Elephant.co.uk. Just so you know!

[scoob fae ork]

For the last 2 month i have had my 2004 STI Type UK insured with elephant an over the last wee while i have been modding my car so i thought i would be safe and nominate all the mods to my insurance so i gave them a call today to do this and after around 15 min on hold i got to speak to someone who i then explained to them about all my mods thinking it was going to add a few hundred to the policy but no the guy told me due to the mods and the fact i never asked them before i put the parts on the car they can no longer insure my car and my policy would be canceled with immediate affect as you can Imagen i wis ragin[:@]. They would not even give to the end of the day to find more insurance and just to put the icing on the cake the Flooking Asses had the cheek to charge me nearly £50 for the admin costs[:@] .

So anyone who is thinking of using this thieving conning bunch of under achievers i would strongly advise against it..

Has anyone else had this sort of experience???

[wrxmania]

Been there before with Elephant - still have one car insured with them.  THEY MUST GIVE YOU ONE WEEK TO FIND ALTERNATIVE INSURANCE - THAT IS THE LAW!!!  Been there - done that - they would not cover an electronic boost controller but would cover everything else.

Time to phone Keith Michaels or A-Plan.  For standard cars (or relatively) they are great IMHO.

Brian []

[gogsie]

<P>Been there before with Elephant - still have one car insured with them.  THEY MUST GIVE YOU ONE WEEK TO FIND ALTERNATIVE INSURANCE - THAT IS THE LAW!!!  Been there - done that - they would not cover an electronic boost controller but would cover everything else.</P>

<P>Time to phone Keith Michaels or A-Plan.  For standard cars (or relatively) they are great IMHO.</P>

<P>Brian []</P>

I'm with Keith Michaels and would recommend them.

NU £815 Without mods declared (Up £160 even though no accidents or claims).

KM £575 With all mods declared including remap. All aftermarket replacements are like for like including JDM parts.

Was that happy I now insure my wifes car with them.

NU £375 with full claims discount (Up £75).

KM £350 for my wife with no - no claims discount. (I transferred it into her name as it was her car anyway and it worked out cheaper with KM.

I know not everyone has had great quotes but they do there best and are worth a try. Special phone number for SIDC members in members forum.

[scouk]

I'm with Elephant at the moment but was thinking of changing at next renewal (feb I think) I tried Keith Michaels at last renewal but they woulnd';t insure me on standard WRX Do they need yu to own the car for a year first?

Other main company I was gonna call was Subaru-insured, who are also reported to be good pricewise, dunno how they respond to mods though. My brother changed from Admiral (My01 WRX) to Subaru Insured (RB320) and saved £100!! Impressive!

[gogsie]

Not sure about KM and the 1 year thing as I already had been driving it 1 year. I know when I insured it the first year A-plan wouldn't look at me until I had been driving it for a year.

What I found annoying was the amount of companies that wouldn't insure me. At the time I was 39 with Full no Claims, Garage and in a safe area with nightly patrols by a security firm.

Mind you I guess they know the majority are not buying scoobs to go for Sunday picnics

[gogsie]

Do you need insurance in Orkney? Don't you just buy the local bobbie a couple of drams at the weekend in the local to "lubricate the palet"

Nae too many thou or he winnae mine you bought em!

[st3ph3n]

I just renewed with Keith Michaels. Not the most painless of processes seeing as the renewal notice came in the day after it had expired. Probably the bloody post office to blame though. Price was excellent though.

[kebab nemesis]

Just been quoted £355 fully comp for the RB320 from Admiral, not too bad.

[RS Grant]

Saved a packet going from the MY99 Wagon UK Turbo to the MY07 STi Spec-D... I'm not just over 600quid FC for that, which isnt too bad at all, thats with Admiral on a Multi-Car Policy.

Cheers,

Grant

[sti pretender]

I am with Elephant just now, charged me for insuring a courtesy car when mine was getting serviced. Was £860 inc business, renewal was £930 changing to KM on the 26th £500 and it covers the PPP and gauges.

[colzo]

Last year my best quote was from Privilege but this year went up £150!!!!!!!! (never claimed ) so have changed to Admiral. Great price with PPP and wheel upgrade.

[ScoobySounds]

i'm currently going through a claim with elephant and for a few reasons i'm worried that they will not pay up. not least the decat factor, and the 18" wheels. everything else on the car is standard... do you think arnold clark repairers will report the car as 'modified' and elephant pull out?

