Boat and contents insurance

[TandC]

We are currently holding a very basic insurance policy with CraftInsure but i want to upgrade to a more comprehensive policy including contents cover, and if any do it, cover for bicycles.

 

Are there any recommendations, quality of service and cost?

[becks101]

We're with Craftinsure and our policy includes contents cover. I had to ring them to ask about it as it wasn't mentioned on the website, but we've had it for the last two years with no problems.

[Nightwatch]

We're with Craftinsure and our policy includes contents cover. I had to ring them to ask about it as it wasn't mentioned on the website, but we've had it for the last two years with no problems.

Me too. However, had to make a claim that was eventually finalised, partly my fault, partly theirs.

 

They did ask for my home (bricks and mortar) contents insurance details as they were to write to them to share the cost of the items stolen from the boat. I forgot to pass on these details.

Been with them 3 years.

 

 

Martyn

[Duchess Omnium]

Craftinsure were v fair and helpful when I had to make a claim because of theft. The rate did go up, but they say it will go down again once I am 3 years no claim. I have asked others and I think Craftinsure premiums are very competitive.

[pearley]

We have been with Craftinsure for 3 years. Last March, just before renewal, my glasses were knocked into the water by a carelessly thrown rope. Although we dredged for them with a net they were lost in 5 ft of water. The glasses cost just over £300 and Craftinsure said I could claim but there was a single item limit of £250 and an excess of £150 so the most I could claim for was £100. Better than a kick in the teeth so I put a claim in. Shortly after, before being paid, my renewal arrived. I had lost all 3 years no-claims bonus and the new premium would be some £160 increase. So my £100 claim would cost me about £250 over the next few years. When I queried it I was told that was how the computer worked things out but if I wanted to withdraw the claim then my premium would then be the same as last year, which is what i did.

 

Ideally seperate policies for boat and contents might be better, if they are available at the same overall cost.

Edited December 12, 2010 by pearley

[Nightwatch]

When my claim was eventually finalised my premium increased by over a third. I queried it and was informed that i had lost my NCD. I then informed them that I didn't even know I had a NCD.

 

No reply to that one I'm afraid.

 

Having said that I am still with them. Cost is important, (to me)

 

 

Martyn

[Maffi]

We have been with Craftinsure for 3 years. Last March, just before renewal, my glasses were knocked into the water by a carelessly thrown rope. Although we dredged for them with a net they were lost in 5 ft of water. The glasses cost just over £300 and Craftinsure said I could claim but there was a single item limit of £250 and an excess of £150 so the most I could claim for was £100. Better than a kick in the teeth so I put a claim in. Shortly after, before being paid, my renewal arrived. I had lost all 3 years no-claims bonus and the new premium would be some £160 increase. So my £100 claim would cost me about £250 over the next few years. When I queried it I was told that was how the computer worked things out but if I wanted to withdraw the claim then my premium would then be the same as last year, which is what i did.

 

Ideally seperate policies for boat and contents might be better, if they are available at the same overall cost.

 

 

Are you mad! Why not just throw 300 quid a year in the canal. Suggesting you withdraw a claim is tantamount to demanding money with menaces, a criminal offence! You should report them to the police.

 

 

Craft insurance are are shysters much like the rest. They set the excess artificially high to 'discourage people keeping hi-value items on the boat'. What one keeps one their boat should be nothing to do with the insurance company other than to pay out when a claim is made. We are all barking mad paying these people to insure us and then dont claim for fear of losing the one thing you cant insure for NCD. It's a damn con and craftinsure are masters.

 

 

(can you tell I rate insurance cons lower than estate agents)

Edited December 13, 2010 by Maffi

[Maffi]

Ideally seperate policies for boat and contents might be better, if they are available at the same overall cost.

 

They aint gonna do that. Craft Insure do a separate contents policy. When last I asked they did not give discount on one if you took out the other

[Heffalump]

Maffi who would you suggest as the best of a bad bunch?

[TandC]

CraftInsure have now confirmed that the standard policy carries contents insurance but only single item limit of 250. If i wish to include high-value items i need to get in touch with the models/value and they recalculate the premium.

 

My experience of insurance, particularly travel, is that everything possible is done to make it difficult and expensive to claim, providing a fraction of the true value in the end...! This lead to an arms-race situation when I was skiing, with holiday-makers busily claiming for all sorts of items in order to pad out their claim to get their value back - a 500 quid snowboard being nicked rapidly led to a claim for a snowboard, boots, camera etc... its a vicious circle, with such behaviour forcing premiums up, excesses up etc.

