Ginko Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Sorry if this has been done before but I couldn't find anything on my search. It's that time of year again for me. I'm with Direct Line and I paid £525 for my car insurance last year. I got a renewal letter through the post last week stating I'm now to pay £851. I called them up to ask them why this is and I'd already done a comparison where the lowest quote I got was £480 though admittedly by a company I'd never heard of so I'm less inclined to go with them, that and it's just easier to renew. She did some tinkering and managed to get it down to £675 but that's as low as they can go apparently. The woman on the phone said it was largely to do with other people driving the same make and model of my car having more accidents and therefore more claims that have pushed the price up so much. I have another year's no claims built up and still my quote has sky-rocketed. Insurance is an absolute freaking rip-off. Anyway, I just thought I'd ask for any advice, namely in the companies you use and if they're any good because I'm not paying that much money where I can seemingly get it cheaper elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Bought mine on Saturday. £420. I'm 27 and drive a Peugeot 308 1.6tdi (boring, but economical at least). I was with AXA and it was 550 last year, but the renewal was 600. I didn't even ring them, I just got straight onto compare the market and then quidco. Bought Swiftcover insurance through quidco in the end, saved a further 20. so £400 for me. It was the 2nd cheapest, but what sold me was the windscreen cover (I had 2 windscreen replacements last year, without that cover, it would have cost me about £1800!). So I get windscreen cover, courtesy car and insurance for £400. (with 3 years NCD!). Hope that helps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Edit: Oh, and it was cheaper for my car to be kept on the road rather than my drive. Also, Having 4 years No Claims would have only reduced my quote by £5.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginko Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 (edited) Thanks lapal, that does help. Swiftcover are on the comparison list at £585 for me which is a price I'd be okay with doing. Concerning my details I'm 28, currently unemployed (which I'm sure is just great when it comes to insurance claims), with two years no claims and I drive a 58 plate Mini One 1.4. I've got my dad on it as a second driver because in the past that has helped push the claim down for whatever reason and I've said it's kept on a drive over night. Oh, and I've put down for a £500 excess. I must admit I'm not the most clued up about car insurance and what sort of things bring the prices down aside from the obvious. Edited August 4, 2014 by Ginko Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Oh yea, my wife as a named driver helps me (vaginas and that) - she'll rarely use the car, but did over the weekend for a couple of trips. mines an 09 plate. I don't live in a great area (Cradley Heath, about 2 roads away from Haden Hill) in an still some, but mostly ex-council estate. I guess the insurers think my area isn't worth robbing I got £300 excess (in total). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginko Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 The thing is, even though I'm unemployed right now, fingers crossed I won't be in the near future. That will also affect where the car is parked during the day. On the comparison quote I stuck with the fact that it's parked in a private car park, but since I'm not in work it spends all day parked outside my house and I live in the middle of nowhere, so surely it's at the tiniest risk possible of getting nicked and therefore that should bring my cost down? I hate insurance claims, they're such bullshit at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I use LV for a around 6 years now ... always get a good price from them ( compared to others when I've shopped around ) and when I've had to make a claim they have always been very good ..almost annoying as they ring you up every day to give you a progress report , but I can't fault their professionalism Mrs H is with AA who also do a decent enough cost and take your credit card info and auto renew you every year ..which is a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meath_Villan Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Im with axa and their renewal quote beat nearly all the rest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginko Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the help guys. Much appreciated. I did a quote with LV for £608, still dearer than I'd hoped but I doubt I'd be able to get it with a reputable place for much cheaper with my current circumstances. Which? had LV down as being one of their best car insurance providers and then hearing good things about them from Tony I figured I might as well. Cheers again guys. Edited August 4, 2014 by Ginko Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I just use Compare the Market and Go Compare and then pick the cheapest one I have heard of! It was RSA last year... at about £330... they wanted £900 this year. Went with Elephant in the end (part of Admiral group) and it was £350 (I did move address during the year so may have caused the difference). I don't think I