motor insurance providers where total loss (write off) means policy ended early

anniecave

I'm in the process of looking for quotes as my car insurance is up for renewal, and it seems that more insurance companies are now including a clause that either implies or confirms that a write off will mean a policy ends early.

Is there a list anywhere of which providers do this?

On my list so far
Admiral (including Bell, Elephant, Diamond)
Esure (inc Sheilas Wheels)
Sainsburys (underwritten by UK insurance limited)
Churchill (I think they are also written by UK ins)

My renewal is with Tesco, but they seem to change underwriters every few months, and the wording on their current policy seems ambiguous at best. (I have yet to phone them to see what they say....)

Parking_Trouble

Surely if there has been total loss there is nothing left to insure and the policy ends?

Or is my logic flawed?

zeon999

Yeah that's how I thought it worked anyway, maybe I am wrong but just like parking trouble stated, if the vehicle no longer exists then what are you insuring?

vaio

yep but the counter argument goes that I have paid for a years insurance and so should be able to use the remainder of the policy on the replacement car.

InsideInsurance

Parking_Trouble wrote: »

Surely if there has been total loss there is nothing left to insure and the policy ends?

Or is my logic flawed?

Some insurers, it certainly used to be the majority, would suspend the policy at the point of the t/l and give you a window of opportunity to get a replacement vehicle and then transfer the remainder of the policy to the new vehicle (subject to admin fee and any premium changes due to different vehicle)

I have been out of the personal lines motor space for too long to know this level of detail on policies

zeon999

vaio wrote: »

yep but the counter argument goes that I have paid for a years insurance and so should be able to use the remainder of the policy on the replacement car.

Yeah on a vehicle that no longer exists, an if you wanted to change vehicle you would be charged admin fees and then also any premium increase due to change of vehicle, personal circumstances such as lower no claims, a claim that needs declaring ect ect. In which case it would probley cost me more to extend the current insurance after total loss than I would pay for a years insurance from somewhere else.

Surely if you have a new vehicle you would want to look around at other companies to see who is cheapest, I know I would.

I thought it was standard practice for it to work that way (I maybe wrong), in which case whats the actual point of this thread?

InsideInsurance

zeon999 wrote: »

Surely if you have a new vehicle you would want to look around at other companies to see who is cheapest, I know I would.

Normally you'd do both. If you've just paid £1,000 for your years cover and write the car off the very next day most wouldnt want to "lose" that £1,000 and rather transfer it + admin fee to the new car rather than paying a whole new years premium elsewhere.

zeon999

True good point, been along time since I had to pay that sort of money for insurance, but yeah suppose a £1000 for insurance these days is nothing and if you have only just took out I get what your saying.