Bit of a niche question - Partner on your insurance

[CrippsCorner]

Hi I'm with Greenlight who give me an unbeatable price compared to others I've tried. However they do have one rather annoying policy, which is that they won't insure my partner on my car as she's never had a 'performance' car of her own.

This is very frustrating as the only situation we would ever swap cars is when every couple of months I need to take the kids somewhere, then she'd drive a 5 mile commute to work in my car. So for the sake of <100 miles per year she has to have a 200bhp car, whereas in reality she'd be happy with something with half that.

I could pay for her to get a taxi or something, but I don't feel I should have to! The weirdest bit is they happily put my 70 year old mother on my policy for free!? Said she's lower risk as less likely to drive fast 🧐 I can tell you now my mum is a terrible driver compared to my other half who drives for a living!

I could also see about her taking out her own insurance on my car too, if that's even legal? I guess that'd be expensive though.

Basically wondering if any other modified car insurance companies are less likely to have the same policy? I've never tried Sky or is it Brentacare?

Might phone up Greenlight to ask exactly what they require. I mentioned before we were thinking of a Mini Countryman, and they were saying JCW definitely be okay, not sure on the Cooper S as under 200bhp... however after lowering the budget we've looked at lots recently and one of the favourites is a Leon FR due to a massive boot, but only 178bhp 😒

 

[botfch]

I’ve found it less hassle & cheaper to insure with a normal insurer with mods declared more recently.
I dunno if somethings changed with the brokers.

 

[leeds2592]

I've been with Greenlight for a few years now and in honesty, next year, I'm probably gonna look elsewhere. Sometimes they've been sound when I've spoken to them and other times they've been borderline arsey and like I'm inconveniencing them.

Cant answer your question though sorry. Admiral might be a good one to look at.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

What car is it ? Unless it's heavily modified, just go with a normal insurer.

If she's got her own car, she should be able to drive 3rd party in other vehicles ?

 

[CrippsCorner]

I’ve found it less hassle & cheaper to insure with a normal insurer with mods declared more recently.
I dunno if somethings changed with the brokers.

I was happily with Aviva for years, until they changed it that you could only have 4 modifications 🤷‍♂️

The reason I've stuck with Greenlight other than initial price, is all power mods covered for free, which is pretty good when for instance my last car I increased the bhp by almost 20%

 

[Jekyll]

My wife was insured on my car and always has been since I've been with greenlight (2013/14?) and she's never had a performance car.

 

[CrippsCorner]

What car is it ? Unless it's heavily modified, just go with a normal insurer.

If she's got her own car, she should be able to drive 3rd party in other vehicles ?

I've got an Astra VXR now... 240bhp. Standard at the moment, but already have splitters, new wheels, coilovers etc. in my shed ready to go on. So will soon be beyond what a 'normal' insurer will want to touch.

I will have to check her policy.

She was named on my Clio 182 years back, but Greenlight said that isn't good enough, she needs her own policy on a 'performance' car.

 

[Daz...]

I had my ex insured on mine through greenlight and they never asked a what car she had.

 

[davo172]

I've been with Greenlight for a few years now and in honesty, next year, I'm probably gonna look elsewhere. Sometimes they've been sound when I've spoken to them and other times they've been borderline arsey and like I'm inconveniencing them.

Cant answer your question though sorry. Admiral might be a good one to look at.

Greenlight are a picky arsey and arrogant company few times in the past I have called for quotes on different cars never do they want to insure them even thou they call themselves a specialist performance insurance company!
Attitude is utter shite to the customer
(I told them so on the (last call which was met with silence🤣 ) surprised they ever have any buisiness at all cheaper to go elsewhere.

Would never give them the time of day again, they come across so uninterested like they couldn't give a s**t about talking to you! God knows what they must be like if you have to claim!!

 

[Short Norman]

I’ve always insured with mainstream insurance companies (wife as a named driver) and never had any problems.

we are both over 40 though.

