Hi, would there be any interest in approaching car insurance companies for
their best deal on MX5 packages for club members (I don't know if it's
possible, but it never hurts to ask them).
If you're like me, and buy another MX5, you may find the insurance companies
are getting stricter. My insurer, AMI, has said the car is a high risk, and
needs a dual immobiliser system, installed by a certified technician. The
installers, Abtec, have said some insurance companies will now only accept
5-star systems on high-risk cars. If I pick a 4-star system, then I will
limit my selection of insurance companies in the future.
AMI and I also went through the conversation about does it have a soft-top
or hard-top (to which I replied both, and either one, or none at all, could
be in use). That required several talks with supervisors, and an agreement
that a larger excess will apply, if a claim results with the soft top in use
(no mention of no top at all though).
The policy also says, to notify them about significant changes such as
accessories and modifications. This is something most MX5 owners are into,
so I wish we could have some clarity over that too.
So, who's interested ?
Regards,
Mike - Wellington / Upper Hutt MX5 Club Co-ordinator
http://www.mx5club.org.nz/events/wellington/
04-970-9709 (home), 021-631-731, (text/cell)
Wellington, NZ
MX5 Car Insurance
-
Grant
- Need, more, 5-ing, time....
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 9:41 pm
- Location: Sunny Blenheim
MX5 Car Insurance
Not sure how practical this would be due to the wide variation around the
country, even within the same companies.
We are insured with AMI also and were asked 3 questions...
1. What capacity engine?
2. How many doors?
3. How much did I pay for it?
That was it. When others brought up the subject of soft tops and separate
excess needed, I enquired at the local AMI office and they said they didn't
care if it had a soft top or not and it had no influence over cost of
insurance. No added excess was required. When asked about an alarm system
(with dual immobiliser) and would it affect the premiums, they said no but
if the alarm was set when the vehicle was stolen then any excess would be
waived. Not sure how you prove this though!
The car is regularly parked in town with the top down with the alarm, with a
microwave sensor, set. Obviously nothing loose inside that can be removed
easily. The boot release from within the centre arm rest has been disabled.
Our insurance costs about $220 for $8,000 cover. All drivers are now over
25. It had been costing us an extra $35 to have our under 25 yr old insured
in it.
Grant
country, even within the same companies.
We are insured with AMI also and were asked 3 questions...
1. What capacity engine?
2. How many doors?
3. How much did I pay for it?
That was it. When others brought up the subject of soft tops and separate
excess needed, I enquired at the local AMI office and they said they didn't
care if it had a soft top or not and it had no influence over cost of
insurance. No added excess was required. When asked about an alarm system
(with dual immobiliser) and would it affect the premiums, they said no but
if the alarm was set when the vehicle was stolen then any excess would be
waived. Not sure how you prove this though!
The car is regularly parked in town with the top down with the alarm, with a
microwave sensor, set. Obviously nothing loose inside that can be removed
easily. The boot release from within the centre arm rest has been disabled.
Our insurance costs about $220 for $8,000 cover. All drivers are now over
25. It had been costing us an extra $35 to have our under 25 yr old insured
in it.
Grant
Red 2006 NC Tiptronic
FIX A PC
FIX A PC
-
Matt Camp
MX5 Car Insurance
Get it in writing.
Like you, I asked AMI verbally when I bought the car about a seperate
excess for the soft-top, and was told there was no special excess.
However, when it got slashed last month, all of a sudden I was liable
for a $750 excess, instead of my normal $250.
I bitched at them a LOT over this, and eventually ended up speaking to
the manager of the Albert St branch who assured me that it is standard
AMI policy to have at LEAST a $750 excess on damage to a soft top of any
car, regardless of no-claims discount, etc. He told me I was lucky it
was only $750 as normally it is much higher (I had 5-years claim-free,
full 60% no claims discount).
Any future soft-top related claims would be $1250 excess.
