I have two classic cars insured with Hagerty; the policy includes UK and European vehicle recovery. One car needed to be recovered from the Isle of Wight but when I called the emergency number the garage told me I had to pay £414 ferry and extra transport costs.
When I renewed the policy through Axa I received a “Breakdown Cover Key Facts” which lists “significant and unusual exclusions” but does not mention ferry costs.
Hagerty says it sent me an Axa policy booklet when I first took out the insurance some years ago, which includes this exclusion but that, in any event, the information is on the website. I think not including ferry and toll charges as a “significant exclusion” is misleading, particularly as the policy purports to provide European assistance.
Following my complaint Axa agreed to refund £192 charged for “driver waiting time”. Nevertheless, I have paid £212 to get my car off the Isle of Wight and feel that Hagerty is hiding behind the small print. The large fee for the short crossing to Portsmouth adds to my sense of injustice. DS, Bristol
Hagerty advertises itself as the UK’s leading specialist classic car and bike insurance broker, offering policyholders what it claims to be the best premium rates. But you do seem to have incurred unusually high costs as a result of breakdown.
This got more complicated than it needed to be. Axa agreed that you should not have been charged for the waiting time and confirmed it has refunded you £192.
On the subject of ferry costs, it typically would not subsidise transportation across water which customers would ordinarily have to pay for – as clearly set out in the exclusions. It is reviewing this as it happens so rarely.
Hagerty, however, claims there was a “misunderstanding” over the further transportation costs and has agreed to compensate you in full. It said it had “spoken with the client when this was first raised and he was very happy with our prompt response”.
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