Latest News...

18th August 2010

Sky Insurance are continuing to make inroads with the custom bike insurance market and are pleased to announce that AFB Motorcycles will be recommending us as their preferred insurance provider. AFB have been established since 1996 and have built some fantastic looking bikes! See for yourself by clicking here

10th August 2010

For the last few years South Coast Customs have been importing custom motorcycles from the USA for sale in the UK. Specialising in the Proper Chopper (tm) range they offer a variety of affordable Choppers, Pro-Streets and Bobbers. We are pleased to announce that South Coast Customs will be recommending Sky Insurance as their preferred insurance provider and we look forward to working with them. For further details of the motorcycles on offer, please visit their website http://www.onlinechoppers.co.uk/index.html

Sky Insurance Motorcycle Quote Team in conjunction with Nick Gayle Custom Cycles are attending the Motorbike show at The Hub - Milton Keynes on Sunday 13th June 2010.

Last year, more than 2,500 motorbike riders and fans flocked to The Hub to see the very best motorcycle and biking lifestyle products come to life in the glorious June sunshine.

Whilst unable to promise the warm weather again this year, the organisers can certainly promise you a day to remember once more.

If you are the kind of person who loves to hear the sound of a sports bike screaming past or perhaps enjoys the sight of a highly polished low-rider as it thunders along the road, power@thehub has been made for you. 

This free to enter event will showcase the very best of motorcycle and all-terrain vehicles from leading manufacturers such as Honda, Kawasaki, Triumph, Victory Cruisers and Polaris ATV amongst others.  

It is also your chance to see firsthand the amazing creations of Nick Gale Customs. Widely regarded as one of the best custom bike builders in the world, Nick will be on hand to personally show you some of his latest masterpieces that are set to take the world of custom bikes by storm.

Alongside the bikes, you will have a wide range of accessories, clothing and helmets to admire and, of course, purchase should you so desire.  

What if you love your bikes but can’t ride one? If you don’t yet have a licence but yearn for the thrill of the open road on your very own bike, Horizon Rider Training will be on hand to discuss getting you trained and qualified.  For the experienced rider, the Thames Valley Police Motorcycle training division will also be there and are happy to discuss advanced training and road safety as well as answer any questions you may have.

All ages are welcomed for a full day of motorisedfun. Make sure you come along for your chance to see, feel and experience the excitement and raw power of these amazing machines as well as being in with the chance to win some exclusive prizes courtesy of all the exhibitors attending.

Power@thehub will be open from 11am until 4pm on Sunday 13 June and entry is completely free of charge.

Japfest 2010

A good day was had by all despite a few sunburn victims, there was some great action on track, especially the drifting.  Congratulations to Team Sky Insurance Driftworks, to Phil Morrison, Bon Bon and also to Dan Chapman who put on great display and collected 1st prize in the JDM Allstars Extreme Team Drift Battle. Click on the images below to open in a new window.

Sky Insurance is pleased to announce our support for Tim Nicholas and 'Project Moff' in the 2010 UK Time Attack series. Well done to Tim who managed fifth in class at Oulton Park 24th April and gave 4th place a very close run for their money! Information on Tim and his Nissan Skyline can be checked out http://www.theprojectmoff.co.uk   For further information on Time Attack check out http://www.timeattack.co.uk

Fast Show - Santa Pod - March 21^st 2010

The 2010 show season kicked off on Sunday at Santa Pod. The show was blessed with wall to wall sunshine which in turn encouraged a huge crowd attendance. Car Clubs, Traders, Promotional Girls and Petrol Heads were out in force which led to an action packed day and a variety of activities to watch and compete in.

One lucky Sky Insurance customer had won a competition with a leading Modified Car Magazine to win a Nissan 350Z.  Amy Slade (the lucky winner) was presented with her new car at the Fast Show and Sky Insurance provided her with the insurance cover. Amy is well known within the UK's modified car scene and she already insures her show winning Mitsubishi FTO and her daily driver Honda CRX with Sky Insurance so we were more than happy to provide cover for her fantastic competition prize.

Ollie from Sky Insurance congratulating Amy on her Competition Prize Win with her stunning 350Z.

26th March 2010

Miss Banzai Tunnel Run - 13^th March 2010

Another fantastically organised Miss Banzai Tunnel Run took place on the Saturday and continued into the small hours on Sunday morning. The Essex Arena saw a record amount of all sorts of Japanese cars in attendance, everything for standard Toyota Yaris’s to highly modified Mazda RX8’s.

