Travel insurance, check yours

I booked my travel insurance with Direct line last year for the U.S . told them I was riding a 1200 gs .Policy arrived stating only covered for bikes up to 125 cc.
phoned Direct line who clearly stated I would not be covered for public liability or medical cover . I did mange to get a policy through J S Insurance which cost 60% more and turned out to be totally useless when i did need it.

In post 65 above same issue:-

I also am insured with Direct Line, and previously was engaged in correspondence with them re motorcycle cover. Long story short, some call centre person told me I was not covered for over 125cc, eventually got letter confirming that I was covered on any m/c as long as full licence / helmet etc., No cost asked for.....

They need to get their story straight, I am still with them for Europe cover and understand that I am covered for the GS..
 
Just checked my policy, which is Worldwide Travel Insurance that comes bundled with my LloydsTSB Premier account.

Doesn't mention motorcycling at all....or indeed driving a car.

Rang them up and they said, don't worry thats all covered so long as you adhere to the rules of the road and have appropriate licence.

Which is fine, but I want that in writing....which is proving to be a problem.

Don't you just love dealing with call centres ! :blast
 
Update - Covered with LloydsTSB Premier bank account insurance:

We will not pay for claims arising directly or indirectly from:
7. Your engagement in or practice of the following, unless You have received Our prior agreement in writing: manual work in connection with a profession business or trade, professional entertainment, flying except as a fare paying passenger in a fully-licensed passenger carrying aircraft, the use of a moped, motorcycle, car, van, lorry or similar motorised vehicle unless a full United Kingdom driving licence is held permitting the use of such vehicles in the United Kingdom and in the case of a moped or motorcycle, You and Your passenger are wearing a helmet.

Phew.

:thumb2
 
Just checked my policy, which is Worldwide Travel Insurance that comes bundled with my LloydsTSB Premier account.

Doesn't mention motorcycling at all....or indeed driving a car.

Rang them up and they said, don't worry thats all covered so long as you adhere to the rules of the road and have appropriate licence.

Which is fine, but I want that in writing....which is proving to be a problem.

Don't you just love dealing with call centres ! :blast

If it's not excluded (or limited) as an activity it is, by default, included.

You do not need anything in writing.
 
Any body had any experience of Navigator Insurance? Seems a bit too good to be true:

Our policies cover a wide range of hazardous sports and activities, many of them at the basic price.
However some require either a 50% or 100% supplement to be paid.

Motorcycle touring is covered on both GOLD and SILVER policies, with no restrictions on the cc of the bike, as long as a full UK license is held and crash helmets worn. Personal Liability cover is excluded for claims arising from driving or riding motor vehicles or riding animals.


Cover medical in case of an accident but not liability which should be covered on the bike insurance. No compensation for damage in an accident either i.e. loss of a limb.

http://www.navigatortravel.co.uk/ourpolicies_annual_multitrip_travel_insurance.php
 
If it's not excluded (or limited) as an activity it is, by default, included.

You do not need anything in writing.

Depends how the policy is worded.

Some policies include everything unless explicitly excluded (i.e. Hiscox quality home insurance). Some policies only cover whats explicitly stated (i.e. cheapo budget home insurance).

Yes I know the topic is travel insurance, but...
 
I am with Directline and paid extra for 'Motorcycle as main means of travel' on holiday. I got a renewal letter saying 'less the 125cc' but when I rang them they said they didn't have a category for greater than 125cc on their computer but I was covered for larger bikes. A bit confusing.:blast
 
I am with Directline and paid extra for 'Motorcycle as main means of travel' on holiday. I got a renewal letter saying 'less the 125cc' but when I rang them they said they didn't have a category for greater than 125cc on their computer but I was covered for larger bikes. A bit confusing.:blast

My Direct Line certificate (just renewed) says the same i.e. less than (symbol) 125cc., even though I have had cover for over 125 for some years.
Just rang them and they say (after consulting a Supervisor) the symbol doesn't mean "less than" and a 1200cc is covered by policy doc. pg11 2.A.8
Very ambiguous, but they said they'd seriously look at the wording, as it appears to be confusing.

Panic over :thumb2
 
Depends how the policy is worded.


Yes I know the topic is travel insurance, but...

And there you have hit the nail on the head.

It's a Travel policy that you have in your hands, not a Household policy from the Hiscox Syndicate at Lloyd's of Luncheon (or anyone else) and it's the wording of the policy that is important. You have got it in writing; it's exactly what you you have quoted to us:

Your policy excludes motorcycling UNLESS you hold a suitable UK driving licence (we assume you do?) and / or you / your passenger are wearing a suitable lid on your melon (again, we assume you do). So no great concern necessary.

PS Free Travel Insurance policies from banks are often not the greatest things on earth.... because they are free. You may be well advised to buy a 'proper' policy from one of the many alternative providers, thereby maybe saving you more angst in the future. There are lots of very good alternatives out there, many very reasonably priced.

PPS I suspect our posts crossed as they are timed identically..... and you have worked it out correctly already in post #86
 
Nationwide bundle travel insurance as part of the deal for customers with a Flex Current Account. Trusn out that it is another one of these travel policies that is not particularly motorcycle friendly.

I had been following this thread and thought it prudent to check with Nationwide that I would be covered for bike tours into Europe. Had thought I could also then avoid having to renew my Post Office annual travel insurance policy and put the £50 saved into the petrol fund.

With Nationwide: Bikes are considered a hazardous activity & you need to have held a full m/c licence for at least 3 years.

