Anybody with Footman James?

Here's the place to chat about all things classic. Also includes a feedback forum where you can communicate directly with the editorial team - don't hold back, they'd love to know what they're doing right (or wrong of course!)
Message
Author
sierra3dr
Posts: 439
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:20 am

Anybody with Footman James?

#1 Post by sierra3dr » Mon Apr 25, 2016 3:58 pm

And what is the breakdown service like? I had to wait three hours the other night,under one Classic car insurer

GHT
Posts: 1523
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:09 pm

Re: Anybody with Footman James?

#2 Post by GHT » Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:19 pm

My insurance is with a broker in Oldbury, near Birmingham, called Peter James. They are nothing to do with Footman James. My renewal has just come through and has gone up by a fiver. I phoned Peter James and argued that as a percentage my £112 to £117 was coming it a bit. They were polite but firm, it is what it is. Let me give you the details of my cover.
Insured for myself & wife; comprehensive cover for social, domestic and pleasure; insured to a rebuild total of £21000; unlimited mileage; all motor legal expenses; UK & European breakdown recovery, except: Home start and £150 excess. They will charge a £3:00 surcharge for credit card transaction, but they do have a payment by cheque facility, no surcharge. My car is a 1952 MG YB and as it's a rarity, in good nick, I can get wedding bookings with it quite easy. I get six weddings in with my cover.

So, to test the market I called Footman James. First thing they asked was who was I currently with and how much did I pay? They got a polite answer that told them to mind their own business. Then they asked for my post code, that's OK, insurers do jack the rate up if you are in a high risk area. But when I refused to give them my email address, they seemed annoyed, calling me: "Defensive." We then had a sort of interrogation about where I had heard of them. "In one of the trade papers." "Which one?" "I can't remember." "It's important." I then turned the tables, "Where do you advertise?" I asked. He rattled of a list of publications. "The last one will do," I said. "Are you sure." "Yes," I said. Then they went through a spiel about all their insurance products and would I like to know any updates for this, that and the other? "No thank you." Again, there was this 'atmosphere,' Finally we got round to my car and it's details.

They told me that payment was by direct debit, to which I replied: "The only person with access to my account is me." That went down like a lead balloon. So it will have to be by credit card at 3% surcharge. When I asked why, I was told that it was insurance practice. I then asked why they couldn't send me a quote in the post with a perforated paying slip on the quote, like the utility companies. It was not company policy. I was then told that I could have 3000 mile per year limit, maximum £18000 rebuild cover, £250 excess, all for just £170:00. Unfortunately, I can't tell you if breakdown cover came with the quote because I told the agent to stop and that his quote was so far out of the ball park that it wasn't worth continuing.

Others may have nothing but good to say about Footman James, but I felt that they were trying to judge the depth of the pocket, otherwise why would they ask me what I'm currently paying? That was my experience with them, it happened only last week. If you are interested about my current insurer, just look up Peter James. I hope that I have been of help.

User avatar
JPB
Posts: 10319
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: Anybody with Footman James?

#3 Post by JPB » Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:37 pm

I insured with Peter James for a year when he first parted company with Mr Footman, but neither he nor the original company that bore his name could come close to matching my bank for a key policy so that was the direction that my insurance provision took. In the case of my current key policy it's for up to half a dozen vehicles (with more added as required but at further cost), overall mileage unlimited and each motor that's added is valued based on the price guides in a variety of magazines or with evidence from a club's insurance liaison "official".

The specialists used to have the edge, but now it's every bit as easy to get decent agreed values on non-mainstream vehicles through the non-specific brokers and agencies too. Banks, for come reason, are the cheapest of the lot yet offer the most inclusive widgets.
ISTR that my breakdown cover is for any car in which I'm travelling and that cover costs only a tenner more per year than my premium would otherwise be. I also get a free rental car of the appropriate sort (automatic, power assisted everything, chauffeur if I'm ever stranded after dark, partridge in pear tree, etc.)
They will charge a £3:00 surcharge for credit card transaction
They're not allowed to do that if you pay by debit card. ;)
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

sierra3dr
Posts: 439
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 10:20 am

Re: Anybody with Footman James?

#4 Post by sierra3dr » Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:39 pm

Thankyou GHT,very informative. I'll give them a bash

Topaz
Posts: 246
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 11:52 am
Location: Derby

Re: Anybody with Footman James?

#5 Post by Topaz » Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:54 pm

Found this which seems to indicate that Footman James use AA
https://www.petrolprices.com/blog/the-b ... -2014.html

They also offer a separate stand alone breakdown cover which claims a 40 minute target time
https://oqs.rescue24.com/quickquote.asp ... E1216FB3C1

Search shows Footman James was owned by AON and now owned by Towergate.
http://www.insuranceage.co.uk/insurance ... -james-buy


Going back about 8 years - I had my son's 1979 standard 998cc Mini with Footman James and asked for a quote for him when he had passed his test - it was far too expensive as it was based on his age and not the car. 12 months later when he had 1 year NCD on his modern car (Escort) I got another quote to find it had gone up by about £100. Contacted Peter James and they were cheaper by several hundred pounds and now he's over 25 it costs next to nothing. When setting up the cover at the National Mini Show both FJ and PJ had stands there and I'm sure we were told that Peter James was originally a partner in Footman James and then sold that business to one of the big companies and started again.

This VW site also mentions it the same Mr James and gives several recommendations for Peter James and mentions that they also use the AA
http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads ... ance.1375/

Another vote for Peter James from Scimitar Owners
posting.php?mode=reply&f=3&t=6467

Mike

User avatar
RangerNeil
Posts: 159
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:43 pm
Location: Dagenham, UK
Contact:

Re: Anybody with Footman James?

#6 Post by RangerNeil » Mon Apr 25, 2016 10:30 pm

I use Footman James - but (and it might well be a big but) my policy is a multi-vehicle Historic Military Vehicle one that covers all my vehicles - classic Saabs as well as the ex-military. As such there is no break down cover attached so for the light vehicle I use the RAC and for the heavies I use Autohome.

Quote wise I check around every couple of years and so far FJ have always been competitive. Factor in the aggro of getting new vehicle condition reports completed by the various owners clubs/societies and it needs to be a substantive saving to encourage me to switch.
Neil.
Cars
1974 Saab Type 95
1963 Saab Sport

Green Machines
19xx Czech built UAZ 469
1957 AEC Militant Mk 1 6x6 Ten tonner
1974 Landrover 109" FFR Series 3

Classic Microcars
Posts: 71
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 7:06 pm

Re: Anybody with Footman James?

#7 Post by Classic Microcars » Tue Apr 26, 2016 11:24 am

Can I , from personal experience, recommend RH Insurance? Personal service, no premium rate telephone numbers, no admin charges and inclusive european breakdown cover. I pay £120 for a 3l Scimitar with agreed value.

Every year until now I have shopped around and every year I preferred the package from RH. The lack of premium rate numbers and "admin" fees makes a very big difference for me.

User avatar
Minxy
Posts: 547
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:29 pm
Location: West Northamptonshire

Re: Anybody with Footman James?

#8 Post by Minxy » Tue Apr 26, 2016 2:55 pm

Another one here who uses RH - always been excellent, easy to talk to and very professional.
Never play chess with a pigeon. It will knock all the pieces over, S*#t on the board and then strut around pretending it won.

User avatar
Luxobarge
Posts: 1898
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:12 pm
Location: Horne, Surreyshire

Re: Anybody with Footman James?

#9 Post by Luxobarge » Tue Apr 26, 2016 3:16 pm

And another vote for RH - we insure the Midget and Moggie with them on a multi-car policy for around £170 per year all in, and I'm another one that simply hates the premium rate phone numers etc. - you get to speak to a nice, friendly, UK-based intelligent person who cracks on with it and doesn't ask a million stupid questions - and I like that.
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

Topaz
Posts: 246
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 11:52 am
Location: Derby

Re: Anybody with Footman James?

#10 Post by Topaz » Wed Apr 27, 2016 6:19 am

Don't forget that in the original question the insurer wasn't mentioned but a wait of 3 hours for recovery was unacceptable and so it was more about any experience of the Breakdown Service provided as part of the insurance deal. As I mentioned earlier, it appears that FJ use the AA and also claim a 40 minute target time but is that correct?.

.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests