car insurance quirk

bertram_IX

Today I have been trying to get a quote for my car insurance. I cannot park outside the house because of yellow lines and a cycle lane so I use to council car park which starts less than 35 metres from my front door, further down the road.

Unfortunately the car park is in a different post code to where I live and as it does not appear on the insurance company's data base, possibly based on the one used by "postcode finder", they cannot send a letter to me there and therefore cannot quote because the can only send letters to the address where the car is parked. This is according to the underwriters.

If the postcode where I live extended for a few more meters there would be no problems at all. I would, with no respect whatsoever, suggest that this typifies what is wrong with British management.

AdrianC

So try a different insurer.

forgotmyname

As above get a quote elsewhere one where the options are easier. car parked nighttime public carpark where they dont need the postcode.

bertram_IX

This was not just one insurer. I used the insurance quote websites and all the low cost providers were like this. All virtually unknowns like Legal and General, Co-op, Lloyds and one other I can't recall the name of. The problem is that until you have ploughed through question after question you do not discover that they have this little catch and I really cannot see why it is there. If our postcode had stretched another 40 meters we would not have the problem. To me it makes no sense at all, does it to you?

But anyway, thanks for the useful advice!

AdrianC

all the low-cost providers were like this

But there were others who WOULD cover you?

bertram_IX

I don't know. The others were higher than my current cost and consequently I didn't see much point in pursuing that line, do you think I should have done so?

This wasn't a request for help or assistance. It was a comment on a rather illogical condition. Seriously, can you see any sense in it?

Off topic, but I have just reread my previous post and spotted the mistake.

AdrianC

bertram_IX wrote: »

Seriously, can you see any sense in it?

Yes. Your car is stored away from home. You are less likely to notice any damage or theft attempt for a longer period, which may make damage worse or otherwise lead the insurer to incur higher costs.

Rolandtheroadie

The FIL has a lockup away from his home.
When I use Confused.com, I simply put in the postcode where the vehicle is kept overnight.
Never had any issues.

Mercdriver

Rolandtheroadie wrote: »

The FIL has a lockup away from his home.
When I use Confused.com, I simply put in the postcode where the vehicle is kept overnight.
Never had any issues.

But the OP says that the correct postcode for the site cannot be found for it, so this won't work for the OP.

bertram_IX wrote: »

Today I have been trying to get a quote for my car insurance.

Unfortunately the car park is in a different post code to where I live and as it does not appear on the insurance company's data base, possibly based on the one used by "postcode finder", they cannot send a letter to me there and therefore cannot quote because the can only send letters to the address where the car is parked. This is according to the underwriters.

purple45

I can't park near my house either, but can input postcode of a the street where I park when I'm getting a quote. The only thing I can think of would be if there are any neighbours also using this car park could you ask them who they are insured with?

bertram_IX

AdrianC wrote: »

Yes. Your car is stored away from home. You are less likely to notice any damage or theft attempt for a longer period, which may make damage worse or otherwise lead the insurer to incur higher costs.

But if the post code had stretched a little further than it does the car park would have been acceptable. The car park in the opposite direction, not a council park, is 44 metres away but in the same post code and I would have been able to obtain cover for parking there. It is the fact that the postcode is different that is the deciding matter, not the fact that it is a distance away from where I live.

This exercise started because of the threatened hike in car insurance prices. If the prices at the lower end had accepted me it would have been worth swapping early.

I didn't try Confused.com, I'll try it tomorrow. This attitude by some companies doesn't make sense to me, how about asking if the inquirer owned a blue shirt, and if so refusing him/her cover. It is just a logical.