How do you choose a Car Insurer?

EnglishMohican

Recently received my renewal - £246. I then followed Martin's search process ( the first bit at least) and the cheapest is £151 and there are lots of other well known insurers with offers in the gap between 151 and 246.

The 246 is fairly basic insurance - superficially the 151 provides the same. There are companies who include far more than I get (legal insurance? breakdown cover?) who would cost less than my renewal.

So I looked a few companies up on a review site but all the companies had very mixed reviews - from wonderful company to useless company in adjacent reviews.

So my problem is how to choose a "good" company that gives value for money. Or should I just go for the cheapest that positively meets my needs.

What do others do? - How do you choose?

Quentin

WHich? recommends car insurers to use and to avoid:

http://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/reviews-ns/car-insurance/whichrecommended-providers/

*Scarlett

You could also try

http://defaqto.com/guides/insurance/car-insurance-guide/

There is a facility to compare cover and star ratings. It doesn't give any reviews on customer service or claims handling -Which is probably better for that.

mikey72

EnglishMohican wrote: »

Recently received my renewal - £246. I then followed Martin's search process ( the first bit at least) and the cheapest is £151 and there are lots of other well known insurers with offers in the gap between 151 and 246.

The 246 is fairly basic insurance - superficially the 151 provides the same. There are companies who include far more than I get (legal insurance? breakdown cover?) who would cost less than my renewal.

So I looked a few companies up on a review site but all the companies had very mixed reviews - from wonderful company to useless company in adjacent reviews.

So my problem is how to choose a "good" company that gives value for money. Or should I just go for the cheapest that positively meets my needs.

What do others do? - How do you choose?

I have a completely non scientific method. No companies with numbers, textspeak, or random letters in their name. It must be a company I have heard of. A Uk call centre, or, without being rude, a call centre operator that can answer me, and I can understand when I ring. A call centre that does actually answer me without waiting for long enough for the continent they are on to drift back to the uk. (Ok, not that long, but on hold for more than 10 minutes and they're off the list). A company that I can phone for free with BT, so no 0844 number, 0845 and 0870 is ok with BT though. All that works for me, I usually end up with a good price, helpful and intelligent service, reasonable costs for changes. Never the first on the list, but within the top ten. And anyone on topcashback is always a bonus.

lollipopsarah

haha hubby got his renewal quote and nearly fainted.
got a better price online with another company.
xx