I am a part time motorcycle instructor. Like many riders, I have been insured with Bennetts and advised them at the time of taking out my policy that I use the bike for teaching. That came to an end a couple of years ago with the purchase of my R1200RT LC. Apparently, my current underwriter wouldn’t cover it, so they wanted to cancel that and charge me an inflated premium. This, despite a search online giving a lower quote from, er, Bennetts…
Anyway, I took my business elsewhere and resolved never to use them again – under any circumstances – and thought nothing more of it.
Until yesterday. One of my colleagues had just had his insurance cancelled by Bennetts because, upon attempting to add a machine to his policy they “found out” that he is motorcycle instructor. This, despite like me a couple of years previously, he had taken out business insurance and informed them precisely what he does for a living. After all, it would be pretty damned stupid not to. They had taken his money, despite not covering him because of his occupation.
He is taking the matter further as this is clearly miss-selling. However, if you are reading this and you are a motorcycle instructor, Bennetts don’t cover you – even if you have told them and they have relieved you of money for the privilege.
This company is riddled with, at best, incompetence. Leave well alone. If you are a motorcycle instructor insured with them, then you had better do something about it, damned quickly, for you are uninsured.
I recently switched from AA to Bennetts. My Sprint has LED lights, heated grips, tank pad and the previous owner sawed a bit off the rear mudguard. I don’t know if the tyres are OE or not.
I thought “mods” were things like high-performance cams or suspension, not dopey add-on parts or things that have no bearing on function or value.
Bennet’s also cancelled my bike insurance. My advice? Do not on any account conduct business with this outfit. You will certainly come to regret it if you do.
Now that I think of it, the bike has non-OE chain and sprockets and brake pads. I was going to fit braided brake lines which would have made the old girl safer – probably not wise if Bennetts think anything other than a pristine bike is but an excuse to wriggle out of their obligation. Fortunately I pay by installments and have only been with them for a month. An email to them re: my bike’s highly dangerous indicators, tank pad etc will reveal whether or not I cancel.
Thanks Longrider for this information. Yes, indeed, thanks. My bike’s not worth that much but supposing a third party claims against me, a child runs into the road for instance, and I end up paying for their injuries for the rest of my life because of heated grips, a tank pad, a short mudguard and LED rear indicators. Shocking.
Worryingly, how does this affect the potential to reinsure,when you are asked the question regarding ,whether or not you have had insurance cancelled. I suppose SAGA have to get their £26 million quid back I suppose.
Plain stupidity on their part,it’s not like the pupil is riding your bike is it!
Insurance is a big enough rip off as it is, and as we are legally obliged to have it,why do we have to pay tax on it.
It probably does affect future insurance. And, worryingly, Bennetts are ignorant when it comes to what we do. Yes, we are a higher risk while training, because we put ourselves in harm’s way when protecting our students from other traffic and we are in the close vicinity of novice riders, but balanced against that is our higher riding standards. The reality is, we are a fairly low risk – but I wouldn’t expect a nervous, risk averse insurer to actually grasp that point.
Misrepresentation yet again in the public sphere. What recourse is there for those cheated this way?
When you seek new insurance, how do you deal with the question, “Have you ever been refused insurance, or had a policy cancelled?”. I had a policy cancelled under dubious circumstances and had a terrible time finding a company willing to insure me (at an obscene premium).
Just realised this subject already covered. Still feel the industry policed by bandits.
I phoned Bennetts and was told that my mods aren’t classed as mods and won’t affect any claim! To wit, heated grips, tank pad, LED indicators, etc.
Maybe they’re getting a bad press, I don’t know, but they assured me they won’t crap on a claim for the above reasons. So there it is, I’m sticking with them but I’ve noted the details of the call just in case.