Hi all,A word of warning not to be as careless as me. Our private car, on the trade policy for sd&p has been the subject of a long and vicous vandilised attack over the past 6 months, ( local builder who we objected to the council about his plans to build 16 houses in the field behind our house) When the rear screen was smashed on Dec 29, I decided to try to claim for all the damage, The renewal for the policy was 30 dec, Now the insurance company are blocking my policy saying I have 7 undeclared claims on renewal , voiding my cover, My defence is that at £250 excess I was not going to report and claim for all the scrathes that took place previously.
The police have been involved in most of the incidents with relevant crime no s which I gave to the insurance, Even the agent is saying I will not be covered in 7 days and seems doubtful if he can get me insured....I must add prior to this I have not claimed in 25 years in the trade!!......Mike

i am currently insuring my private car separatly with tescos it cost me £700 a year to insure my girlfriend on my policy and if you read in archives me and my mate i share my workshop with had similer problems were his car got totaled and he got trade price only no hire car and lost his no claims i am also looking into cancelling my employers public liability insurance as im a one man band and dont employ no one but myself which saves another £300 tescos want £350 with me as named driver

You have my sympathy Mike.
Years ago I was refused insurance following a large claim (and my insistence that I received what I was claiming). I could then not get an insurance quote anywhere as all the insurance companies check on a central database for "refusal to insure" and it is also a question that is usually asked when applying for insurance.
Two lads broke into my garage, claim was £36,000, they got 4 years and was out after two and half years - a few weeks before I received the final payout. I don't know who are the biggest criminals.
Like Paul, I too have had reason to claim but due to trade prices, excesses and increased premiums I decided to pursue a claim directly against the third party ( a motorcyclist who hit me whilst drunk and on the wrong side of the road), two and a half years later I have just had to instruct my solicitor to take the insurance company to court for non payment.

Good Luck

Graham

Thanks for the replies , yes in the past I decided not to claim when the wife had a mirror and scrape on her car when a trailer door swung open into her path.......motor trade policy is not as good as first seems.....cheers mike

Further to this the insurance have decided to continue with cover ,but reduced it to third party only on the private vehicle, apparantly they think it could be fire bombed !!! in a village of 350 people!........woh .....mike