Insurance with full cage fitted?

[stussysoil]

Just tried to get an insurance quote from Footman James for this year, they refused to provide a quote because I have just fitted a full cage!

Any suggestions for insurers that will provide cover to a Westfield with a cage fitted?

[Terry Everall]

Try A Plan

[chriss1455]

Footman James covered me no problem with a cage fitted. Seems very strange as it's an added safety feature

[TAFKARM]

A plan

[Andy (Sycho)]

I've got a full cage & insured with a plan but I have never told them a full cage is fitted!

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

A Plan have always asked me I've I have a cage, or if I had a motorbike engine.

[Andy (Sycho)]

Mmm, I'll give them a call as they didn't ask me!

What diffrence does a cage make?

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

I always assumed, as they asked about that or bike engines, they were the two main mods that would push the costs up, but when I queried the cage thing last year, I'm sure they said it wouldn't make a financial difference. They did explain why the specific question, but I'll be honest, I can't remember the answer!

[CosKev]

Not sure with a kit car,but with a tin top they increase the price due to them thinking you will drive like Colin McRae once you have a roll cage, but also there is more risk of serious head injuries if you have a accident and you are not wearing a helmet

[tisme]

This reminds me of the time I asked Adrian Flux for a quote on my Q reg homebuilt Westie ....

 

"is it modified" he asked 

 

"errrr, it's a kitcar made from lots of bits of other cars" I replied

 

"yes, but is it modified"

 

(that and a few other daft questions made me go elsewhere)

 

Back to the OP though, I agree it's rather odd that FJ would not give a quote if a roll cage is fitted - would they do the same for an MSA roll bar or a 4 point harness or a Fire Extinguisher ? We all know that normal insurance doesn't cover us for any motorsport / track day incidents so surely any safety related modification can only be a benefit for normal road use? (or do they think that the more "exposed" and potentially lethal a car is, the more carefully we would drive it !!)

 

Most of the brokers like A-Plan and Adrian Flux offer policies underwritten by LV Highway but not sure who FJ use (maybe their own underwriters?) so I guess it depends on the small print from those quys. 

[Andy (Sycho)]

Spoke with aplan about the roll cage & was told it wasn't on the insurance but they make a note & my premium wouldn't change.

I did say I was never asked & they said it should be listed under modifications, I said it was built with it. The answer was if anything non standard is fitted it should be listed.

That could be a very long list! What is standard on a Westfield?

[CosKev]

Just shows even supposed 'kit car insurance specialists' don't really know what they are on about

[stussysoil]

Thanks for all the replies, insurance now sorted with Adrian Flux, cage made no difference to quote.

Issue with FJ started with a similar question as above "is it modified?" "modified from which specification?", "when it was built". Well I am the 4th owner so have no idea of the original specification and indicated I could provide a list of the changes I know about/ have done ( may have been easier to list what I knew was original (chassis, bodywork, internal Ali panels, wishbones, fuel tank)). I was not trying to be awkward but seemed to indicate a lack of understanding on the nature of a kit car. I listed changes, engine, radiator, hubs, brakes, wheels, aero screen, diff, gearbox, etc and when I mentioned full cage he stopped me put me on hold and then came back and indicated the underwriters would not insure cars with a cage and therefore he could not provide me with a quote.

Anyway sorted now

[msisleman]

For the record, I spoke with my insurer today (Footman James) and mentioned the roll cage, they asked if it was for safety purposes on the road, or for racing (!!), I answered with the obvious. (I don't even use FJ for trackday insurance, and so far haven't competed in any motorsport in it, so don't see the relevance). No change to premium.

[maurici]

My westy is with FJ and the cage is declared. Quoted with the Internete app and no probs...

Even in the agreed value certificarte, the full rollcage is one of the expensive bits declared in the self valuation document.