Can I get Classic Insurance on a MK3 Cav? HELP!

[jonleeds]

Hi guys!

This is a bit of a long story, so get yourself comfy if you can be bothered listening to my tale of woe... I'm a veteran Cavalier owner of old having owned 5 Cavalier MK3's in the past 15 years.

Anyway I've been away from the trusty old Cavaliers for a few years as I needed something a bit larger (in boot / roof space) for doing the car boot sales and antiques fairs. So I changed from Cavalier to Ford Escort estates, the 1.8 TD models, which were ok while it lasted, but for driving I still prefer the Cavaliers ride, and build quality to the Ford Escorts. So a couple of years ago I was driving home from work and I got pulled by the 5O (police!) - they reckoned I was smoking cannabis, when actually it was a roll-up...!

Anyhow, you know what the cozzas are like, they were a bit miffed they couldnt do me for that, so they started on my car, and to my horror upon checking with my insurance company, who were E-Car or something at the time, I discovered that my car was uninsured due to my insurance policy's monthly payment having defaulted without my knowing about it... Ironically the amount that the bank were charging me in fee's for the direct debit 'bouncing' was a similar amount to what my insurance payments were - around £35 per month, so according to my balance at the cash machine when I'd last checked all seemed well. Plus I'd been living at my fiances house for a few months and I'd not been getting my mail at my own house and so I'd missed the letter from the insurance company saying my insurance payment hadnt gone through....

So the upshot of all this was my Escort estate was seized by the law, it was going to cost more to get out of the police pound than it was worth, and then I had to go to Bradford Magistrates court for driving without insurance, where they stuck 8 points on my previously unblemished licence, gave me a £625 fine, plus I now have a INM10 (Driving without 3rd party insurance cover) on my licence for 4 years! This all happened in 2010, so I still have another 2 years before I can apply for a clean licence. What this has meant is that I have been unable to get insurance for even a 800CC Fiat Seicento for less than £1700 a year! - plus after monthly installments and interest this works out at over £2000! FFS! And I lost my 4 years no claims bonus as I've not had insurance for over 3 years now. Talk about a multiple whammy!

I mean up until this happening I;d never had an accident, never had a single point on my licence since I got it in 1993, and never a fine for speeding - or even a parking ticket!!! Now as far as insurance companies are concerned I'm as bad as a drink driver! Anyroad, sorry to babble one, but I'm getting to the point finally! What I've heard is that car insurance is significantly cheaper for owners of classic cars and kit cars, I've heard of an 18 year old getting fully comp insurance for a 1.8 litre sports coupe convertible kit car for under £400! And other guy in his 30s like me, who gets his 1980s Porsche classic sports car insured fully comp! Talk about a difference!

So I'm looking at this as a potential opportunity for me getting back on the road as its the only way I could afford to. Apparently if a car is over 20 years old, according to some insurers it can be regarded as a 'classic', and some owners clubs have special arrangements with the insurers. I want to know if I could get a MK3 Cavalier insured as a classic - say for instance an F-Reg 1.8L Hatchback, like one of the ones I had, or even a turbo diesel model?

Does anyone know anything about this? If so please contact me ASAP! My email address is johnnyleedsuk@yahoo.co.uk, I've heard that Adrian Flux is a good insurer for these type of policies. I;ve owned 5 MK3 Cavaliers in the past and I do love the hatchback models as they are very spacious with the back seats folded forward, and they do have a lot of the modern features you;d want on a car - central locking, ABS, electric windows etc, of course you all know this! Anyway I hope someone can advise me as to the situation.

many thanks

Johnny

[Envoy CDX]

In short, I don't know. Last I heard - they weren't regarded as a classic (about 3 years ago). It might be worth enquiring.

[planetc]

It varies from one insurer to another what age they class as eligible for a classic policy. Most (possibly all) of them require you to have a second 'normal' car and that the classic is not your daily drive.

[jonleeds]

Yer, I've heard that, but I've also heard of people just having it as their only car as well, I sell stuff on Ebay and a couple of years ago a lad came over from Bradford to collect a freeview box he'd bought from me and he was driving a black 1985 Porsche 911 - the type with the Targa type convertable roof, and he said he'd got that insured as a classic (and it was his only car) for only £150 per year- fully comp!

I was just thinking that it would be a common thing amongst Cav owners, but apparently its not, so my hopes of going back to driving Cav's look to have been dashed... ho-hum, I suppose its another 2+ years wait until my licence is free of points / convictions before I can afford to get a 1L fiesta or some other crappola mobile insured, and by then £2k per year insurance will most likely be the norm, points or no points! Its like whatever I do I'm totally screwed...

