I got my first bike, a Yamaha SR 125, back in March 2001. I was about 21 and fully comprehensive insurance was £800. (Picture included for comic effect)
In 2003, utterly frustrated by a vehicle that could only break the 60mph mark when travelling downhill with a strong trailing wind, I bought a (restricted) 600cc Suzuki Bandit. Although I had more experience and a growing no claims bonus, my insurance premiums fluctuated between €1,000 to €1,400 because the bike was more powerful and the cost of motor insurance in general increased across the board.
In March 2007, after a charming Taxi driver changed lanes without looking or indicating, I had my first accident. Although it looked pretty horrific, judging by the faces of onlookers who witnessed my 40mph 'two and a half somersaults with twist in the pike position' , the bike and I made it home with nothing more than bumps, bruises and some vital appendages stuck on with electrical tape. Shortly afterwards, I bought a new 800cc Honda VFR and, due to another sizeable increase in engine power (33bhp to 110bhp), my insurance jumped from €1400 to €2100 .
So... last month the insurance renewal form arrived asking for a mere €1,600 to insure myself and the bike for the year. Needless to say I was mucho happy to see my premium finally travelling in the right direction. In the course of "shopping around", I rang the good people in Quinn Direct who wanted just €800 to provide the same cover. Woo hoo! A saving of 50%. Then I called Adelaide Insurance in Norn Ireland - THEY wanted just €500. Fan-fucking-tastic!
So naturally, before accepting this wonderful offer (actually, thinking there must have been some miscalculation, I was tempted to accept it right away before they realised their mistake), I gave my own insurer's a quick call to see if they could compete on saving of roughly 69% (DON'T!).....
"Hmmm" said the gentleman on the other end of the line, "they quoted you how much?"
"€500"
"Oh - well we couldn't match that"
"I see"
"I could give you a 30% discount on your bike insurance if you have a private car insured with us?"
"Right, so if I go and buy a car that I don't need and will never drive..."
"Yes..."
"and I pay to insure it with you...."
"Yes..."
"You will give me a 30% discount on my motorbike insurance"
"Yes.."
"Which, leaving aside the money I have paid to buy and insure the car, will still be twice what Adelaide Insurance want to insure me"
"Correct"
"Ok, thanks for your time. Bye"
So, in summary,
Hoorah! for Adelaide Insurance!
Boo! to Irish insurance companies.
Tuesday 18 March 2008
Got my 'cycle outside, wanna try?
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3 comments:
Yay to shiny things, cheap insurance and the North!
Wow! I didn't know you could get insurance from the North to cover you in the south. When I had the Vespa insured there was only Carole Nash and Hibernian in the market and they were really feckin expensive...
Insurance is still pretty expensive
I know guys who are paying over 2k for third party insurance on relatively small, inexpensive bikes.
The good news is that the market is become more competitive - there are still Axa (took Hibernian's business) and Carole Nash (who I no longer bother calling as I don't keep the bike in a booby-trapped compound manned by a vicious guerilla army).
They have been joined by Quinn Direct and Adelaide.
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