Shannons Car Insurance

I had purchased a Mercedes-Benz, with full roadworthy and RACV pre-purchase check. It was in perfect condition and driving beautifully. Unfortunately, less than a week after buying it, a man came speeding out of his driveway and hit the left hand side of my car. Despite having comprehensive insurance, I was not able to choose the repairer.

The day I picked up the car from their repairers, it went into limp mode when I tried to accelerate up to 100kms on the highway. This could’ve been fatal if I had been in another lane and had the children in the car.

The car was then towed back to the repairers, who then towed it to MB Brighton, and then Shannons decided to tow it to Hallam to their Transmission specialist. They’ve now said it is the pump, and will cost $5,000 to fix, and won’t take any responsibility to fix.

Every mechanic I have spoken to have said it could’ve been the impact, and that when you leave a repair, it should be drivable and this shouldn’t have happened. They can’t believe that Shannons are pushing back on this. I am now getting it assessed, as well as their repairs, independently.

Also, it’s worth noting that their assessor was from AAMI - who have a horrible name. Had I known for a second that AAMI and Shannons are so closely affiliated, I, and others, would never have insured our cars with Shannons.

I have repeatedly asked for the report from the assessor and the name of who did the inspection, which they haven’t complied with. They have moved my car from one side of Melbourne to the other, without my authority, and I don’t even know exactly where my car currently is! God knows the further damage they’ve done to it, it could be stolen for all I know. I’ll be seeing my lawyer tomorrow, and we’re absolutely ready to sue.

The RACV mechanics who did my pre-purchase inspection stand by their green light, and that they didn’t experience anything indicating transmission issues. The previous owner has written to me stating that he never had any transmission issues in the 7 years of ownership. Transmission specialists and other mechanics have all told me that it seems clear that Shannons are being dishonest and trying to evade their obligations to adequately repair the car.

They’re currently trying to twist everything around to blame everyone but themselves, despite the reports I have. I’m actually astonished by the nonsensical way they’re trying to evade their responsibilities. They are NOT car enthusiasts, they’ve treated my car like trash! Be warned, they clearly couldn’t careless about your car, or the safety of your family.

We are taking the Rolls Royce, and our other three cars all away from Shannons, as they’ve shown they’re untrustworthy and dishonest. The worst part is, this could’ve been fatal, and they have no concern that they let a car leave their repairers in a dangerous condition.

If you want your car to come back in a worst condition, and a potentially dangerous condition, and then have to deal with Shannons taking no responsibility for it, then I would highly recommend them. From this being an accident that was not my fault, they’ve made this the biggest nightmare to deal with.

The RACV are much more professional and ethical! I would never trust my car and our lives in their hands again.

I couldn’t believe the phone call I just had with a Shannon’s rep and then her supervisor after waiting on the phone for 10 minutes for an explanation why. They told me because I wasn’t part of any forums, car or 4x4 club that I wasn’t a car enthusiast and they wouldn’t insure me. I am not interested in being a street outlaw or showing a car at SEMA but I do attend similar events when I get the chance, I am a qualified mechanic who due to his love of cars has been tinkering with them since a small child, I have just restored a rare to find 2002 BMW X5 4.6is which I was calling about to get insurance and a green slip and have owned modified and restored a number of projects from classics to ricers. I also own a Pajero which I use for off-roading and weekend activities with mates who have similar interests but am not part of a formal club.
The thing that gets me is a mate suggested Shannons who has similar background and interests and pastimes to me who isn't in any clubs either but they insure a number of cars for him.
Turned me off wanting to deal with them anyway, why don't they just ask if you are part of a club and not ask all those stupid questions wasting every bodies time.

For a company who constantly markets themselves as the Car Enthusiasts Specialist, believe me they are the exact opposite.

I’ve had several cars insured with Shannon’s over many years, I made my first claim back in May after hitting a kangaroo in my 1934 Ford Coupe.

I wasn’t to worried as I just assumed it would be fixed with no issues or hassles and would be all good .... Boy was I wrong.

A 3 month process that just dragged on and on with Shannon’s trying to cut costs at every corner. Not wanting to repair it properly, not wanting to use the right materials and parts, wanting to mix old paint with new, not wanting to rub or buff the the new paint to a correct finish, basically not caring about the vehicle or customer one bit, having no pride in how the car would be repaired just to save money.

But it gets better. The assessor continually lied to the Hot Rod Shop, made a simple process a nightmare, told the Hot Rod Shop he had spoken to me and I was happy not to repair the car correctly and didn’t car how it turned out, and said the car isn’t that good anyway so it didn’t matter how it turned out (it’s a $150k Hot Rod).

Shannon’s are literally lying, misleading, scum!

Guy on the phone was amazing and obviously not his fault but...
Too risky to insure me. I live in Eastern suburb
I was able to insure my bikes 5 years in London in the same conditions but Adelaide is too risky guys.
In other terms, they will only insure you if they know they can guarantee never have to give you any money.
People lie about their garaged addresses, and I know why now. Transparency doesn't always pay off
Shame on you Shannons. Claiming to be the insurance for the petrol heads
My bike has been in this spot for a year without insurance and will stay like that. Saves me money

SHANNONS INSURANCE.. do not pay out.. they will find any loop hole not to pay.. they do not care about your classic car.. all they worry about is getting your money.. Absolute Scammers

We have two cars insured with shannons. Initially the set up was quick and i had all my questions answered well. I have had to make a couple of claims over the last 5 years with shannons and the whole process was seamless. The app they have through suncorp also gave me updates of whats going on and we could just drop the car off nearby and within a couple of days it was fixed and back. Every time i need to call i get a great person who is really helpful and they send me emails to confirm documents promptly after the phone call. In fact i was so pleased with the service i have my house and contents now with them as well.

Recently we decided to change our car insurance policies. After hearing great reports about Shannon’s, I called them. The young gentleman was so very helpful, and after answering all of his questions, he provided me with some quotes. This young man was very pleasant, and at the completion of the call, e-mailed the quotes to me. I was very pleased with this service and we have since gone ahead with these quotes.

When I called them to get a quote for a collectible Ducati bevel drive ( I called them over a few years to give them the benefit of the doubt), I was asked if it was garaged under lock and key. It is a locked community garage I said, the bike has lived there for 16 years at the time, with no problems. I ride it very little, about 500km a year, so little risk I would have thought. On all four occasions they refused to insure it for the reason of the community garage in a block of units. It has never been insured since that time. No claim, no money paid out. So I'm ahead for sure, thanks Shannons, you did me a favour by refusing to insure the bike!

Internationally published Motoring Journalist. Build pride and joy for 15 years, countless hours and dollars spent, loaded with 1 of 1 and extremely rare parts. Featured on front cover of a magazine. Going to be shot for Street Machine Magazine. Car gets damaged and begin claim through Full Comp Agreed Value with Shannons. Nightmare begins. Shannons duck and weave at every avenue. Shannons tow damages car further. Request unreasonable amount of personal and financial information, hire investigator to harass and follow, treated like a criminal, invasive 3 hour interview, assess crash site, perform multiple cases of misconduct and ignore complaints made against them. They find nothing, because as genuine as can be. Moreover, they ignore and delay the claim on purpose. Drag it out. Trying to find ANY reason not to pay it out. Down to checking daily car e-Tag, 2 year old tax returns and requesting original 15 year old receipt for car - along with every part receipt.
Supplied Shannons with over 230 pages of personal evidentiary information at significant time and cost. Nothing but silence.
Referred claim to AFCA (Ombudsman). Shannons didn't care.
Had to refer the claim to ASIC (the actual Commission) just to get it accepted.
Personal cost of claim: 32 calls to Shannons, 13.5 hours spent on the phone, 61 emails sent, 168 hours spent obtaining information, 8 days off work, 3 anxiety attacks, 2 months of constant mental stress. And Yet.
3 months, 12 days (103 days) later - Claim has still not been paid. Car is still rotting at Shannons' holding yard while they refuse even the basic decency to respond to Financial Ombudsman inquiries.
Words cannot describe your need of a lobotomy if you choose to insure with Shannons / Suncorp. They're happy to take your money and Agree Value, until something goes wrong. Couldn't care less about 'motoring enthusiasts'. Which is why they need to do so much advertising to the contrary. People lost their lives in floods and Suncorp have refused to pay before. Fat chance for you and your sweet car.
Run away so fast in the opposite direction, or get your vehicles policies out ASAP.