The Miss Banzai team busied themselves with the numbering of cars, registration of participants, distribution of maps and general organisation until the first groups started to leave the venue to commence the tunnel run at around 10.30pm. Although hard to judge due the lack of lighting, Scott Allen’s fantastic wide arched Mkiv Supra stood out as easily the ‘Best Presented Car’ of the evening,

Scott being presented with his 1st prize with Ollie From Sky Insurance,
Lisa (BoBRabbit) & Lou Lou from Miss Banzai; and of course the Supra:

The 'Runner-up' prize for the best presented car went to another wide archer, a stunning Skyline R32 owned by a very pleased Richard Argyle with his wife Caroline who had travelled up in convoy with an excellent turn out from the Hampshire Jap Car Club.

Richard being presented with his Runner-up prize by Ollie from Sky Insurance,
Lisa (BoBRabbit) & Lou Lou from Miss Banzai; and the Skyline R32

Everyone participating will of course have their own story to tell and their own highlights but for Ollie and Luke from Sky Insurance the highlights included a rather bemused taxi driver who was stuck in the middle of a lot of excited tunnel runners in the middle of the Tooley Street tunnels as well as watching and hearing 250+ modified Japanese cars buzzing around the streets and tunnels of London.

Thank you to everyone who attended, thank you to the Miss Banzai team for letting us tag along and more importantly, congratulations on raising a huge amount for charity! 

Here is a final word from The Miss Banzai organisers:
£1,340.71 was raised at the Just Giving Website and £1,324.00 collected manually and making the total to date at £2664.71 going to the Royal London Hospital Kidney Patients Association - click here to see the latest total and to make a contribution. Special thanks also go to: Gary Bradford, Luke Bradford, Chris Nathanial & Cameron Short, who raised £1,135.00.

Our thanks go to www.mattwoodsphotography.com for the photographic images.

25th March 2010

Back again for 2010, we present another London Tunnel Run, hosted by MissBanzai.com inviting all Japanese car owners!

*** Note this is for Japanese cars only -no exceptions.. non Jap cars will be refused entry ***

The run will kick off at Essex Arena (RM19 1AE) on Saturday 13th March from 9.30pm. Maps will be handed out on arrival to those who have pre-paid through the Just Giving site. There will be no entry to the site after 10.30pm.

Please register your attendance by visting www.justgiving.com/TunnelRunMarch2010 and donating your £5.00 entry fee. (Please put user name & club in the comments). Donations made via the Just Giving site will go direct to the nominated charity, Royal London Hospital Kidney Patients Association. This charity was chosen as one of our members who raised extra donations last time has had to undergo a transplant -so we thought it was a good way of showing our appreciation for their help last time!

In comments please put your club name & forum user name -nothing else! (this list will be used to hand out the route maps of the run on the night -there *may* be a limited number of maps on the night BUT this is NOT guaranteed).

Please arrive at the arena at 9.30pm. PLEASE NOTE you should use the go kart track entrance to the arena. There will be a £1 cash charge entry fee on the gate to cover the arena hire costs.

Payments for maps can only be taken up to 13:00 on 13th March on the Just Giving site. PLEASE DO NOT REGISTER AFTER THIS TIME or you will not be included on the list of maps for us to allocate on the night! If you do not pay you are not guaranteed a map.

Entry is £5 for a map (prepay on Just Giving) and £1 per person in cash on the gate to the arena on the night to cover the arena costs.

This event is for Japanese cars only.. nothing else! There will be marshalls on the gate.

Please remember to drive responsibly -anyone not doing so will be asked to leave the site.

You will need to bring Sat Nav / London A-Z for when you get lost. A passenger / map reader is also a must!

Sky Insurance will be awarding two prizes on the night for the best turned out car of the evening. The prizes could be awarded to any Jap cars from Civics to Skylines... so get polishing!!!

Hope to see some of you there! Any questions, please drop a mail to missbanzai@googlemail.com or post your questions here! We had approx 300 cars from various different Jap car clubs along last time, so make sure you come along and be part of it and help raise some cash for a worthy cause!!

17th October 2009
Quote & Buy Travel Insurance online is now available for Single Trip, Long Stay & Multi-trip visits. Click here for further information.

Tunnel Run 2 - 10th October 2009
The second Miss Banzai London Tunnel run took place 10^th October 2009.  The meeting point was the Essex Arena and by 9pm the arena was buzzing with Japanese cars.

Sky Insurance were offering prizes for the Best Car of the night and Runner-Up.

Judging cars is always fun but also a difficult job; especially in dim light and with car numbers in such high volumes.  First prize went to an absolutely stunning and recently rebuilt Skyline R33 (Tommy Kaira limited edition), there can be no argument that this car was the best at the Essex Arena... it is of a show winning pedigree and is stamped Tommy Kaira 0001 and; according to the owner it was Tommy's very own car! The Runner-up prize was a lot harder to choose and went to a white and subtly modified S15 that stood out nicely with its immaculate white paintwork, wheels and all over look.

