Devitt insurance Rip Off?

I can agree with avoid Devitts. Got stung by their cancellation fees. Beware - what is written on around page 3 of the paperwork regarding cancellation fees is just their cancellation fee, they then on page 19 of my documents in the small print slip in a charge from the underwriter as well. Totally out of order, horrendous company to deal with, phone queues, people saying they will call back etc. I intend to operate in elephant mode going forward with them - ie avoid at all costs.
 
£280 pa £500 excess living in the worst crime area for thefts of motor vehicles with the bike parked unchained on the shared paving in front of my flat - 12 years, no issues. 49 yrs old, riding bikes since 17, one claim due to stupid French driver on the wrong side of the road 4 years ago. If I insured to my Dad's address in the Cotwolds £89 full comp!
 
Oh you jest! Swinton £932 for my 1250GSA and Hastings wouldn’t quote. Lexham the cheapest at £329 but £1250 excess.
 
I just sold one of my bikes a Royal Enfield, I put third party insurance on it in Feb just to take it to the MOT place but in the end sold it with no MOT. Phoned them up and yep £75 cancellation fee reduced to £59 after a refund for the remaining months. Anyway I was paying for it monthly about £6 a month as the premium was only about £85, they are letting me just keep paying the instalments as a goodwill gesture so only costing about £40 instead of £59, how nice of them. ;)
 
Also be mindful that if you buy your policy via a price comparision site, cancellation at a later date may also incur an additonal fee as a clawback for the privilege of saving a few quid if anything extra when you bought it, typically £25. My premium of £119 cancelled after one month would have cost me 50% of the premium (after insurance premium tax) less a cancellation fee of £50 less the £25 fee as above, result zero return. Planned to replace the bike but the AA would not suspend the policy forcing a cancellation situation, so I decided to transfer it to a Honda C70 from the back of the shed while looking for the replacement, result, return premium £78 less £15 change fee after some rattle chucking out of the pram.
 
I have just cancelled my auto renewal with Devitt. It wasn't the cost it was the fact that it has taken me almost two weeks to get through to them on the phone. I have emailed and left messages but no replies. I don't have the time to keep listening to "all our agents ar busy".
All I wanted to do is give them my new payment card details!
Goodness knows what it would be like in the event of a claim.
Now the search for a new company!
 
Both IAM Cornmarket and Bemoto are quoting me for AGEAS but I'm not keen on the 24/7 garaging at home address clause. I can live with night time garaging, but I often put the bike on the drive in the daytime. And no, I don't live in London, I'm in a rural location in Oxon.
 
Both IAM Cornmarket and Bemoto are quoting me for AGEAS but I'm not keen on the 24/7 garaging at home address clause. I can live with night time garaging, but I often put the bike on the drive in the daytime. And no, I don't live in London, I'm in a rural location in Oxon.

When you say,
but I often put the bike on the drive in the daytime.

What does that really mean?

That you ‘often‘ wheel it out of your garage and just leave it there, until it gets dark. Then put it away?
 
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That clause has been in my last 3 or 4 policies, including this years with BMW which is underwritten by Devitt, I assumed its now standard practice, my garage is in a block across the road from my house so the only time it’s left outside is when it’s outside the house being washed.
My campervan is also with Devitt who were cheaper this year than last.
Al.
 
That clause has been in my last 3 or 4 policies, including this years with BMW which is underwritten by Devitt, I assumed its now standard practice, my garage is in a block across the road from my house so the only time it’s left outside is when it’s outside the house being washed.
My campervan is also with Devitt who were cheaper this year than last.
Al.

Devitt is a broker, a posh name for an insurance shop. They do not underwrite policies.

My broker is Devitt, my underwriter is Ageas. Until I moved house last month, I had a garage. I did not have the 24/7 clause. There was an endorsement on the policy schedule that simply increased the policy excess if I did not park the bike in the garage from 10pm to 7am. The 24/7 is not a universal condition and might only apply to certain postcodes or pared back policies. My annual premium rose not a lot for the new address where the bike is parked on my drive, which was a pleasant surprise. About £50 extra including their admin fee for 9 months left on the policy.
 
Just had my renewal Invitation from Devitt for my 390 Duke. £78 fully comp. :thumb Can’t complain about that.
 
The FCA rules and the PRA are clear - under new Consumer Insurance pricing rules:
A new price for insurance from the same company via the same approach (i.e on line or telephone quote) cannot be cheaper than a renewal price for the same cover. (However companies ARE allowed to discount renewal policies - although few do)
So if your renewal is expensive - and your cover was gained via compare the market at inception - get another fresh quote from compare the market - if you see your same cover from the same provider cheaper then the company has broken the FCA fair pricing rules and can therefore be reported to the FCA for breach of regulations - the fines are high and the penalties to company bosses are severe.

If the price is just not reasonable and you cant find the same cover with the same insurer cheaper as a "new" quote - just accept it and move on to a new insurer.

I very rarely stick with the same insurer twice - although I have been with Bennetts for the last 3 years simply because the renewal was still the most reasonable when comparing cover with other suppliers.
 


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