Comparing car insurance

Oneoftheoldies

I regularly access Martin Lewis's website in order to find information on best finance deals, etc. so decided to try to compare car insurance on-line in the order suggested on the website. I found this much slower and more frustrating than anticipated as the quotes were only for the basic cover and it was tedious trying to find and judge what each policy covered in order to compare like with like. It also appeared that the cheapest sites had "hidden" admin charges for cancelling or amending a policy. In the end I chose a few to phone direct but am still not confident that I have found the best deal. It would be great to find a site where the usual optional extras could be compared for particular types of driver, e.g. the young and inexperienced or the older (over 60?) driver. It's too tempting to think "I can't be bothered to scour the small print" and end up with overly expensive and possibly inadequate cover.

How do other drivers deal with this?

DCFC79

Comparethemeerkat/comparethemarket or confused.com are 2 i use,

forgotmyname

Quotes were for basic cover? Whats basic cover? What extra's do you want?

Choices are usually Third Party, Third Party Fire and Theft, Comprehensive.

If your 18 and just passed why would you need to know how much a 60 year old retired bank manager would pay for your car or postcode?

Keep inputting data like that and it will flag up as potential risk of fraud.

Comprehensive covers everything. Someone damages your car and they pay out. It will cost you later in increased premiums but it gets fixed.

Not sure what your after?

molerat

Most of the quotes online are for a basic cover level even when going direct to the insurers websites. The idea is to make them seem more competitive and get thenm to the top of the list be it a comparison site or your own pen and paper list.

Oneoftheoldies

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. The extras I was looking for were legal protection and increased personal accident cover, e.g. how much and at what cost. Above all, I want to see clearly that the quotes are for "like for like" cover. "Comprehensive" cover can vary considerably from company to company.

dwsjarcmcd

Oneoftheoldies wrote: »

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. The extras I was looking for were legal protection and increased personal accident cover, e.g. how much and at what cost. Above all, I want to see clearly that the quotes are for "like for like" cover. "Comprehensive" cover can vary considerably from company to company.

But you can do that quite easily. Either the prices of these type of products will be displayed when you get the quotes back or will clearly show they're included.

The other way this can be achieved is to filter quotes (usually above the list of prices) by various factor such as Protected NCD, legal etc.

You won't cover every permutation but as is always the way, there needs to be a compromise to make sites usable for the vast majority.

forgotmyname

Too many variables when getting quotes.

Add a driver thats made several claims to be claim free policy reduces my quote? How does that work?

One company may have lots of claims from people with red cars in your postcode. But only those that have protected no claims.

So a quote without no claims protection maybve cheap, But adding the protection could double the price.

Its hit and miss it seems.

Archergirl

Tesco is doing a good deal with £50 free fuel voucher and included legal protection. Not sure if they cover you for driving other cars though, I may have to phone them, but they are coming up good for me and him.

Oneoftheoldies

Thank you Archergirl. The Tesco £50 fuel voucher sounds good so I'll probably check it out although, due to changed circumstances, I now appear to have a good deal from my current insurer.

Saga say they will always match a quote for "like for like" cover but it's up to the person buying the insurance to check that the quotes are for exactly the same cover. That sounds very difficult to me with so much small print and small differences. Would Saga not check that the cover was the same until a claim was made - and then maybe say it was not the same and therefore the cover was invalidated?!

I've come to the conclusion that there is no quick and easy way to check that one is getting the best cover required and the best deal. It's a case of "buyer beware" - and "fingers crossed" in the event of a claim. Which? do list their "recommended providers" which is of some help.

Thanks to those who've tried to help.

forgotmyname

Best cover is probably one of the dearer insurers.

But comprehensive covers damage to your car. It only boils down to what are they like at paying out and what are the customer services like.

I think your overthinking this.

Comprehensive is comprehensive . The additional parts legal cover etc. are optional. If you want them than add them.