Car Insurance Increases

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Oct 8, 2006
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My car insurance is due towards the end of April so I've been shopping around.

Would have liked a quote from LV but every time I completed the details and go to get the quote I get the 'oops something went wrong'

Any way what a variation. Aviva £699 down to AXA at £333. Only a couple of pounds more than last year's Direct Line. They were well over £400 for a renewal.

I need to make sure the details of the AXA policy match my needs.

When you get that response it is usually because you have not complied with their specification on something that they haven't told you about. The usual is a password which requires at least one number, one upper case letter, and one typographical character with a minimum of 8 characters and you have used only seven or missed out one of the other requirements.
With such passwords the best route is to decide on a word of 8 or more characters. Then replace an o with a zero, a b with a 6 or B with 8, an a with @, e with a 3 (E backwards?) and maybe an L or a one with a ! Also consider a _ or a ~ as the first character before the word proper starts. Works every time.
 
Mar 3, 2022
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My renewal has just plonked on the mat with a 50% increase.
Just been on a comparison site and got a quote £6 cheaper than last year's premium.
Interestingly my current insurers featured on the list with £27 less than the renewal quote :rolleyes:
 

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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When you get that response it is usually because you have not complied with their specification on something that they haven't told you about. The usual is a password which requires at least one number, one upper case letter, and one typographical character with a minimum of 8 characters and you have used only seven or missed out one of the other requirements.
With such passwords the best route is to decide on a word of 8 or more characters. Then replace an o with a zero, a b with a 6 or B with 8, an a with @, e with a 3 (E backwards?) and maybe an L or a one with a ! Also consider a _ or a ~ as the first character before the word proper starts. Works every time.

Most well designed websites will prompt you if you don't fill in a field correctly. Generally getting quotes, as in this instance, doesn't usually require creating an account so no password information was required but thanks anyway.
 
Oct 31, 2022
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I just renewed my multicar policy with a 10% increase. I shopped around and everyone else was at least 35% higher. This is the first time I have renewed with the same company in 30 years of driving. £540 for both cars.
 
May 7, 2012
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When you get that response it is usually because you have not complied with their specification on something that they haven't told you about. The usual is a password which requires at least one number, one upper case letter, and one typographical character with a minimum of 8 characters and you have used only seven or missed out one of the other requirements.
With such passwords the best route is to decide on a word of 8 or more characters. Then replace an o with a zero, a b with a 6 or B with 8, an a with @, e with a 3 (E backwards?) and maybe an L or a one with a ! Also consider a _ or a ~ as the first character before the word proper starts. Works every time.
Not sure this works as my son in law who works in the industry says this is very common. If you want to use this type of security I am afraid you need something less common.
 

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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Its true that the substitution of numbers for letters is a common ploy and hence gets exploited more easily - but its better than plain words. A good password manager generating long random passwords is a good tool to have.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Its true that the substitution of numbers for letters is a common ploy and hence gets exploited more easily - but its better than plain words. A good password manager generating long random passwords is a good tool to have.
Where possible I use Apples password generator, but not all websites will accept the character string.
 
Jun 16, 2010
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My renewal was £100 more than i paid the previous year.

Shopped about and got it cheaper than last year for the same cover. Also got £40 cashback via Topcashback
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Today used Moneysaving expert for car insurance quotes and nearly fell of my chair! The cheapest quote was 100% more than my premium last year in Aug. Some of the quotes were nearly 150% more than last year and that was with a £500 voluntary excess. What a joke for a money saving site! No claims etc and only thing that has changed is my age as now 73 so not old by a long stretch.

I then got a quote from my current insurer and they were only £110 more than last year so will probably stick with them. Excess is only £250.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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My granddaughter has been quoted £1400 to renew the cover on her 2014 Peugeot 208. An increase of £400. She’s had no claims in the year, and her black box records have been exemplary. Looking at other companies their quotes are even higher. I told her sh e’d have to work an extra 35 hours to make ends meet over the year, or don’t go to Silverstone F1 for six days, and have a financial surplus above paying for the cars insurance. Not very impressed with my suggestions. 😂
 
Jul 18, 2017
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My granddaughter has been quoted £1400 to renew the cover on her 2014 Peugeot 208. An increase of £400. She’s had no claims in the year, and her black box records have been exemplary. Looking at other companies their quotes are even higher. I told her sh e’d have to work an extra 35 hours to make ends meet over the year, or don’t go to Silverstone F1 for six days, and have a financial surplus above paying for the cars insurance. Not very impressed with my suggestions. 😂
Previously my wife has always been on my insurance, but due to her medical condition she cannot drive either of the cars as it would be a DVLA medical restriction anyway. According to Martin Lewis if you have an additional driver it lowers the premium?

She is normally the main driver on the Corolla, but that will need to change making me the main driver and we will not be able add her as a main or additional driver when the insurance is due in September.

However we may keep our grandson on the policy although he is under 25 by 2 years just in case, but depends on the quote. He has been driving since the age of 18, but in SA.

Dreading the renewal on the Corolla as average annual cost was about £140 before grandson was added, but he would have been driving in the UK for a year at time of renewal so may be not as high as previous.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Previously my wife has always been on my insurance, but due to her medical condition she cannot drive either of the cars as it would be a DVLA medical restriction anyway. According to Martin Lewis if you have an additional driver it lowers the premium?

