Car Insurance in Stockport

shiers123

Has anyone living in an SK postcode experienced a MASSIVE price increase in their car insurance costs?

The front page of the local paper last week lead with an article about someone who was regularly conducting 'Crash For Cash' accidents in and around the vicinity of the Tesco Roundabout just off the M60 in Central Stockport.

Despite this individual having been caught, tried, convicted and given a custodial sentance, the premiums are still higher than they should normally be.

If the risk of these accidents has now been decreased by 'x'% because this idiot is now off the road, the why have the premiums not been adjusted down by the same % by the insurance companies???

I have just changed my job and no longer rely on my car to get to and from work - I now use public transport. As such my annual mileage has dropped to less than 3000 p.a. PLUS I have no need to take my car anywhere near this 'accident' blackspot. I have 8 years NCD, and am a 38 year old female who drives very sensibly, yet my premiums have gone up from about £250 to almost £400!!!!! How can they justify this???

Rip off Britain or what??? :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

mikey72

Statistically though, the figures will show that the chance of having an accident in the area are higher now though.
Unless you live outside the postcode area, where statistically the chances of being in an accident will now be higher, as copy cat fraudsters will now appear.
The insurers will decide which statistic applies to you individually, based on your postcode.

shiers123

yeah, sure, understood, however...

If I hardly ever take my car out, have 9 years NCD, with NO accidents, am not a young driver and am a lower risk than other users who also live in an SK postcode - why am I still paying out such high amounts??

I've tried to get a decent quote from the pay-as-you-drive sites, but these are twice as much as everyone else!!!

If I didn't need the car at all, then I wouldn't bother, but I do need it at least once a week for social reasons where I have to carry a large item in the boot - so I can't eliminate the car competely.

Don't the insurance companies realise that by putting someone with my situation who might not be quite as law abiding as myself, might just not bother paying for such high premiums and drive around with no insurance hoping they won't get caught??

shiers123

plus the fact, you can bet your sweet cheeks the prices will never come down again..... grrrrrr :mad:

bouncydog1

I actually read somewhere that the people who had a high number of accidents were ladies with white BMW's who drove once a week! I am sure this is a bit tongue in cheek, but unfortunately insurers could perceive the face that you only drive occasionally makes you more of a risk that somebody who drives regularly - your driving skills become a bit rusty?

Surely as you only need the car once a week it might be cheaper to see if you could hire one.

withabix

The increase in insurance premiums has affected EVERYONE, not just low mileage drivers who have the misfortune of living in Stockport.

Best tip is NEVER renew with the same company. Work on the basis that you will change company every year. Someone else will invariably be cheaper for the first year due to new customer discounts. Renew with the same company and you will usually get mugged.

Also, use cashback sites like Quidco and NEVER click through from comparethemarketandearnussomecomission.com or confusedandgullible.com, becasue THEY will get any cashback you might be due.

What car is it? £400 might be cheap anyway.

mattymoo

Crash for Cash scams do not rely on one individual acting in isolation. Numerous parties are involved including back street repairers, hire firms, doctors and claims management companies. There are also strong connections with certain ethnic groups.

Just because one person has gone to jail does not mean the problem will disappear overnight.

shiers123

DOH! I realise that everyone's insurance has gone up - however it is a well known fact throughout the industry that anyone in a SK postcode is now paying one of the highest premiums in the country due to these insurance scammers, and yes, I checked that fact.

Oh, and for the record, I NEVER renew with the same company, not for all the 19 years I have been driving. I've only ever had 1 accident, and that was some daft woman in her boyfriends car who rear ended me due to watching someone on the pavement, not where she was going. (No wonder women drivers get a bad rep, jeez)

I'm not a white BMW lady once-a-week to the shops/ hairdressers/ lunches driver. Nor am I a yummy mummy that just ferries her little darlings on the school run and to the shops....
Until this year I regularly drove well over 12,000 miles a year in all types of situations, vehicles and weathers. It is only my new job that allows me to leave the car at home and use public transport - as our glorious leaders want us to do.

Having checked the cashback sites, there is NO saving to be made. Any cashback amount is the same as I would save by going with a cheaper non-cashback deal. So that's a waste of time.

As for the idea of hiring a car for one day a week, every week?:rotfl:

It's simple - If the insurers keep increasing the prices, they are making the issue worse not better. More and more people will be unable to afford the increasing premiums and will run the risk of not paying and therefore chancing they either won't get caught or won't have an accident. The more poeple are not paying the premiums, the more will invariably get caught, the higher the premiums go in order to cover the costs against the uninsured drivers and around we go again. It will only spiral out of control.

Or hey, is it just me who doesn't want to take this lying down??:mad:

terryya

The 'obvious' solution to me is to do more to catch those driving without insurance! It is widely reported that in some areas 1 in 4 people aren't insured so it shouldn't take much effort to get them.

Then when they are caught the fines need to reflect the cost of insurance ie make sure they pay at least double /treble etc the cost of insurance, not the couple of hundred quid they seem to get now. Unisured drives should also lose their car for good and not just until they provide insurance.

shiers123

well said terrya!!!!

starrystarry

shiers123 wrote: »

Or hey, is it just me who doesn't want to take this lying down??:mad:

There's nothing you can do about it unfortunately, so there's not much point ranting. The insurance companies still have to make a profit, so if the costs they have had to pay out have increased then everyone's premiums have to go up. Simples.