Classic insurance case of ‘it’s all in the small print’

A classic car enthusiast with two cars insured with a specialist classic car insurer found they wouldn't pay for the ferry to rescue their car from the Isle of Wight. The policy includes UK and European vehicle recovery but a letter on the Guardian website says it has "significant exclusions" in the small print of a policy booklet sent some years ago when the policy was taken out. More

Contributor: Chris Hunt Cooke spotted this item on the Guardian newspaper website.





Posted: 141127
Insurance company would not ferry a car from the Isle of Wight when it broke down
A letter in the Guardian on Wednesday 26th November 2014 I from a classic car enthusiast with two cars insured with a specialist classic car insurance broker explained how they found the insurer wouldn't pay for the ferry to rescue their car from the Isle of Wight after it had broken down. The enthusiast mentioned they have two classic cars insured with the insurer with a policy that includes UK and European vehicle recovery. When their car broke down and needed to be recovered from the Isle of Wight the enthusiast called the insurer's emergency number but the garage told them they had to pay the £414 ferry and extra transport costs.

When the enthusiast had renewed the policy they had received from the insurer a “Breakdown Cover Key Facts” document which lists “significant and unusual exclusions” but does not mention ferry costs. The enthusiasts felt not including ferry and toll charges as a "significant exclusion"
is misleading, particularly as the policy purports to provide European assistance! So does that mean recovery from France but not the Isle of Wight! You can see the letter on the Guardian website. More
V8 Register - MG Car Club - the leading group for MG V8 enthusiasts at www.v8register.net