Car Insurance Renewal Time

[otherclive]

Last year I posted thread on the same topic and wondered if anyone had used brokers. Wonder no more as today I used Swinton and the combined quote for a Kia rio and RAV4 was around £1550 compared to LVs most recent which was £575 for RAV 4 and £372 for Rio. Both cars had me and my wife as Social, and the RAV had daughter on Business with Rio having Grandson on Business. But on seeking quotes three companies curtailed the quote process as my Grandson is in the Army Reserve as well as working full time. I looked at Multi Vehicle policies as is my LV one and they came out around £1450-1670 without daughter or grandson. I was going to opt for Taco with the RAV until it shot up by £70 due to a very minor no fault incident two years ago when a lady reversed her CRV in to the Rio and I was just walking up the road.

I thought Id got a decent deal with Hastings Premium for the RAV until certain unacceptable endorsements popped up. So after much angst I decided to take the daughter and grandson off our policies. Insured the Rio with the Saga for £228 cf LVs £373. The RAV 4 is now with a AXA Plus at £623 as once id removed the Rio from the LV multi policy the RAV went from £575 to £721. So after being with Frizzell then Liverpool Victoria then LV as the company morphed went have policies with LV as the house went to Halifax last June.

The quite unacceptable endorsements from Hastings Premium are shown below. And it wasn't that they were any cheaper than AXA, or Tesco for the RAV.

So I saved around £90 for the two cars and obtained some improvements in cover.

 

[RogerL]

I've recently renewed my car insurance using Martin Lewis' advice to check MoneySuperMarket, Compare the Market, Go Compare and Direct Line in that order - I also tried Cornmarket who are the brokers for Advanced Drivers. MoneySuperMarket came up with the cheapest at £599 using One Protect, about 16% cheaper than my renewal with RAC Online - Cornmarket at £1000 and Direct Line at £1500 showed the value of using the comparison sites - and I've got a £15 gift card from MoneySupermarket!

Strangely the One Protect policy, which was the cheapest with the terms I needed, wanted more to add my daughter-in-law as a named driver rather than reduce the premium.

My son works in car insurance and reminds me every year there's no logic in car premiums so you just have to shop around.

 

[otherclive]

I've recently renewed my car insurance using Martin Lewis' advice to check MoneySuperMarket, Compare the Market, Go Compare and Direct Line in that order - I also tried Cornmarket who are the brokers for Advanced Drivers. MoneySuperMarket came up with the cheapest at £599 using One Protect, about 16% cheaper than my renewal with RAC Online - Cornmarket at £1000 and Direct Line at £1500 showed the value of using the comparison sites - and I've got a £15 gift card from MoneySupermarket!

Strangely the One Protect policy, which was the cheapest with the terms I needed, wanted more to add my daughter-in-law as a named driver rather than reduce the premium.

My son works in car insurance and reminds me every year there's no logic in car premiums so you just have to shop around.

I used Money Supermarket and Compare the Market, Swintons, plus Direct Line who are now on comparison sites, as well as seeking direct quotes from sites such as Toyota. The latter giving 25% discount if you allowed them to monitor electric mileage. With discount that was just under £900. Fully agree with your son’s comments wrt lack of logic in the market.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Insurance companies, like banks, are not your friend

 

[Dustydog]

Last year I posted thread on the same topic and wondered if anyone had used brokers. Wonder no more as today I used Swinton and the combined quote for a Kia rio and RAV4 was around £1550 compared to LVs most recent which was £575 for RAV 4 and £372 for Rio. Both cars had me and my wife as Social, and the RAV had daughter on Business with Rio having Grandson on Business. But on seeking quotes three companies curtailed the quote process as my Grandson is in the Army Reserve as well as working full time. I looked at Multi Vehicle policies as is my LV one and they came out around £1450-1670 without daughter or grandson. I was going to opt for Taco with the RAV until it shot up by £70 due to a very minor no fault incident two years ago when a lady reversed her CRV in to the Rio and I was just walking up the road.

