Car Insurance. Why it pays to shop around.

PadiusGladius

Hi folks. Just like to give you an oversight of my car insurance renewal. I drive a Civic Type S, 8k miles/year 2k of which is business. On fault claim from early 2016.

Tesco insurance last year £503.83
Renewal quote from Tesco £474.67
Phoned them to cancel, new quote offered £436.51


Went to Confused.com looking for exactly the same cover.


Hastings Direct £353.18


Oh, that's a fair saving. Still wanted a lower price if possible.


Went direct to Hastings, entered exactly the same details. Hastings Direct quote? £292.36


Its seems that about an hour of my time saved nearly £200 on my insurance cover. It pays to not just rely on car insurance comparison websites!

sebloak

Have done that every year. Bought a new car 2 yrs ago, and Hastings have been consistently cheapest for fully comp. Most expensive and worst for service insurer I've ever had was Direct Line.

worried_jim

Do this every year, thought anyone with more than two brain cells did.

PadiusGladius

The point being that many people use comparison websites for the convenience and probably don't realise that quotes from the actual insurer may be cheaper (in my case by £60) as they are not paying the likes of Confused etc.

James2k

in other news, rain is wet :O

kazwookie

worried_jim wrote: »

Do this every year, thought anyone with more than two brain cells did.

Agreed

I do this always, this year I have another £121 off, but my 'job' has changed for now.

Th3_Ripper

I do this for both cars every year. I also find the cheapest quote via the comparisons and direct only providers and then check TCB for the cashback, Aviva usually works out best for me.

hollie.weimeraner

Th3_Ripper wrote: »

I do this for both cars every year. I also find the cheapest quote via the comparisons and direct only providers and then check TCB for the cashback, Aviva usually works out best for me.

Same here with Aviva but this year TCB was dearer than my Aviva renewal. (Surprisingly by the TCB cashback figure).

MataNui

I always compare but its been pretty close with my existing policy renewals the past few years and have always managed to negotiate a better deal. Apart from now. Swapped cars last year and needed to swap insurer. Hastings direct were cheapest (of the big well known names) so went with them. Just got my renewal and despite the fact that insurance costs have all dropped this year and no changes from my end they want to sting me for an extra 35%.



Obviously going to tell them to shove it but finding that contacting them at the moment to tell them is pretty much impossible. Seems like another reason to avoid them rather than even bother engaging in any sort of conversation about reducing the quote..

RichardD1970

Just renewed mine, and for the first time ever, in twenty odd years, my renewal quote was exactly the same as the previous year, and also the cheapest quote available after extensive checking.

Was shocked.