1st prize and congratulations goes to Steve Mounter:

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Runner-up prize and congratulations goes to Jeremy Perks:

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**Thanks to Ant http://www.antonybaker.com for guiding me to the venue and also for the event photos.

Thank you to Lou Lou, Lisa and the rest of the Miss Banzai team for their excellent work in the build up to the event and the administration on the night. Thanks and well done also to Ben (EssexGT4) for his hard work. I don't think people realise the planning and behind the scenes work that goes into an event like this but also the stress, lack of sleep etc etc

The tunnel run was a huge success and was enjoyed by all in attendance.  At the last count the amount raised for charity was: £1668

Ollie
Sky Insurance

20^th October 2009

2nd October 2009
Back again this year for the 2nd time, there will be another London Tunnel Run, hosted by MissBanzai.com inviting all Japanese car owners!

The pre-meet will kick off at Essex Arena (RM19 1AE) on Saturday 10th October from 9.30pm. Maps will be handed out on arrival to those who have pre-paid through the Just Giving site, the actual Tunnel run its self will be departing at 12 midnight. Read more ...

Japanese Auto Extravaganza (JAE)

This year’s annual Japanese Auto Extravaganza (JAE) was held on the 11^th - 13^th September 2009 at a new venue; Wicksteed Park in Northamptonshire.

Sky Insurance’s affiliated car clubs were out in force and on good form, this year’s show seemed to have been taken over by Toyota clubs, the MR2 clubs and Celica Club UK in particular had a very large turn out of member’s cars. This is the BIG show for the majority of Japanese car clubs in the UK, it really does brings the clubs and members together. Clubs and their members travel from far and wide to attend, some coming from as far a field as the very northern reaches of Scotland and also some from the Netherlands!

The facilities provided by Wicksteed Park were deemed as way above average, onsite catering was great, showers and toilets were clean, which makes a nice change for car show regulars. The show was blessed with good weather, it was blisteringly hot on the Saturday and the cars displayed looking stunning in a lovely venue in the sunshine.

Congratulations to the following show winners:

Bungee Run - HJSCC
Gladiator Joust Krazie Kruizerz
Endurance Competition - GTO UK
Eating Competition - Celica Club
370Z Car Pull - NPOC
5-a-side Football - Nippon Squad
Tug of War - NPOC Bears
Time Attack Go-kart Challenge - Outlaw Jap Club

A fantastic time was had by all, roll on JAE 2010!

Check out some of our photos taken at the event:

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12th August 2009

Road Warriors 2009 - London to Mongolia Charity Rally

We would like to congratulate our customer Steve Barnes for completing his trip of a lifetime; a charity rally starting in London and finishing in Mongolia. Well done Steve!

To read a blow by blow account of Steve's epic voyage, click here to read his blog.

3rd July 2009

You were asked to answer the following question

Mr Lee Irving was the lucky winner of a year’s car insurance courtesy of Sky Insurance, the official sponsors of Japfest 2009.

Ten other lucky runners up also won a pair of tickets to another Future Automotive event of their choice.

25th June 2009

CLASSIC AND CHERISHED CARS

Sky Insurance is proud to announce that we have just launched a dedicated department for Classic and Cherished Vehicles. If you own a classic or cherished vehicle that is over 15 years old we may be able to provide you with the perfect cover for your needs. We will look at each case individually and with compassion as members of our sales team are enthusiasts and owners themselves. We will endeavour to create an insurance policy that best suits you. Just give us a call and let us know your requirements and we will aim to find you the Best Policy at the Best Price with the Best Service.

We can insure any cherished vehicle from a Model T Ford – MG B GT – Jaguar E Type Roadster – VW Split Screen Camper Van or a Land Rover 86 Series I. Whatever your chosen classic car maybe we will be able to search our panel of insurers we have and find you the best policy to suit your requirements and remember even if you have modified your classic car let us know we may still be able to insure you.


4th June 2009

Meet the Sky Insurance sponsored Driftworks S15 replica built by D1RC team member Bradley Hurrs.

16th May 2009 - Japfest 2009

This was the fourth year Sky Insurance sponsored Japfest; one of the UK's largest Japanese performance car shows on the calendar. The Sky team consisting of Jae, Ollie, Luke, Alex and Danny were all set up by 8.30am after an overnight stay in a local hotel and the show was already starting to get busy, Japfest grows year on year and in 2008 there was a record breaking crowd of over 11,000 in attendance... [more]

7th May 2009

Sky Insurance has launched a dedicated Taxi Department catering for all types of passenger hire; from Fleets to Owner-Drivers, Public or Private Hire. Be it a London Black Cab, a Mecedes E-Class, a Limousine or even a Minibus; we have a panel of insurers to ensure that we can offer you the best policy at the best price, with the best service. Further details can be found here.

5th May 2009

Most of us are familiar with the infamous Driftworks 2JZ-GTE powered S15, but some of you may not be aware of the other 'Nisyota' from the Driftworks stable. For 2009, the car will be driven by Ben 'Bon Bon' Broke-Smith, who piloted the Driftworks JZX81 Chaser to EDC glory in 2008. Click here to find out more about the Sky Insurance Driftworks Nissan Skyline.

29th April 2009

Driftworks News update... Phil Morrison takes EDC Round One

Phil Morrison in the Driftworks Federal Tyre S15 wins the first round of the Need For Speed European Drift Championship at Oulton Park.

Commenting on the first round of EDC, Phil Morrison said: "I'm  ecstatic about winning the first round of EDC. It's a very refreshing way to start a new season for us, and is instant justification for the many hours we've spent making sure the car was 100% ready for the start of the season... The car worked perfectly from the get go. I gave it my all in the early practice session, so I could find the limits of the unfamiliar track.. I feel that pushing beyond the normal limits and taking a few risks in practice, put me in more of a comfortable frame of mind in the competition. The competition was fierce, and I enjoyed the different challenge each of my competitors gave me, particularly Chubby in the V8 S15 for the final, which was a real battle of hybrid Nissan, Toyota, and Pontiac.
Of course without our sponsors, we wouldn't even have a car there, so I'd like to thank: Federal Tyres, Sky Insurance, Garage D, and of course everyone at Driftworks"

Click here to read the rest of the article...

Many thanks to Ross L'Anton for his photographs

13th April 2009

Driftworks  - Prodrift Super Series 2009 - Round 1 - Donnington UK

Here are a few pictures taken from the first round of the Prodrift competition featuring the Sky Insurance Driftworks Skyline R32, driven by Ben Broke-Smith aka Bon Bon. Click on any of the images below to see the full-size version in a new window:

Congratulations to Bon Bon on qualifying in 1st position and also for finishing 4th overall in round one of the Prodrift Super Series. Bon Bon is currently leading the Championship by one point because of the high qualifying position.

Well done to the rest of the ProDrift Super Series competitors, you really do put on a fantastic show.For anyone who is new to Drifting or would like to know more about this Sport visit the Driftworks Website and forum www.driftworks.com and make sure you get yourself along to an event in 2009, you will not be disappointed!

Many thanks to Paddy McGrath for his amazing photographs. Click here if you would like to contact Paddy by email.

3rd March 2009

Jap Car Meet / Tunnel Run 28th Febuary 2009

This meet was co-ordinated as a joint effort between two different car clubs, TB Developments & Miss Banzai, and was hosted in aid charity of The Myositis Support Group, a UK charity providing advice and support to sufferers of Dermatomyositis, Polymyositis, Inclusion Body Myositis and Juvenile Dermatomyositis and their families. The MSG also funds and promotes medical research that improves diagnosis, treatment, management and understanding of these diseases.

The atmosphere was very friendly, lots of smiling car enthusiasts waiting patiently for the tunnel run to commence whilst checking out everyone else’s cars. Maps were being given out by Lou-Lou from Miss Banzai and her helpers.This event had been well advertised by Ben from TB Developments & Lou-Lou from Miss Banzai and the turn-out reflected their hard work.

Ollie from Sky Insurance attended the Meet in Sky's Celica GT4. He quickly set about looking for suitable candidates for 'Best Car of the Night' prizes, seeking help from George (owner of CivicLife Club). There were some 400 Jap Cars in attendance as well as non-japs, which in turn made it a real challenge. Having seen one or two contenders for 1st prize. It was Rob Tweenie of TR Racing's very special R32 Skyline that pipped the post. The number plate gave the game away slightly but this car is estimated to be running at well over 1000BHP. Richard Gander received 2nd prize with his highly modified Nissan 200SX. Congratulations to both Winners who received Champagne & Chocolates donated by Sky Insurance.

The Tunnel Run commenced just after 10pm, it was a slightly staggered start, again because of the volume of cars in attendance. A helpful individual spoke to every attendee to tell them to drive carefully as we left the services. The Tunnel Run was good fun despite heavy traffic and the closure of a main tunnel on the route, everyone seemed in great spirits and we certainly grabbed a lot of attention driving through London city centre.

The money raised from this event was over £1800 at the last count, well done to all involved, congratulations to the competition winners and thanks again to Lou-Lou and Ben for allowing Sky Insurance to be involved. Roll on the next one!... Click here to view our photos.