Insurance for International Rider (Canadian) on Vacation in UK

[rambotron]

Hi all, any help would be greatly appreciated. My brother is here for 4 weeks and would like to take my AT for a rip up to Scotland and 'round some West Coast for some surfing. He has a full license from Canada. Try as we might I cannot add him to my insurance (eBike) without cancelling the policy and for all our searching we've only managed to find ridiculously priced (excess of £500) policies. I just want to insure him for a two week trip (basic 3rd party only) so he can get out and for a ride. Has anyone got any experience with this or advise some alternatives? Thanks, CG

[Whealie]

No easy answer. You took a cheap policy. to be cheap it comes with restrictions. Try to add another rider and that policy is not suitable.

Had you paid slightly more for your own policy you might have found adding a new driver easier.

The same happened to a friend who had car insurance with Direct Line. Direct cherry picked the customer they felt were least risk. By refusing to insurer riskier customers they could keep premiums low. So families were ideal.

My friend had a caesarean for her first baby and could not drive. Her husband worked all day, so she tried to put me on the insurance for the six weeks so I could drive her and her baby to Tesco. She was unable to drive and Direct Line doubled the premium.

If someone said to you: "Oh you want a motorbike do you? I recommend you buy the cheapest you can find" you'd laugh in their face, yet whe someone says: "Oh you want motorbike insurance do you? I recommend you buy the cheapest you can find," we all rush to follow the recommendation. Makes no sense really.

The only way to offer cheap motorbike insurance is to cut something out - whether that is what is covered, the quality of the service, the flexibility of the product, free mid-term adjustments (insurance jargon for what you are trying) or the claims service.

You'll need to change your policy. Go to a broker and tell them the sort of flexibility you might need and the sort of cover you want and the sort of claims service you expect in the event of a claim and see what they suggest.

[Bikesure]

Hi all, any help would be greatly appreciated. My brother is here for 4 weeks and would like to take my AT for a rip up to Scotland and 'round some West Coast for some surfing. He has a full license from Canada. Try as we might I cannot add him to my insurance (eBike) without cancelling the policy and for all our searching we've only managed to find ridiculously priced (excess of £500) policies. I just want to insure him for a two week trip (basic 3rd party only) so he can get out and for a ride. Has anyone got any experience with this or advise some alternatives? Thanks, CG

I've PM'd you.

Phil

[rambotron]

No easy answer. You took a cheap policy. to be cheap it comes with restrictions. Try to add another rider and that policy is not suitable.

Had you paid slightly more for your own policy you might have found adding a new driver easier.

The same happened to a friend who had car insurance with Direct Line. Direct cherry picked the customer they felt were least risk. By refusing to insurer riskier customers they could keep premiums low. So families were ideal.

My friend had a caesarean for her first baby and could not drive. Her husband worked all day, so she tried to put me on the insurance for the six weeks so I could drive her and her baby to Tesco. She was unable to drive and Direct Line doubled the premium.

If someone said to you: "Oh you want a motorbike do you? I recommend you buy the cheapest you can find" you'd laugh in their face, yet whe someone says: "Oh you want motorbike insurance do you? I recommend you buy the cheapest you can find," we all rush to follow the recommendation. Makes no sense really.

The only way to offer cheap motorbike insurance is to cut something out - whether that is what is covered, the quality of the service, the flexibility of the product, free mid-term adjustments (insurance jargon for what you are trying) or the claims service.

You'll need to change your policy. Go to a broker and tell them the sort of flexibility you might need and the sort of cover you want and the sort of claims service you expect in the event of a claim and see what they suggest.

Actually, I'm happy with my coverage and what I paid was reasonable on a £1400 bike insured in London. Sure, I could have spent a lot more on insurance but in fact I've found that most insurance brokers or providers won't add / insure an international rider regardless of what you spend on their policy. The few who would require me to cancel my policy and spend a fortune, for what amounts to 2 weeks worth of insurance for an int'l rider.

For what it's worth, it seems our only solution will be to rent him a TA with insurance as it amounts to much less for a nicer bike and I will be going with him!

Thanks for your replies.
cG