[Peanut_119]

Insurance really annoys me, as my mate and I did a insurance quote online (same house, same car, etc etc) yet my quote came bk £400 more than his everytime.

Another mate of mine has his corsa (stripped out, caged, throttled boddied xe) insured with Adrian flux and pays £1200 a year full comp all mods declared etc etc, but yet Adrian flux want £1600 of me just to insure my cav.

[Martin_TD]

Wow, they lubed you up good

Sorry to hear that, I believe you can get cavs on classic insurance but I think it's a load of hassle like sending pictures of the vehicle and mileage away.

[Ads]

I insure my cav through classic but it may be classed as classic because of the rarity.

[Stoater85]

I insure my cav through classic but it may be classed as classic because of the rarity.

So who do you use ads?

[humbucker]

All my cars are insured on classic policies apart from the daily driver. That's the key to it. Classic policies are designed for cars that are not used as daily runabouts, and as such most have limited mileage policies, anywhere from 1,500 to 5,000 a year. The insurance can be cheaper, but the rationale is that you aren't really driving it about much and because of the 'cherished' nature of the car (hence you getting classic insurance in the first place) and you're likely to be taking a lot more care of it than Joe Bloggs down the road who drives a Transit. Furthermore, some insurers will require you to keep the car off the road, preferably in a garage, and it is down to the insurer to determine whether the car is a 'classic' or not. This really is at the discretion of the insurer.

A Cavalier can be insured on a 'classic' policy. I have three on classic policies. I bought another Cavalier Turbo a couple of weeks ago and my insurance premium on that car is £160 fully comp with both me and Mrs Humbucker insured. It is limited mileage and is obviously not my only car. On my Astra I pay a 'regular' insurance premium through Admiral. To put it into perspective, iirc Freakmandu called for a similar quote but as the Cavalier was her only car the premium was pushing £1.5k. A massive difference.

Then there's the issue of your endorsements. I couldn't comment on the impact that might have on your premium, classic or otherwise, but you'd need to declare that to the insurer. I would be surprised if it didn't make a difference.

As a footnote, your no claims is irrelevant as you don't build up no claims discount with most classic policies, so you don't get a discount for having built up any previously. The idea is that it enables you to use your no claims on your 'regular' car.

[nidge]

i got caught drink driving, well technically i wasnt driving just takeing a piss on hard shoulder and the bill pulled up. any way i got an 18month ban that was in 2002, when i insured my car after takin a drink drive awerness course tht reduced my ban to 12months. i had extortionate quotes even thou i had a clean licence since 1982. i then phoned express and my premium was cheaper than my original insurer before i got banned. must be the luck of the draw i guess. give express a bell nothing to loose mate.

[caza]

yes I got my cav t on classic car insurance this year , like above photos of car and engineer report to get a valued agreement , also you dont claim on any previous insurance as the car you insure is for occasional use not everyday (well thats what they told me) and like said you can use any protected no claims from previous insurance on another vehicle

[carlos_canter]

How about buying a small car like a old fiesta or a robin reliant, let it sit on your drive or in a garage but pay insurance on it for the remaining 2 years, that way it would have "contributed" to a good driving record despite the endorsements, then after the 2 years purchase a better car.

Hopefully it should reduce your future premiums.

[Ads]

Mines through Adrian flux on a modified classic policy mods delclared running 300 bhp. I wish lol

[Freakmandu]

...To put it into perspective, iirc Freakmandu called for a similar quote but as the Cavalier was her only car the premium was pushing £1.5k. A massive difference.

.

Yeah, thats right - stupid thing is I never drive more than 3k a year, I dont "runabout" in my car cos everything is close at hand anyway, do my shopping online etc - wonder if I rang and explained that theyd give me a better quote. Doubt it.

[jonleeds]

Well thanks for the advice folks, I feel like I've tried every avenue - Group 1 insurance cars / kits cars / classic cars / going over to Poland and buying and insuring a Polish car to drive in the UK, and I seem to reach a dead end after a few glimmers of hope. I guess the only way I'm going to be able to afford to drive is to wait an other 2 years until I can get my licence clear of points and this damned conviction code. If I could afford it I would buy a fiesta and just have it sat on the driveway, but the cheapest quote I had for insuring a fiesta was over £1700 again - plus whatever interest for paying monthly therefore probably be more than £2k per year! Oh well...

[humbucker]

Moped?