[scoob fae ork]

i'm currently going through a claim with elephant and for a few reasons i'm worried that they will not pay up. not least the decat factor, and the 18" wheels. everything else on the car is standard... do you think arnold clark repairers will report the car as 'modified' and elephant pull out?

I cant really say mate insurance companys are a funny bunch of critters. All ya can do is keep your fingers crossed that they dont get told about the mods

[thewelsho]

i'm currently going through a claim with elephant and for a few reasons i'm worried that they will not pay up. not least the decat factor, and the 18" wheels. everything else on the car is standard... do you think arnold clark repairers will report the car as 'modified' and elephant pull out?

I'd have thought not, I doubt they'd even know the details of your policy. Besides, if they report it and Elephant pull out, that leaves AC without the job and the profit... what do you think?

[fraz692002]

i'm with churchill, 7 yrs no claims, protected NC with legal cover, £350 per year, great deal i think

fraz

[jamesm]

i'm currently going through a claim with elephant and for a few reasons i'm worried that they will not pay up. not least the decat factor, and the 18" wheels. everything else on the car is standard... do you think arnold clark repairers will report the car as 'modified' and elephant pull out?

I am with Elephant at the moment but not that impressed with them. They wheren't interested in my claim and just wanted to settle as soon as possible. They agreed with the third party that I was liable before they had even spoken to me!

I am pretty fed up with them, in particular their Indian call centre and am going to give Keith Micheals a go at renewal time.

When I claimed, I refused point blank to let Arnold Clark (their approved repairer) within a 100 miles of the car, so they sent an assessor to check the damage against the quote I got from my own garage. He looked at the damage but absolutely nothing else. Didn't look for mods or ask about anything. So I think you will be ok.

Incidently, my decat and wheels don't add anything to the premium but are declared.

[ScoobySounds]

you declared the decat!? how come, istn't it a big no no to have decatted?

thanks everyone, quite right AC wouldn't want to put themselves out the job, I guess its just if they send someone along from elephant that would come up.

to be honest though, i've not had any of the other probelms, i found them to be swift and efficient in dealing with the claim. they got a call from the 3rd party insurers trying to get a 'whos liable' but elephant told them to get bent. and i've only ever spoken to call centres in the uk.

JamesM why didn't you want ArnClark to touch your car? on mine its just the rear wing and rear door so nothing engine related.. should be fine with arnold clark shouldn't it?

[jamesm]

you declared the decat!? how come, istn't it a big no no to have decatted?

thanks everyone, quite right AC wouldn't want to put themselves out the job, I guess its just if they send someone along from elephant that would come up.

to be honest though, i've not had any of the other probelms, i found them to be swift and efficient in dealing with the claim. they got a call from the 3rd party insurers trying to get a 'whos liable' but elephant told them to get bent. and i've only ever spoken to call centres in the uk.

JamesM why didn't you want ArnClark to touch your car? on mine its just the rear wing and rear door so nothing engine related.. should be fine with arnold clark shouldn't it?

It isn't a full decat, it still has a catted downpipe so will pass an mot. I rang them up and got the Indian call centre. I told them I was putting a non-standart stainless steel exhaust on it and asked if that would increase my premium. After explaining to the gentleman what an exhaust was, he concluded no. I got him to reconfirm that he has noted it on the policy but it didn't increae the premium. I took his name and the time and date I spoke to him incase I ever get any comeback.

It is just your luck with Arnold, as with anywhere. I got my old Astra serviced by them once. They charged me for work they didn't do and then sent me home with defective brakes. When I bent the back of the Astra, Tesco used Arnie as their approved repairer and they made a complete erse of it. Ended up holding their courtasy car to ransom after they failed to get it right time after time, and eventually tried to give it back to me with a tail light they had melted whilst they did their welding. This was 10 days into the 3 day job. As a result I will never use them again.

Having said that, my mate had her Corsa repaired by them and I went with her when she picked it up, and the job was spot on.

I had Glasgow Audi fix the Scooby. Damn good job but it did have to go back as the colour of the spraying didn't match the rest of the car. So perhaps nowhere is perfect, however there was none of the aurguments you get with Arnie, they just took it in at short notice, apologised and resprayed it.

