Every year, I have always explained that I have a fourth floor apartment with a private garage underneath the apartment block. It has secure gates and the only people with a fob to get in are those in the block.
Two months ago my MV Agusta F4 got nicked from the garage and now my insurer says it wasn’t in what they term a ‘garage’.
However, I have read the policy and a ‘garage’ is defined as being built of brick with a door. That is exactly what this is.
Answer
Unfortunately I am hearing more and more of this ‘robbing to##er’ behaviour. Luckily, it sounds like you are on the ball.
If you told them and you have complied with the policy they will have to pay out. I would follow the complaints procure in the policy and keep everything in writing. If they won’t pay out after that you could take the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service (this will not cost you any money). They should investigate and then order the insurer to pay out.
If they do not pay or you simply want to bypass the Financial Ombudsman Service, you could sue the insurer for a breach of contact. The latter may cost you money with court issue fees etc., but if you win, your insurer should have to pay the applicable costs back to you.
Andrew ‘Chef’ Prendergast
Motorcycle Monthly – August 2019
