Buckaroo8
Well-Known Member
Direct Line 4x4 Insurance c#ck up
About a week ago I bought a 4x4 van –03 Nissan Terrano 2.7 TD SWB to be exact. I will use it for work and for a bit of light off road lamping duties etc- nothing extreme. I bought commercial insurance on it with Direct Line who I have used for several years. I thought I’d put the girlfriend on the policy temporarily just until she gets a new car…. so I ring Direct Line. “No problem” they say and I pay them £15.90 for 30 days cover for her. As the phone call comes to a close the miserable woman on the other end of the line asks me:
“anything else I can help you with?”
“actually, I was also thinking of upgrading the tyres to some all terrain tyres and was wondering if it counts as a modification?”
Her voice tone suddenly changed to one of great excitement…..
“what do you need those for?” she asked quickly
“why would I not need them? I will probably have to drive across muddy fields at some time…..it is a 4x4” I say
“oh, umm, we can’t insure you for that!” she says making no attempt to conceal her delight…..It was now obvious that I had been put through to the Chief Inspector of the Tyre Police! so I explain that I’m fully aware that I would only be insured whilst actually driving on the road and any damage from driving on empty fields would be my loss.
“let me put you on hold a moment please” she says
20 minutes of ****e keyboard “music” later (yes TWENTY) and just as I’m about to hang up the phone she comes back on and this time she’s clearly ecstatic:
“I’ve just checked with somebody and I’m afraid we can’t insure you with this vehicle anymore because you admitted to me that you’re going to use it for off-roading! We are cancelling your insurance policy!”
There she was, sitting alone in some greasy nicotine-stained office room in a tower block, phone in one hand, tapping her truncheon on the desk with the other.… the shiny silver badge on her black uniform reading: UK TYRE POLICE “Ah Ha!” she thought to herself “I’ve caught you red handed! Attempting to enquire about the possibility of upgrading your tyres is an offence and now you must pay the price! Ha Ha”
You can probably imagine how the conversation went from here.
I have seven days to find insurance cover.
Needless to say I won’t be dealing with the Direct Swine again…..
What is the matter with these people? Did they think that I would fork out for a 4x4 and then just drive the kids to school with it or something?? Idiots!!!!
Now, could somebody please point me in the general direction of a sensible insurance company ????
Thanks
About a week ago I bought a 4x4 van –03 Nissan Terrano 2.7 TD SWB to be exact. I will use it for work and for a bit of light off road lamping duties etc- nothing extreme. I bought commercial insurance on it with Direct Line who I have used for several years. I thought I’d put the girlfriend on the policy temporarily just until she gets a new car…. so I ring Direct Line. “No problem” they say and I pay them £15.90 for 30 days cover for her. As the phone call comes to a close the miserable woman on the other end of the line asks me:
“anything else I can help you with?”
“actually, I was also thinking of upgrading the tyres to some all terrain tyres and was wondering if it counts as a modification?”
Her voice tone suddenly changed to one of great excitement…..
“what do you need those for?” she asked quickly
“why would I not need them? I will probably have to drive across muddy fields at some time…..it is a 4x4” I say
“oh, umm, we can’t insure you for that!” she says making no attempt to conceal her delight…..It was now obvious that I had been put through to the Chief Inspector of the Tyre Police! so I explain that I’m fully aware that I would only be insured whilst actually driving on the road and any damage from driving on empty fields would be my loss.
“let me put you on hold a moment please” she says
20 minutes of ****e keyboard “music” later (yes TWENTY) and just as I’m about to hang up the phone she comes back on and this time she’s clearly ecstatic:
“I’ve just checked with somebody and I’m afraid we can’t insure you with this vehicle anymore because you admitted to me that you’re going to use it for off-roading! We are cancelling your insurance policy!”
There she was, sitting alone in some greasy nicotine-stained office room in a tower block, phone in one hand, tapping her truncheon on the desk with the other.… the shiny silver badge on her black uniform reading: UK TYRE POLICE “Ah Ha!” she thought to herself “I’ve caught you red handed! Attempting to enquire about the possibility of upgrading your tyres is an offence and now you must pay the price! Ha Ha”
You can probably imagine how the conversation went from here.
I have seven days to find insurance cover.
Needless to say I won’t be dealing with the Direct Swine again…..
What is the matter with these people? Did they think that I would fork out for a 4x4 and then just drive the kids to school with it or something?? Idiots!!!!
Now, could somebody please point me in the general direction of a sensible insurance company ????
Thanks