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[blake]

hey everyone. My black Zero S-ZF9 is now at my local dealer but I can't seem to get insurance. I have 20+ years of clean driving/riding record (23 bikes since I was 18 - I'm now 49). But most insurance companies (including the 2 I usually deal with) turned me down flat saying they would not insure this bike. The only quote I could get was from Facility for $3,500 a year!!  You can imagine my shock, as I was expecting something more like $500 (what it costs around here to insure a 250cc IC bike). Yeah I know... don't get me started on Canadian insurance rates... javascript:void(0);

I told the dealer I won't be able to go through with the sale until I can find a more reasonable rate.

Anyone out there had this experience or have suggestions?

blake

[dkw12002]

Amazing. I have Progressive and they just added it to my policy the day I bought it.  I traded a bike in and so called Progressive to substitute the 2011 S for the previous bike. There was no premium change. I pay $128 a year total premium (minimum liability as required by Texas state law) for all 3 bikes...a 2010 Vespa GTS 300 ie, and a 2012 Ninja 250, plus the Zero. The first bike is $112 a year and adding additional bikes only adds $8 a year to the premium. I guess the figure I can only ride one bike at at time. Something is weird with your rates. They may just not have the Zero on their approved list or something. I would call Zero. Progressive had my vin no, so that identified it, although they did ask about cubic centimeters. LOL.  Anyway, I hope you get it straightened out. I haven't heard of anyone else having trouble in the US.

[craigq]

Welcome to Canada, we have a messed up insurance system (some government run, some privatized, it varies province-to-province).

Which province are you in? Manitoba? Primmum/TD/Meloche-Monnex will insure it in Ontario.

The Director of Sales for Zero Canada was recently working with the Insurance Bureau of Canada to get the new bikes in the database. Maybe the companies you contacted will insure them after that?

[Richard230]

When I added my 2012 Zero S to my Progressive Insurance policy, which currently has 7 motorcycles on it (plus I get just about every discount that they offer), they charged me $32 for a year's worth of $250/$500K liability insurance (I am "self-insured" for collision, theft, comprehensive and uninsured motorist insurance). The Electric Motorsport GPR-S, which is also on my policy, has a premium of only $21 a year.

It does sound like they just don't want your business. I agree, something is not right in Canada.   

[dkw12002]

If all else fails, I would take the $3500 they wanted to charge me for insurance and build a really good e-bike..48 volts/ 1000 watts. That would make a great commuter too plus you could just take it inside to recharge for the return trip from work. Doctorbass would have some great ideas there. Of course it's not legal to have that fast a bike and call it an e-bike cause it's actually a motorcycle, but chances are good you can get by with it, even in Canada. No insurance, license, or registration needed for a legal e-bike anyway. In the US the legal limits are usually 20 mph/36volts/750watts. I have an Amped bike that is legal...well almost, it does go like 25 mph, but close enough. I ride it all over town and love it. Rode it out to lunch today. Afterall, a Zero is just a big e-bike anyway. I suspect several members of this forum are e-bike riders as well and got interested in the Zero from their e-bike experience.

[Richard230]

You could make something like this:  http://www.jruiter.com/entry/moto-undone/     

[blake]

Thanks everyone for your input. The dealer tells me that Zero Canada rep is entering the bike's info into the insurance database and I should check with my insurance broker once this has been completed. I'm a bit nervous about what the final amount will be, and hugely jealous of how inexpensive insurance is in the US. I would have thought that it's so litigious down there that the rates would have been pushed up quite high by now. But $8 for a second or third bike would be unheard of here.

Anyway, I'll let you know how this pans out. Ideally I'd have some resolution in time to take advantage of the $500 purchase incentive from Zero...

blake

[blake]

good news: I found a Canadian insurer who would give me coverage for a 2012 S (but apparently only because they had some data showing it was available in 2010 and there was some track record, it seems...). Anyway, at $405/yr it's more than what an equivalent CBR250 would cost to insure with them ($276/yr) but less than other quote(s) (e.g. $3,500/yr from Facility, the only other company that would insure this bike - all 5 others refused)

Anyway, what matters is that I pick up the bike tomorrow. So despite my misgivings that the CBR250 would be a more "sensible" bike for an occasional non-commuting rider like me, I've taken the plunge to the get the more exciting (and to me more compelling) Zero S-ZF9. As an environmentalist very much in the public eye, I guess I kind of had to :-) 

Will let you know what I think once I have a few kilometres under my belt...

[craigq]

Blake,

If you don't mind telling which company did you get insurance with?

I'm currently having problems getting my XU registered with the MTO in Ontario...

[CliC]

Just called State Farm to get mine added. We'll see what happens.

UPDATE: Won't get a quote until Monday, but agent was tickled that this will apparently be the first Zero that State Farm will insure

[craigq]

Good luck! We should get a definitive list going for companies in the various provinces that will insure them.

So far all I know of is the TD Group (Primmum/Meloche-Monnex)...

[dkw12002]

I would be worried if the insurance agent was tickled about selling me a policy. I think you guys in Canada are getting screwed. I only have the least liability required by Texas law on my 3 bikes, but it costs me $176 a year for a 2010 Vespa GTS 300, a 2011 Zero S and a 2012 Ninja 650 with Progressive. The cost of any one bike would be $160 and they add $8 for each additional bike. The assumption is you can only ride one bike at a time.

[blake]

Blake,

If you don't mind telling which company did you get insurance with?

I'm currently having problems getting my XU registered with the MTO in Ontario...

Hi. I obtained coverage through TD Insurance. I got the impression from their initial questioning that they only take people who've graduated from or are employed at certain participating universities.

[blake]

I would be worried if the insurance agent was tickled about selling me a policy. I think you guys in Canada are getting screwed. I only have the least liability required by Texas law on my 3 bikes, but it costs me $176 a year for a 2010 Vespa GTS 300, a 2011 Zero S and a 2012 Ninja 650 with Progressive. The cost of any one bike would be $160 and they add $8 for each additional bike. The assumption is you can only ride one bike at a time.

Somehow it's always been WAY more expensive to insure here than in the US. I've heard stories like yours for decades. I can't imagine it's only because the market's smaller here. Less competition maybe? I have no idea.

[CliC]

I would be worried if the insurance agent was tickled about selling me a policy.

I already have two cars with them, and had a bike before. They give me good rates, so I'm not too worried. I don't expect liability to be that bad, even though I can't do minimum liability limits due to also having a PLUP. (If it is bad, I'll tell them equivalent displacement is about a 250cc ). It's the collision/comp that I don't know about.

Regardless, I agree; at those rates Canadians are getting screwed compared with what I'm paying here in Texas.