We have had nothing but the best customer service from Shannons! Starting with their quoting, the staff are very helpful and friendly. I believe they’re looking to insure car enthusiasts, which we are. In the fourteen years of cover we have made several claims and one write off! They have always been fantastic to deal with!
Our two sons are also insured by Shannons, my husband was back-ended on Thursday in my sons car and they have already booked his car in for repair on Monday.... Brilliant! Thanks Shannons

At Six months old My Mustang was keyed down both sides. After a torrid 6 months with Capital Smart who did a terrible paint job and giving them 3 goes to fix it Shannons agreed to send it to an independent body shop. They did a far superior job including fitting new interior door panel clips that Capital Smart simply left broken. Shannons supplied a Hertz rental for the whole period and the chap I dealt with could not have been more helpful. Shannons also refunded my excess as an apology for all my stuffing around. I have to be honest and say that to me Shannons have been excellent. I also insure my FJR 1300 Yamaha and just recently my 1967 Triumph Bonneville with Shannons. At $105 fully Comprehensive for the Triumph its hardly expensive for normal road use as opposed to a club registered classic bike with all the restrictions that entails. Its a shame for those that have had a different experience.

Flew back to Australia from holiday, airline lost my bags and smashed my camera equipment. Shannon’s said they will cover but a month later I’m under financial investigation and demanded to show 3 years of tax returns and bank statements. For what, my bags being destroyed by someone else. What a joke.

Took months for them to process my claim, then they notified me they lost my information due to a system change. Made me wait online for an hour to talk to someone about it.

Beware....Beware....Beware....
You do not get choice of repairer, only a chance to get a quote from them and for Shannons assessors to then halve it.
So your choice of repairer can’t perform the repairs at the reduced costs stipulated by Shannons.
You then have to go to a cheaper repairer to appease Shannons, and if that’s too high then they will give you a reduced payout on their assessment.
Please don’t be fooled as they are now owned by Suncorp which owns AAMI and they use Capital Smart repairs.
So why don’t you call Shannons and ask the salesperson if you are guaranteed choice of repairer and he will tell you to read the product disclosure statement.
Google it before you get a policy or if you have a policy go to another insurance provided that doesn’t give you misleading information.

really arrogant customer service, the guy said "No NO NO if you are not a car enthusiast forget it" before i said I wanna insure a Ferrari for my mum, too bad i go somewhere else.

townsville floods 2019, my car was in flood water to just below the door. it did not get in the cabin, but i decided to lodge a claim, hoping for a repair.
4 days after they picked up the car. the tow truck driver put down the window and took it to the bulk assesment yard.. manheim (which is an auction site)

about 28feb, they officialy told me it was a write off. i took the pay out and asked to salvage it for a fee.
5mar19 called shannons to asked where my car was, they didnt know. 6mar a towie rings me to drop off the car. i said thats fine, he asked for the key so he could steer it.

key.. well i gave that to the dude who picked it up...

but when i watched the towie unload.. i saw the window was allready open... funny, you didnt have a key, so how did you... oh wait, the window has been open since you collected the car? so the unaffected by flood water interior is now affected by 3 weeks of weather?

what eles have you done.. oh .. nicked my towball and spare wheel!

also wonder how you can assess a car without a key.. how did you plug it into a obd and turn it on to see if there were any faults?

today i called them to chase up my missing items of which they say was not their fault as i accepted it in the condition it was in... well i left it with a frigging tow ball and spare wheel!

then i get "when you aggreed to have it towed to maniheim, you knew it was a write off.."

so they decided on day 1 it was a write off but didnt tell me the decision till nearly a month later when it was further damaged.

My 86 year old father has been with Shannons for over 25 years, he made his first claim 2 weeks ago, the customer services is appalling, I had to constantly call them to get an assessor out to look at the damage he told us he would be out between 12 and 2pm well at 4.45pm he turned up gave us his brochure and told us someone will be out to fix the damage, its been over a week and no one has made contact let alone come out to fix the damage. Every time I call I get transferred to a different department waiting for up to 20min on the phone. I would never recommend this company.

From the tone of the first words that came from the telephone salespersons mouth I knew I was in for a treat!! He asked me all about my car interests and how many other cars I own, how many car clubs I belong to, how many times I frequent car events etc etc etc Then asked why i had bought the car I had and not a Australian one, I felt like I was being interviewed for a job rather than being a potential customer for car insurance. Put the phone down from Shannons and called another company and had my insurance sorted within 10 mins no dramas. Thanks for wasting my time Shannons i now have my car insured with one of your competitors.

HI
Got my renewal for my harley and my car both insured with agreed value to which i pay extra on my policy, anyway my agreed value has dropped $800.00 for my bike and car by $452.00 so that a loss of value of $1282.00 including my renewal which went up by $30.00 oh and no claims during this period.

Look at the fine print i was told they have the right to change prices according to market value, so why did i pay extra for agreed value, its all crap they are no better that all the rest,

Will be looking around for someone who doesn't lie, so over this company

1 price was good
2 easy setup
3 they take about 1 month for them to process my claim, still on this day there's no conclusion.
4 1 year now
5 none