Can't get insurance for Landcruiser 80 (due to postcode), any tips?

[DaanLC]

Hi, I am shopping around for insurance for a Landcruiser 80 that I am about to buy this week (I have committed to the purchase but haven't paid the full amount yet).

Turns out there is a big problem with my post code, which is S1 - Sheffield city centre. A lot of insurers simply refuse to quote. I think it's because of flood risk.

I have tried some of the specialists ones such as 2gether, NFU, Graham Sykes - they all said no. The only one so far willing to quote has been Adrian Flux, at an astronomic £1500 or thereabouts. (It is also the first time I am buying a car, so that's adding to the cost - but the post code is the biggest barrier)

So it looks like I have two options:
1 - Cry a little and then pay the super high insurance cost
2 - Maybe store the car elsewhere, not at home (which has a private car park).

So about option 2, has anyone done something similar? Maybe rent a garage somewhere? Or park it on the street in a post code that isn't offending?

Any suggestions would be most helpful.
Thank you!

 

[Towpack]

I take it you've tried the comparison websites. I'm in S12, bare 4 miles away but, admittedly, than can make a world of difference. I ended up with Sheila's Wheels after daft quotes from many others. Never had much luck personally with the so called 'specialist' insurance companies.

As for your options....
1 is better than nothing I suppose.

2 you may get a loading for anyway with it not being stored at home

 

[DaanLC]

I did try comparison websites, I got a quote for £1100 but that didn't take into account any mods. I should call the company who quoted that directly. I will try Sheila's Wheels as well.

Thanks!

 

[Ben Stratford]

Hi, I am shopping around for insurance for a Landcruiser 80 that I am about to buy this week (I have committed to the purchase but haven't paid the full amount yet).

Turns out there is a big problem with my post code, which is S1 - Sheffield city centre. A lot of insurers simply refuse to quote. I think it's because of flood risk.

I have tried some of the specialists ones such as 2gether, NFU, Graham Sykes - they all said no. The only one so far willing to quote has been Adrian Flux, at an astronomic £1500 or thereabouts. (It is also the first time I am buying a car, so that's adding to the cost - but the post code is the biggest barrier)

So it looks like I have two options:
1 - Cry a little and then pay the super high insurance cost
2 - Maybe store the car elsewhere, not at home (which has a private car park).

So about option 2, has anyone done something similar? Maybe rent a garage somewhere? Or park it on the street in a post code that isn't offending?

Any suggestions would be most helpful.
Thank you!

Call them rather than do it all on line......
My son had a quote for his hilux for £2.4k. He was 19 at the time and had 1 yrs no claims and a clean licence. Lots on insureres deemed it a commercial vehicle and wouldnt quote. Anyway I spoke to the guy and asked him to help identify how we could get the price down. He suggested adding named drivers so we tried me them my wife then both of us etc. We then removed a hire car if the car was damaged. Removed claims assistance, optimised his occupation description etc etc. We looked at everything and it took 30 mins but got it down to £1596

 

[DaanLC]

Thank you, yes bar the comparison sites I have called all aforementioned companies and spoken to people in person.

However, I did not go as far as you did with trying to shave off costs, will give that a go.

 

[Shayne]

Its sod's law my mrs had been driving 30 odd years without making a claim but when she got herself a 4x4 her premium went up to circa £1000 for no reason other than insurance companies are supported by government and law in extortion .

3 years on its under £500 .

 

[DaanLC]

Cheers... I do wonder as well about how honest to be about mods. Eg the 'best' quote I got was from a company that does not support a mod like a 2 inch lift kit. As soon as they heard that the vehicle has that, they said 'no thanks'.

Ultimately my feeling is that it's best to play by the book and mention all mods, though I have been recommended that you could try to argue that certain things aren't a mod, but just an improvement. Lift kit however would be hard to argue otherwise it seems. And not mentioning it would probably make the insurance void altogether if I'd ever have a claim...

 

[Shayne]

A lot of it is luck on who answers the phone , i don't like insurance companies and make no bones about it but i got chatting to one rep who actually owns a modified car and nudge nudge wink wink "if you have modified it yourself with say alloy wheels we can accept you take pride in your vehicle and so knock off 100 quid"

They have you by the balls when you start out though and most on comparison sites will outright refuse modified cars so your better off sticking wit someone who you know does insure them , that way when you do call asking for modifications to be noted on your existing policy you don't get a flat no as Admiral did with me when i came clean suggesting id like to modify a few things on renewal 8 months after they had been done

 

[DaanLC]

Haha, flat out no from Admiral eh - they were the cheapest on my comparison quote results, and when I called them up to explain the mods, I got a flat out no as well I think I am getting to terms with the cost I am going to have to bear. I don't intend to keep living in Sheffield city centre for longer than another year anyway, so I will just have to suck it up for a while I guess. The alternative of not buying a car for this reason is worse.

