Car insurance quotes

niknakness

In previous times when I have bought car insurance, Ive had a quote online then either the transaction happens online or I speak to someone to complete it. But the price stays the same as the original quote.

This time I cold called a few companies. So a couple of days ago I tried U Drive Cover Ltd and received a quote over the phone of pay monthly of £60 resulting in total of £805, I decided I would go for that quote as I was going to look at a car that day, the agent said I was insured to drive and sent off the completed information to get it validated.
The next morning I got an email saying the validation had been successful and to ring the agent back to go through final details and complete.

When I called back yesterday I got a different agent, it was strange because they started talking about a different amount than my already agreed quote, it was very confusing and at one point he stopped to check with me if it was a quote I was ringing for and I said no, that I had had my quote and I was ringing to go through he final processes. There was then some information about a score of points during validation that meant my already agreed quote went up by more than £30 a month...he said he would speak to his manager to see if he could get a bit of a discount, I think he got something negligible because it still worked out at £90 a month in total.

The agents for insurance speak so fast, I understand why, because they're repeating themselves a lot but it was all so rushed.
And because I had been told I was insured the day before I went and paid for the car, so I felt I maybe had to go with this policy, or the vehicle would be uninsured. I feel like I was a bit trapped and limited by my options at that point.

What would have happened if the vehicle had been in an incident in the time I was told the vehicle was insured? They would have had carte blanche to charge me any premium they chose! I cannot help but feel this isn't right...

I have never had this happen before or heard of it happening to other people...What I do not understand is how this premium could change over night when I had been told that I was insured to drive the day before, at that accepted quote, and there was no new information that had been changed that could affect this. 

Another thing I noticed this morning is that they have valued the vehicle at £1200, when I said it was worth £600...the market value is about that and this is a well used scruffy vehicle in its winter years how can they change details like that!?

I am just waiting for my contract to be sent with a list of things they need from me, like my driving license, so as of yet I have not signed anything. 

Any advice most welcome...

Sandtree

The broker you have chosen for whatever reason is aimed at high risk policies and so it may not be to surprising that their processes are not like a mainstream insurer/broker.

Did you get a quote online first before calling this broker? Did you randomly think this broker would be the best and not shop around at all?

Realistically all you can do is put in a complaint, clearly the recording of the first call needs to be listened to to confirm exactly what was said and how it was left. 

niknakness

No, it wasn't random, I spent 6 hours online and another 2 hours on the phone shopping around. Who would go with the first random!? It would be nonsensical!

niknakness

Sorry that first post sent unfinished.. 
Thank you for confirming that this is something that just happens with some brokers, I will make sure to check in future. 
I am hoping that the calls were recorded, I will bring it to their attention and see what they say. Though my confidence in them is somewhat diminished and I doubt I will stay with them.
Thank you again for your reply:)

Sandtree

niknakness said:

Thank you for confirming that this is something that just happens with some brokers, I will make sure to check in future. 
I am hoping that the calls were recorded, I will bring it to their attention and see what they say.

Not saying it certainly is what happens... just that if you go into the small corners of niche markets things can be done notably different. Given they deal with non-standard/high risk its understandable that things may not all be straight through processing and involve discussions with underwriters etc in the same way non-personal lines insurance is done (I'm 3 weeks in getting a quote for my professional indemnity insurance having had so submit many papers etc to prove experience, work done etc)

If they don't have call recording its more likely to go in your favour... the Financial Ombudsman dont like it when FS companies cannot definitively evidence what their agents said/did