 

[Donny_Dog]

Up north we just do without.
Insurance that is. Wives also in BD postcodes.

In all seriousness, I'd didn't realise it was a thing, with greenlight.

 

[Krarl]

Greenlight wanted me to take my mrs off my insurance because it brought it down over £500!

Same with Flux too, in Feb I'll be looking to get her added just incase. Neither of them asked me if she had ever driven a performance car before, they just asked how much she would be using my cars as she has her own

 

[jameswrx]

I’d imagine it’s all statistic based stuff ie out of xxx amount of policies 75% of the accident claims were involving the policy holders partner rather than the policy holder despite the fact they do way less miles. Has to be some stat behind it, they’re just trying to cover their arse.

If you want your mrs on the policy you have to be part of that spread to cover the yearly loss from all the other policy holders with their Mrs on the policy I guess.

I know my current GF isn’t the best at jumping in a ‘new’ car and she’ll moan about how “jumpy” my cars are compared to her soggy old Audi A3.

“The clutch is so hard to get right without bouncing off” “the steering’s so heavy compared to mine” “you sit so low don’t you!” All those things I’ve heard and it makes me nervous when my car gets taken. What it does is distract them from being comfortable and that’s when accidents happen as they’re not fully concentrating I guess. Even avoidable non fault accidents that us motorcycle riders would be doing life savers for (which I do in my car)

A lot of them lack confidence jumping in a sporty car and I guess that’s what the insurance company want to cut out. Unlikely to have a crash in their own squidgy car but quite likely to have a crash borrowing their partners sporty car has to be the reason. (Yes there are exceptions to the rule before someone melts and throws a rainbow at me)

 

[imprezaworks]

Pics of said partner to assist more.

 

[Darren S]

Strange to randomly have this thrown into the mix though? I'm wondering if less concern is given to married couples, compared to simply partners or girlfriends?

My wife (and previously as girlfriend) has always been insured on the 182. When the car was revamped and modded to circa 200bhp earlier this year - nothing changed on the policy apart from all the modifications were declared, yet the premium remained the same.

I'd understand more if the OP had just won the Lottery and picked up a Veyron. Something so other-worldly in terms of performance, I can see reason for some concern. Even something heavily modded like a 500bhp Scooby will behave totally different than a normal commuting daily. But I'm not quite sure how you're supposed to gain experience in a 'powerful' car if you can't be insured for one in the first place?

It's a sad state where policies are based on assumption. As per the OP.... "The weirdest bit is they happily put my 70 year old mother on my policy for free!? Said she's lower risk as less likely to drive fast 🧐 I can tell you now my mum is a terrible driver compared to my other half who drives for a living!"

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

You could always say that she has had fast cars ?

They aren't asking for proof ?

How could you prove you owned a "fast" car 5 years ago ? I certainly don't have any paperwork for my daft Impreza from 10 years ago, nor even my last car which was only 2 years ago.

I've got photos, but I've also got many photos of Robs zed4 on my drive, on track, in various states of repair over the years etc so that doesn't prove a thing.


Obviously I'm not advocating falsifying your details, I'd just look elsewhere.

Then again I would not be modifying an Astra be thankful she hasn't simply left you.

 

[Inequality Street]

As above, performance car is subjective. I’m sure her 67BHP KA performed just fine as a car and no doubt it felt ‘nippy’

 

[CrippsCorner]

I think I definitely will be fighting my corner a bit next time, stating that people on ClioSport don't have a problem so why me

To be fair I've always got on with Greenlight as a company before this. When I was insuring my Mini I had a right old chinwag with the guy on the phone, was a good convo.

Didn't end up phoning today as the Leon we were looking at sold. Like I don't mind her having a decent bhp car, as I will occasionally drive it on family trips out etc. but for instance where we were also looking at BMW M Sports - 3 Series/Touring, and X3 - I'm not that bothered if it were the 2ltr or 3ltr, but going by what they've said previously, she would have to get the 3ltr to then be allowed on my car. That does seem a bit ridiculous, and cuts our options down massively.

