Print

[w3526602]

Hi,

Some time ago, I raised the subject of all motor vehicles needing insurance, even on private ground, even if a pile of bits locked in your garage.

today, I found this, which covers part of what I raised. It does not dispell the suggestion (not mine) that a pile of bits will require insurance. Or even a V5 with no vehicle.

Discuss! Can anyone find any other information?

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/auto-motor/proposed-changes-to-motor-insurance-rules-hit-roadblocks-101814.aspx

602

[w3526602]

Hi,

Why just motor vehicles? Why not compulsry insurance for bicycles and prams ... and roller skates ... and tobogans. Let's make it simple ... require everybody to have 3rd Party insurance, blanket cover, even when walking. Er ... I'll get my coat!

602

[Bradley66]

That article is dated May 2018 , given what is likely to happen at the end of this month Im not sure it is of any concern .

[w3526602]

Hi Bradley,

I think that when I read my house insurance policy (first house, so 1968ish), it covered 3rd party risks ... except for motor vehicles.

Way back in the 1950s, one of the blanket bicycle clubs (something like Cycling Union. ) offered TPO cover to cyclists for £2 per year, which was 10% of Dad's weekly wage (foreman tool-maker at the Ford Axle Plant on Croydon Aerodrome). (In 1967, an RAF corporal, married and "living out", just nudged over the £1,000pa barrier. Barbara managed to save over £2,000 in the 26 months we were in Malaya. in 1972, a Clerical Officer in the civil Service earned £1200 pa.

Pro Rata, what would it cost for TPO bike insurance today? Would children (under 16) require insurance? What about kids on electric bikes? (I'm not sure if kids may ride electric bikes ... and be forced to repay debts, including injury compensation claims. )

602

PS, Historical interest. When I was a lad, the cheapest vehicle to insure was a motor-cycle /side-car "combination". In those days, a
provisional licence holder could drive a combination, on L-plates, with his wife on the pillion, and three kids in the "chair" , with no requirement for any of them to hold a full licence. That ceased with DVLC issued licences.

Mike Worthington Williams' first vehicle was a 1000cc motor-cycle combination, which had previously been a TAXI in West Wales.

[w3526602]

Hi,

I've mentioned this before ...

07.30 hours, dark, windy, and chucking down with rain. I'm still in bed, Barbara on herb way to work in Bristol. Phone rings ...

Barbara insisting that I write down the registration of the lorry she is chasing ... an artic that had passed her on the inside, swiped the side of her SAAB with it's tail lift ... and hadn't stopped. OK, the driver was probably unaware of what was going on forty or fifty feet behind his cab.

Barbara turned for home, then stopped when she saw a police car parked on his dedicated stretch of grass verge. Asked for advice. Plod said that as she had no front lamps, she should call for a recovery truck. Plod uttered a mighty oath when the recovery truck arrived in less than half an hour (Britannia are good like that).

By this time I had phoned the supermarket transport manager, who said not to worry.

Barbara arrived home, SAAB parked in the road. Insurance Assessor arrived, declared the SAAb a write off. Offered us £250, but suggested that we produced evidence r=that it was worth more, as their book did not go back to 1971. They confirmed that the tax disc belonged to Barbara, so cash it in.

We copied the relevant page out of Prat Clacs, found similar cars on ebay, and got the local SAAB specialist (who knew the car) to give his valuation.  We settled for £750.

Now we come to the tragic bit. The suoermarket insured themselves, or rather, had deposited cash with the Attorney General. They ignored all letters. Eventually, LV took them to court (only they didn't turn up). Judgement in our favour. LV reinstated Barbara's NCD, and refunded the "first £100". I don't know if LV actually got any cash from the suoermarket. 

Last time I looked, you can deposit ... er ... now ... £1,000,000 with the Attorney General, in lieu of therd party insurance, I'm guessing that that deposit covers the whole fleet.

According to the Highway Code, it IS permissable to undertake a line of slower moving traffic. Personally, I would like to see what the small print has to say on the matter. Do we still have a Resident Plod? I haven't seen any mail from him for a long time. It might be that you can pass on the inside provided you don't change lanes before or after passing. Comments please?

602

PS Barbara was very worried by lorries on her nearside, for several weeks. Same when she found out that no engine means no servo brakes, and had to choose head on into a lorry coming up the hill, or drive over a 100ft cliff. She chose the cliff ... got caught by a tree. How many tyro drivers know about servos and dead engines? is there a hydraulic equivalent of air brakes ... no engine means you don't move Probably not ... but should there be? Could there be, easily?

[hobson]

my bike insurance has the caption, ' if your insurance carries a garage clause then you will  not be insured  for theft if between the hours of 10pm and 6am it is at or near your garage and not secured therein' something similar anyway, I have no issue with the word 'AT' pretty self explanatory  I do have issue with the word 'NEAR'
I have tried to get the word 'NEAR' defined without success so I have now contacted the ombudsman for his interpretation of it, absolute can of worms the interpretation by an insurance company could easily be beyond comprehension. kind regards

[2286]

Without being contentious wont we have ceased to be a member state by the time this is made full legislation?

[Wittsend]

Maybe - but there's nothing to stop the insurance companies adopting what ever policy clauses they like

We've discussed this topic before (and before) - and it's a non-starter and it ain't going happen here, despite what I just posted.

Your household policy will cover you for the remote possibility of miscellaneous items in your possession harming 3rd parties.

Meanwhile we have more urgent worries.

There is a good chance of an asteroid (2019 SU3 of some size) hitting the Earth in September 2084 - make sure you keep up with your insurance payments.


 

[w3526602]

Hi Witsend,


One more query from me, then I'll drop the subject.

Insurance proposals ask "Have you had any accidents or claims within the last five years" I have always assumed this referred to motor vehicle claims, as a check on my ability to drive safely.

But recently, it seems, the insurers have become interested in "Repeat Claimers". I have never had a third party claim made against me, though I did claim against Barbara when her SAAB ran amok, and wrote of my Disco. You've seen the pictures.

But should I inform my insurers (same company) about the £15,000 claim, following a leaking pipe?  I think, arguably ... er ...YES. My car insurance did seem to rise appreciably .. or maybe it was just the move to MK?

602

PS. I will next be posting a mail, concerning the "end of the month" if you consider it too political, I won't be offended if you remove it, or some of it.