[humph]

Well it's insurance renewal time again and got my usual reminder from my current insurer. Just to set the scene my details are

ME - Male, 32, clean license, 10+ years NCB, Bury (Lancs) postcode, Covering 20k a year including some business use.

CAR - Sept 06 Cooper Chili with JCW Sound kit and Aero kit, 17" bullets.

Annual premium for my previous Cooper, same spec apart from aero kit was £439. this stayed unchanged when I bought this new one in September. Expecting it to increase slightly I opened my renewal, £589 .
Phoned them up last night to question and to check whether this included the mods I had listed, sound kit was listed as performance filter exhaust and remap, on previous policy. Was on for over an hour while the lady on the phone went between me and their underwriters. Managed to convince them that the sound kit and aerokit were MINI approved modifications that did not increase the cars bhp, the main thing here is that they had been fitted by the dealer before delivery at new. These have now been included on the policy at no extra cost, they are listed in the policy notes. Great i thought my premium will come down, not quite. Earlier in the call she had asked whether I had upgraded any of the items in my Chili pack, we skipped it and she came back to it now. It turns out that because my car has the following 17" Bullets, "lowered" SSP+, and Sports Seats, which are upgrades from the standard Chili pack they have to be listed as mods. Resulting premium £610 .
The basic upshot is knock off the sound kit and aero kit and my quote comes down add some basic (and pretty common) chili pack items and it increases to an even higher rate .

Also spoke to Adrian Flux and Greenlight but here i asked to add aftermarket alloys, and Eibach springs. Adrian Flux £730 apparently due to the minimal business miles . Greenlight £570 but insist on having a tracking device fitted, which would make the annual cost even higher . It's a COOPER!!!!, What's going on?

My quest for reason and sense when it comes to insurance continues.

[Will_'S']

I would suggest tryin egg they're who i use

[humph]

OK MINI Insurance this time. Got an online quote for a standard Cooper 'Works' figured that even if it was the 130 bhp kit I would be well within it's boundaries, £470 ish. Great phone up and declare my Aero kit as it's not an option available online, £780 plus a £200 increase in the excess. £310 for adding an aero kit

[Will_'S']

Quote: Originally Posted by Humph (original)

OK MINI Insurance this time. Got an online quote for a standard Cooper 'Works' figured that even if it was the 130 bhp kit I would be well within it's boundaries, £470 ish. Great phone up and declare my Aero kit as it's not an option available online, £780 plus a £200 increase in the excess. £310 for adding an aero kit

i got qouted for a gp 950 ish on mini insurance went to egg 817 or tescos arn't bad

[Rakey]

might be worth trying Budget, but those prices are silly, your nearly paying the same as me with my JCW MCSC, and I have 6 points

[humph]

Quote: Originally Posted by Will_'S' (original)

i got qouted for a gp 950 ish on mini insurance went to egg 817 or tescos arn't bad

Morning Will. have just tried Egg. Their website is exactly the same as MINI insurance and the online quote came out remarkably similar so I can only assume that Egg use UK insurance too.

Quote: Originally Posted by Gene Hunt (original)

might be worth trying Budget, but those prices are silly, your nearly paying the same as me with my JCW MCSC, and I have 6 points

Silly they are. I am used to paying more than most due to the mileage I do and my companies requirement that we insure our car for business (we have to submit copies of the certs).
Have been back on to Greenlight and they can't do anything better apparently, so it would be an additional £450 for a tracker + subscription. Does include the option to add new alloys and Eibachs though.
Adrian Flux went through the quote with me, we dropped the amount of business miles I declared (and upped the personal so total was still the same) and they quoted me £560 if I join an owners club with a membership number . This quote doesn't require a tracker being as my car already has a CAT 1 alarm and will allow me to add new alloys and Eibachs at no extra charge. Getting better.

Oh and how about a quote of £3000+ from a supposed modified car specialist.

[Rakey]

I do about 20000 a year, and I'm insured for business too, as I have submit a copy to work too

Also we're of similar age, so thats why I'm a bit shocked at what its coming out at considering I have the same kind of NCD but also have points, makes mine look pretty good in fact.

[humph]

Cheers mate that is interesting.


<-------------Leaves to try budget.

[Jon Chalk]

Quote: Originally Posted by Humph (original)

It turns out that because my car has the following 17" Bullets, "lowered" SSP+, and Sports Seats, which are upgrades from the standard Chili pack they have to be listed as mods.

Cr*p - It took me ages to convince my insurer (Directline) that the Soundkit was BMW sanctioned & fitted - in the end "we" agreed that £3 / month increase to cover a nominal maximum of 10% performance gain (I wish!) was acceptable to both - in fact I thought this was a pretty good deal.

I never even thought to tell them about 17" Web-spokes upgrade from Chili, even though already on & fitted from new when I bought Cooper ex-demo.

I dread to think what it'll go up to if I tell them about the wheels.

[humph]

Cooperama, I too was paying a premium for my soundkit and expected to when i specced it. What anoyed me was that the insurance companies all recognise the S works these days but not the Soundkit. Asked really as I figured out that if it went on as a BMW option it would cost less than if it was flagged up as a mod. And it did until the Chili pack options were mentioned.
It is worrying that every insurance company seems to have different policies with regards the options available on MINI's but don't let us know? This is the first time I've been charged for having 17" alloys, there was no mention of it when i set the original policy up online, just the option of Cooper Chili.

By the way budget want £800 for straight Cooper works with aerokit, or £930 if I want to add aftermarket alloys. But cheers anyway.

[Jon Chalk]

Best of luck with it - I am now shying away from doing any more mods that might give insurers pause for thought - can't face the hassle, particularly if I ever need to claim.

[humph]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cooperama (original)

Best of luck with it - I am now shying away from doing any more mods that might give insurers pause for thought - can't face the hassle, particularly if I ever need to claim.

i'm pretty happy with the quote from Adrian flux now especially as it takes into account two mods I haven't done yet, can get them sorted now. Don't forget I do pay a higher premium for high mileage (that always has a big effect). If you modify my advice would be to make sure you get an insurance quote first and speak to the company on the phone. Online is no good, you need to make sure they fully understand what you've done and what effect it has had.

Still waiting for a few more to come in.

[humph]

Just had a quote for a GP (just out of interest) £730. Just go to prove that after market mods can be expensive things to insure.


Wonder if I can change my 5 week old Cooper works for a GP without the missus noticing

[Will_'S']

Quote: Originally Posted by Humph (original)

Just had a quote for a GP (just out of interest) £730. Just go to prove that after market mods can be expensive things to insure.


Wonder if I can change my 5 week old Cooper for a GP without the missus noticing

Sorry i got bowkers last one 730 were'd you get that best i got so far is 820

[humph]

Quote: Originally Posted by Will_'S' (original)

Sorry i got bowkers last one 730 were'd you get that best i got so far is 820

Just put all my details into confused.com. Cheapest insurer was kwik fit who were about £200 cheaper than nearest quote, with smaller excess as well.

[Jon Chalk]

How do they feel about all the "minor" mods, Humph?

I've found that the online comparisons can ask vague questions, give you an attractive, low quote, then tell you you've got to ring to give them the details, at which point you end up in the sort of loop you described in an earlier post.