Think I might email Brentacare/Sky over the weekend just to inquire. Is there any other mod friendly companies I'm missing?

 

[Jekyll]

@Darren S like you, I got married 2017 but she was on the insurance before that, so I doubt marriage makes a difference.

 

[Ricardos]

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[Short Norman]

I think it’s all a bit sexist, it shouldn’t be allowed 😂😂

 

[Sash]

Wonder if @Neil@greenlight can shed some light on the situation (obvs I know he can’t discuss personal details GDPR...)?

 

[davo172]

If you just said yes she has driven performance cars before how will they ever know anyway!?

 

[imprezaworks]

Can they check on like a national database (if one exists for this)to check what cars she’s been insured on?

 

[Ricardos]

If you just said yes she has driven performance cars before how will they ever know anyway!?

And when you unfortunately have to make a claim they'll want every piece of evidence and information to back up what you've 'declared' before paying out?

 

[hipwell]

I’ve found it less hassle & cheaper to insure with a normal insurer with mods declared more recently.
I dunno if somethings changed with the brokers.

Same. Admiral with all mods declared was a reasonable price on my civic, it was a complete pain in the arse trying to even get a quote out of sky and Adrian flux so I gave up and just renewed with admiral. They literally charged me nex to nothing per mod anyway, I think it went up by 15 quid.

 

[Clio.lee]

200 break is hardly fast in today’s standards anyway just go with a normal
Insurer

 

[Amos91]

I've ended up moving away purely on price. Admiral was cheaper with mods declared!

Neil is great to deal with though from my experience.

 

[Daz...]

I've ended up moving away purely on price. Admiral was cheaper with mods declared!

Neil is great to deal with though from my experience.

That’s exactly what I done.

 

[Rob]

Surely if the Mrs has her own policy, and it covers driving other vehicles 3rd party, you’re sorted?

 

[Ben]

This is the guy who got in trouble for moving a toaster though.

 

[gavinf91]

Why don’t you take the kids somewhere in your car

 

[Brett]

Specialist brokers can be good with

I insure my standard C63 with Admiral and they literally don’t care what you or your partner have driven previously.

Years ago I had a 172 and wanted to swap to a MX5 and Flux charged more because I had no RWD experience.

After 18 months in the MX5 I got a 182 and Flux charged me more because it was more powerful.

Talk about cake and eat it!

 

[CrippsCorner]

200 break is hardly fast in today’s standards anyway just go with a normal
Insurer

I think the problem is being heavily modified as well. Most companies don't want to touch me because of that 😬

Admiral seem to get a lot of love in this thread, though I'm sure they're on Confused? Which I always check.

 

[davo172]

I think the problem is being heavily modified as well. Most companies don't want to touch me because of that 😬

Admiral seem to get a lot of love in this thread, though I'm sure they're on Confused? Which I always check.

I've been with them multicar and house all together for last 3 years 👍

 

[justinbowness15]

Just out of interest, what sort of mods are you saying? Stickers or thrttle body's , exhausts etc.

I use Hastings myself, always been reasonable for myself.

 

[RustyMojo]

I just insured my clio all mods declared with admiral on their multi car cover was super cheap as well.. at least I thought it was. Green light didn’t bother replying to my enquiry

 

[davo172]

I just insured my clio all mods declared with admiral on their multi car cover was super cheap as well.. at least I thought it was. Green light didn’t bother replying to my enquiry

Probably because you drive something that's got four wheels and a steering wheel they are fussy like that! 🤣

 

[CrippsCorner]

Just out of interest, what sort of mods are you saying? Stickers or thrttle body's , exhausts etc.

I use Hastings myself, always been reasonable for myself.

After market wheels, coilovers, exhaust, remap, splitters, brake upgrades...

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Id just sell the Astra tbh. Sounds like less hassle all round