Updated Cheap Car Insurance guide - new system

heathrow

Background:

Me - 42, public sector job. 7 years NCD. 1 claim 2012 (my fault - reversed hit Third Party).

Insuring 2002 Nissan MPV (residual value £2.5k) - Admiral quoted over £600.

Went wit Hastings - £430.

My wife - aged 49. 9+ years NCD. Insuring Hyundai I10.

£550 quote for renewal from Churchill.

New customer quote from Churchill/Privilege - £260....

grumpycrab

"You need to shop around" You certainly do. Always worth trying multi-car too, although a hastle getting it going if you insure at different times. Aviva saved us £300 (cf Admiral renewal).

rainbowhunter

Need to renew and went through all the steps to compare.
Esure came top in three of them, all slightly different but not by much. In none of the sites did any compulsory excess appear, only my voluntary excess. Other companies showed this but not Esure.
When I called to pay they went through the normal- just to clarify and then the accidental compulsory was 250; theft excess was 250; if fact there was a compulsory excess on everything!! None of which was noted on the comparrision sites.
Is there any way of forcing the companies to disclose this on the sites as if I had opted to pay via the internet it would not have been uncovered?

forgotmyname

Not sure what comparison sites you used but they usually tell you the excess.

Just checked gocompare and it clearly states (total excess). If your a young or inexperienced driver then further excesses may apply.

Vohn

I just bought fully comp car insurance online from Churchill, who include free roadside assistance for first year. Even with adding in NCD protection and reducing voluntary excess to £0, it was still cheaper than the price comparison websites (including Churchill's own quote on GoCompare). Plus I'm getting £30 cash back from Quidco. :j

Radnorsaver

I looked for quotes (in Moneysupermarket and Gocompare) and ticked the box for legal cover, and got quotes OK. However going to the insurers site this cover is not included, and adds about £28 to the price shown. I wouldn't have wasted my time on the insurers site if the true price had been shown originally.

Sunshine22_2

Using 4 different comparison sites have got my quote down from £207 to £147 for the same cover, but all sites are different, provide different cover, and not all sites give you optional extras to choose.... a bit of a nightmare and a lot of time spent with a calculator but worth the hassle, just need to call in the morning to finalise!!

quarrypark

Spent Wednesday shopping around for cheaper car insurance.

Made a saving of £100 plus by changing to Hastings from LV.

One problem on the way is that I have incurred a cancellation fee from Autonet. We signed up at one price which they raised within about 20 minutes. No opportunity was given to refuse the new price. Just an e mail informing us.

Any ideas?

Quentin

If that increase was unjustified (ie not due to you supplying incorrect info, or changing anything) then don't pay a cancellation charge!


Complain (formally) on the grounds that you only cancelled after they unfairly increased the agreed premium, and if you are unhappy with their response escalate the complaint to the FOS (at no cost to you) for their adjudication.

ohit

Usual annual renewal time.
Found that £350 voluntary excess was the 'sweet spot'. Anything lower (or even higher) resulted in a higher price.
Also increased the car's value on the form (just to see) and it went cheaper again!
Parking on the road still cheaper than driveway too.

Another renewal year, cheaper yet again, and still all fun and games