Direct Line Home Insurance Renewal

redmalc

I received my renewal this morning for buildings and contents insurance,the price was £592.
I was shocked because last year it was £340 and i have never claimed in the last 10 years.
I called a few other companies and got quotes in the region of £376/£400,i then called Direct Line and advised them not to renew my policy.
The staff member asked why i was not renewing and commented i will have a look at the quote and within a few seconds just like magic the price came down to £349 and they would upgrade me to Home Owner Plus which includes World Wide Travel Insurance and an additional policy for Electrical and Plumbing emergencies to the value of £500.
I think it is somewhat sharp practice, especially for people who are unable to use computers.

POPPYOSCAR

Goes on all the time.

I was with Tesco at a reduced premium one year that doubled the following year. Like you I rang them and they reduced it, the next year I was told they were unable to reduce it again as they had reduced it the previous year. Said bye bye and went somewhere else for half the price.

I have now gone full circle and I am with the company I insured with
originally and paying 1/3 of the price I paid back then.

Ridiculous I agree, but they work on the basis that most people will just renew without question.

foreversummer

I received my renewal also yesterday from Direct LIne. Price increase £120 this year - no claims. I am already on the Home Insurance Plus policy but am quite sure I can find a more competitive quote elsewhere. I will - they will probably match the quote or I will move. Ridiculous system we have isn't it.

Yorkie1

I've got this dilemma at present. Renewal £299 for the Plus policy. Got a quote for the Plus policy as a new customer for £250. Rang them up and they offered a tailored policy (reduced personal possessions / bike / emergency cover, no travel insurance, slightly increased excess for accidental and bike claims) for £220.

Can't quite decide whether to go for the online 'new' policy or the slightly reduced tailored quote. For the sake of £30 I'll probably go for the 'new' policy which, compared with others' quotes, is competitive and keeps my dual discount for having a motor policy too.

But you definitely need to haggle / ring them and speak to the cancellation department.

loracan1

It's always been the case - before the internet you'd phone round.

mikey72

But you wouldn't need to phone your existing company as they never used to try to charge twice the going rate at renewals.
They offered you a price, you either got a better offer and moved, or you didn't, and you stayed with their first price.

Faloola_Chong

Glad to know it's not just me who's agog at Direct Line's renewal quotes

They sent me a renewal quote of £319 for buildings and contents which they claim is a 10% discount; I thought this was a lot but as I've only had contents before at <£100 I wasn't sure

But an internet comparison shows that this is what you'd expect to pay at a high street bank and we know what their insurance prices are like - around £200 is a bit more like it

I'll get on the phone tomorrow and see if I can haggle...

mikey72

Faloola_Chong wrote: »

Glad to know it's not just me who's agog at Direct Line's renewal quotes

They sent me a renewal quote of £319 for buildings and contents which they claim is a 10% discount; I thought this was a lot but as I've only had contents before at <£100 I wasn't sure

But an internet comparison shows that this is what you'd expect to pay at a high street bank and we know what their insurance prices are like - around £200 is a bit more like it

I'll get on the phone tomorrow and see if I can haggle...

Why not just move to a company that offer a decent price in the first place?

Faloola_Chong

Well I will if I don't GET WHAT I WANT

I've got to phone them anyway to cancel as it autorenews otherwise

foreversummer

Well, phoned this morning re my home insurance renewal. Told them I got a cheaper quote on a like for like basis and they beat it. Got through almost instantly and saved myself, wait for it £227.18. Now I am paying less than I did last year! Only slight difference is that I agreed to a £50 excess rather than £0 excess to keep it in line with the cheaper quote. One happy person, but what a crazy system.

Faloola_Chong

Phoned them and quote magically dropped from £319 to £223 when I said I didn't want to renew

Ridiculous