Car insurance renewal time.

[Brandane]

It's that time of year again. Got a quote in from my current insurers who want £301 to renew. I figure I can get it cheaper than that, after all it's never a good idea to stay with the same insurer as they do tend to rip you off. So I started to search around......
Male aged 50, retired but working part time as a taxi driver, 10 years NCD, rural postcode, the car is a 6 year old Toyota Corolla 1600cc worth about £3200.

Moneysupermarket.com not bad; best quote for my needs is £212 with SAGA (made me feel really OLD). Thought I would try the AA ....... £814, surely some mistake there I hope! The search continues....

 

[Edwards80]

They price themselves out on purpose occasionally. I once had a range of £800 up to £32000 . . . for a 1999 Nissan Micra for the Mrs.

I could only assume that if you crash with the £32000 cover you get a jag as a replacement and a personal driver.

 

[biggs682]

just had same thing and ended up staying with Churchill and it was cheaper that this year so bonus

 

[Tight Git]

Received my renewal from Admiral - 2008 Porsche Boxster S, aged 53, 6000 miles per year incl. business use, protected fully comp - £297. Thought that was good but went on confused.com and cheapest quote £202 with .....Admiral! Rang them up and got the renewal at the lower price.

Insurance companies rely on people not bothering to shop around.

 

[fossyant]

I move every year if the price is stupid. Down to about £250, last insurance put theirs up by 50%, so lost the business.

 

[Maz]

just had same thing and ended up staying with Churchill and it was cheaper that this year so bonus

I got a quote from Churchill, too...it was "We will fight them on the beaches..."

 

[Herr-B]

Stayed with Swiftcover.com again this year for £211 as opposed to >£250 everywhere else including some touching a grand!

Also recommend checking out the Post Office, usually do quite a substantial cashback arrangement.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Got ours via my Mrs work place insurers. She said it was better value

APlan if you are bothered

 

[mrandmrspoves]

I have been with Direct Line for years and years..... I do check other providers every time it comes up for renewal - but so far they have never been beaten on price. Furthermore - when I did have to make a claim 2 years ago they were brilliant! (Prompt payment and their initial valuation on my written off car was £650 more than I paid for it !)
Worth checking them because they don't list on the comparison web sites. Having said that, some people I know have not had competitive quotes from them - but that's why it's worth looking round, you never know.

Also worth looking at what you are paying on breakdown insurance ......http://www.firstcallmotorbreakdown.co.uk/

 

[Maz]

I always go on the price comparison websites and then go for the cheapest insurer. It's usually a company I've never heard of, so I hope I don't have to make a claim with them.

 

[Globalti]

Try Swinton, they are cheaper in everything.

 

[swee'pea99]

I always go on the price comparison websites and then go for the cheapest insurer. It's usually a company I've never heard of, so I hope I don't have to make a claim with them.

I do much the same, except that I always checkout any I've never heard of by googling. I've found more than once that the cheapest and second cheapest were reported as being an absolute nightmare if you need to claim, whereas the third cheapest - only £9 more by price - were good. Worth that little bit of extra.

 

[Brandane]

Try Swinton, they are cheaper in everything.

Last year I took out motorbike insurance with Swineton Swinton insurance as they were cheapest. I decided to pay by 12 monthly instalments and filled in all the necessary on-line forms. It is only when you have done that and click on "pay", that they greet you with the news that "for your convenience" the first 10 monthly payments will pay for this years policy, but in months 11 and 12 they will continue to take payments and put it towards the following years policy. WTF? Of course, if you decide not to renew with them the following year, they will refund those 2 payments. You just know that won't be a straightforward matter, but will involve lengthy negotiations with their call centre, on a premium rate number. So I decided to exercise my right to change my mind within 14 days and had the policy cancelled. When I take out insurance, I only want to pay for the one years policy, I do not wish to bank with them! For that reason alone, I would never consider Swinton again.

 

[Brandane]

I have been with Direct Line for years and years.....

Good shout re Direct Line!
They are coming in at £260 but with better cover and less excess than others. Also got a home insurance quote for next month (great timing, all these insurance renewals just before Christmas ), and I suspect it will be significantly lower than my current insurer as I had a claim for storm damage in January.

 

[oldfatfool]

Swinton where offering crazy deals when swmbos insurance came up, along the lines of £250 for the year but if you pay £400 then you get £300 cash back after 4 months all sounded very dodgy