Nationwide car ins renewal - my story

Wig

I've been with them for 1 year, renewal letter arrives with 4 weeks advance notice (very nice). Two weeks left to go I got a call from a guy who offered me a discount from 139 to 128, I said I'd think about it as there are a lot of offers on at the moment (P.O. 50 pounds cash back etc). He asked if he should ring back I said yes in a week.

He didn't ring back, mean while I had investigated what I could get.

Post office would be 177 - 50 = 127
Tesco had 20 cash back but only for new and not returning customers!

So I had the choice stay with nationwide - easy
or
Go with Post office and hope to recieve 2 X 50 pounds postal orders, but they might ask for 50 pounds back and I might only receive one anyway. And also it would be dishonest (even criminally so) to keep the 2nd 50 pounds.

So I opted to stay with Nationwide. I rang up the normal renewal line and before we got into it I told him I had spoken with someone who had offered me a discount on my renewal, and I would like to take up that offer, and was *this* the correct department to be able to do that? He said "no you'll need retentions" and gave me a number 01159 453 183

The number turns out to be UK insurance and you have to tell them you are with Nationwide and you want a discount on renewal.

Anyway 'I kept my cards close to my chest' and he said the best he could do was 116, I tried to make him feel good by not taking it straight away and to see if I could get any more out of him - no luck. Eventually I agreed.

So I got it for 116 saving 23! or 16% discount.

Cheers all

P.S. the number (or the general procedure) might work for others who use UK insurance like Tesco etc.