Newbie here, just thought I would share my experience re Comprehensive Caravan Insurance today, this may help others.
I spoke to three companies this morning to get $55K cover on our new van, RACV $769, CIL $832 (less another 10% if you have electronic sway control), AAMI $794, then I thought I might just try one more.
I rang Youi, $509! I asked about the cover etc and found no differences, I then asked about reducing premiums by upping the excess, yep sure can, $2500 excess reduces the premium to $351!
We are happy to take the excess risk so the huge reduction to $351 was acceptable to us.
Thought this might be helpful for those renewing insurance.
Regards
Vince
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"life is too short to spend it with people who suck the happiness out of you"
Welcome to the hang Vince, enjoy here and out in the playground.
I can't comment on the Co you mention as don't use them, I use CGO through my Private Health Fund but when and if I drop that will be on the lookout for another Co for sure.
Keep Safe on the roads.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
Vince, the prices on policies have always varied considerably.
However, so do the policies. You MUST get their Product Disclosure Document and read it THOROUGHLY ... particularly the EXCLUSIONS.
Then read each policy and determine which policy offers the cover that will cover YOUR personal situation - ie how you store the van, how you use the van, how long you will be away from home in the van, what items are INCLUDED in the coverage and obviously what items are EXCLUDED in the coverage.
Try, through some research (like on forums), to determine their claims history - how well do they handle a customer when a claim is made, how do they handle the repairs, how do they handle the recovery of personal items etc etc etc.
Insurance can be (and often is) a can of worms.
It is never prudent to make decision on insurance coverage with ANY company on price.
It is no good saving a few bob only to find that when that incident occurs away from home up in the north of woop woop that you are either not covered, or not covered to the extent you assumed.
cheers - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
Thanks for your reply, as I said in the post I ran through the terms etc over the phone with all co's, no real difference in their responses.
As always I will thoroughly read the policy when I receive it but at this stage it appears they are VERY similar in cover.
Cheers Vince
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"life is too short to spend it with people who suck the happiness out of you"
Just a thought. Look into the disclosures. If you are on the road permanently, i.e. no home base to garage your van at, you may find some companies will not insure you at all.
As said, go with the flow, check out those companies that members have had a good relationship with, and maybe avoid those that members have not had a good relationship with.
terry
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Chris & Terry
3.2lt 4 x 4 Mazda BT 50, single cab chas with full alloy canopy
Sure is amazing how they differ our CIL renewal came for2016 993 for 58k 4year old tried RACQ 1100' then I tried Youi turned out to be just like the Telstra Call Centre Youi didn't get me.has anyone done a bundle say car,van,etc t o get a better deal. Vince what you are saying is you would pay 2500 for 1000 repair.
G'day Vince, $2,500 damage/repairs can happen so easily and often.....we recently had $2500 in repairs when unexpected 100Km winds hit us in Leonora environs in our gold prospecting camp...the awning was ripped off completely plus shower tent etc..... for that 'event' and we had brand new awning etc fitted shower tent replaced etc after returning home..$50 excess they did not even apply....the point being, the weather was still bad as we tried to get back to Kalgoorlie...any further damage next day...a hail storm.. which could have easily occurred was covered again as a potential separate 'event', and we would still have paid nothing...then had to return across the Nullabor free camping with the rains following us...the road edges were red sloppy/slippery mud...any further damage would have been a separate 'event' again...... Q: Would your $2500 excess be applied to each and every 'event'? as a separate entity...... My comprehensive insurance is reasonable, and 12 months prior I had front window aluminium lock down cover, blown off my Jayco Heritage..because it accidentally hadnot been secured...easy to do...$1,100 total repairs...I paid nothing....I was lucky it did not hit another vehicle whilst I was sailing along the Melbourne Freeway!...what would that have cost....?... I don't compromise on my Comprehensive Cover...they have just sent me renewal schedule with no $ loadings on previous years... Same Company paid out my Full Comprehensive Cover when my beloved Land Rover Discovery rolled in high winds with trailer tyre blow-out2 years prior....$100 excess, and they paid full vehicle contents as well....plus the furniture I was towing behind in a trailer...$33,000!
