Hybrid car insurance refusals

[cobh18]

Had a bit of a surprise this morning when shopping for car insurance renewal. LV, my insurer for several years (until I switched last year) point blank refund to quote as the current car is a hybrid. No discussion: just "underwriters have decided - we know not why" They quoted last year.  Haven't even loaded the premium if, as I suspect, they re wary of CC theft, which would be reasonable.  Wonder if Allianz, the LV owner, refuse to cover the German market?

Got insurance elsewhere and none of the potential companies made any comment online. 

Any views?

[jthspace]

Article on EV and insurance. Repair costs are a factor.

John Lewis insurance have also stopped offering cover, according to other articles.

The Car Expert article December 2023

[Cyker]

Idiots; It's a Toyota hybrid and one of the most reliable cars, not to mention the cheapest and easiest to repair hybrids! I hate that they tar all hybrids with the same brush because they're too lazy to do their research - I can understand it with e.g. the german and high performance ones as they are a nightmare to deal with, but not Toyotas - It's not been a problem for the past 2 decades yet suddenly now it is? Ridiculous.

The Battery in mine isn't even that much more expensive than a full clutch kit for my old Mk2 I think (i.e. pressure plate, friction disc and CSC!)

 

2 hours ago, jthspace said:

Article on EV and insurance. Repair costs are a factor.

John Lewis insurance have also stopped offering cover, according to other articles.

The Car Expert article December 2023

EVs are a whole different problem - The biggest issue is because the Battery is so big and is nearly the footprint of the car, it's very likely to get damaged in a collision, and because car companies are so concerned about the environment and sustainability they don't provide ways to repair them so the whole pack has to be replaced for even a small dent.

I'm hoping future vehicles will start to use modular packs so only modules the size of my Mk4's would need to be replaced when damaged rather than the whole thing, but we need a significant Battery capacity breakthrough before we can even look at that. Currently none of the current major EV players give a single thought to insurance and repairability when they design their EVs. It's not a "them" problem.

 

 

[cobh18]

By the way, I've raised this issue with Which, who give prominence to LV as an insurer of repute. Not in my eyes judging by this farce. 

 

[MagicBoy]

LV have been doing this for at least 12 months. I got a refusal to quote on a Auris Hybrid last year.

[davidif]

I have a multicar policy with LV covering both my Corolla Hybrid and GT86 which renewed in June of this year without issue so they definitely cover Hybrids.

[MagicBoy]

Not for new, or in my case returning customers. Tried to get a quote again this morning  and got this  : 

 

Having to look around after a 57% increase on renewal from Direct Line.

 

[davidif]

Just now, MagicBoy said:

Not for new, or in my case returning customers. Tried to get a quote again this morning  and got this  : 

 

 

I'm guessing a change of policy (no pun intended) on their part since the end of June!

[MagicBoy]

Just now, davidif said:

I'm guessing a change of policy (no pun intended) on their part since the end of June!

As said yesterday, I got the same same last year when I tried just as a sanity check against the Jan 2023 renewal quote.

[bigblock]

I tried LV on 31st Dec 2023 and got a quote of £485. Didn't pay as I was only checking them out. Very strange as my hybrid was excepted.

[Maxiboy]

I received an email from LV= Insurance company who I am insured with. This is an extract from that email:   

"We wrote to you recently about your car insurance policy for TOYOTA AURIS HYBRID ICON TSS HSD AUTO  to let you know that we’re unable to offer you renewal quote due to a change in our underwriting approach for your vehicle type"

Apparently, the TOYOTA AURIS HYBRID ICON TSS HSD AUTO has been targeted by car thieves nationally and there LV= decided it's not profitable to insure this model.

Has anyone else come across this problem?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Similar topics merged.

The theft angle is more likely the reason for the change in policy, rather than the fact it is a hybrid as mentioned in the first post.

Other cars with high theft rates (eg. Range Rover, etc), either of the car or from the car, have also been affected by insurers refusing cover.

 

[Cyker]

I didn't think the Auris was that much of a theft risk; I can't remember the last time I heard of one being nicked! They're just not that desirable for theft as they're so common and not exactly expensive.

