Louise Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Hi all, After the day from Hell I am now faced with trying to sort my car insurance out It runs out on Sunday and the renewal quote I have is 20% more expensive than last year So I want to find a cheaper quote but where to start I have tried a couple of comparison sites and everything is so expensive I have 10 years no claims and have had no problems in the last year what is going on can anyone recommend someone for me to try I am so tired (still at work) and I can't face dozens of phone calls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 after years of being ripped off by zurich i changed last september to swiftcover.com ( the one with the advert with the chicken crossing the road) Its all done online and i saved over £300 a year by switching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I'm with Norwich Union. It's been OK so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Some comparison websites have tips for reducing insurance. You may have ticked an option without realising as I've done this and come out with high quotes e.g. mileage too high, motoring offences, use of car for work/leisure, where it is kept, whether you have claimed or not. What age/type car is it? (I know you've posted about your new car but can't remember ) I put OH on mine to reduce it as he has years no claims and is older, but with 10 years NCB it shouldn't be an issue. I've been with provident twice through brokers which I bought from a comparison site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I think some companies if you have been with them for a long time take the mickey I was with the same car insurer for 13 years and had never claimed. Last year they wanted just over £600 to insure a landrover freelander diesel 2.0 fully comp. I went online and got a quote for just over £250 with swiftcover. An unbelieable saving. I rang Zurich my insurer for 13 years and asked them if they could beat/match my quote and i asked them to explain why as a long standing customer they could justify charging me such a ludicrous amount....they couldnt lower my quote , I told them to get knotted and would take my custom elsewhere. unbelievable. It pays to keep switching and looking around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I now use Virgin insurance for everything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I second swiftcover.com!!! £170 fully comp, protected no claims for a brand new Mini Cooper! (should that be Couper ) It is all internet based but they do have UK based staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 It's definately worth a quick internet search, try using the money saving expert one, as we halved our house insurance by finding another company, then going back to the one we were with and they matched it Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Its funny you should mention this as i have been busy sorting out insurance for both our cars today I used confused.com and Sheilas Wheel came out tops for me with a quote of £240 for a 10 yr old 4x4 with a huge engine, legal cover and protected 4 yrs no claims. As Chocy says check to see if you have ticked a box (or they have automatically included) other options like breakdown cover, legal cover etc Also check to see how much vol. excess you have down, the lower it is the higher your quote will be. I do hope you can get this sorted Louise, its such a bind and i hate it but it cant be avoided Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Louise, have you tried the three big comparison sites - confused.com, gocompare.com and tesco's one? Find the cheapest quote you can and check it for details on excess carefully. When you've found the cheapest quote check it directly with the company by starting a new quote with them, and to save a bit more check the insurer with a cash-back site (I use quidco) and see if you can get some money back. We renewed our home insurance last night and went with the Co-op. We also got £70 cashback so our home insurance was a cheap £170 with cashback !! A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 It is all internet based but they do have UK based staff. Yes they do have UK staff, I've rung them a couple of times - been very helpful, and my correspondence by post was very quick when i had to send off my no claims to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I have classic car insurance now but I always used a broker before - get someone else to do the work! That said I believe Tesco has an offer on at the moment . Also the Post Office is trying to muscle in on the insurance market so that might be a good one to try. Be careful using comparison sites -they like to put 'recommended' companies first (ie ones that pay them!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Go to www.moneysavingexpert.com and read what he advises. I am checking on the site for everything that involves spending at present . I know for buildings/contents insurance he has worked out an order in which to hit the comparison sites that gets you the biggest number of quotes from different insurers, not sure about car insurance though. Can you get anything through your work or union if you are in one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riane Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I have changed from direct line to shielas wheels after looking on confused.com saved me £180 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 www.Moneysavingexpert.com has got a list of the order in which to search the main sites, in order to get 100% coverage of all the online insurers. I am going to do this for a friend tomorrow (I have broadband, she doesn't!). It is always worth ringing your current insurer, saying you've had a cheaper quote and asking if they can reduce it - there is usually a margin. However, car insurance has gone up generally. As someone else said, make sure you haven't got any extras like legal insurance, protected NCB, etc. unless you actually want these - they are often added on as 'extras' without you realising. You must, of course, be totally truthful but have you changed the description of your job (or changed job) or something like that? It can make a difference sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Tesco on line insurance have been good, step daughter drove on my insurance for a little while & we saved over £500, she is getting her own this year buy staying with them this time she has got 3 years no claims in her own right & saved £400-we get those clubcard points too which we turn into cheap holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 I have tried some of the ones already mentioned I haven't changed anything in the last year have have never had any problems (not even had a parking ticket ever ) For some reason places like Sheilas wheels etc seem to be nearly £60 more than everywhere else even though I am not young and have not had a claim in over 10 years The Post office came out best on one of the searches but only by about £7 which is not enough to make me want to switch from current insurer as they have been good for the last 5 years and this is the first year my premium has gone up but I did change car last year 3 weeks before my last renewal and it did go down but only just so maybe if I had kept my last car it would have gone up last year too I just don't understand why it has gone up £30 this year I will have a look a money saving expert before I give in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Hello l was with hasting but like you with no problems they put it up with no reason.L went on them compare sites and they did not really save me anything.My partner was with churchill so l tryed them afder trying loads others and they really save me money.Try them there not on the compare sites l wonder why? Direct line l was told were cheap but not more me.I guess there getting more greedy on people that drive safely afder they ripped of every one else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Okay, I have tried the tips at money expert and I can go through the post office as a broker to the same actual insurance company for £6 more but they give £50 cash back in 60 days so ultimately I would save £44 with protected NCB and legal cover which I won't go without since when I have had accidents it has been someone else to blame What do you think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clur Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I got my quote from here: http://www.moneysupermarket.com/motor/ It was useful to see all the comparisons and the cheapest/best quote I had was for £200 fully comp on a 659cc car I've just bought as a run-around. Quotes for me ranged from £200 up to £600!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I used moneysupermarket.com and got a quote from More Than which was nearly £100 cheaper than the AA who I was with last year and that was with a speeding fine which I didn't have last year. We have now changed all of our insurance including home and contents to them. You get contents free when you take out buildings. Hubby's car an 18yr old volvo estate was £250 with the AA only £150 with More Than by the time you took excesses into account if we had been claiming for damage it would have been more than the car was worth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 It might be a case of the postcode lottery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...