Car insurance renewal....RESULT

Notmyrealname

So its that time of year again and in anticipation I do the screen scraping Moneysupermarket, Confused, Meerkats.. and get a lowest quote of £218.36 from my current insurers, Chaucer, through Moneysupermarket.

This morning, the renewal letter lands on the door.

"We're pleased to offer you our best deal" £273.48

Best deal my backside.

So onto the phone to them and tell them what Moneysupermarket was and give them the quote reference number from the website.

"I'll just check the details you put in the website sir.........it appears you've put in a lower annual mileage. Your current policy is for 15,000 miles a year."

I had, I'd put in 12,000 miles.

"OK, well it costs a lot more to insure for a higher mileage. OK, I've put the details through the system and we can renew for £195."

:T:T:T:T:T

TAKE MY MONEY ALREADY

It has been a very long time since I've seen a sub £200 quote.

Just proves its always worth getting a quote online and then ringing up your current insurers and if there's a change like mileage, mentioning it. We're all doing far less than we used to. Two years ago I was averaging 17,000 miles a year and had done for some time as MOTs had shown. Now I'm lucky to do a thousand miles a month. I've had my new car 5 months and not put 5k on it.

One wonders though just how much of this is down to the govt telling the motor insurance industry if they don't sort their act out, the govt will. :cool:

AlexisV

At the end of the day, they've tried to scam you.

Well done for avoiding it, but there's no excuse for them wanting an extra £55 this year.

Hintza

I renewed yesterday for £222 (inc NCD protection) less £50 Quidco. Via Direct Line. Direct Line are only asking for accidents back 3 years which meant the £12,500 flood claim we had in January 2010 came off.

Last year was £324 (- £80 Quidco). Renewal letter for this year was for £284 but of course you don't get the cashback.

When are these companies going to realise it is cheaper to keep customers rather than hook new ones.

Hintza

I renewed yesterday for £222 (inc NCD protection) less £50 Quidco, via Direct Line. Direct Line are only asking for accidents back 3 years which meant the £12,500 flood claim we had in January 2009 came off.

Last year was £324 (- £80 Quidco). Renewal letter for this year was for £284 but of course you don't get the cashback.

When are these companies going to realise it is cheaper to keep customers rather than hook new ones.

Notmyrealname

AlexisV wrote: »

At the end of the day, they've tried to scam you.

Par for the course for business isn't it?

housesitter

My simple rule of thumb for insurance renewal.
Ring up, ask if that is the best quote, usually might get few percent knocked off.
Tell them you're going to look around.
Wait a day or two - but don't do anything.
Ring them back, tell them you've got a better deal at x less - I usually go for about 30% off the quote and pick a random unrelated company.
They will "try their best to match it". They might not, but they'll still give a price regardless - or ask for it.
Take it anyway if it seems reasonble

If they don't budge at all, only then will I bother to hunt around. I'm also around the 200/year mark. So aint ever going to have that much taken off to make it worth ringing around and filling in paperwork for a different company rather than just renewing after the price correction.