SAGA Insurance Feedback

[otherclive]

About 7 years ago I insured the van as they were quite competitive but then they became less so and I moved back to the C&CC who for the same level of cover were less costly than CC and SAGA. Now I will be insuring the van for the next year and SAGA are some £50 less expensive than C&CC and £70 less expensive than CC. The two clubs do provide European touring cover but SAGA does not include for such, although it is a priced option. But since we plan to tour Spain and India without the van the SAGA policy is more suited to our 2013 needs.
Has anyone any direct experience (good or otherwise) in dealing with SAGA in the event of making a claim?

 

[Surfer]

We had our car broken into and the radio removed in about 1999. The car was over 10 years old and the radio didn't work. However they smashed the driver's window and damaged the indicator stalk. SAGA told me to take it to their approved dealer for repairs which was a national company. I was quoted just under £700 for the repair. The car was only worth £500.
I then went and bought all the bits and pieces and including an old repalcement radio the cost was well under £100! When it came to renewal time, there was a massive jump in the premium although we had not claimed. Needless to say we found someone else to insure the car.
It seesm SAGA quote you cheap to get the business and then hike up the premiums every year afterwards. We have never used them since.

PS They also hiked up my father's premiums after the second year despite him being claim free.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I think it also points to the fact that sometimes cheapest is not always best value, yoiu need to look at the details.

 

[otherclive]

I don't go for the cheapest but do seek value for money. If a company such as SAGA give a good quote and equivalent level of cover compared to others then I am interested. One of the key discriminators with insurance is how a company deal with a claim or issue. You don't really have any other discriminators with insurance as hopefully if you never need to deal with the insurer you don't know how good their service is when you need it. in general consumer reviews SAGA seem to have a good reputation so my question was seeking specific feedback on caravan related experience.
One issue I have with the two club insurances is that both give European cover included. With my three cars I can choose whether I want European cover. Why should those who choose not to tour with their van to Europe pay to subsidise those who do? This year the van is not going abroad and SAGA allow such a choice. If you add European cover to SAGA then the quoted premium comes closer to the next one. So their perceived 'cheapness' is due to offering consumer choice. Something the CC said they woul be doing with insurance but have so far singularly not done.

 

[Raywood]

The service given by the CC insurers is almost univesally praised for its excellence. I have had only one claim with them but given the service I received I would not move for £50.
The idea of quoting cheap and then upping the premium at renewal is fairly common in the insurance industry but the clubs publish their premiums so you cannot get hit by this.o

 

[otherclive]

Thanks for the reply, I know the two clubs give good service but I was seeking specific feedback on SAGA. £50 represents a significant percentage difference in quoted premium and looking at the SAGA policy it includes everything that the club policies include and they also get 5 stars from Defaqto. My philosophy is that competition incentivises the other players in the markets so if a company show good VFM I give serious consideration to giving them my business. Otherwise the markets stagnate and don't strive for improvement. If I were to go with SAGA and they upped the premium at renewal time such that they became less competitive then I'd look to moving from them back to a club or Caravan Guard.

 

[Gybe]

Sorry if a little off topic.
SAGA just seems an inappropriate name for a business, probably the main reason why we've never ever used their services.
We just prefer a saga free life

and it would be too much like like tempting fate.

 

[otherclive]

Sorry if a little off topic.
SAGA just seems an inappropriate name for a business, probably the main reason why we've never ever used their services.
We just prefer a saga free life

and it would be too much like like tempting fate.

This is the only forum that I use where certain correspondents seem unable to answer the question without some barbed comment or other. Re your quote I haven't a clue what you mean, but clearly you have never had the experience of a SAGA holiday which are really excellent albeit a mite expensive

 

[Gybe]

Oh well.
Away from caravanning we're more travel light, book it with an 'app' keep away from anything organised buy what you need when you get there holiday people.
The idea of any kind of holiday aimed at the over 50's terrifies me, but I'm sure they are lovely for many people.
On the insurance side we've know of a couple of close caravanning associate's "sagas" with SAGA instead of an easy claim story but don't have first hand experience. CC do for us.

 

[DeliDave_]

You have my sympathies otherclive,some of my posts seem to attract adverse comments,our car is with SAGA and no probs so far,I ring them with the lowest quote and they always match or undercut,this year was £171 for our Galaxy.I have never heard of payout problems either

 

[otherclive]

Thanks Dave, although it's car insurance it is good to know that they deal well with customers. Ive also spoken to our neighbours who had a good response from SAGA when an under floor pipe leaked and damaged their oak wood tile floor. The payout was in excess of £5k.

 

[SteveW77]

Thanks Dave, although it's car insurance it is good to know that they deal well with customers. Ive also spoken to our neighbours who had a good response from SAGA when an under floor pipe leaked and damaged their oak wood tile floor. The payout was in excess of £5k.

If you consider pestering people with unwanted emails & ordinary mail shots,( despite repeated request to stop) just because you once had insurance with them, dealing well with customers, then yes they certainly do.

with Steve W

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

Sorry if a little off topic.
SAGA just seems an inappropriate name for a business, probably the main reason why we've never ever used their services.
We just prefer a saga free life

and it would be too much like like tempting fate.

ah yes very amusing

but having delt with many companies over the years it not the name one has to be weary of, as direct line is anything but direct budget is definitly not cheap and would you buy a fridge made by someone called Smeg.
SAGA are a good company but you have to watch the T&C's just like any other the pricing policy is an assumtion you never make a claim, and at renewal they tend to forget existing customers in favor of new business, just like any other,
we had contents insurance with them, very reasonable indeed I even checked the box voluntary exess £100 for a further discount,
untill the paperwork came through and the £100 was on top of the policies £300 exess so in fact any claim had a £400 exess limit and would have negated any small items one may have claimed for under accidental damage cover,
having said that we never made a claim so got very cheap insurance for a year.
the SIL has SAGA home cover and when they got flooded last year they were marvelous even got them accomodation while the repaires were done and they were the first people back home in the street, so very quick.

 

[otherclive]

Thanks Colin, I take your point about names and branding. If I told you what Pajero was in Spanish Parksy would throw me off the Forum. That's why in some markets it was called Montero!!

 

[Parksy]

Thanks Colin, I take your point about names and branding. If I told you what Pajero was in Spanish Parksy would throw me off the Forum. That's why in some markets it was called Montero!!

I'd hesitate to take my Paj to Spain Clive, it's probably one of the reasons why the UK and European versions were badged as Shogun

 

[otherclive]

I have a real dilemma as my son and I plant to travel from Santader to the Med in the Paj using tracks through the Pyranees and camping on route. I'd better get the duct tape out then!