 

[stumog]

Are you sure the cruiser has a 2inch lift and not just heavy duty springs from toyota fitted?

 

[DaanLC]

Are you sure the cruiser has a 2inch lift and not just heavy duty springs from toyota fitted?

Well, good point - I am not 100% sure, the vehicle advert says '2 inch lift kit' and also '30% stronger springs all round'.

I will message the seller to confirm.

 

[Towpack]

I can only se this 'no mods allowed' approach getting worse. I'm low in the mods dept with only a 3" SS exhaust which I declared and they were not bothered about. It's the same with bike insurance. I have more mods on the bikes. Some ins Co's loaded or even refused policys and some included many of the more popular mods as acceptable without premium loading. A few years ago there was a proposal from somewhere in the EU to ban ALL mods and even prevent owners from working on their own bikes but, thankfully, it was thrown out. What really annoys me is that many won't even give you a quote for third party only if you're prepared to take a chance on that and accept all losses in the event of a write off.

 

[StarCruiser]

Have you tried Chris Knott? Someone else said they'd had trouble and settled with them.
Have you also looked up your likely flood risk somewhere like here ? https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk
It may be that your 80 being lifted is less likely to be affected if the flood risk is, say 600mm. I'm not saying the argument will get you anywhere but it maybe worth a try.

 

[Chris]

I can't believe that 2Gether said no. Re mods, remember what I said about that. The car has to have springs. Changing them isn't a modification. OK it might be an alteration, but modification would be to like have no springs at all. A snorkel IS a modification because it never had one in the first place. So did 2Gether turn you down on the postcode or something else? Flood risk in 80 sounds a bit like high altitude collision in a speedboat to me.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

Have you tried Chris Knott? Someone else said they'd had trouble and settled with them.
Have you also looked up your likely flood risk somewhere like here ? https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk
It may be that your 80 being lifted is less likely to be affected if the flood risk is, say 600mm. I'm not saying the argument will get you anywhere but it maybe worth a try.

A few years ago Rich, the centre of Sheffield was flooded good style,I'm sure TP can remember. The river Don was a good 12' above normal and flowing at a proper good rate. It really was something to see, however I guess that is why its now classed as a "flood risk"
My then wife was at Parkgate Retail Park (further down the Don) in my original 80 and left their car park as the water was about 6" deep, half hour later it was 5' deep and all the cars caught there were flooded.

 

[DaanLC]

Have you tried Chris Knott? Someone else said they'd had trouble and settled with them.
Have you also looked up your likely flood risk somewhere like here ? https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk
It may be that your 80 being lifted is less likely to be affected if the flood risk is, say 600mm. I'm not saying the argument will get you anywhere but it maybe worth a try.

I tried Chris Knott just now, but best they could do was three grand, haha.

I can't believe that 2Gether said no. Re mods, remember what I said about that. The car has to have springs. Changing them isn't a modification. OK it might be an alteration, but modification would be to like have no springs at all. A snorkel IS a modification because it never had one in the first place. So did 2Gether turn you down on the postcode or something else? Flood risk in 80 sounds a bit like high altitude collision in a speedboat to me.

Yeah, I see your logic, but the person I spoke to (from Admiral) simply got spooked and declined it there and then. I can try them again with a different angle maybe.

As for 2Gether saying no, they didn't even explain. It was just no. I tried getting more info but they were vague. I think it's the combination of first time buyer + post code that is doing me in. Ie I tried Heritage as well, and they simply said 'we cannot insure you with this type of car if this is your only vehicle'.

The more companies I call, the more I feel lucky that I have at least the one £1500 quote...

 

[DaanLC]

As an aside, when I first called Chris Knott, the lady on the phone stopped me as soon as I said the vehicle has 8 seats (which it technically has, as the middle seats have seatbelts). She brusquely told me they don't insure cars like that, even when I pushed to explain.

I had to call back and speak to another adviser (and say 'six seats' this time) before I could get to the actual quoting stage. Which, as already mentioned above, ultimately led to nothing suitable anyway.

But yes, this just to underline that it does make a huge difference what you say and to whom, so I am learning - whether it will lead to anything more reasonable for this first year of ownership however seems doubtful right now.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

I suppose you have got to consider,is it worth £30/week to own an 80 + road tax before it turns a wheel for the first year.
I think its a combo of lack of NCD, age and location.

 

[DaanLC]

OK as for road tax actually, is that really as low as £245 on these vehicles? That's what online research keeps giving me as a number, because the car has been registered before 2001. But it seems very low (which I would welcome).

 

[fbnss]

Yes it is, my direct debit is 21 quid a month i think.

I was talking to someone who had a freelander (Post 2001) no idea what engine and she pays more road tax on that than i do for a 4.2 80 series and 2.5 petrol beemer put together!