[scoob fae ork]

It isn't a full decat, it still has a catted downpipe so will pass an mot. I rang them up and got the Indian call centre. I told them I was putting a non-standart stainless steel exhaust on it and asked if that would increase my premium. After explaining to the gentleman what an exhaust was, he concluded no. I got him to reconfirm that he has noted it on the policy but it didn't increae the premium. I took his name and the time and date I spoke to him incase I ever get any comeback.

It is just your luck with Arnold, as with anywhere. I got my old Astra serviced by them once. They charged me for work they didn't do and then sent me home with defective brakes. When I bent the back of the Astra, Tesco used Arnie as their approved repairer and they made a complete erse of it. Ended up holding their courtasy car to ransom after they failed to get it right time after time, and eventually tried to give it back to me with a tail light they had melted whilst they did their welding. This was 10 days into the 3 day job. As a result I will never use them again.

Having said that, my mate had her Corsa repaired by them and I went with her when she picked it up, and the job was spot on.

I had Glasgow Audi fix the Scooby. Damn good job but it did have to go back as the colour of the spraying didn't match the rest of the car. So perhaps nowhere is perfect, however there was none of the aurguments you get with Arnie, they just took it in at short notice, apologised and resprayed it.

I can never understand why if they mess up the repair job you have to argue with them to get it right surely they should realise that they are paid to do a job so it should be done to the same standard as the car was originaly with out this hassle every time.

[dipsy]

I have been with the same insurance company for seven years or more ie Privilege .

[barry wemyss]

i got my insurance via swinto 30 plus a s reg impreza 2000 awd turbo with no alarm (even tho it has one a scorpion i am sorting this out ) all standard 5 years no claims i live in a place in fife like bosnia £341 fully comp etc i was with my last company two years who quated me on the above £800

[frazer_gallagher]

insurance policy wording states that they require to invoke cancellation, they should never have cancelled you immediately as that basically defeats the purpose of an insurance company - their actions caused you to have no insurance - you could consider complaining to the Insurance Ombudsman or the Financial services - info should be in the policy booklet

some insurance companies do however "cherry pick" and basically only want standard saloon type vehicles with "safe" drivers ie no young drivers or claims convictions etc

for the best insurance deal you really should consider going to a Broker who will search with all insurance companies especially when you have a car with modifications

you need to VERY CAREFULLY read any policy conditions and statements of fact or they can turn down claims for non disclosure of modifications etc

my suggestion would be to consider subaru insurance, they specialise in high spec vehicles as they would expect these types of car to have modifications

insurance now is a minefield and to be honest the cheapest premium is never the best deal, especially when it comes to claims handling etc

hope this is of some use to folks out there

cheers

[scoob fae ork]

insurance policy wording states that they require to invoke cancellation, they should never have cancelled you immediately as that basically defeats the purpose of an insurance company - their actions caused you to have no insurance - you could consider complaining to the Insurance Ombudsman or the Financial services - info should be in the policy booklet

some insurance companies do however "cherry pick" and basically only want standard saloon type vehicles with "safe" drivers ie no young drivers or claims convictions etc

for the best insurance deal you really should consider going to a Broker who will search with all insurance companies especially when you have a car with modifications

you need to VERY CAREFULLY read any policy conditions and statements of fact or they can turn down claims for non disclosure of modifications etc

my suggestion would be to consider subaru insurance, they specialise in high spec vehicles as they would expect these types of car to have modifications

insurance now is a minefield and to be honest the cheapest premium is never the best deal, especially when it comes to claims handling etc

hope this is of some use to folks out there

cheers

Think i might get some advice then give them a phone back and see where i get (prob not far)

[ScoobySounds]

Thanks for the examples about Arnold Clark, I will be cautious and prepare for battle! the colour thing worries me mine is grey like an rb5 so shouldn't be too difficult, one would think.

[sti pretender]

I am with Elephant just now, charged me for insuring a courtesy car when mine was getting serviced. Was £860 inc business, renewal was £930 changing to KM on the 26th £500 and it covers the PPP and gauges.

Just phone and cancelled with Elephant was asked if they could requote to see if the could better the price.

Declared the mods, had to explain what the PPP consisted of.

New Price: £1560 and cost of modifications weren't covered under the policy.

I'm 35 with 6 yrs protected NCB so its not just young drivers getting humped.