INTERVIEW WITH MARK WILKINSON, MD OF HERITAGE CLASSIC CAR INSURANCE

Your first three cars were a Ford Fiesta, Opel Astra and Ford Sierra. Which one would you use to drive from Lands’ End to John O’groats?

They were more functional than well-thought out choices.

I did Lands’ End to John O’groats with dad (who set up Heritage Insurance) in a Daimler SP250 in the nineties, this was my first foray into classic car events. Back to the question, bizarrely I would go for the 1980 1.1-litre red Fiesta because it’s lightweight and agile, perfect when you are avoiding motorways and dual carriageways.

You once owned a 1998 ex-utility Defender 110. Sellers regret?

No, I totally get that they are good investments but vehicles should be used, especially classics and 4x4s. I am not a big fan of garage queens or making speculative investments. Tax, insurance, storage and maintenance all cost money, so if you are going to be paying all of that, use it. I do regret selling the Fiesta…

How has Heritage Insurance moved with the times?

I am proud of our phone-based service and how we deal with our customers, it’s the core of what we do and I don’t ever see that changing.

We do have an extensive social media presence and use this to talk to our customers. We also have a chat facility on our website. We’ve also just introduced a payment gateway for renewals. We respond to digital queries within seconds.

We try and strike a balance between the customer who needs to speak to an adviser and one that just needs to get things done as quickly possible. Whenever we can go the extra mile with our customers we do and it shows in our retention rates.

We are the largest independently owned specialist vehicle broker now and I am proud of that. We are a family business, our history, experience and understanding are what makes us Heritage Insurance.

Your top tip for a LR owner looking for insurance?

Be open, honest and communicative about your vehicle, needs and what you want from your policy. There is a bit of a stigma around modifications. People think if they disclose what mods they’ve got, they can’t be covered or it might be expensive, often this is not the case. Winches, snorkels and roof racks don’t fundamentally change the risk. We have schemes to fit the various scenarios, including a dedicated modified 4x4 scheme.

Do your staff understand the

Land Rover enthusiast’s market? We’ve been covering Land Rovers and 4x4s for years and have a lot of experience in the business. We take a lot of time training our staff, so that they can provide something that suits the Land Rover owner and customer.

We employ two underwriters who can deal with very specific customers and circumstances. Plus there are schemes that have been specifically designed for the Land Rover community and it’s a community we constantly engage with. And our staff read LRM.

Advice for the owner of a desirable Defender?

It’s a fact that Defenders and Land Rovers are targeted by thieves. Definitely add physical deterrents such as steering lock, wheel clamp, pedal lock and a tracker. If you have a garage use it.

We have a partnership with Skytag, so if you take out a policy with us you can get a free tracker. So, all you will need is a subscription to use it. Dash cams and CCTV are also useful.

New Defender or old Defender?

I will always say old as a former old Defender owner. I did an LRE driving experience day several years ago at Rockingham Castle in a 110 and I learnt so much. During the cross axles section, I had to apply all I had learnt to get through while the new Range Rovers really just did it all for the driver. So, it is fair to say driving an old Defender takes more skill.

Family road trip to Europe. Which Land Rover would you take and why?

My wife is from Bavaria and road trips there are long, so I would have to say full fat Range Rover as it just does everything. It’s convenient, capable and comfy. It can do 100 on the Autobahn and also take you down a rocky track onto a private beach.