Anyone insured with Bennetts?

Soldato
Joined
31 Oct 2002
Posts
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Location
Newcastle upon Tyne
You might be interested to know that stickers and tank pads are now classed as mods!

MCN Story

One of Britain’s biggest motorcycle insurers is refusing to cover machines with more than three modifications, irrespective of what they are.
Bikes with four minor alterations such as a sticker are automatically rejected by Bennetts Insurance while those with three major modifications including nitrous oxide may not be.
Potential customers are asked to identify modifications to their bike by choosing from a comprehensive list.
The list of over 50 possible modifications ranges from a tank protector to specially built frame, but riders can select a maximum of three no matter which they are.
Failure to declare any could invalidate the policy.
One rider posted on MCN’s forum: ‘I recently rang up Bennetts and enquired about fitting a K&N air filter to my bike. However they said because I already had three modifications, that is the maximum I am allowed, and if I went ahead I would be uninsured.’
Bennetts insures 200,000 UK riders and provides quotes to 600,000 a year, more than half the country’s total motorcyclists according to the firm’s website.
Other major bike insurers including Carole Nash and MCE said they did not have a similar limit.
A Bennetts spokeswoman said: "The current Bennetts system allows a maximum of three modifications because historically the number of bikers, when quoting through one of our direct channels, who list more than one modification is very low. “
She said Bennetts would listen to feedback on the issue.

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Check out the comment on their Facebook page too. They need to sort this quickly or they're going to lose a hell of a lot of customers!

We always want bikers to be frank with us and appreciate your feedback. We’ve heard you and so we are urgently reviewing our modification/accessories policy. Just to confirm, multiple stickers are classed as one modification and not individual modifications as you may have read.

https://www.facebook.com/bennettsbike
 
Can you imagine the Nation Press and TV outcry if these sorts of T&C's were applied to car insurance ?
Yet again the motorcyclist is being screwed over by corporate greed. I'm not insured with Bennets, but if i was i would vote with my wallet.
For those that havn't checked, the complete list of exclusions is below:
Anything that isn't an OEM part is basically on the list, this includes changing OEM tyres for much better tyres.......................the madhouse or what ?

Air filter changes
Bar ends
Badge changes
Belly pans
De restricted
Blueprint
Braided hoses
Brake system modified
Carbon fibre parts
Carb change
Different screen
Chrome accessory
Crash bars
Chromed engine
Crash bobbins
Decals or stickers
Dyno jet kit
End cans
Engine crash casings or engine casings
Engine tuning
Brake enhancement
Exhaust
Exhaust ( road legal upto £300)
4 into 1 exhausts
Fairing removal
Extended forks
Bags/ panniers/ luggage
Fork braces
Fork springs
Filter changes
Specially built frame
Grips
Grippers
Heated grips
Handlebars
Headlights/bulbs
Indicators
Induction kit
Huggers
Mirrors
Special paintwork and murals
Nitrous
R&g protection
Non standard seat
Racing colours/ paintwork
Power commander
Radiator bars/ protection
Sat Nav
Reborn
Scot oilers
Sat cowl
Seat replacement
Wheels
Single seat
Sissy bars
Steering changes e.g steering dampers
Street fighters
Tank pads
Suspension changes
Shock absorbers
Tyres changed
 
I get 15 mods out of that list on my most standard bike. It's only a Fazer thou' with some choice touring mods and the engine (apart from exhaust) is totally standard!
 
Stickers and tank pads...

I hope they dont stick to that list but I wont be going near them, thats for sure..
 
Jeez. I wouldn't normally even tell them about most of the things on that list.
Tyres? You have to be kidding.
 
I really don't know what they mean by tyres :/

To give you an example, my 1098s came with Pirelli Corsa's fitted when new.
I now have Pirelli Corsa III's fitted front and back, as these are not the OEM tyres, in bennets eyes that would be 2 mods.
 
Yep I'm insured with bennetts, I have no idea how many mods my bike has, I have no idea what's original and what's not. It's stupid and certainly a weasel scheme to get out of paying claims.
I bet the tyres! Brake pads, brake discs, light bulbs aren't, I bet the originals aren't even manufactured any more.
Is there anyway I can cancel my policy.

They've just posted on facebook, Hopfully media/people will keep the pressure on and it'll be scrapped.

Thank you for your patience. We've updated our modification process and can now cater for more than 3 mods via our call centre. Due to industry confusion regarding modifications, accessories and safety features, we will be providing clarity for Bennetts customers on our website this afternoon. As always, if you have any questions, please email us at [email protected]
 
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Regardless of any backtracking by Bennetts, how much damage have they now done to themselves?

All I can say is I'll never insure any bike I ever own with them as I now would not trust them not to try and weasel out of a claim. I know that could be said for any insurance company but Bennetts have laid their ****ness out on the table for all to see.

Same goes for any other insurance company that tries any **** like this.
 
lol bennettes tbh!

They are terrible. I was with them because my old man was for a year when I first started riding. Got sent a renewal which was stupid amounts more at the end of the year.

Did some searching online and everywhere was about £100 cheaper than my ORIGINAL price.

Never again...
 
They were cheapest for me and if they just wanted mods declaring I wouldn't have an issue, but to classe CE parts as mods is stupid and I will not insure with them again, even if the back track. Now how the hell do I go about cancelling without getting penalised.
 
Oh, also when I moved address when I bought my first house I did the right thing and told them of my change of address.

Got stung £25 "admin fees". I did contemplate kicking off over it but decided just to cancel.
 
I really dislike Bennetts as an insurer. Carole Nash are the best IMO. Not the cheapest by any stretch but the best.
 
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