I thought Id got a decent deal with Hastings Premium for the RAV until certain unacceptable endorsements popped up. So after much angst I decided to take the daughter and grandson off our policies. Insured the Rio with the Saga for £228 cf LVs £373. The RAV 4 is now with a AXA Plus at £623 as once id removed the Rio from the LV multi policy the RAV went from £575 to £721. So after being with Frizzell then Liverpool Victoria then LV as the company morphed went have policies with LV as the house went to Halifax last June.

The quite unacceptable endorsements from Hastings Premium are shown below. And it wasn't that they were any cheaper than AXA, or Tesco for the RAV.

So I saved around £90 for the two cars and obtained some improvements in cover.


View attachment 9589

That endorsement is ambiguous. What happens you park in the hotel car park on holiday or at family overnight?
The problem with dealing with insurers today is the inability on their part to allow a half intelligent human being speak to you.
Glad you got some resolution but not quite what you wanted as previously

 

[Jcloughie]

Car. Aviva, via Compare the market. £371.92

For the caravan. Frank Pickles. £208.36

Both seem reasonable compared to previous years. I did get some extremely silly quotes mind.

John

 

[otherclive]

Car. Aviva, via Compare the market. £371.92

For the caravan. Frank Pickles. £208.36

Both seem reasonable compared to previous years. I did get some extremely silly quotes mind.

John

Very reasonable. Mine for Aviva from a comparison site was above the Axa Plus by around £20. Then came the decision which do you go for? Both came out pros and cons in Which.

 

[otherclive]

That endorsement is ambiguous. What happens you park in the hotel car park on holiday or at family overnight?
The problem with dealing with insurers today is the inability on their part to allow a half intelligent human being speak to you.
Glad you got some resolution but not quite what you wanted as previously

That was precisely what occurred to me and the restrictive endorsements didn’t pop up until right at the end of the buying process. No way was I going to ring them up to get approval for things like you mention. After 20 minutes on the phone…..“ hi just to let you know that my car is in the restaurant car park but I will not be out to move it as the service here is so slow”.

 

[Buckman]

Last year I posted thread on the same topic and wondered if anyone had used brokers. Wonder no more as today I used Swinton and the combined quote for a Kia rio and RAV4 was around £1550 compared to LVs most recent which was £575 for RAV 4 and £372 for Rio. Both cars had me and my wife as Social, and the RAV had daughter on Business with Rio having Grandson on Business. But on seeking quotes three companies curtailed the quote process as my Grandson is in the Army Reserve as well as working full time. I looked at Multi Vehicle policies as is my LV one and they came out around £1450-1670 without daughter or grandson. I was going to opt for Taco with the RAV until it shot up by £70 due to a very minor no fault incident two years ago when a lady reversed her CRV in to the Rio and I was just walking up the road.

I thought Id got a decent deal with Hastings Premium for the RAV until certain unacceptable endorsements popped up. So after much angst I decided to take the daughter and grandson off our policies. Insured the Rio with the Saga for £228 cf LVs £373. The RAV 4 is now with a AXA Plus at £623 as once id removed the Rio from the LV multi policy the RAV went from £575 to £721. So after being with Frizzell then Liverpool Victoria then LV as the company morphed went have policies with LV as the house went to Halifax last June.

The quite unacceptable endorsements from Hastings Premium are shown below. And it wasn't that they were any cheaper than AXA, or Tesco for the RAV.

So I saved around £90 for the two cars and obtained some improvements in cover.

I am not surprised as the RAV4 and the Lexus NX are rated as very high risk and one of the most stolen vehicles in the UK. A tracker and CAN Bus blocker lowers the premium substantially. Spread the cost of those two over 3 - 5 years at £700 for initial installation and it is a bi g saving on the premium over the same period of time.

Speaking from experience as the Lexus premium was eye watering high until I had a tracker and CAN Bus blocker fitted! Unfortunately with the CAN Bus blocker you need to phone the insurance company to tell them how it functions as they are more familiar with the Ghost immobiliser which is another option. If I had known about the Ghost 2, I probably would have gone for that as you can also have a Tracker as an option.

 

[ProfJohnL]

This is a prime example of why it is so important fully understand the T&C of any policy BEFORE you purchase.

 

[Buckman]

This is a prime example of why it is so important fully understand the T&C of any policy BEFORE you purchase.

How do you go about insuring a vehicle that is not registered to you? Not sure what the T&Cs of an insurance policy would affect your decision unless I have misunderstood you?

