20th August, 2003 - an excellent summary from Pete C which certainly agrees with my own experience of insuring several Porsches

No longer is there an easy method of getting the car insurance that suits you. It used to be call your agent, select the policy that meets your needs, pay up. That simple solution has gone. As with most of the market place in todays hectic world, there isn't a 'bonus' for staying loyal. Mostly, it's the company that needs new business, and is therefore prepared to undercut rivals that offer the most attractive policies in terms of cost and cover. But, come year two, and that policy may no longer be competitive.

So, some tips/hints that may help searching for that elusive all encompassing car insurance policy. You will have to shop around, there isn't any way out of this fact. Ask anyone for their advise, but the advice you should act on must be current, e.g. within the past month. Policies change monthly, e.g. market trends, number of claims/losses affect the companies monthly statistics. You can't expect a company to provide a quote 5 weeks in advance of commencement date. Check everything multiple times. What you are told on the phone will differ from the written policy. Even renewed policies will have additional exclusions, and/or terms and conditions. Push, be awkward, don't accept what you have been told by an agent/company. Declare everything to the company, even if it hurts to tell them. The premium may increase, but that's better than trying to claim, and the company using the 'you didn't inform us, therefore your policy is null and void' get out. I'm sure that we all have tales to tell about attempting to obtain car insurance.

Here is my last 3 years experience: Car is a modified 944 turbo, There are two classes of modifications that companies will want to know about, cosmetic and performance. Cosmetic covers things like wheels, bridge spoilers, steering wheel. Performance covers things like boost enhancers, dual port wastegates, remapped Eproms. My car has both types of modifications. Car is garaged overnight whilst at main address. Drivers are myself, and wife. My licence carries a three point TS10. Ann's is clean. Accidents/claims, Ann's car, 4 years ago, no fault all costs paid by third party. Full, protected, NCD held by both of us. European use required. Trackday cover required. OK, it's the trackday cover that is now the most abused part of any insurance policy. No longer can you expect the wording, 'social domestic and pleasure' to include trackdays. On most, if not all certificate of insurance documents, wording along the lines of 'trackdays and 4 x 4 offroad events are excluded' will be there. This type of wording is being added even on renewed polices. Some policies will also exclude use on derestricted toll roads, this is directly aimed at insurance cover for using the car on the Numremburgring. So, up to 3 years ago, I had a policy with Norwich Union, obtained from PerformanceMarque. This policy satisfied my requirements, including unlimited trackdays by any organiser. It wasn't the cheapest policy available, but for me, it was the best. I had this policy for three years.

At renewal time, August 2002, the terms had changed. No longer would they provide cover for unlimited number of trackdays. They would cover up to three days, but only days organised by PCGB. This wasn't to my liking. So, I did the big search around. I tried online companies, telephone only companies, and companies that offered both. I tried contacting companies direct, and agents. It soon became apparent that some companies were using the same call centre, e.g. the same call centre staff handled inquiries for Tesco, Barclaycard and Egg. Also, policies were becoming standardised, e.g. exactly the same format and content of questions and clauses. After some considerable time and effort, I went for a Barclaycard Insurance policy. I obtained the policy directly from their call centre, (not on-line), but, I did take some care, e.g. putting in writing what I understood, listing my details (car and drivers) in full, and that they had agreed to unlimited trackday cover by any organiser. For trackdays, from PerformanceMarque I had always received a cover note in advance. With the BC policy, I never received a cover note. But, I always informed them in advance of the day, and when I tested them, they confirmed that they had my written note on file. This policy even covered a trackday at Spa organised by Autotrack, (European get you home included).

