Received notification of changes to M&S insurance at the weekend.
Has anyone any ideas as to how this is going to change cover, ie will they still be good for bike insurance?

Had a good look through when our renewal came, and if anything it’s even better than before – certainly no worse. Would appear to cover bikes just the same.

The change is in the underwriter. It used to be Norwich Union, now it is AXA. HAd a few issues but as far as i can tell the level of cover remains the same for Bikes.

I asked them as mine was up for renewal, and they confirmed that bike cover remains the same as before. Not particularly cheap though, unless you have a few bikes.

Out of interest, what might one pay for 5 bikes worth £7K new?

I gave up insuring bikes years ago as it was just too expensive.

You don’t. You pay for contents insurance which just happens to cover individual items up to £4k outside the property.

The question was “how much do you pay”.

I pay £200 – thats contents plus “all risks” cover which includes the bikes away from home

Probably the major change is that bike replacements have to be done through Wheelies Direct (as Axa use them as middle men). I had a recent claim and found them (Wheelies) to be pretty poor and slow (although they can work out pretty good for some people – search on here). After a week of arguing and waiting on Wheelies, I got the M&S people to sort them out and ended up with a cash settlement so I could use an LBS instead….

It depends upon where you live so whatever I pay won’t be of any use to you, however unless you live somewhere like Burnley it probably won’t be as much as 10% of the insurable value which is what it would be if you were specifically insuring bikes.

I’ve claimed for about £7k from M&S this year for stolen bikes. All have been settled in about 2 weeks with no quibbles (including one that was stolen when not locked to anything). I am worried they wont insure me next year though, but if they have moved to AXA that might be good news as I work there and get staff terms.

But, dont let them use Halfords to replace your bikes, obvious really…..

Cheers, not as much as I thought. May get a quote.

i Had two claims for accidental damagein one year (a bike £2k and a matress £5k) and in fairness, they did not put my premium up the next year. They did however slap a £1000 excess on my policy for a year and then tried to keep it on their this year. After a lot of calls and e-mails i have finally got the excess removed so i would expect some change to your policy. I argued my case because nowhere does it state that several claims in one year will affect subsequent years policy excesses.

for buildings plus contents you’ll be looking at £300 – £400 I expect. a bargain compared to cycle specific insurance which usually works out at 10pc of the bikes value, plus the small print will be riddling with restrictions/get outs/limitations.

I’ve just gone with them for buildings & contents [200k/4 bed]
£310 with 1 claim for £1k 5 years ago – no excess

I don’t think I own any bikes that are brands that either Halfords or Wheelies direct sell, so they’d have some difficulty in replacing them there.

A 5K matress?
I hope you can’t feel a pea placed under it 🙂

aP – nor did we, but Halfords can source most bikes and, eventually (and very poorly) build them up for you.

Insist on cash if you need to claim.

Thanks Steels, that’s hopefully good news, please tell me about that mattress though….

I don’t think I own any bikes that are brands that either Halfords or Wheelies direct sell, so they’d have some difficulty in replacing them there.

You don’t have to use the supplier the insurer recommends.

Been there, done it. Was for a written off custom (ie actually physically built by a frame builder to order rather than changing the brakes on a shop bike) 853 road frame. Provided a quote for replacement value, told them that it was specialised equipment, they sent a cheque.
Which was nice since a replacement frame (again not of a brand that either supply) and new components to replace the carbon brake levers/bars/cranks/front wheel (which had shattered and left a trail of carcinogenic splinters in the road) had been ordered that afternoon after returning from 6 hours in A&E and been delivered, built up and ridden before the cheque arrived.

Bloody hell M&S are cheap! I’m paying £144 a year with More Than for contents only and M&S just quoted me £74!

Bob I don’t know how you’ve managed that as my renewal for just my contents is £287 with M+S and the quote from MoreThan was £149!

