leew2
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| posted on 21/4/16 at 10:23 PM |
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Will anyone insure a one-off custom built car?
I have started building a one-off custom built car, not sure if I can call it a kit car or not, but I suppose I could, as I will have most of the bits
in my garage as a "kit" before I assemble the bits into a car.
Anyway called a few of major insurers trying to get a quote, A-plan could not quote, neither could Adrian flux or footman James and about 8 other
insurers who I found while googling claiming to do custom and specialist cars, some just said no straight off as soon as I mention it's a one
off, others have had to go to "underwriting" and then gone back a few days later saying no.
Annoyingly A-plan quoted me last year, but when I phoned again a few days ago, it was no can do :'(
I get the impression that if a car is not on their list of makes & models it's a no-go.
I intend on putting my own name on the logbook as the manufacturer, I have read this is what others do when building a custom car.
Does anyone know any insurers who do one-offs?
I don't consider myself high risk, 31 years old, driving for 8 years, no claims/accidents/points/convictions etc.
Any tips on trying to get insurance on a one off, should I just say it's a kit car (which I suppose technically it is, I just made the
'Kit' myself!)?
Many thanks, lee. I am getting a bit frustrated and depressed at the moment, as my dream car may have to remain just that, a dream.
At this rate I may end up just having to flog the bits I already have on ebay and think of something else as a summer project :'(
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leew2
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| posted on 21/4/16 at 10:28 PM |
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Reading someones blog about building a one off vehicle, I saw this mentioned:
"I rang Carole Nash who insure all of my weird and wonderful selection of bikes and asked for the Golden Eagle to be added to the policy.
Impossible! They are now large and computerised and if the call centre operator cannot find the vehicle on their computer database they cannot insure
it. Needless to say a Raleigh mountain bike with a Japanese chain saw engine on the back was beyond them. I asked to speak to someone in charge and
this was refused. (Just wait until insurance renewal time.) I rang several other insurers and got the same response - despair!
I rang Dave Casper in despair and he confirmed that this was happening more and more often and threatened the existence of one-off or obscure
machines. He agreed to have a chat to Footman James who do the NACC insurance. A few days later he rang back and said he had smoothed the way and
told me to ring a senior person who knew how to transact insurance without a computer. A very reasonable fee of £45 a year was agreed which would
cover all my low powered machines was agreed and I had a certificate in days."
It seems like in the 13 years since that was posted, it has indeed become true :'(
Looks like I need to find "a senior person who knew how to transact insurance without a computer.", anyone know such a person?
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snapper
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 05:49 AM |
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We don't have any problems getting one offs insured, there are links to insurers such as Adrian Flux on this site
Most Haynes roadsters are built from cut steel
The Warner R4 only 2 made
Search insurance on here
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 06:16 AM |
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I guess you know about the IVA, you will likely need one?
You will need to build it with the IVA in mind. Once your car has passed the IVA you should be able to get insurance number plate plus tax. Build
insurance is a different issue..
Dan
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killerferret666
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 07:08 AM |
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Mine wasnt on anyone's books being the first to be built and it wasn't a problem.
Your issue may be you are trying to insure bits not a car. Does it have a VIN as a minimum?
When I insured with footman James they would only insure on the win for 28days I think it was, then I had to have passed the IVA test and give them a
registration to continue insurance.
I dont think many people get insured until near the IVA.
Building DDR GT4
Miami Gt4 Blog - Click Here
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leew2
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 07:27 AM |
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Build insurance would be nice, but not essential. I have found one insurer willing to give me a 14 day cover note on the chassis number for the
purposes of getting a number plate (at a price though of £140!!). However is 14 days long enough, as I believe it can take 6 weeks for the DVLA to
give you a number plate after sending off the docs, and you need insurance when you send the docs off?
I am familiar with the IVA and the MSVA. I have spent many hours reading the MSVA manual (building a 3 wheeler) thus know a lot of it off by hand by
now! I have also been sending various emails to a contact at VOSA asking various questions about the test for things which are vague/ambiguous in the
manual.
I have been asking for an insurance quote as if I had a number plate (most likely a 'Q' plate, if that makes any difference?). My big
fear is completing my build and then find out I can't insure my pride and joy which would of course be heartbreaking as I would then have a
useless and undrivable and most likely rather worthless car stuck in my garage!
I currently have no motivation to continue the build due to this fear. I don't want to find out I have wasted about £5k on parts and
100's of hours on this.
[Edited on 22/4/16 by leew2]
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907
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 07:46 AM |
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You may be approaching insurers in the wrong way. Instead of "it's a total one off" try describing it as, "it's similar
to a
single seater/American pick up/two seater sports/open top tourer, or what ever.
I would describe my car as a "Seven Type Sports Car" but in reality it's unique, a one off, mostly made by me and
registered as a Suttol 7. The only parts I didn't make are the mechanicals, rack, engine, gearbox, diff etc.
The list of donors is as long as your arm including Honda, Ford, Lotus, Getrag, Jaguar, and Vauxhall.
Even the materials used are not the norm.
Insured with A Plan with agreed valuation. An album of photo's supplied.
HTH
Paul G
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killerferret666
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 07:55 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by leew2
Build insurance would be nice, but not essential. I have found one insurer willing to give me a 14 day cover note on the chassis number for the
purposes of getting a number plate (at a price though of £140!!). However is 14 days long enough, as I believe it can take 6 weeks for the DVLA to
give you a number plate after sending off the docs, and you need insurance when you send the docs off?
I am familiar with the IVA and the MSVA. I have spent many hours reading the MSVA manual (building a 3 wheeler) thus know a lot of it off by hand by
now! I have also been sending various emails to a contact at VOSA asking various questions about the test for things which are vague/ambiguous in the
manual.
I have been asking for an insurance quote as if I had a number plate (most likely a 'Q' plate, if that makes any difference?). My big
fear is completing my build and then find out I can't insure my pride and joy which would of course be heartbreaking as I would then have a
useless and undrivable and most likely rather worthless car stuck in my garage!
I currently have no motivation to continue the build due to this fear. I don't want to find out I have wasted about £5k on parts and
100's of hours on this.
[Edited on 22/4/16 by leew2]
It sounds like you might be over complicating it a bit or the wording to the people on the phone 
I definitely didn't have insurance when I booked my IVA, I got it the day before my test in case I decided to drive it home. ( I didnt in the
end I trailered it)
The building to the IVA standards, as you say its all down to studying the manual think you have the covered, I had to drop a couple of emails as well
(make sure you take the answer emails printed off, that saved me some headaches)
You cant ask for the insurance as if you had a number plate, because you don't have one. You want to be insured on the VIN number because thats
all you have then you provide it once IVA passed and then like you say you get given some days to get the number plate (they will extend this a bit,
as I called up and said ive booked the retest but its 38days away and wasnt an issue)
Its effectively a kit car you are building, however the IVA forms if I remember correctly dont actually state kitcar anyway, its called an Amateur
build on them so just shows you how the terminology is different everywhere.
My V5 form has DDR Motorsport GT on it as does my insurance document and there is no way that was on any system.
Building DDR GT4
Miami Gt4 Blog - Click Here
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 08:22 AM |
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It will be fine you will be able to get insurance once IVA/registered. You can get insurance on the VIN number and DRIVE to the IVA center in the car
for an IVA appointment, might not be recommended, but this is exactly what many have done, this is no different from driving to MOT center if MOT
expired/SORN.
Don't worry to much, if you can get to a kitcar show or local meeting and take a look at some locosts and chat to other owners, it's all
doable in the UK.
As to talking to VOSA about MSVA issues that's fine but it will come down to the tester in the end; my experience is if you do a good job your
likely to pass as the tester is more confident in what you have done. In the end the tester just want's to ensure you car is safe..
Took me about 3 months to get plates from DVLA after pass, luck of the draw some get them the same day! Hopfully the DVLA have improved over the years
but I doubt it...
Dan
[Edited on 22/4/16 by Bluemoon]
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leew2
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 12:00 PM |
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Hi all, thanks for the tips.
Adrian flux called me this morning, they initially said no, but after going back to the "underwriter", they have now offered me a
policy!!