 

[RogerL]

How do you go about insuring a vehicle that is not registered to you? Not sure what the T&Cs of an insurance policy would affect your decision unless I have misunderstood you?

By declaring to the insurer when you fill in the quote details that you're not the registered keeper - whilst many insurers would "decline to quote" a retail customer on that basis, it's fairly normal with leased company cars.

It is important to read the policy documents, not just tick to say you have - ideally before the policy becomes active but if you've left it to the last minute then during the "cooling off" period but your only option then is to cancel the policy if you don't like the T&C.

 

[Buckman]

By declaring to the insurer when you fill in the quote details that you're not the registered keeper - whilst many insurers would "decline to quote" a retail customer on that basis, it's fairly normal with leased company cars.

It is important to read the policy documents, not just tick to say you have - ideally before the policy becomes active but if you've left it to the last minute then during the "cooling off" period but your only option then is to cancel the policy if you don't like the T&C.

I am still unsure about Prof's post and is he referring to "purchase" of vehicle or insurance policy as sadly he does not make it clear in his post. Also not sure if he is responding to my post or someone else's post?

 

[otherclive]

By declaring to the insurer when you fill in the quote details that you're not the registered keeper - whilst many insurers would "decline to quote" a retail customer on that basis, it's fairly normal with leased company cars.

It is important to read the policy documents, not just tick to say you have - ideally before the policy becomes active but if you've left it to the last minute then during the "cooling off" period but your only option then is to cancel the policy if you don't like the T&C.

All of the quotations that I sought asked if you owned the car or were planning to buy. I guess that you could set up the insurance in anticipation of buying. Plus if they don’t quote you would have no basis for comparing cars. JCs premium being significantly lower than mine for a similar sized car, and newer too. I assume his Mazda is hybrid so a reasonable basis for comparison.

 

[otherclive]

I am not surprised as the RAV4 and the Lexus NX are rated as very high risk and one of the most stolen vehicles in the UK. A tracker and CAN Bus blocker lowers the premium substantially. Spread the cost of those two over 3 - 5 years at £700 for initial installation and it is a bi g saving on the premium over the same period of time.

Speaking from experience as the Lexus premium was eye watering high until I had a tracker and CAN Bus blocker fitted! Unfortunately with the CAN Bus blocker you need to phone the insurance company to tell them how it functions as they are more familiar with the Ghost immobiliser which is another option. If I had known about the Ghost 2, I probably would have gone for that as you can also have a Tracker as an option.

Whilst Ghost looks promising is it Thatcham approved as that is what insurers want declared.

 

[Buckman]

Whilst Ghost looks promising is it Thatcham approved as that is what insurers want declared.

Probably top rated Thatcham approved as one of the best systems on the market as I am sure it was developed in South Africa where car theft is very common. However it doesn't overcome car jacking, but this does;

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLhWzMOccTg

 

[otherclive]

Probably top rated Thatcham approved as one of the best systems on the market as I am sure it was developed in South Africa where car theft is very common. However it doesn't overcome car jacking, but this does;

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLhWzMOccTg

Another quirk. Ghost are TASSA and Thatcham approved installers of security devices but the Ghost is not Thatcham approved because Thatcham haven't yet caught up with the market. But their website does say it is TASSA approved which should be recognised by insurers. I would need to speak to the insurer before proceeding down that line. Whilst it would give me more peace of mind it might do zilch for the premium.

 

[Buckman]

Another quirk. Ghost are TASSA and Thatcham approved installers of security devices but the Ghost is not Thatcham approved because Thatcham haven't yet caught up with the market. But their website does say it is TASSA approved which should be recognised by insurers. I would need to speak to the insurer before proceeding down that line. Whilst it would give me more peace of mind it might do zilch for the premium.

Check about having the CAN Bus blocker fitted and also the cheapest Tracker Retrieve. As you will probably keep the car 3 - 5 years factor in the cost of the installation of both and the cost of the premiums which will probably increase as time goes by. The Lexus set me back about £600 after the units were fitted. The older Jeep GC was half that although it is very expensive to repair in the vent of a mishap, but very difficult to steal plus not being too popular with thieves.