Partner's car insurance - £1800!!!

woollisox

Sparx wrote: »

Rubbish to "Astra is a boy racer car"... I have a 13 plate Astra 1.7 CDTi Ecoflex - 25 y/o and insurance is £400... 1 non fault claim from 2 years ago. Shop around you tried the comparison websites I presume? Called and haggled?

Newer cars are a lot cheaper for us to insure for some reason, even though they're worth 6x more than what we can actually afford. We were tempted at one point to try a nearly new car on finance but with me going on maternity later this year we don't want to push the finances later on. I think the issue is within 3 months he has 1 fault and and 1 non-fault claim.
Would calling up companies individually mean that the quotes are not affected by searches done on comparison sites and may even be cheaper?
We're checking a quote nearly every day and they're just getting higher

ThinkingOutLoud_2

FlameCloud wrote: »

The insurance group is only one facet amongst lots that an insurer will relate on- as it only really relates to repair costs.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4526799

So it is obvious that in addition to insurance group, there are many personal factors both direct like driving experience, convictions and accident / claim history, miles to be driven and if any abroad, personal modifications to the car, the purpose of driving e.g. commuting, if they will fit a black box and so on OR indirect like postcode where they live. Given the OP is not going to move, get older, lie about their history or drive 1/10 of the miles, the car is something they can change!

You are not correct however that insurance group is "only really related to repair costs". The fact is these groups take a wide and evolving range of factors into account:
"The main factor used by the panel to determine groupings is research conducted by the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre (Thatcham).
The categories used to calculate the ratings are:

• Damage and parts costs
• Repair times
• Value
• Availability of body shells
• Performance
• Security

Read more at http://www.gocompare.com/insurance-groups/#HQiJROdX31HwUXWR.99
or http://www.theaa.com/car-insurance/car-insurance-groups which interestingly adds mention of bumper compatibility, automatic safety features and more as now relevant.
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You are right, Honest John is not necessarily a good source for more than reviews of cars (which while we only get his view, he clearly has some expertise in terms of cars). I didn't say he was. The article linked focusses on the motoring merits or lack of of the cars with low insurance groups - for someone who has a quote higher than they need - that seems of use in finding a car they can afford to insure that meets their needs?
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OP - you might also find the following list of vehicles seen as better risks by age of driver. Not every insurer sees things all cars the same way - but it may help in trying to find something affordable and practicable - https://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/groups/

Finally, congratulations OP, I hope you, the MUM-TO-BE (no apologies for political incorrectness per today's news), find a car to suit your needs.