Car insurance quotes

Qubit

Just a quick bit of advice really - be very careful what you search for when enquiring about car insurance through some of the websites that provide multiple quotes.

I recently took out new insurance and changed my vehicle at the same time and made use of these sites. I searched for all sorts of things, such as mileage as ive been considering biking to work more and i wanted to see what difference it might make.


I also searched for a couple of vehicle modifications as one of the vehicles i looked at was modified. Basically I was acting on nothing more than curiosity. I eventually entered the correct details for the vehicle I was about to purchase and went with my preferred option (Admiral).

I have just received an email stating that they have increased my premium by £30 due to undisclosed modifications! Ive just spoken with an adviser and told them that my vehicle isnt modified (at least as far as Im aware and certainly not by me). They now want me to write a letter or email them stating that my vehicle is not modified. This doesnt seem too onerous one might say, but im still completely astounded that this is legal, they have no proof of anything and just charge me extra money? Is this legal??? Is the burden now on me to prove the vehicle isn't modified? Suffice to say theyve already ensured they wont get my custom next year.....

InsideInsurance

People running test quotes and changing details is a significant fraud concern - hence why people here always recommend using dummy address, name etc to prevent these types of issues.

Evidently for the majority of people the truth is the truth and so attempts to modify things like mileage, modifications, incidents tends to mean they are considering not telling the whole truth and manipulate their premiums to their advantage.

Write the letter, it'll be quicker to do that then writing the complaint letter

Qubit

Just one more reason why i think insurance companies are a bunch of robbing *****. I can declare that i haven't modified it (ive only had the bloody thing 2 weeks!) but i fail to see how i can prove that no one has modified it in any way without dismantling the car.

My enquiries were genuine and i would always declare any alterations (ive never made any to any car though and Im willing to bet im more honest than 99% of people). I also enquired about fitting smaller alloys with all season/winter tyres. Apparently any efforts on my part to be safer in bad weather will also result in me incurring a charge. Crazy, but definitely something other people should be wary of.

InsideInsurance

Which is why I would word it that you purchased it as unmodified and to the best of your knowledge this is true and you have made no modification to is since buying it.

Admiral is one of the ones that are more of a pain as they count factory fit optional extras (eg metallic paint, leather seats, alloys etc) as modifications where as others only count post production items.

AlexMac

Don't write Admiral off over a disputed £30, which hopefully, you'll get back. Their claims dept performance was outstanding, when, on two occasions, over a 4-year period, my car was stolen (the notorious BMW security failing which permits key-less theft!). On both occasions, Admiral bent over backwards to help, then, after the car was recovered intact, cancelled the claim with no adverse effect on my NCD, even though I'd claimed for a courtesy car both times. (the second time for a couple of weeks). I can't imagine better service from other companies.