Buying Car Insurance .... What a Minefield!
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I lost my lease car last week after having the facility for twenty years ... all part of public sector cuts! I have not had my own car insurance policy for twenty years but did have a letter from my employer stating that my last claim ( car hit while unattended ) was three years ago. Based on this information, I made several online applications for quotations and was quoted anywhere up to £1200 to include full business use of my employer. All I can say is than goodness I am a local government officer and not a scrap metal dealer or musician!
I found a reasonable quote at Direct Line ... not the cheapest ... but not far off it and with a company that gets a good press. Something like £640 I think. So I rang them up to discuss the quote and alas spoke to their 'trainee of the month' customer service advisor who had to take advice on every question I posed. Anyway in the end, because my fleet policy had not sustained a claim from me in the last two years, he was able to offer me a two year NCD and the quote went right down to £390. At this point we began to cook on gas!
I accepted the quote and paid the full premium as I needed cover within 48 hours. The point I make here is that the car insurance industry is a complete minefield and you have to work hard ( I was on line and on phone for some five hours ) to find a decent quote. And sometimes you just need to speak to a human to tweak things to your advantage.
But with David Camerons request to the car insurance industry today to start reducing prices in return for a campaign against cash for crash drivers may well the start of something beautiful ... if it works!
And remember I am a quotation virgin ... so it should be a tad easier if you've been around the circuit a bit longer! Anyone wanna comment?
Responses (10)
I've been driving approximately three years. At first, I paid £1900 for my insurance which was the cheapest I could find. I ended up cutting that contract off early as I was being scammed.
My next premium was £1300. After that, I got it down to £540 for the current year. I'm due to pay my next year soon - I've done all the online quotes so I can get an idea in advance of how much I'll need to save up, and my cheapest quotes are coming out at almost £800. The company I'm currently with won't even give me a quote for my next year.
It all just seems to be a random game. Who knows what I'll end up with? I'll wait to see if I get a renewal offer from my current insurer closer to the time, but it looks like I'll be going elsewhere.
That was a very good price, Snoops!
I do think it can differ dramatically so you have to shop around i do use a comparison site and usually the best quote calls me within 5mins of the quote being produced and i can go thru the quote as you have.
The only thing i would suggest is Snoopy when you receive your renewal quote next year do not go with it as it will be priced on the high end. Go back into a comparison site which will be easier as all your details will be saved and then go back to your present insurance and they should match it saving you changing etc and also they get to keep you as a customer. I've been caught out once as my renewal is july and i was on holiday so they continued the quote and i had to keep it on.
I'm with Sheila's wheels and they are very competitive but you would have to be Mrs Snoopy....
OH my dear Serena, you mean sexism in rife in the motor insurance world? Perhaps I should have tried 'Blokies Bollards' for a quote ......
Lol!
Well apparently we women get looked after as we are told we are good(better) at driving (watching my words carefully) this could start something... Crikey...
Yes Serena ... I have heard it likened to protecting their young in their womb, a kind of in built protective mechanism. But frankly I think that's all bollards ....
I'm waiting to see how much mine has gone up but up to now no-one can come anywhere near. I have a Peugeot 206 and with breakdown included and fully comprehensive it is just over £200 and it is also protected.
Well, I can't figure out how insurance companies work out their quotes on car insurance, Snoops. When I insured mine a few months ago, one insurer (Direct Line, funnily enough!) quoted me a figure that was over 3 times higher than any of the other quotes I'd been offered, including my renewal quote.
I naturally asked if they'd made a mistake, and they said 'No, take it or leave it!'...I wasn't impressed! Went with More Th>n in the end, who I've been with before, and my quote from them was cheaper than my last year's deal with Sheilas' Wheels.
It seems to be a bit of a lottery, and the only way to deal with it is to shop around as much as you can!
Speaking of More Th>n, I got a quote from them the other day during my research. Currently I'm paying under £600. More Th>n said they guaranteed to beat my renewal quote, then gave me a quote of over £2,000. I'd like to see them honour that guarantee.
I've always found them expensive too cpj1987, but what a difference!!
Yes, cpj1987, it is a lottery, no rhyme or reason to it as far as I can see. I switch virtually every year, I've been with More Th>n twice, but left and came back. Just so happened they got my vote this year, they may not get it next time!
Hmm, let's see if they DO honour that guarantee! :-)
My Sister In-law had her Auto renewal sent from the RAC, and as usual it had gone up, I suugested we hunt around for a better deal. we found plenty, but noticing the RAC policy was underwritten by Aviva I went direct to Aviva for a quote, I managed to Get her excess down from £350 to £150, included NC protection which wasnt on the RAC policy and reduced her annual premium by almost £100. when she rang up to cancel her Auto renewal the RAC guy asked why, then offered her the same deal, needless to say she didnt take him up, and stuck with the Aviva (direct) Policy. as they say it doesnt always pay to remain loyal.
Unfortunately I have come to realise that after paying premiums all these years that car Insurance is like a big ponzi scheme.
From all your great postings so far, doesn't it just show what a minefield it indeed is? It seems that no insurer is guaranteed to be competitive ( although a few people at work have stated that Direct Line was the best deal when transferring from a company car situation ) and all we can do to deal with motor insurance questions on the forum is to guide them to the comparison tables and let them do their own spade work ... that's not being critical of people needing advice, it just seems that everyone has to end up making their own enquiries. Even the likes of Comparethemarket.com left me totally confused!
You really do have to fight for a decent price, and I guess a lot of people don't bother.
I aleays question my renewal quote and still shop around and visit at least 1 insurance broker.
I also agree it's a minefield and with older cars you need to revalue the replacement cost of your vehicle as with old cars no point in overpaying on value, which is easily done.
Today my Father-in-law's Insurance has come through by email and from approx. £700 last year it has now gone up to £1264.64 third party only. I know he is 91 year's of age but he has a clean licence, has never had an accident, drives every day extremely well through the town etc. so why should he have had his Insurance increased nearly £600.
He has been in touch with Age Concern and they will do it for £500 approx. fully comprehensive and with break down cover. I can't understand the difference in price and the fact that he has now to change over to another Insurance Company it seems ludicrous to have to do this.
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Join the club, my current insurer won't quote for me next year either..not had any accidents or anything, I just don't fit their profile now
Which is it, Jazzj? Mine's Diamond - clearly now that they can't charge women less I'm not suitable for some reason. Wondered if you were with them, or another 'women's' insurer, too?