Modified Z3M Insurance?

philjwb · Post by **philjwb** » Thu 08 Sep, 2011 07:28

I'm very tempted by a Z3M with some modifications, but so far I can't find a reasonable insurance quote which is preventing me from purchasing the car.

I have a 2.8 Z3 at the moment with fully comp insurance through Aviva for £550. But all quotes I have got for the modified Z3M are well over £1K. The modifications seem to be adding about £400 to the premiums which seems excessive to me and I'm not prepared to pay this every year..

The current owner uses Footman Jones classic car policy for ~£500/year. But they say I need a garage to use this policy which unfortunately I don't have.

I've trued compare the market, but I don't think these search engines work well for modified cars. Can anyone recommend other insurers to try?

Cheers

Phil

G2JRP · Post by **G2JRP** » Thu 08 Sep, 2011 08:58

I use RH insurance in bretwood, my car is not modified but the cost is £250 a year on a classic policy, I found them very helpful.

http://www.rhclassicinsurance.co.uk/

01277 206911

Hope you find useful

stu · Post by **stu** » Thu 08 Sep, 2011 18:53

Try Adrian Flux. We've had our supercharged 2.8 with them for years and now have a modified 911 Turbo (550 bhp) also insured with them, for a lot less than £1k! We have clean licenses, oldies and live in countryside.

Post by **Robert T** » Thu 08 Sep, 2011 21:24

Just been doing the insurance saga myself...

Tried L "most of our drivers pay less than £350" V - my a***! They want £1080-ish...

Tried Adrian Flux - standard insurers had nothing better than my renewal price of £700 - said they would put me in a queue to be called back - they haven't called...

Tried M&S - my car is too modified for them to insure! - even though their page has sections for filling in bodykits and ridiculous performance mods - it didn't have hardtop or rollhoops - I just don't think they could be bothered working it out.

Finally went with Hastings Direct for just under £600 - but that is for 10,000 miles, business class 1 usage, protected no claims, legal protection and personal injury. Mods no problem and no extra. Only queried that the value I had given included the mods.

I still can't figure out insurance - the frog is heavily modified and is still only £170 for 3000 miles a year and is even covered for commuting!

Oh, and as for the modifications - I think mine is about the most standard zed on here!!!!!!

Cheers R.

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 09:27

What changes have you declared? I assumed your car was standard?

Adrian Flux are perhaps one of the bigger insurance companies able to deal with modified cars before looking at specialists like Footman James.

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 11:26

Rob, I pay £440 with LV for the ///M and live in the Big smoke without a garage and 3 points !!

My other cars are with RH Classics as previously mentioned, total for two Mustangs and a HotRod is £414 per year. You must have a daily to use.

Geoff H · Post by **Geoff H** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 11:35

Robert T wrote:Just been doing the insurance saga myself...

Tried L "most of our drivers pay less than £350" V - my a***! They want £1080-ish...

Tried Adrian Flux - standard insurers had nothing better than my renewal price of £700 - said they would put me in a queue to be called back - they haven't called...

Tried M&S - my car is too modified for them to insure! - even though their page has sections for filling in bodykits and ridiculous performance mods - it didn't have hardtop or rollhoops - I just don't think they could be bothered working it out.

Finally went with Hastings Direct for just under £600 - but that is for 10,000 miles, business class 1 usage, protected no claims, legal protection and personal injury. Mods no problem and no extra. Only queried that the value I had given included the mods.

I still can't figure out insurance - the frog is heavily modified and is still only £170 for 3000 miles a year and is even covered for commuting!

Oh, and as for the modifications - I think mine is about the most standard zed on here!!!!!!

Cheers R.

I know you recently fitted the roll hoops but as a lot of Z's have them from new I don't think it needs disclosing to the insurance company, as anyone looking at it would think its as it should be. You speced it with a Hard Top when you brought it new so its not really a mod. I would just declare no mod's when insuring it and see what price they come up with

Post by **Robert T** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 11:36

@c_w - the hardtop and the retrofitted OEM roll-hoops are the only real modifications to mine - technically the wheels and electric roof are factory fitted options, which I also declared. The quote I ran through Confused was for a standard car and then I called them up to make sure they were happy with the mods (none of the online forms I have used allow you declare either of them).

@gtf - I think my proximity to Manchester has a lot to do with it, plus my job is definitely weighted against. It would be interesting to see what restricting the mileage did - essentially at the moment it is unlimited and needs to be as I could feasibly find myself commuting to Edinburgh in the car, rather than going to work on the tram as I am at the moment.

@geoff - hardtop was fitted when the car was 6 months old.

Cheers R.

Geoff H · Post by **Geoff H** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 11:53

Like Gary I'm with LV and pay £233. I am older than you and only use it for pleasure as I don't work, but it is a 2.8. I think you are right about the Manchester area. I still think things like a Hard Top that could have been factory fitted shouldn't count as mods, Mods are what's done to your Frog as you said

stu · Post by **stu** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 19:59

1 year fully comp with Flux is £450 with protected NCB (12 years) - renewed today.

Don't know what we did different, but I think our Z has more mods than most?

Anyone know who Deano insures with?

Deano1712 · Post by **Deano1712** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 21:46

stu wrote:Anyone know who Deano insures with?

Yes I do

I'm with Flux too and its steep - £950 with 9 years NCB.

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 22:32

Yep ive just renewed with A Flux... There was cheaper quotes out there but none had as good cover.. Im 29
Mods declaired ( alloys, springs etc.. )
Full comp, PNC 9yrs.. Unlimited milage!!
free legal cover etc.. etc..
£500

dont forget insurance has gone up for everybody.. I payed 400 last year with churchill but their renewal wanted £480!!

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 22:32

Mouldy · Post by **Mouldy** » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 22:38

Geoff H wrote:. . . . . . . I still think things like a Hard Top that could have been factory fitted shouldn't count as mods, Mods are what's done to your Frog as you said

Some years ago my wife had an MG TF as a daily driver, which was insured through Churchills. If I remember correctly, the premium for the car at the time was about £350 per year.

Because it was used through the year, we sourced and bought a secondhand, colour matched hardtop to make it more comfortable through the winter months, so I notified the insurers and was asked for an additional £175 premium.

I asked why and was told that the hardtop made the car more desirable to would be thieves, hence the increased premium. I tried to argue that it would be more difficult to steal with the increased security and as the soft top was hidden away, it couldn't be vandalised so I should surely have a reduced premium. Needless to say, my protestations fell on deaf ears.

As I had renewed the insurance about a week previously, I used the cooling off period to find another insurer who still wanted an additional premium for the hardtop, but £100 istead of £175, so I cancelled my cover with Churchill (Oh yes!!!) and moved to Elephant.

At the end of the day, motor insurance is a minefield and cover costly, but I wouldn't want to risk having a claim refused because of non-disclosure of any modifications.

Brian H · Post by **Brian H** » Sat 10 Sep, 2011 07:56

For Info, I added my hardtop to my policy with directline at no cost, they just added it to the policy details.

philjwb · Post by **philjwb** » Mon 12 Sep, 2011 12:35

Thanks for your responses gents, I have tried a few of these companies without success so far, but had limited time over the weekend. I find this such a painful process though as each company has to ask so many questions - it just takes ages before the inevitable apology for not being able to meet the extortionate quote I already have.

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Mon 12 Sep, 2011 13:55

There all theives mate... Have u asked for a price for a standard M//? it maybe the mods that are against you.. Alot of good standard M//s forsale at the min!