Q: My insurance company says my new Mazda MX-5 is not insured against theft if the roof is left down, even if I pop into a newsagent for a paper. Surely this is nonsense?
- RH from Selly Park, Birmingham

A: "This seems a bit harsh" says Ian Crowder of AA Insurance. "Basically insurers need to cover their backs because they know drop tops are an easy target for thieves. But their main concern is people leaving expensive items in the car with the top down. Most insurers would exclude cover for items left in the car even if the car was only left for a few minutes with the top down, although the car itself would still be covered."
Always read your policy documents carefully as soon as you get them, as many companies will offer a full refund of your premium if you are not happy with your cover.
You may be better off visiting an insurance broker, where you can discuss your requirements face to face to avoid any confusion about cover before policy documents are issued.
Alternatively contact a specialist insurer such as www.adrianflux.co.uk or talk to an MX-5 expert such as www.dandycars.com on 0845 450 4589, which deals in parts, service and sales for this model and will also recommend insurers that will provide cover.

Technically due to the Financial Services Act we can't actually recommend any particular insurer but we can point you to some insurers we know will happily handle imports. All this and more can be seen over in our FAQ section on MX5 Insurance.

And no, we didn't bribe anyone for the mention!

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