have had the same insurance company two years running for about 8 years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted August 4, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted August 4, 2014 Use Google insurance comparison site, its given me real low quotes compared to my renewal and the usual compare sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrinityRoadSteps Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Never just renew. I have never done anything other than save money by doing a quick comparison. I even got a toy meerkat once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Never accept the renewal. New customers (even with the same company) always get better deals. For cheaper options look at taking off additional extras if you don't think it will be worthwhile (legal expenses, breakdown etc). Adding a woman used to reduce but supposedly the ruling changed (earlier this yr, or late last yr) which is supposed to mean males are not penalised, but still worthwhile trying it out. Cheaper unheard of companies can be good, look up their credentials online, most are underwritten by the same companies (mainly UKInsurance/General). They should be FCA registered and you'll FOS rights. Altering your excess will also lower the premium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnbull Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 When I hit 50 (that's years not other cars) I had a letter from Saga welcoming me to the "club" and inviting me to have an insurance quote. The one they gave me was astonishingly low so I went with it. The following year it virtually doubled. They advertised a quote match so I went on all the comparison sites and got myself a couple of figures which Saga said they hadn't a hope in hell of matching. I don't think I've ever been insured with the same company for 2 years running, it just hasn't been worth it. I usually go for the cheapest quote with a recognised company though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villarule123 Posted August 4, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted August 4, 2014 I've been with Directline for a few years now. It always goes up every year but when I do a brand new quote it either stays or goes down. I reckon they just try to get lazy people to pay more than they should. Mine came to about £335 this year, with breakdown cover & protected no claims. 25 year old, 6 years no claims, 2010 Hyundai i20 but 2 discounts as the missus uses Directline and we have home insurance with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted August 4, 2014 Moderator Share Posted August 4, 2014 Oh yea, my wife as a named driver helps me (vaginas and that) - she'll rarely use the car, but did over the weekend for a couple of trips.This can't be true, sex can no longer be used as a determinant from car insurance, its illegal, hence no more Sheila's Wheels etcEdit: Oh, and it was cheaper for my car to be kept on the road rather than my drive. Also, Having 4 years No Claims would have only reduced my quote by £5..NCD reduces premiums by 10% per year usually, whoever told you that 4 years would only make a £5 difference is lying to you. 4 years is usually 40% of the premium and if thats only a fiver your premium is minuscule.Lowballing the first year quote seems to be standard practice in the home you're too lazy to change at renewal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Oh yea, my wife as a named driver helps me (vaginas and that) - she'll rarely use the car, but did over the weekend for a couple of trips. This can't be true, sex can no longer be used as a determinant from car insurance, its illegal, hence no more Sheila's Wheels etc Edit: Oh, and it was cheaper for my car to be kept on the road rather than my drive. Also, Having 4 years No Claims would have only reduced my quote by £5.. NCD reduces premiums by 10% per year usually, whoever told you that 4 years would only make a £5 difference is lying to you. 4 years is usually 40% of the premium and if thats only a fiver your premium is minuscule. Lowballing the first year quote seems to be standard practice in the home you're too lazy to change at renewal I haven't spoken to anyone, I just entered my details in a few comparison sites and then using quidco. I guess if I'd had a named driver of any sex it may have reduced it, I dunno.. I just put my wife's details in a got a discount. Regarding the NCD bonus, again I just entered the info and for a double check I put in a couple of different years NCD, that's the answer it gave me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArteSuave Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Oh yea, my wife as a named driver helps me (vaginas and that) - she'll rarely use the car, but did over the weekend for a couple of trips. This can't be true, sex can no longer be used as a determinant from car insurance, its illegal, hence no more Sheila's Wheels etc That's what I thought but I got the lowest quote from 'Diamond - Car Insurance for Women' by putting 3 women on my policy as named drivers. I tried with men with better records and it was way higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swerbs Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 All you oldies with your cheap car insurance, paying £1800 a year for mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts