Which insurer would you choose??

Sally_A

I'm an insurance broker, specialising in motor trade insurance, I don't as a rule use my car for business as have the company pool car (getting on a bit, but it has been a reliable old beast), so need Class 1 as would only go to pre arranged appointments.

Through work, and with staff discount, the insurance is coming out at around £420 with RSA. If daughter needed to go on for emergencies it would be approx £3 per day.

Options - I went on confused.com so appreciate the EUI companies are going to come top.

Diamond = £289.83
Admiral = £290.89
Bell = £291.95
Elephant = £294.07

Direct Line = £238.50

Co Op = £350 ish

All others, around the £400 mark which I would not swap for.

Am tempted to go with Elephant, my daughter (age 20) has her car with them, so if ever I needed her on my policy for a short period emergency, they can cross refer the info. I spoke to a call centre in Canada I think, they said £45 per week, but if I added her for the full year it would be £759.41 in total, not Additonal Premium - this would be emergency only so I don't really need that. The excess is less than my current one (£250 down to £160).

Have already asked them about windscreen limits - car has a rain sensitive screen (why!!??? I can see it's raining, I can switch my wipers on!!).

Any reason why I should not move to Elephant??? or any other questions I should clarify up front??

huckster

Why are you ruling out DL if they are cheaper or have you mis-typed ?

Sally_A

Have heard bad things about Direct line's claims service on this forum, and their bad press regarding settlement with bodyshops.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how pretty the policy booklet looks, but will they do the do when the manure hits the windmill?

If you can big them up, I'm more than ready to give them a call to clarify the small print.

I believe they are Bristol based, so I can talk the talk there and get them on side ;-)

huckster

I had a claim with them along time ago and even then they insisted I used their contracted bodyshop. This was about 10 miles from where I lived, whereas I had garages just around the corner from where I live, which could have done the job. But having worked in motor claims for a period, I found it to be the less hassle option to use their approved repairer. This is on the basis that DL would have legal responsibility for the contracted work they arranged, whereas if I had a problem with the local garage I arranged, I would have had to sort it out.

DL are not the only company that operate like this and some charge an additional excess if you want to use an alternative to their bodyshop/approved repairer.

I have heard many positive comments about Direct Line and the other RBS Insurance companies. They don't appear to feature as much in negative posts/reviews, as some other companies. I haven't seen too many anyway. When you consider the number of policies they have on their books, I would have thought this was a good sign.

Sally_A

Cheers, I will suss out the points you've raised eg nearest approved bodyshop, windscreen limit, possibility of adding daughter temporarily for emergencies etc etc.

Being in the trade, I tell them not to hit me for those blummin admin fees - and suprisingly a lot of them agree

adamc260

To be honest, ALL the EUI policies are exactly the same (only diff is Diamond gives you extra handbag cover) so if you really want to go with them go for whichever is the cheapest (which is diamond). Same call centres, same staff, same claim handlers, same procedures etc etc... Can't say they're the best in the event of a claim though, guess you get what you pay for =/!

Direct line does have the uninsured driver/vandalism promise (which EUI doesnt) and also recovery after an accident I think to your home address with DL (which EUI doesnt).

Tebheag

Are you sure Elephant can cross over your daughters details as some companys will not do that. I have been with direct line for a number of years not had any probs my car had to be repaired they took it away from the house after i limped it home and returned it back looking as good as new.

Sally_A

Thanks Adam, I know you worked there for a while, have always found the Cardiff office easy to deal with and in touch with the real world.

@ Tebheag - yes, if I had a 9.00am emergency and daughters car was naffed, I would expect them to cross refer details and give me a good deal to add her temporarily and sharpish too: so will run this scenario by them before I move to another insurer.

This is why I'd like to suss out the helpful ones before my insurance expires on 18th June.

adamc260

Sally_A wrote: »

Thanks Adam, I know you worked there for a while, have always found the Cardiff office easy to deal with and in touch with the real world.

@ Tebheag - yes, if I had a 9.00am emergency and daughters car was naffed, I would expect them to cross refer details and give me a good deal to add her temporarily and sharpish too: so will run this scenario by them before I move to another insurer.

This is why I'd like to suss out the helpful ones before my insurance expires on 18th June.

Elephant will be able to pull up her details from her own policy but will probably have to ask them again to make sure it's all correct. I doubt they'll reduce the cost of adding her on though just because she has her own policy and elephant DO charge admin fees (and do enforce them)

hcb42

I have been with DL on one car for over 20 years, there have been a few incidents in this time, cannot fault their service

I was also with Elephant last year for our other car, but thankfully we had no need to test their claims service

Sally_A

Insurance runs out this Saturday, I know it's £130 more but that equates to less than 50p per day....I'll probably wimp out and stay where I am.....in the event of a mishap...bodyshop of my choosing, if i want to rant, I only have to go down to our personal lines dept downstairs, I know I'm properly covered if I have to use my car on occasion for business use.

I think 50p per day is worth the lack of stress, must admit the elephant peeps in Cardiff have always been really good and knowledgeable about their product when I've had to speak to them about daughters policy.

So any Elephant employees on here, I have until noon on 18th June to make my mind up if you really want to sell me you product and say why I should move to you.