These frequently asked questions are in relation to our classic car, classic bike, multi-vehicle and flex policies.
If you have a Private Client or motor trade policy please contact your Account Handler for any queries you may have. For any other policies, please call us on 0333 207 6120.
Yes - Call recording means we are now able to trade by means of Statement of Fact on all our non-commercial insurance policies.
The process eliminates the need for proposal forms and other paperwork so we can arrange speedier, same-day cover for clients.
If you can drive other classic vehicles as a part of your policy, or have added the Driving Other Classics FJ+ option to your policy, this applies only in the United Kingdom.
The exception to this is if you have a commercial or collectors policy with us.
Normally 20 years, however this can reduce for certain marques or subject to certain club membership.
Agreed value means if your vehicle is lost or totally destroyed, and the value of your vehicle has been agreed, you have the certainty that you will be paid out the amount shown on your policy schedule.
You should be aware that the maximum amount payable by insurers will be the amount shown under ‘Value’ on the Vehicle Details section of your Renewal Schedule, regardless of the market value at the time of the loss.
Market value means if your vehicle is lost or totally destroyed, you will be paid out the value of the vehicle at the time of the claim in line with current market trends.
This could be more or less than the amount shown under ‘Value’ as shown on the Vehicle Details section of your Renewal Schedule.
You must...
- Obtain the name and address of any persons involved in the accident and any witnesses. This should include details of any passengers in any other vehicle involved
- Report any claim, accident, theft or loss as soon as possible by contacting the telephone helplines shown in your insurance documents. The sooner we know about an incident the sooner we can start helping you
- Send any writ, summons or letters received in connection with any claim, accident or loss to us as soon as you receive them
- Tell us at once if you receive any notice of prosecution, inquest or fatal accident inquiry connected to the incident
- Report any theft, or your vehicle being taken without your consent immediately to the police and obtain a crime reference number
You must never...
- Admit that the accident was your fault
- Attempt to negotiate the settlement of a claim from another person
We Will...
- Defend or settle any claim made against you on your behalf
If you or your vehicle are involved in an incident (such as an accident, theft or fire) covered by your policy please contact us immediately or call the telephone help line number shown in your documents.
The first amount of a claim that your insurers will not pay.
This can consist of up to three amounts:
- A voluntary excess for which you receive a premium reduction
- A compulsory excess that the insurer imposes
- A young or inexperienced driver excess
An excess is usually deducted from the payment for repairs to, or loss of, your vehicle. Regardless of blame, you are responsible for the excess.
If an accident is not your fault and there is an identified responsible person, you can usually recover your excess and other uninsured losses from that person.
With FJ+, you can add Excess Protect and/or Legal Protection to your policy to protect your excess.
Excess Protect will provide cover of your excess in the event of a motor claim. The Insurer will pay you an amount equal to the excess as stated on your Schedule of Insurance, in relation to each settled claim on your main insurance policy, up to an annual aggregate limit of £150, £500 or £1,000.
Legal Protection covers the cost of recovering your excess and other uninsured losses from the responsible person or their insurers.
You can find out more about each of these options on our FJ+ page.
A vehicle is considered to be a total loss following an incident (accident, fire or theft damage) if:
- It is impossible to repair;
- It isn't safe to repair;
- It is beyond economical repair. That is, if the cost of repair exceeds the pre-accident value of your vehicle.
- If the vehicle is a total loss and you are purchasing it on finance, we will settle the finance first and pay the balance to you.
If you are unhappy with an offer for the total loss of your vehicle you need to send us evidence that your vehicle was worth more.
This can include:
- An independent engineers report; or
- Evidence of the car's condition with a full or part service history; or
- Advertisements for similar vehicles.
The terms 'fault' and 'non-fault' can be confusing.
A non-fault claim is one where the insurers are able to recover all their costs from someone else.
A fault claim is one where the insurers are not able to recover all their costs. This may be because you are partially or totally responsible for the collision or the other person is not traceable e.g. a hit and run accident when your vehicle is parked
Fire and theft claims are also counted as 'fault' for the purposes of no claims bonus.
If you have selected FJ Rescue provided by the RAC your insurance documents will include the helpline numbers. You can call them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency assistance. Please ensure you have a copy of your insurance documents to hand when calling.
If you have broken down in the UK:
If you have broken down within Europe:
If the RAC are not your breakdown provider, or if you are unsure who provides your breakdown cover, please consult your insurance documents.
If you have windscreen cover you will be issued with a helpline number with your insurance documents which you can call for assistance.
An excess may apply for replacement windscreens. Please ensure you call the number provided as cover may be affected if you do not use the approved repairer.
We cover vehicles whilst being used for 'Green Laning' as this is on land to which the public have access and falls under the Road Traffic Act.
We do not cover vehicles for 'off roading' as this is on private land and does not fall under the Road Traffic Act.
We are unable to offer cover for this type of vehicle unless you have a motor trade or collectors policy with us.
Flex allows you to combine your modern and classic vehicle policies, meaning that you will only have one renewal date, one set of documents and one premium each year. This isn't just limited to classic and modern cars though, you can insure bikes, kit cars, performance vehicles and almost everything in between under Flex.
To take out a Flex policy with Footman James, you'd simply insure your classics with us and then take out a Flex policy when your modern vehicles, or your other classics, are due for renewal.
You are able to insure up to 5 vehicles. The first vehicle has to be a classic, and from there you are able to insure your modern vehicles too.
You will receive the typical benefits you'd expect from a separate modern vehicle policy with Flex. For instance, you will still accrue your No Claims Bonus on your modern vehicle. Plus, your classic will still receive the same cover you'd expect from a classic vehicle policy with Footman James, such as shows & events cover as standard.
A Multi-Vehicle policy from Footman James has been designed specifically for those with a bigger collection of vehicles. The policy enables you to insure over 5 vehicles under one policy, with one renewal date. This includes classic and modern vehicles.
Yes. As long as the address for all the vehicles is the same, you can combine onto one Flex or Multi-Vehicle policy.
These frequently asked questions are in relation to our classic car, classic bike, multi-vehicle and flex policies.
If you have a Private Client or motor trade policy please contact your Account Handler for any queries you may have. For any other policies, please call us on 0333 207 6120.