Most Significant Classic of 2022!

[Martin Prior]

Hi Ruairidh.

I hadn't heard of Gilbart-Smith before.  Henry obviously has a few years to go before he can take to the road, so let's hope that they can provide cover for 17-year-olds in October 2028!

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Neither had I and the reason I shared it with you above.

You can well imagine why I have taken a very personal interest in this - Willow is 17 in 3 years and has her heart set firmly on the Ulster, as I did at exactly her age. 

[Martin Prior]

R.  It'll be very interesting to know what you can arrange for Willow when the time comes.

The age restrictions on insurance - imposed, I gather, by the underwriters and not by brokers such as RH - really are a nightmare.  By the time that I was 21, Steve and I had three operational Sevens between us and I reckon that I'd clocked up around 40,000 solo miles in the RP, 10,000 in the PD and another thousand or so in the RK.  

With distinctly non-A7-inclined parents, I'd have been lucky to have accumulated more than a few hundred miles if supervision had been required in those days.

A decade ago, Charlotte and David were driving significant mileages in their ancient Austins on their own, learning a great deal and becoming safer young drivers in the process.

Given that some 17-year-olds manage to insure hot hatches that they then drive like complete a***holes, I really can't see why there should be such an issue over much tamer elderly cars.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I really can't see why there should be such an issue over much tamer elderly cars.

There isn't, so far as I understand, from many VSCC members.

[Howard Wright]

Given that some 17-year-olds manage to insure hot hatches that they then drive like complete a***holes, I really can't see why there should be such an issue over much tamer elderly cars.

Hi Martin

Around here (Llandrindod) these hoodlums regularly punch holes in hedges and worse. I am told they get cover through the “group insurance” taken out by their farming parents. What the premiums are like I’ve no idea.

Cheers

Howard

[Tony Griffiths]

Given that some 17-year-olds manage to insure hot hatches that they then drive like complete a***holes, I really can't see why there should be such an issue over much tamer elderly cars.

Hi Martin

Around here (Llandrindod) these hoodlums regularly punch holes in hedges and worse. I am told they get cover through the “group insurance” taken out by their farming parents. What the premiums are like I’ve no idea.

Cheers

Howard

Yes, that's exactly what they do. When it comes to a serious claim, if the conditions imposed have not been met to the letter, the insurers will leave no stone unturned to refuse it. Some years ago, the son of a local farmer wrote off a car by demolishing a dry stone wall at something over 80 m.p.h. His father claimed he was driving - and got away with it. Said farmer was also a bit of a lad; he managed (goodness knows how) to tap into the main gas pipeline and enjoyed 12 years of free central heating.

[Bruce Nicholls]

In 1971 I like Martin had no trouble insuring my RP, having passed my test 3 weeks after my 17th birthday. It then became my car and I went everywhere in it for some years clocking up thousands of claim free miles. I used Vintage car Insurance Associates up till recently when I switched to RH as slightly cheaper with more benefits.

Martin is right about using the company insurance to cover almost anyone to drive anything, I was happily driving a wide variety of company vehicles at 17 including Scimitar GTE, 3 litre Granada, Fiat 850 Coupe, Transit Luton Vans etc. The only company vehicle I remember having any age restriction was the Jaguar V12 XJS when you had to be over 21.

[Rebecca Gunn]

My son is 17 and driving our trials Ulster by himself on the road. Bertie Gilbart Smith who is a complete hero insures his 22 year old Micra too... no problem. He insures my modern too. It wont be £60 quid a year, but at least they are driving. The insurers who insist on the other nonsense of plus 25s sitting with them etc are missing a trick for future business. Us parents who did the early Austin 7 trips to France .... are now good business for insurers. Teach the kids to drive well and remind them how lucky they are and they are fine, as I was using the same car as soon as I passed my test back in 1982 - 20 mile commute to Chelmsford each day to college, 3 girls rammed inside to go to the pub and like our VSCC youngsters use them now - trips to France. Aged 17 1/2, Essex to Prescott hill climb, compete, camp and drive home. Fabulous cars.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

It is great to have all this confirmed, Rebecca, especially for us up here in Dunford Towers. 

   

[Martin Prior]

That's great news, Rebecca.  Thanks for posting that.

Time to start saving up for Henry's first premium in six years' time!