I would point out I have never made a claim in the previous 25 + years of holding cover...us Grey Nomads really are potential road hazards/Caravan claimants as we age...lol.... Food for thought....Hoo Roo
-- Edited by goldfinger on Tuesday 15th of March 2016 07:12:43 PM
-- Edited by goldfinger on Tuesday 15th of March 2016 07:16:09 PM
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'The secret of happiness is not in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less'.Socrates BC399.
'Be a Cheerful Nomad, not a Grumpy Gromad, it's the Surly Bird who catches the Germ'!
Speaking from personal experience with YOUI - caravan, house and contents and 2 cars, I can honestly say that they are no better or no worse than any other insurance company EXCEPT that their premiums are up to half the opposition. We had one claim on house and contents which was completed to our satisfaction plus because there was a stain in the floor they could not remove they offered us $800 cash compensation, and friendly all the time. Remember Suncorp owns AAMI, Apia, Just Car Insurance, Shannons, InsureMyRide, Vero, Terri Scheer, Bingle, CIL, Asteron and Tyndall insurance brands in Australia,
We are with CIL because a lot of the companies would not insure us because we are no fixed address. CIL did not care, read all the paperwork and we are very happy with it, we also have contents insurance with them, to cover all the extra we have installed in the van plus, computers and other stuff.
we got the PDF from our house and cars insurance co (SGIO) and found they had not disclosed all the little "nasties" that they would not pay out for and it was pretty much a one size fits all policy. We checked out others through their on-line PDF (not believing anything their SALES call centre told us anymore) and that included the cheapies like YOUI and Coles.
It cost us more, but we get proper and comprehensive cover with CIL. I'd rather pay the $800 or so for a policy that is worth $90K than save some premium and find out I was not covered..........but everyone has their own ideas
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Yeah it really is horses for courses, what suits one may not suit another, I have read through the Youi policy thoroughly and I am happy with the cover, as I said before we are willing to pay the larger excess for the relatively minor things that may happen (we both still work) and have the cover to pay for a major loss.
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"life is too short to spend it with people who suck the happiness out of you"
Hi Goldfinger, I just read your reply and it seems you have had a great experience with your comp insurance company. We are just buying our first van and have yet to go through all the research. Would you mind sharing which company you are insured with please ?
Keep away from APIA and sister companies owned by Suncorp. I was with Sun Alliance and then they moved me to Apia when it was formed. So with them for 44 years and NEVER made a claim. My van which was not overly old got damaged over some rough roads and they wouldn't wear the repairs. Said it was fair wear and tear. At the time I had House, contents, two cars, and caravan insurance with them so I fought them tooth and nail and even wrote to the CEO/General manager stating that I had been with the company for 46 years and never had a claim. Surely I could be given the benefit of the doubt or at least meet me half way for the costs. They couldn't care less. RE-dressed the decision but to no avail. I felt I was just a number. Bad luck.
So in the end I had to pay for the repairs myself. I promptly cancelled all of my insurance policies with Apia and contacted RACV (as I didn't want to go to a sister company of Apia) and took out all my insurance policies with them and at a higher cover policy. Guess what? Overall the total cover of all products worked out $600 cheaper.
Work it out for yourselves.
PS. I was following a van down the Hume Freeway not long ago and guess what they had written on the cover of their spare wheel? " Don't insure with Apia, they don't pay" I just laughed!!
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Cheers
Col
(Picture of my beloved Molly (2003 - 2016) who loved the travels as much as I do. RIP old girl. Gone but never forgotten).
PS. I was following a van down the Hume Freeway not long ago and guess what they had written on the cover of their spare wheel? " Don't insure with Apia, they don't pay" I just laughed!!
