Comparing car insurance through comparison sites query

book12

A year ago, I went to a few comparison sites for car insurance (my first car). When I click on the 'more information' button next on the right hand side of the screen (or similar depending on the site), the policy number, amount, and my personal details is already generated. Why is this? Maybe the customer doesn't want to buy it yet, want to buy it through another price comparison site, or maybe through the official insurance website, as it might be cheaper?

Since the data is pre-populated already from the comparison site into their own insurance website, does this mean I'm credit checked already? When I check my credit reports, I don't see any checks made by the insurance companies. A few days ago, I went on the website, as I my car insurance is due in the near future, and played around with my data (for example, chaning voluntary excess to see see how much cheaper if I selected £250, £500, etc....). Does that mean multiple checks are done?

When comparing car insurance on a number of websites, the same insuance company pops up, in terms of ranking. The only difference is the pricing. Why is this? I thought it would be exactly the same. I thought price comparison sites use similar/same methods of ranking cheap insurances?

When quoting through the actual car insurance website, it's cheaper than price comparison prices, sometimes it doesn't. Just curious, why is this?

iamana1ias

book12 wrote: »

A year ago, I went to a few comparison sites for car insurance (my first car). When I click on the 'more information' button next on the right hand side of the screen (or similar depending on the site), the policy number, amount, and my personal details is already generated. Why is this? Maybe the customer doesn't want to buy it yet, want to buy it through another price comparison site, or maybe through the official insurance website, as it might be cheaper?

Because the site has stored the data you gave it last year when you created your account with the comparison site, and it feeds that to the insurers this time round. How else would they get prices??

book12 wrote: »

Since the data is pre-populated already from the comparison site into their own insurance website, does this mean I'm credit checked already? When I check my credit reports, I don't see any checks made by the insurance companies. A few days ago, I went on the website, as I my car insurance is due in the near future, and played around with my data (for example, chaning voluntary excess to see see how much cheaper if I selected £250, £500, etc....). Does that mean multiple checks are done?

No.

book12 wrote: »

When comparing car insurance on a number of websites, the same insuance company pops up, in terms of ranking. The only difference is the pricing. Why is this? I thought it would be exactly the same. I thought price comparison sites use similar/same methods of ranking cheap insurances?

Because they ask slightly different questions and have slightly different assumptions. This affects the info that gets to the insurers and so affects the price.

book12 wrote: »

When quoting through the actual car insurance website, it's cheaper than price comparison prices, sometimes it doesn't. Just curious, why is this?

Because the insurer is asking you exactly what they want to know. The comparison site collects slightly different/less information (to make it suitable for several site searches). Again, this information affects the price.

mikey72

Always use a false name (Mr aaaaaa has had about 100 quotes recently) close postcode, generic car, and then when you has chosen who you like, get the same from their website, and a quote through a cahback site.
Then go ahead with the method you fancy, with your details.
As to why they're different, who knows, I saved £300 on one I just took out, same company, same policy, just a really good price on quidco comparison, compared to going through a broker, or going direct.