So I changed to NZI, who's managers assure me there is no such thing,
and who have provided me with excellent clear policy documentation,
unlike the AMI stuff.
AMI were also total asshats about the whole thing, asking Al if he
thought I might have slashed my own 2-month-old robbins roof, and then
trying to convince Al to replace my nice Robbins-with-Glass roof with an
old standard one... thankfully he refused... so they stalled on the
documentation for several days, leaving my car stuck there, while
fobbing both me and Al off.
NZI have been a pleasure to deal with so far, although I haven't
claimed, so hard to say for sure.
The Simpsons wrote:
[...]
Like you, I asked AMI verbally when I bought the car about a seperate
excess for the soft-top, and was told there was no special excess.
However, when it got slashed last month, all of a sudden I was liable
for a $750 excess, instead of my normal $250.
I bitched at them a LOT over this, and eventually ended up speaking to
the manager of the Albert St branch who assured me that it is standard
AMI policy to have at LEAST a $750 excess on damage to a soft top of any
car, regardless of no-claims discount, etc. He told me I was lucky it
was only $750 as normally it is much higher (I had 5-years claim-free,
full 60% no claims discount).
Any future soft-top related claims would be $1250 excess.
So I changed to NZI, who's managers assure me there is no such thing,
and who have provided me with excellent clear policy documentation,
unlike the AMI stuff.
AMI were also total asshats about the whole thing, asking Al if he
thought I might have slashed my own 2-month-old robbins roof, and then
trying to convince Al to replace my nice Robbins-with-Glass roof with an
old standard one... thankfully he refused... so they stalled on the
documentation for several days, leaving my car stuck there, while
fobbing both me and Al off.
NZI have been a pleasure to deal with so far, although I haven't
claimed, so hard to say for sure.
The Simpsons wrote:
[...]
-
Grant
- Need, more, 5-ing, time....
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 9:41 pm
- Location: Sunny Blenheim
MX5 Car Insurance
They know it is a convertible and is left with the top down. This was not a
problem to them. Obviously it pays to live in a small town
Obviously we would not leave it like this in a city or car parking building
anywhere else.
Grant
problem to them. Obviously it pays to live in a small town
Obviously we would not leave it like this in a city or car parking building
anywhere else.
Grant
Red 2006 NC Tiptronic
FIX A PC
FIX A PC
-
Phil
MX5 Car Insurance
A quick comment... Your policy may include a clause or 'obligation' stating
that the vehicle must be securely locked when unattended. Having the roof
down probably doesn't constitute 'securely locked'. 'Unattended' may mean
something like out of your direct control or sight; i.e., you nip into the
dairy and someone nicks your MX5 parked outside with the top down. Claim
declined, sorry...
I understand that your car has a decent alarm... Who takes note of an alarm
going off? Are you within earshot of your alarm? If the car was stolen by a
tow-wagon who's actually a car thief, would the insurance respond if you
haven't complied with the policy conditions and obligations???
Check your obligations under your policy.
that the vehicle must be securely locked when unattended. Having the roof
down probably doesn't constitute 'securely locked'. 'Unattended' may mean
something like out of your direct control or sight; i.e., you nip into the
dairy and someone nicks your MX5 parked outside with the top down. Claim
declined, sorry...
I understand that your car has a decent alarm... Who takes note of an alarm
going off? Are you within earshot of your alarm? If the car was stolen by a
tow-wagon who's actually a car thief, would the insurance respond if you
haven't complied with the policy conditions and obligations???
Check your obligations under your policy.
-
Phil
MX5 Car Insurance
Weird.
If there's nothing on the schedule and nothing in the wording regarding
higher excess for damage to soft top, they can't impose one at claim time.
The schedule and wording are the legally binding contract... At renewal,
they could impose a higher excess, but they can't just dream up a figure
when you claim!!
Send them a letter seeking $500 back and advise that you'll complain to the
insurance ombudsman. Then do it!! Or get someone like Holmes to slag them
off on Prime to half the nation.