The real sting in the tail is that you must be both accident and conviction free in the past 3 and 5 years respectively otherwise there is no travel cover. Even a simple 3 points or a no fault accident in a car. Similar restrictions do not apply to car drivers. Downright discrimination against bikers :(
 
My Direct Line certificate (just renewed) says the same i.e. less than (symbol) 125cc., even though I have had cover for over 125 for some years.
Just rang them and they say (after consulting a Supervisor) the symbol doesn't mean "less than" and a 1200cc is covered by policy doc. pg11 2.A.8
Very ambiguous, but they said they'd seriously look at the wording, as it appears to be confusing.

Panic over :thumb2

Now THAT really is bizarre.....

It's very bad to have symbols (like < for less than, or > for greater than) in any policy, as many bods will not know what the symbols mean.

Policies sold to the general public are meant to be couched in words and phrases that cater to the lowest common level of stupidity.... I doubt if many of their customers did sums at school, least of all any sums involving symbols much beyond a basic plus or minus.

We are not allowed to put even abbreviations into policies or certificates sold or issued to 'professional' buyers of complex industrial fire policies covering billions of pounds worth of assets world wide.... It is very hard to imagine that the FSA sanctions the use of > or < (in place of 'greater than' or 'less than') in a simple Travel policy sold to Joe Soap on the Clapham Omnibus.
 
Now THAT really is bizarre.....

It's very bad to have symbols (like < for less than, or > for greater than) in any policy, as many bods will not know what the symbols mean.

Policies sold to the general public are meant to be couched in words and phrases that cater to the lowest common level of stupidity.... I doubt if many of their customers did sums at school, least of all any sums involving symbols much beyond a basic plus or minus.

We are not allowed to put even abbreviations into policies or certificates sold or issued to 'professional' buyers of complex industrial fire policies covering billions of pounds worth of assets world wide.... It is very hard to imagine that the FSA sanctions the use of > or < (in place of 'greater than' or 'less than') in a simple Travel policy sold to Joe Soap on the Clapham Omnibus.


Here you go, scanned my docs. On right is extract from policy Doc. "Exclusions" (point 8)....

Insurance125cc001.jpg
 
I am with Directline and paid extra for 'Motorcycle as main means of travel' on holiday. I got a renewal letter saying 'less the 125cc' but when I rang them they said they didn't have a category for greater than 125cc on their computer but I was covered for larger bikes. A bit confusing.:blast

My Direct Line certificate (just renewed) says the same i.e. less than (symbol) 125cc., even though I have had cover for over 125 for some years.
Just rang them and they say (after consulting a Supervisor) the symbol doesn't mean "less than" and a 1200cc is covered by policy doc. pg11 2.A.8
Very ambiguous, but they said they'd seriously look at the wording, as it appears to be confusing.

Panic over :thumb2

Err No ! Panic is not over. Do not accept what they say on the phone, particularly if it contradicts what the policy documents say, or if policy documents are ambiguous.

** Always insist on clarification of ambiguity in writing **

It sounds anal, but when you are in dire need of your policy, the last thing you want are arguments about policy detail, who said what and when, and them fannying around trying to find and listen to recorded conversations (which may of course get conveniently lost).

The whole point of insurance is that you know you are covered, and what you are covered for.
 
PS Free Travel Insurance policies from banks are often not the greatest things on earth.... because they are free. You may be well advised to buy a 'proper' policy from one of the many alternative providers, thereby maybe saving you more angst in the future. There are lots of very good alternatives out there, many very reasonably priced.

Actually its not free. I choose to pay the £25/month for my premier current account because I believe products I get for my money are worth it. I could elect to have a zero cost current account and buy insurance products elsewhere. Amongst other things it gets me global private & business travel for me, partner & toddler (which also includes winter sports, motorbikes and windsurfing), AA cover, mobile phone insurance and more.
 
Err No ! Panic is not over. Do not accept what they say on the phone, particularly if it contradicts what the policy documents say, or if policy documents are ambiguous.

** Always insist on clarification of ambiguity in writing **

Yeah, already asked for it in writing. When/if you need it is not the time to be arguing about the level of cover. They said it's OK as they've got the conversation recorded, but I pointed out that then only they have the evidence.
 
As this thread has been going on for some time now with most folk having the same gripe (myself included), surely someone out there in the Insurance business can see there is a glaring oppourtunity here for money to be made. Provide "Motorcycle Specific" Travel Insurance at a fair price and I'm sure there will be thousands of takers.
We have been Motorcycle Touring for years and for the last 15 years on Continental Europe. The Insurance part has always been the Thorn in the Butt. I must have spent hours on the phone, written numerous letters and sent scores of e-mails to various "Brokers" (Insurance Companies themselves don't like to correspond or even talk to you direct) all concerning the points raised by the good folk on this thread.
An example of how we could have been caught out was about three years ago after we had just renewed our A.A. Annual Travel Policy (which we had mistakenly thought we where covered by for the previous three years). For some reason I gave the policy an "extra coat of looking at" and there was the dreaded word "incidental" or to put it in it's full context. "Motorcycling is Covered when partaking on an "incidental basis". After many phone calls, "Yes Sir, you are covered" etc etc I was finally told that "Motorcycle Touring" is NOT covered as this activity is the main purpose of your trip and not an incidental activity. All of which means that the Insurance we had bought and paid for the previous three years wasn't worth a song had we been unfortunate and had to make a claim. We now have Annual Breakdown Cover provided under our Carole Nash bike Insurance and Annual Travel Insurance,again through Carole Nash which does include Motorcycling. At least it did on last years policy as this years policies havent been printed yet but they are still selling the Insurance !!!!.
 


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