The only common risk with them is the catalytic converter, but with mitigation strategies like the protection plate, that should lower the risk substantially...

For some reason they're already on my blacklist along with morethan and axa so they wouldn't see money from me anyway  

[flash22]

yes it's been like this for years, most have a Cat theft clause in the policies, catloc's in standard form have little protection as they just cut the brackets unless they have revised the design

[FROSTYBALLS]

41 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Other cars with high theft rates (eg. Range Rover, etc), either of the car or from the car, have also been affected by insurers refusing cover.

Car theft doesn't just relate to the vehicle being stolen, but also theft from the car.

[SB1500]

A lot has been going on with insurance this last year. They're finding that covering the cost of EVs isn't all that easy. With one off designs and parts and the general public finding new and exciting ways to damage Battery units / sensitive components, it's them who needs to foot the cost. Which is hilarious on the insurers until you find that they're passing the cost on to US!  Even us non-EV, reliable Hybrid driving folks. 

Funnily, my mum who has over 20 years of claim free driving and opted for Tesco Bank Insurance last year around 400 got a renewal quote of 750!  How on earth do they justify that?  

Easily resolved in her case. Quick look online. Around 400 ish prices came up first try. From one of the never heard of em providers, but who are on Compare The Market so must be legit (enough..).

Interesting move from the insurers... Given that allegedly, the country will become more flooded with EVs (Hybrids at least..) they'll find that they are locking themselves out of an increasing percentage of the general population. 

Probably temporary though. Until they or (the under writers) sort out how they're going to deal with the influx of inflated EV claims which, if the big green plan goes well, won't be going away anytime soon 

[MagicBoy]

I've just signed up wit Toyota Insurance Services (Aioi Nissay Dowa) as of this afternoon, no other quotes got within £150.

Trustpilot reviews don't look stellar, but I'll take the risk.

[Cyker]

I will say getting in contact with them can be difficult (My dad told me he was on hold for 3 hours trying to start a windscreen claim when he was with them!), but they will only use Toyota-approved dealers, repairers and parts for repair which removes a bit of the worry about substandard parts or bodging, which you can get from some of the other insurers (I'm looking at you eSure and Rye Street Group with your epoxying my Mk1's rear bumper and lights!)

The fact that you even got a reasonable quote out of them, rather than a ridiculous £1k+ one, I'd take as a good luck omen for the rest of your year, as that's only happens a few times in most car's lifetimes  

You have been Chosen! So enjoy it while it lasts  

[MagicBoy]

My Dad used them when he bought the car new, but they for some reason refused to quote when I took ownership.

I'll happily take a £600 quote, over an £1k+ renewal from Direct Line!

[Dezzer21]

I’ve just tried LV and they quoted no problem on Y Cross.

 

[Saxmaniac]

Mine's been with LV for last 2 years, renewal in a couple of months so we'll see current situation from that 

[Drew Peacock]

this is happening i'm affraid.

we've had our leaf almost 2 years. when we go the car it was 500 quid fully comp for a year with our insurance company. my wife automatically paid the renewall last november it was 650 quid. i thought ah thats ok not so bad. over xmas i checked our insurances and that 650 quid was for 6 months.

lucky we only had renewed it for one month. i called them cancelled it immediatly. shopped around and got it for 450 quid for a full year. seems ev's are becoming very expensive to insure.

1300 quid a year lol. my 2017 v8 camaro was only 700 quid.

buyers beware

[AndyN01]

Very interesting thread - thanks.

As for Insurance Companies..... They're a business and the primary purpose of a business is to make money. They are not there to "help" you, they are there to make money.

Unlike, IMHO, a service who's primary function is to provide, well, a service 😀. e.g the Fire Service, the National Health Service etc. etc.

Andy

[casuarina]

This happened to me too. My Auris hybrid had been insured with LV before, but they refused to quote for it. I managed to get Aviva Zero for just over £300 plus full breakdown cover, protected No Claims and Legal for under £400 (no excess).

[mizunoman]

I'm due to take ownership of a new C-HR and went to get an insurance update from my current Corolla. Neither the RAC nor any companies through Compare the Market and Confused could offer insurance. Anyone else experiencing problems?