Also weird with NZI... When I bought a policy with them some years ago,
they imposed a higher excess for malicious damage to the soft top. Note that
the higher excess would apply only to malicious damage... Standard lower
excess would apply if vehicle stolen and entry had been gained through soft
top.
Talking of entry through the soft top, if you slide your hand down the side
of the rear window and work at it, you can unzip the window, get on the boot
and swing yourself into the car. No damage to soft top..!! I know; I did
this when I locked the keys inside, dammit..!
If there's nothing on the schedule and nothing in the wording regarding
higher excess for damage to soft top, they can't impose one at claim time.
The schedule and wording are the legally binding contract... At renewal,
they could impose a higher excess, but they can't just dream up a figure
when you claim!!
Send them a letter seeking $500 back and advise that you'll complain to the
insurance ombudsman. Then do it!! Or get someone like Holmes to slag them
off on Prime to half the nation.
Also weird with NZI... When I bought a policy with them some years ago,
they imposed a higher excess for malicious damage to the soft top. Note that
the higher excess would apply only to malicious damage... Standard lower
excess would apply if vehicle stolen and entry had been gained through soft
top.
Talking of entry through the soft top, if you slide your hand down the side
of the rear window and work at it, you can unzip the window, get on the boot
and swing yourself into the car. No damage to soft top..!! I know; I did
this when I locked the keys inside, dammit..!
-
Phil
MX5 Car Insurance
Hmph. Car wouldn't last 5 secs in Auckland. 
From chris.tankard@aderant.com Fri Apr 27 17:12:18 2007
Content-class: urn:content-classes:message
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Subject: RE: MX5 Car Insurance
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 08:58:28 +1300
Thread-Topic: MX5 Car Insurance
thread-index: AcUOd0rZ62eAeBaQQI2cPJzX9jd2YwAaYMWQ
From: "Chris Tankard" <chris.tankard@aderant.com>
To: "MX5List" <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Precedence: list
Message-ID: <qWV58D.A.Jt.RdYMGB@L733>
Had the same thing happen to me, where some little sh*t slashed my roof
to steal a gear knob. ($1100 damage for a $60 part). It wasn't even a
Voodoo!
I also had a $250 excess. I was told that it was $750 as they had not
attempted to steal the vehicle, and that this was the excess for theft
from the vehicle - and that I had the item in plain sight (well, dugh).
This was thru my banks insurance - (BNZ) - I am unsure who the
underwriters were.
You could try Holmes, but from what I have seen in the rankings only 4
people actually watch his new show on Prime. So best writing to Matt
Goring (spelling?) and getting a guest gripe on the Simpson's.
C
From chris.tankard@aderant.com Fri Apr 27 17:12:18 2007
Content-class: urn:content-classes:message
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Subject: RE: MX5 Car Insurance
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 08:58:28 +1300
Thread-Topic: MX5 Car Insurance
thread-index: AcUOd0rZ62eAeBaQQI2cPJzX9jd2YwAaYMWQ
From: "Chris Tankard" <chris.tankard@aderant.com>
To: "MX5List" <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Precedence: list
Message-ID: <qWV58D.A.Jt.RdYMGB@L733>
Had the same thing happen to me, where some little sh*t slashed my roof
to steal a gear knob. ($1100 damage for a $60 part). It wasn't even a
Voodoo!
I also had a $250 excess. I was told that it was $750 as they had not
attempted to steal the vehicle, and that this was the excess for theft
from the vehicle - and that I had the item in plain sight (well, dugh).
This was thru my banks insurance - (BNZ) - I am unsure who the
underwriters were.
You could try Holmes, but from what I have seen in the rankings only 4
people actually watch his new show on Prime. So best writing to Matt
Goring (spelling?) and getting a guest gripe on the Simpson's.
C
-
Graeme H
MX5 Car Insurance
I keep my gear knob covered with a casually placed hat.
Graeme H
[...]
Graeme H
[...]
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests
