|
There is an element of pot luck with this in my experience, down to the individual car. My daily Mercedes costs £100 more a year than any other on the road, £100 more than entering the details manually or entering the reg of an identical car. No idea why. That sounds like a case for getting a quote based on car detals from a comparison site and then quoting that to insurers when you call up. Most of the time they're obliged to match the quote provided online providing you haven't lied on the details. One individual car being more expensive than any others of the same type. Complete curse word.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 17:58:31 GMT
|
There is an element of pot luck with this in my experience, down to the individual car. My daily Mercedes costs £100 more a year than any other on the road, £100 more than entering the details manually or entering the reg of an identical car. No idea why. That sounds like a case for getting a quote based on car detals from a comparison site and then quoting that to insurers when you call up. Most of the time they're obliged to match the quote provided online providing you haven't lied on the details. One individual car being more expensive than any others of the same type. Complete curse word. Sadly not, that's from calling the insurers directly. It was the same with the 3 I tried. Same with price comparison sites, most just wouldn't quote for that particular reg number... James
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 18:11:56 GMT
|
Perhaps its that particular car then with other issues, find some other cars and use those reg numbers to get an idea
|
|
|
|
brachunky
Scotland
Posts: 1,329
Club RR Member Number: 72
|
Why can’t I get insured?brachunky
@brachunky
Club Retro Rides Member 72
|
Jun 24, 2020 18:18:44 GMT
|
In a world where "transparency" is so often touted, why oh why are the insurance companies so shady or non compliant when challenged? Just as we are required to provide proper honest information to them, they should be compelled to provide legitimate responses and where necessary,reasons when questioned by the buying public when asked. Some might say it's to protect their business interests but we are required by law to buy these products and have little choice but to abide by their rules and non disclosure of certain information. The business may have been investigated for proper conduct some time back (which they managed to satisfy the investigation)but I believe the industry is far from fair with the public.
Yes I know it's a rant but sometimes it feels to me like a government backed ripoff industry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 18:31:54 GMT
|
Try Aviva i just had something very similar to you i changed my daily to a slower vehicle to what i had before nothing fancy or worth anything. and was getting out of this world quotes or told they wont insure me for no reason. tried comparison sites and i even rung round performance company's. no one could say why. tried aviva online and got a quote £100 less than my current daily and then added my dad and went down another tenner. go fully comp on the quote it will be cheaper than third party
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 18:48:47 GMT
|
Precisely. Captive market means you can't rely on market forces to pressure companies into honest practice. There's something fishy going on when you compare prices here against insurance over the pond in Europe (much, much more affordable. Especially for younger drivers). Was speaking with some friends and they were boggled by the £2k insurance a lot of young people are saddled with these days. This was wuite a diverse group, with Germans, Frenchmen, Dutchmen, a Belgian, a Spaniard and a Hungarian.
The UK has the third lowest road traffic fatality rate in Europe. It's tricky to find comparable data for non-fatal crashes between countries due to recording practices, but fatality rate is used as a proxy for road safety in terms of policy-setting. By that logic, the UK should certainly have one of the lower insurance rates in Europe, not one of the highest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 18:51:19 GMT
|
That sounds like a case for getting a quote based on car detals from a comparison site and then quoting that to insurers when you call up. Most of the time they're obliged to match the quote provided online providing you haven't lied on the details. One individual car being more expensive than any others of the same type. Complete curse word. Sadly not, that's from calling the insurers directly. It was the same with the 3 I tried. Same with price comparison sites, most just wouldn't quote for that particular reg number... James Don't use the reg number to get the quote. Input your car make, model and year into a comparison website. Get a quote for your car's make and model. Follow that quote through to speak to the company, and they should honour it as it's a quote they signed up to. You can do it entirely online as well I think.
|
|
|
|
Paul
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,944
|
|
Jun 24, 2020 20:19:39 GMT
|
I only ever insure low value cars as third party, which is why I’m doing here. Alex Most - if not all - my cars are insured fully comp as it's usually cheaper...I was told by one broker that this is due to the industry slowly moving towards phasing out 3rd party insurance altogether.
|
|
|
|
|