 

So - if there are no better suggestions, i'll wait and see what Craft Insure's quote is...

[steelaway]

CraftInsure have now confirmed that the standard policy carries contents insurance but only single item limit of 250. If i wish to include high-value items i need to get in touch with the models/value and they recalculate the premium.

 

My experience of insurance, particularly travel, is that everything possible is done to make it difficult and expensive to claim, providing a fraction of the true value in the end...! This lead to an arms-race situation when I was skiing, with holiday-makers busily claiming for all sorts of items in order to pad out their claim to get their value back - a 500 quid snowboard being nicked rapidly led to a claim for a snowboard, boots, camera etc... its a vicious circle, with such behaviour forcing premiums up, excesses up etc.

 

So - if there are no better suggestions, i'll wait and see what Craft Insure's quote is...

 

 

You only find out how good any insurance company is is when you make a claim, which may be 10 years of premiums.

They pay whole departments of assessor, large salary's to minimise any claims payments.

I now only have insurance when I am legaly bound, for every thing else I self insure myself.

I have not had contents or house insurance for over 20 years. I decided that if I do have a break in then I simply replace the items from my insurance premium savings.

I have decided that in my experience and in my life time, that very few house are burned down to the ground and the risk is negligible.

 

Have you tried Saga? They seemed the best for me - but minimise the contents. Again being realistic whats to nick on your boat that's not screwed to the boat and covered by the boat insurance.

 

Alex

[jenlyn]

i used saga for 3 years, was told this year, my premium would increase for my contents to £500 per annum. have now insured with haven knox johnston, £352 premium. Total insured is £100,000, with £5000 contents and £150 excess

[Naughty Cal]

We insure with N&G. Not only is the premium cheap at £160 but the excess is cheap at £100 and the cover is exactly what we needed, they tailored the policy to suit our needs. The contents coverage is very thorough as is the whole policy.

 

On the one occasion we had to contact with a potential claim they were extremely helpful and have always tailored our policies to suit our current needs not those from 12 months ago.

[steelaway]

We insure with N&G. Not only is the premium cheap at £160 but the excess is cheap at £100 and the cover is exactly what we needed, they tailored the policy to suit our needs. The contents coverage is very thorough as is the whole policy.

 

On the one occasion we had to contact with a potential claim they were extremely helpful and have always tailored our policies to suit our current needs not those from 12 months ago.

 

 

Hi

 

I have contacted N&G and they have given me what seems like a good quote and with a standard £100 excess.

£60K is £218.40 -------------- £50K is £184.80 ----------- inclusive of any contents

I'll compare it with Saga when my renewal comes up.

Thanks for that

 

Alex

[Midnight Rider]

i used saga for 3 years, was told this year, my premium would increase for my contents to £500 per annum. have now insured with haven knox johnston, £352 premium. Total insured is £100,000, with £5000 contents and £150 excess

Havn't got the paperwork to hand, but I pay £27 per month to Saga for £80k on the boat & includes £1500 of TV equipment in the contents.

 

But, as stated, you never know until you claim.

 

Tony

[steelaway]

You only find out how good any insurance company is is when you make a claim, which may be 10 years of premiums.

They pay whole departments of assessor, large salary's to minimise any claims payments.

I now only have insurance when I am legaly bound, for every thing else I self insure myself.

I have not had contents or house insurance for over 20 years. I decided that if I do have a break in then I simply replace the items from my insurance premium savings.

I have decided that in my experience and in my life time, that very few house are burned down to the ground and the risk is negligible.

 

Have you tried Saga? They seemed the best for me - but minimise the contents. Again being realistic whats to nick on your boat that's not screwed to the boat and covered by the boat insurance.

 

Alex

 

 

 

 

Futher to my views on Insurance - did you see 'Rip off Britain' today.

Its seems there are many thousands of people been sold Payment Protection Plans wrongly and have no hope of ever claiming due to the clauses in the small (very) print.

You are sold a plan without any being asked for any details as to whether this will cover you. Only to find out the time of a claim that you where never (well 99%) going to be eligible to claim.

From my personal experience I'm sure health protection plans will be the next scandal to be revealed.

 

Alex