Can Insurance Renewal Tactics

Vin2300

Last year I was really struggling to get car insurance for a reasonable price, as despite 14 years claim-free driving I had been on a company car for four years and therefore had zero no-claims. Eventually had to bite the bullet and take Admiral at about £670, or so I thought. When I called to pay, they offered me a discount down to £570 if I took their multi-car policy by signing up to add the OHs car when it was due. The price for her was £510, about £30 more than she was currently paying, but it made sense overall so we went for it.

She got a new car halfway through the year (Insurance Group 6). Her old one was Group 20, so you would think the rest of the year would be at a discount. But entirely predictably they actually added £30 to the annual premium.

Anyway we are now at renewal time. The letter arrived quoting £505 for me and £560 for her on the multi-car policy. I have done all the comparison sites, plus Aviva and Direct Line. Best price for her is a much lower £360 with Swiftcover. Best price for me with just one year no-claims is £455 from Admiral, with Elephant and Diamond (both also Admiral really) only a few pounds behind, then a big jump to £690 for my next best quote.

Fairly obviously, OH will take the £360 quote. But I am just wondering what peoples view is on the best tactics are for me.

Do I phone Admiral and say that I can get it £50 cheaper as a new customer, so will you match it? If they say no, is there anything to stop me cancelling the policy and then just going online and signing up as a new customer? Should I tell them that is what I am going to do as a ‘stick’ in the negotiations? Once signed up, I guess they will ask for evidence of my no claims, so I will just end up sending them their own document. That wont be a problem will it? I cant imagine so because at the end of the day I guess they will want my business. Would I be better signing up to Elephant instead as it is a different brand (if not company)?

My basic position here is that the only company that will insure me for a reasonable price are the Admiral Group. So I dont want to cancel it and find they refuse me for some reason and I end up having to go to someone else and pay £690.

Thoughts please??

InsideInsurance

Personally have found other parts of the admiral group knock up to almost 25% off simply by you saying you've found it cheaper elsewhere.

Guess you could say you've found it more than £50 cheaper elsewhere outside of their group and see what they can come back with for you - can always choose to stay with them to save the hassle of switching insurers if they can come close but not beat your "other offer"

Vin2300

Only problem with that is that I assume they will ask who has quoted cheaper, and i will have to lie (which im not very good at!). Or is that not a good idea?

Perhaps it will be simpler if i just take one of the online quotes i have got, say Elephant, and then phone Admiral to cancel the existing policy.

InsideInsurance

Their call centres deal with their multiple brands so if you call and say it is Elephant then the Admiral staff can check the quote there and then for you.

Up to you if you want to be vague about having done online quotes and they appear to be coming out cheaper, what can you do? or be more honourable/ truthful

shelly

Vin2300 wrote: »

Only problem with that is that I assume they will ask who has quoted cheaper, and i will have to lie (which im not very good at!). Or is that not a good idea?

Perhaps it will be simpler if i just take one of the online quotes i have got, say Elephant, and then phone Admiral to cancel the existing policy.

Don't use the word cancel. If they can't match or better your best quote then tell them you aren't renewing and want the policy to lapse when it ends.
If you use the word cancel you will likely get charged to do so.

In my experience Admiral are very good at trying to keep custom (I know not everyone could say the same) I am always friendly when I call them and say something like 'Hi. I have been shopping around and got slightly better quotes than your renewal price. Can you do anything with your price to make it lower and we'll keep both cars with you?' Last year they bettered the quotes I had found elsewhere, one of them being from Elephant.
If they can't do anything and you don't want to stay, just tell them to let the policy lapse, don't use the word cancel.