Off Road Motorcycle Insurance - Affecting Car Insurance?

[madbikez]

Hi All,

 

Just after some advise on the current situation and if anyone had been in the same situation as myself.

 

I had a Bete Evo 300cc 2015 Trials bike stolen in September 2016, this was insured through a well known high street insurer. When insured the trials bike I explained that it was for off road use and had no v5 or any road lights. Plus also no key for ignition. The trials bike was used for off road practice and competition.

 

When the trials bike got stolen I went through the general routine ie informing police, issued with crime number and also informing the Insurance company.

 

 A few weeks the later the claim was successful and paid the near full amount by the insurance company. This was the end of the mater in regards to the claim.

 

I purchased a new car after riding the sport for many years, when I went to insure the vehicle I did not mention anything to do with a claim previously because the trials bike was off road and had no v5.

 

When insurance policy for the car it went all okay ie deposit paid ect and then 4 Days later I got a message and email from the car insurance explaining that the policy will be cancelled on the 24/11/2016 due to a claim made in September 2016 on a Trials bike.

 

I myself was obviously shocked, so i called the car insurance company up and they explained that along the line some one has put a generic number plate against it and classed it as a motor vehicle.

I was told by the car insurance company I would have to contact the motorbike insurance company where the claim was made.

 

So I then contacted the motorbike insurance company and explained what has gone on, I also mentioned that some one may have inputted the insurance details incorrectly. The insurance company are saying the claim was put through as Motor Vehicle. My argument with the insurance company was it is not a motor vehicle because is not roadworthy ie no key, no v5, no registration plate and no lights. The company was not having any of this and couldn't really give me an answer. There get out clause is *Motor Vehicle*.

 

Just wondering if anyone has had the same issue or any advice.

 

Shoudld a off road Motorcylce claim effect car insurance?

 

Cheers All

 

 

 

 

 

[2stroke4stroke]

The legal definition of a motor vehicle was tightened up a few years ago so the authorities could deal with those using them on private land etc as previously they had slipped through the net by claiming that they were not using a motor vehicle due to it not being registered.

Edited November 19, 2016 by 2stroke4stroke

[suzuki250]

I think a motor vehicle is a fair description

 

[dpyam]

As is so often the case, it's us victims of vehicle theft who end up paying the price, not just in increased premiums.

You then have to volunteer all relevant information (even information that possibly MAY be relevant) to all your insurers (car and bike) otherwise you are then considered to have withheld information, and all of a sudden YOU'RE the guilty party :-(

I've had two bikes stolen so I know the simmering anger it generates.

I now do everything I can to make stealing my things as hard as I can for these scumbags.

A useful tip for vulnerable garages/sheds with power is a hidden baby monitor  :-)

And technology is bringing some low price tracker devices into the market which are tempting.

 

[paul w]

try contacting  www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

 

they deal with aspects of insurance complaints, I would explore the mis sold avenue.

 

That being said, all insurance is sold on utmost good faith, Did you read all the documents sent to you when you took out the policy?

[2stroke4stroke]

Man takes out theft cover, bike gets stolen, insurance pays out. Does not sound like misselling to me.

[paul w]

different insurance types, by the sounds of it this is a Road policy, with cover for road riding. you MUST have a reg number to get this.

General theft cover, these are wide and varied but are not a road policies and are usually closer to freight cover, these shouldn't affect a future road

insurance policy, but as I said, should have read the policy docs and discussed at that point (there must have been a reg number on the policy, this should have rung alarm bells)

[madbikez]

Hi All, thank you for all your information given so far. 

 

In regards to the policy with the insurance company. When we registered it with them we explained that it was strictly for off road use only, the trials bike does not have a v5, a key to start it and any road lights.

 

The insurance company said thats fine and we can still insure the trials bike (we have been with the same company for 9 Year)

 

The cover taken out was for a trials off road motorcycle, Insurance was around £180 for year to cover the theft of the vehicle. In regards to a road policy the trials bikes nether had a reg number or v5 form. 

According to the insurance company they have created a generic reg number to get it put onto the system. (Not too sure if this is even aloud)

 

The documents have all been checked and it clearly state type of insurance for Fire and theft only. 

 

My questions is to this is the claim was made for off road motorcycle, when the claim was paid out it stated category motor vehicle. Definition of motor vehicle is a road vehicle powered by an internal-combustion engine.

 

I believe somewhere along the the motorcycle insurance company has registered it in the wrong category and also logged it on the wrong database.

 

This is a very strange situation, has any one had this before happen to themselves. 

 

All info would be much appreciated

 

Thanks All 

 

 

 

[ask greeves]

Hi Madbikez, I would tread cautiously. It would seem, that you've now had insurance revoked/cancelled. Any application for new insurance could/maybe invalidated,  if you didn't mention this fact.  Honesty is the best policy, when dealing with insurance, modern (information technology) insurance doesn't really allow for mistakes or misunderstandings, as your mostly dealing with faceless people. It's your interpretation of motor vehicle, which varies to that of the insurance company. Most replies on this thread, give a cryptic indication, as to the answer. Hope you get it sorted....good luck. 

[cleanorbust]

I don't think the correct definition is at all cryptic: an off road trials bike is a motor vehicle.

[trapezeartist]

Getting back to first principles, motor insurance companies want to know about all your other motor claims because that may affect their assessment of the risk. That seems to me to be fair enough. If you fell off your Fireblade in the High Street, that may reflect on your level of risk when driving your car.

 

HOWEVER, if you had your computer stolen from your house, that wouldn't affect your risk as a driver and there is no reason why you should declare that on a car proposal form.

 

In my view, and I think this is what the OP is getting at, the second analogy is the one that is appropriate to having a trials bike stolen from a garage.

 

With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps the bike should have been included on the house insurance as a high value item, rather like you might insure a pushbike or a piece of jewellery.

[dadof2]

Count yourself lucky that this was brought to your attention in time for you to sort it out. Your trials bike is a motor vehicle even if not used on the road. Even the theft of a minor item (non motor vehicle) can affect other premiums.

You are now in the unfortunate (and possibly very costly) position of having an insurance policy "voided" as a result of non disclosure. You need to contact the insurance ombudsman to try to get this corrected. Until you get written confirmation that what you have done does not constitute non disclosure, you need to advise all of your present and future insurers of the situation and how it has arisen. If you do not you could be committing fraud - which can result in jail.