£275.00 third party only on the chassis number.
Time to go to the garage and crack on with the build!
Next problem, the chassis number, I have seen conflicting info on this, do I have to ask DVLA to give me a number or can I just make one up, and if I
make one, is there any requirements other than it having to be 17 chars long, and be letters and numbers but not including O,I,Q?
Also I cannot stamp the number into my chassis as stamping a CFRP chassis is a Really Bad Idea, so I was wondering about stamping an aluminum plate
and then gluing that onto the chassis with high strength epoxy. Or could I stamp the steel rear sub-frame which holds the motor and rear swingarm,
however this is a bolted in part.
Being different certainly is not easy!
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liam.mccaffrey
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 02:09 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by leew2
Also I cannot stamp the number into my chassis as stamping a CFRP chassis is a Really Bad Idea,
Have you home built a composite chassis???!?
Build Blog
Build Photo Album
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luke2152
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| posted on 22/4/16 at 05:26 PM |
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quote:
Also I cannot stamp the number into my chassis as stamping a CFRP chassis is a Really Bad Idea, so I was wondering about stamping an aluminum plate
and then gluing that onto the chassis with high strength epoxy.
What about stamping a scrap piece of CF and gluing it with said epoxy
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DAN@ADRIAN FLUX
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| posted on 24/4/16 at 08:47 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by leew2
Hi all, thanks for the tips.
Adrian flux called me this morning, they initially said no, but after going back to the "underwriter", they have now offered me a
policy!!
£275.00 third party only on the chassis number.
Time to go to the garage and crack on with the build!
Next problem, the chassis number, I have seen conflicting info on this, do I have to ask DVLA to give me a number or can I just make one up, and if I
make one, is there any requirements other than it having to be 17 chars long, and be letters and numbers but not including O,I,Q?
Also I cannot stamp the number into my chassis as stamping a CFRP chassis is a Really Bad Idea, so I was wondering about stamping an aluminum plate
and then gluing that onto the chassis with high strength epoxy. Or could I stamp the steel rear sub-frame which holds the motor and rear swingarm,
however this is a bolted in part.
Being different certainly is not easy!
Hi,
I'm glad we were able to quote for you as I've never know us to have any issues with insuring one off vehicles in the 26 years I've
worked at Adrian Flux.
Was third party only the maximum cover we would offer you?
I would very much appreciate it if you would PM me your details so I can take a look at the quotation because as far as I'm concerned you
shouldn't have been experiencing issues trying to insurer this type of vehicle with ourselves.
Regards,
Dan.
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leew2
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| posted on 26/4/16 at 02:27 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by liam.mccaffrey
quote:
Originally posted by leew2
Also I cannot stamp the number into my chassis as stamping a CFRP chassis is a Really Bad Idea,
Have you home built a composite chassis???!?
Sort of, I have a mate who has a composite workshop. I am using mostly ready-made flat honeycomb sandwich panel and building much like this:
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=112925
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leew2
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| posted on 26/4/16 at 02:34 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by luke2152
quote:
Also I cannot stamp the number into my chassis as stamping a CFRP chassis is a Really Bad Idea, so I was wondering about stamping an aluminum plate
and then gluing that onto the chassis with high strength epoxy.
What about stamping a scrap piece of CF and gluing it with said epoxy
It would not work with fully cured CF but I may have a play around laying up some CF and then stamping it at various stages before the epoxy has fully
cured to see if that would work.
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leew2
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| posted on 28/4/16 at 07:00 PM |
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Would just like to say that Adrian Flux have just offered me Third party with fire and Theft (though there is a restriction that the vehicle is only
covered for theft while in a garage, also I am not covered for carrying passengers, but as it's a single seater that would be illegal anyway).
Underwritten by a company called Markerstudy.
Thanks
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snapper
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| posted on 28/4/16 at 07:26 PM |
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I fully made up my VIN but to the specification you quoted DVLA want the vin in a particular location now so you will have to be creative and bond it
on
I would also stamp some permanent metal parts, I did several, some hidden.
You will also need a VIN plate with certain information in the engine bay
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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