AXA Car insurance!

mikey72

lisyloo wrote: »

Serious question.
Is it not legal and deemed fair in our capitalist society to offer new customers an "introductory discount"?
I would have thought that this behaviour was considered fair enough?

Are you actually challenging the whole concept of the fairness of introcutory discounts?
Or is it something else and have I mis-understood?
I'm not expressing any personal opinion, but I would have thought the concpet of an introductory discount is very well established.

The introductory discount is hype bought into by people who believe the marketing, or try to push it even further.
None of the insurance companies I use ever advertise "introductory discounts", or is I something I get, but they don't advertise it, or tell me. I would like to see your examples of how it is established as a capitalist marketing tool in this case, and not hearsay.

If it was real, I would be interested to hear your opinion on how extortionate year two renewals can suddenly be dropped to match internet quotes, or to match "introductory" offers from other companies, and as to why some companies actually can manage to offer a similar price to last year, or does the offer continue in these cases? Or possibly these few are the fair companies, and don't offer the customers a loyalty penalty?
Maybe you are mixing corporate capitalism with free market capitalism.

Also why on earth should it have any bearing in this particular thread?

Your first reason was a change in postcode.
If you get two quotes at the same time, either they'll both have a discount, or they both won't.
If you change the postcode on a product with an "introductory discount", why should you lose it if you change a small detail, that's nothing to do with the discount?

Anyway, hopefully the poster will refer the complaint to the FOS if required, and they can voice an opinion as well.

lisyloo

Also why on earth should it have any bearing in this particular thread?

Sorry I think I've mixed it up in my own head.
A brand new quote in area A will probably include a "new customer" discount, but so will a new quote in area B.

I agree these things should be challenged (if the new quotes show little difference).
On the other hand as insurers are cherry picking it is possible there is a difference even in that short distance.

mikey72

If it's a fair price, ok.
But over charging a customer as they are captive should be brought under control.
It's exactly the same situation as with auto renew premiums, as opposed to "new" customer premiums.
Normally the insurer will match the new quoted premium if you ask them to. So if they can do this year after year after year, it's obviously still enough to make a profit.
The auto renew is inflated purely in the hope you don't notice.
Even worse though, is the excessive premium on mid term changes even though you notice it, you can't do anything at all about it.
Both should be challenged, and not just accpeted.
If the FOS say they are fair, ok we'll have to pay. If they don't, the insurer will have to be more reasonable in future.
But if no one complains, they'll just carry on, fair or not.

bigfreddiel

liamwilliams wrote: »

I am moving house tomorrow so went online to change my address for my car insurance and to say that it will be kept in a garage overnight. Low and behold they want to charge me an extra 170 quid for this on top of my premiums! :mad:

It's ridiculous! I am merely moving 1 mile from my current home and securing the car in a garage (currently it's parked on a road).

Anyone else had the same thing happen to them?

leave it outside - use the garage for storage