August 2003, renewal time, oh woo!. I tried to obtain the renewal cost late in June, no go. as I have said, policy contents and pricing isn't worked out until the previous month, e.g. renewal on 1st August, terms worked out within 4 weeks of the date. When I did eventually receive a renewal notice, the cost had rocketed, actually an increase of over £200. I contacted the call centre on July 14th, the agent talked to their underwriters, and confirmed that the policy covered trackdays, they also agreed to renew the policy at a reduced price. Actually the reduced price still worked out over £88 dearer than the previous year. Over the next two days, I did all of my suggestions, asked around, called many many agents and companies, faxed and emailed my details etc. I wasn't having much response, nearly all said no, including all the regulars e.g. Carol Nash, PerformanceMarque, Royal Sun Alliance, NU, Liverpool & Victoria, etc. etc. I again contacted BC on 16th July, again they confirmed the details, inc trackdays, and the reduced price. So, with some trepidation, (it was now costing more than I wanted to pay to insure this car), I paid up on 17th July. The documents arrived on 19th July, a Saturday. I took my own advise and checked the documents, All OK on the terms and conditions, but, on the Certificate of Motor Insurance, the dreaded words, 'no trackdays'. I contacted the call centre, the agent again spoke to the underwriters, answer, 'sorry there has been a mistake, you are covered for trackdays, amended documents will be sent to you'. July 23rd came, no documents, so I again contacted the call centre. The agent checked with the underwriters, 'sorry you shouldn't have been told that trackdays were included, they are not'. Well the conversation got heated, well calm and collected on the BC agents part, virtually out of control on my part. The answer was still no. So Ann tried, got a different agent, but the same answer no trackday cover. Time for yet another big call around. It was at this stage that I picked up on an insurance thread on PH. I tried all of the recommendations, but I couldn't get a policy that I liked. At Silverstone on the 25th July, I talked to some PH guys. I followed up the Carol Nash - AXA tip, without luck, they wouldn't even quote, I tried them twice. By 29th July, I had two policy offers, Liverpool & Victoria were very cheap, but no trackday cover. OK, I could go and get daily cover from Edgar Lawson/CCI, but in the past when I've tried this route EL/CCI refuse to return my calls. AON would supply me with a RSA policy, trackdays would be an additional £26 for each day, with 10% of the cars value added onto the excess, limited to 5,000 miles per year. I tried CN one more time, but, the agent said that no polices were being offered to them. I went through the 'my friend has just (last week) obtained just such a policy from you', (modified 964 RS, inc trackdays). The agent said he would talk to his boss, and call me back. One hour later, he called, success, they would offer me a policy that included trackdays by any ATDO organiser, at a very very good rate, actually £40 dearer than the L&V offer, the policy limits me to 6,000 miles per year. I've paid, and sent a letter to BC along the lines of 'you have extracted payment from me under false representation'. So, the fact is, you will have to do you own research. Don't accept what you are told, check again. Read all documentation. Pete

AON - Nick Bailey or Kerry Matthews - 01483 706 068

mention Ken Chambers (964 Register Secretary) and Collectors Car Scheme

Porsche and Audi on joint policy for under a grand - Melvin

Carol Nash

I insure 2 motorbikes, a classic Ginetta sports car, and a 1989 944 turbo for less than £500 the lot. Its often worth having a 15 year old "classic" bike sitting in your garage to insure with your car because you get a better deal - Harvey L

but they only cover 964 and earlier and they won't cover Track days - RobF

Churchill

about £770 when the "specialists" were quoting £1100 - Richard B, 964, N.Yorks

normal cover with no track day £920 - Mike L

Direct Line

basic with full NCD at £645 - Devonshire - Tony W

Norton Insurance - Martin Hamer - 0121 246 5050

very efficient and Heritage policy is very reasonable - Steve M

Peart - 028 383 233 18

still rate Peart for normal, non classic Porsche insurance - Dave B

not happy - Steve M

Performance Marque - 0121 248 0911

insure my 993 and my 944, Track days with PCGB, business use, reasonable cost and accessible (ie not call centre!) - RobF
but read the documents carefully, noticed they had omitted business use this year but they said it was a mistake and have promised to issue new certificate....

Facts and Figures

There were two brokers whose name kept on cropping up and I tried them both. If your car has just passed it's tenth birthday AON (0990 708090) can offer one of their classic policies for around £350, if it hasn't they need around £650 for a quite basic package. If you are unfortunate to own a car just under 10 years old then Norwich Union through Performance Marque at £680 including overseas breakdown, track days, unlimited mileage, club membership etc. is favourite. Their quote to me last year was £437! I feel sorry for those whose insurance renewal notice is just about to drop through their letterbox as prices are well up on this time last year. Regards Robert McArdle Tel 01476 577 671 Mob 0788 7796 991 Robert@McArdle.co.uk - 26th June, 2000