PePPeR – the contents part of the quote I’ve just done was similar to BBs

although I guess there is some discount for taking both

When you get a renewal quote – get online to M+S re-enter all details and quote will be cheaper. I guess they rely on inertia.

what wally said.

also register at Quidco and you will get £24 cashback!

ps it was a £500 matress not £5k 🙂

We’ve got M&S for most things now. A simple ‘cheapness’ yarstick isn’t always the best thing to judge it by. Their household insurance will cover things ‘ outside of the home….’ so that means anywhere between your garden or Australia!!! Therefore we don’t need holiday insurance for personal items, so if you take holidays then you save on that outlay.
Wev’e also got their motor insurance, so both my wife and I now get accident/breakdown cover as part of it, so we’ve cancelled our AA membership, and because we get 90 days EU cover, no need to insure for that french trip…..
Currently having to claim on our pet insurance, but that’s….. another very upsetting story and got worse today.
cheers
Q

sorry to hear that Christowkid.

thanks mrsflash:
just had to give the vet the go-ahead for an amputation of front leg, I’m so upset. It’s either that or risk loosing him through infection. My head tells me he’ll be fine long term, my heart is in another place.
better go before i blub.
Q

Cat or dog? Poor boy. Like you say, you know he’ll be fine long term, he’ll get used to it very quickly.

Hiya…..sorry, just made the phone call so not really making much sense.
He’s a Cinnamon silver Ocicat neuter, which sounds a bit posh, but he’s the most affectionate and equally lovable cat I’ve ever known let alone owned. Was following me around last saturday, we live on the edge of a village. Went into next door’s field, quick chat with neighbour, then saw a car stop by the gate. He thought he’d missed him ( he wasn’t going fast ) then i saw a lump of fur on the road…. 3 laps of the house later found Tango in the garage. His front left paw had been run over. Got him to the vets and we hoped all was well. they were worried that the skin wasn’t growing back, and did warn of the worse case scenario. That was today, ~ 1 week later, no blood supply to the paw, infection set in, nerv damage. Sh*t. Only one sensible option.
Going back to the original post – the vet’s bill was staggering, and more to some – thank goodness for M&S!!!, it meant we just had to worry about tango, not how much it was costing.
Sorry to ramble, still finding it hard to take in – in a blink of an eye things change so dramatically.
thanks for asking
Q

Oh dear, I wish you all the best, with your cat. I’ve just had to bury my sons cat who got run over on the main road which is three fields away from us!

I’ve seen loads of dogs with three legs living very happily, I’m sure to a cat it will be a piece of pee.

thanks PePPer: I’m sure you’re right, and my head tells me this too.
Mrs CK asked what it is about me and cats, didn’t cry when youngest daughter broke ankle, reduced to drivel after Tango’s accident.
What is it about animals, cats in particular for me? Answer – I have no idea. Just touches a part of me that I can’t explain.

aP: sorry – didn’t mean to highjack your thread.
As you can see, have just had to use M&S for my problem. I have filled in the forms, made a claim for the first part of an on-going situation and sent it in. Asked them today to send out more claims forms, warned them more expense to come, and asked about time for settlemant. Was told should be 5-10 working days before I get money back, as I’ve paid the vet direct.
I’ve also used them when my eldest daughter broke her wrist in France – simplicity itself, never paid a penny. Have always found them good to deal with, and though this claim not totally sorted, sounds like it’s all in hand.
cheers
Q

My friend’s cat was hit a few years ago and his leg had some nerve damage. It was intact, but he couldn’t use it. the vet advised against amputation and he carried it around for a couple of years. However, he kept injuring it, so eventually they decided to amputate – it was like he was suddenly a different cat. He lives a totally normal, active cat life, you don’t even notice he’s got a missing leg. Tango will be fine 🙂

Yes Sorry Ap for the hijack!

I’m the same with my animals, dunna care about hurting myself have broken umpteen bones and have scars all over the place but if one of my animals is hurt then its very upsetting.

I’ve just paid out over £600 on getting my dogs elbow fixed after a little walk on the beach.

mrsflash: thank you for that…. you’ve just hit the spot.

PePPeR: again thanks – so it’s not just me then???? that’s reassuring.

phew. what a day. Just feel like lying down in a dark room. Anyway, as Mrsflash says, I’m sure he’ll be all right, it’s just what’s going on in *my* head that’s the problem.
thanks for your support peeps, really appreciated
Qx

So presumably M&S cover your bikes if they are in your shed?

If you take on the outside of home cover ( a little more ) yes!
Q