She is normally the main driver on the Corolla, but that will need to change making me the main driver and we will not be able add her as a main or additional driver when the insurance is due in September.

However we may keep our grandson on the policy although he is under 25 by 2 years just in case, but depends on the quote. He has been driving since the age of 18, but in SA.

Dreading the renewal on the Corolla as average annual cost was about £140 before grandson was added, but he would have been driving in the UK for a year at time of renewal so may be not as high as previous.
Yes I put our daughter on our Forester as she was doing late night commutes across Salisbury Plain, and the premium went down a bit. Strange isn’t it.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Yes I put our daughter on our Forester as she was doing late night commutes across Salisbury Plain, and the premium went down a bit. Strange isn’t it.
I am wondering if I should put the wife on even though it is probably not wise or safe for her to drive at present. Oh does have a full driving licence, but has not notified the DVLA she cannot drive as OH could probably could drive if she really had to as both cars are automatics. We have not tried.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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I am wondering if I should put the wife on even though it is probably not wise or safe for her to drive at present. Oh does have a full driving licence, but has not notified the DVLA she cannot drive as OH could probably could drive if she really had to as both cars are automatics. We have not tried.
My wife has eye conditions, glaucoma and uveitis, which she and I think impairs her driving so she doesn't drive anymore but her regular visits to the Birmingham Eye Hospital confirm her sight is 6/6 in both eyes so fine to drive - I've kept her on both cars' insurance to reduce my costs as I get loaded due to my medically restricted 1-year licence.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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I added the wife to the policy and the premium dropped by nearly £35. I increased the voluntary excess by another £100 and the premium dropped again by another £20.

Still can't believe Money Saving comparison sites quoting nearly double what we paid last year and nothing has changed since last year.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I added the wife to the policy and the premium dropped by nearly £35. I increased the voluntary excess by another £100 and the premium dropped again by another £20.

Still can't believe Money Saving comparison sites quoting nearly double what we paid last year and nothing has changed since last year.
It's clearly not just petrol retailers that are making hay whilst they can. I wonder how much of the Cost of Living Crisis is being generated by businesses riding on the back of headline figures?
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Our daughter has a 2017 Suzuki Vitaro auto however they are trading it in for an 2019 Audi A1 manual so the 16 year old grandson can start learning to drive.

I think the Audi A1 is a sports hatchback and I think they will be in for a very big shock when they add him to their insurance. We are keeping mum!
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Our daughter has a 2017 Suzuki Vitaro auto however they are trading it in for an 2019 Audi A1 manual so the 16 year old grandson can start learning to drive.

I think the Audi A1 is a sports hatchback and I think they will be in for a very big shock when they add him to their insurance. We are keeping mum!
While he's a learner the increase isn't too bad - the big shock comes when a youngster passes their test!
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Our grandughter had learner policy with black box which wasn't too expensive but would only run for six months after passing her test, or less that six months if that was a shorter period to policy renewal. The biggie is now that she has to renew even with black box it is another £400. But that is still cheaper than many of the other on line quotes.
 
Last edited:
May 7, 2012
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Our daughter has a 2017 Suzuki Vitaro auto however they are trading it in for an 2019 Audi A1 manual so the 16 year old grandson can start learning to drive.

I think the Audi A1 is a sports hatchback and I think they will be in for a very big shock when they add him to their insurance. We are keeping mum!
The problem is the companies have not been making money to the extent that that RSA have dropped out of the market. My suggestion is that that they check the price of cover for the Audi before they buy it although the A1 is not the most potent and the cost will depend on the spec.
I added the wife to the policy and the premium dropped by nearly £35. I increased the voluntary excess by another £100 and the premium dropped again by another £20.

Still can't believe Money Saving comparison sites quoting nearly double what we paid last year and nothing has changed since last year.
This is one of the oddities of motor insurance. If your wife is deemed a lower risk then the premium goes down. This is very useful where a young driver insures a car, as adding a parent can give a useful reduction.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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The problem is the companies have not been making money to the extent that that RSA have dropped out of the market. My suggestion is that that they check the price of cover for the Audi before they buy it although the A1 is not the most potent and the cost will depend on the spec.

Unfortunately they have already bought the car and collect it on Monday. I think the fact that it is a "sport hatchback" is going to make the insurance company rub their hands in glee plus the fact that the daughter has not been in the country for a year and has not held a UK driving licence for a year.

Sadly they will learn the hard way like we did when we first came to the UK. Our first car costs us £600 and insurance with Legal Eagle was over £500! However no Internet in those days and no comparison sites. :cry:
 
Nov 11, 2009
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My granddaughter has just called to say her insurance renewal will now only be £725 and not £1400. The higher figure was given fir online renewal so she rang the company and they told her the online quote would not include data assessment from her black box. So £725 isn’t too bad for an 18 year old.
 
Oct 19, 2023
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My insurance just auto renewed, a tad over 50% increase :(. I'm a bit miffed as I didn't get a reminder so was ready to phone them tomorrow and demand the money be returned to my credit card so I could switch insurers but ............ just been on a comparison web site and they're within £20 of the cheapest quote (the criteria I've always used for changing insurers). :unsure:
 
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