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Posted By: Scooby Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 23rd Dec 2005 12:15am
Car insurance varies unbelievable....

As you may know i bought the B*tch a Suzuki Vitara Rossini for her 21st. I was going to add her to my Trade Policy but it was going to cost £1,000 per year (Fully Comp) omg

I stumbled across two Insurance Supermarkets whilst browsing :

The Money Supermarket and Confused.Com

With these you simply put in your personal and vehicle details and they search approx 50 different on-line insurance companies for the various estimates and list them in price order.

As you can see below there is a HUGE differance in the estimates and it hasnt picked up on First Alternative who are the cheapest by far. So these may not be brilliant but certantly save you visiting 50 different websites, inputting your details and then getting your estimates together.

  • Local Broker £965.46
  • Local Broker £980.06
  • Quote-A-Car £1019.14
  • Kwik-Fit Insurance £1036.90
  • Insureandgo £1048.95
  • Auto Direct £1069.65
  • Auto Direct £1069.65
  • Quote-A-Car £1090.65
  • Local Broker £1104.45
  • Its4Me £1108.80
  • Swinton £1108.80
  • Auto Direct £1110.90
  • Quote-A-Car £1110.98
  • Insureandgo £1111.95
  • Direct Choice £1117.35
  • Endsleigh £1142.42
  • Direct Choice £1227.45
  • Insureandgo £1245.30
  • Diamond £1252.65
  • Screentrade £1419.17
  • Norwich Union Direct £1452.99
  • Insureandgo £1602.30
  • Direct Choice £1682.52
  • Lancaster Insurance £1766.11
  • Insureandgo £1802.26



Wow, The prices are 3 times what she is now paying through Liverpool Victoria Web Site

A Little trick to help lower the premiums :

We selected to increase the volentary Excess from £100 to £250, We removed the "Personal Injury Policy"

This reduced the premium by £50 in total.

Whats peoples opinions on Insurance, How much you paying and whats your opinions of the above prices ??
Posted By: GazzA Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 23rd Dec 2005 1:25am
Pay £660 fully comp and thats with me being 20 with the 2years claims i have.

Will be paying £400ish after my 21st with me then having 3 years claims.
Posted By: scoop Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 23rd Dec 2005 2:18am
I pay 900 fully comp for 10 months bonus accelerator,through elephant,but thats cos i wrote the old car off this year.Next year when im 21 and my no claims comes i should be payin 600 or less hopefully,actually,scrap that,ill be payin over 700 prob as itll be insured as a 1.8 with a fair few mods by then
Posted By: AX_125 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 23rd Dec 2005 10:15am
My insurance quotes vary a great deal.

I am paying about £800 on a group 14 with 4 years ncb.

I have had quotes for next year varying from £500 to £1600. Most of the companies are owned by the same people which is weird
Posted By: Scooby Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 23rd Dec 2005 10:39am
Quote
Originally posted by AX_125:
Most of the companies are owned by the same people which is weird
Yeah, we got a good quote from sainsbury's which was about £700, once i started reading through the FAQ i read that sainsburys dont provide the insurance themselves, they go through E-SURE or FIRST ALTERNATIVE so thats when i thought about getting a quote of these companies themselves. By Cutting out the middle man (Being Sainsburys) we saved an additional £100 smack

What a crazy world we live in......
Posted By: Mark Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 23rd Dec 2005 12:20pm
Just a Side note while chatting about insurance.

Section 59 Your insurance could be cancelled Click me

Good work Scooby, will give it a go with my
next renewal.
Posted By: xcorix Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 23rd Dec 2005 9:47pm
mine costs £330 fully comp im 19 with 2 yrs no claims
do only drive a 1.1 tho tease
Posted By: Mark Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 23rd Dec 2005 11:31pm
Who with ?
Posted By: Wheels Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 24th Dec 2005 8:19pm
eek confused eek confused I pay 1200 fully comp with 1yrs no claims! gutted! thats with liverpool victoria
Posted By: AX_125 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 24th Dec 2005 8:25pm
I just got a quote with first alternative for my renewal next month, and it works out about £200 more that what i will end up paying with privilege next year.
Posted By: John WRX Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 24th Dec 2005 9:58pm
Just tried first alternative and they wont insure me.

Tesco. Im 25, 5 years n.c.b 6 points.
Fully comp protected n.c.b £1440
Posted By: DavidB Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 25th Dec 2005 12:57am
I'm 600 quid with www.elephant.co.uk
*TOP TIP* I knocked about 80 quid off the original quote by putting my dad as an extra driver *TOP TIP*

Considering it was 1200 last year, it's not bad. What's the difference in being a year older though??
Posted By: scoop Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 26th Dec 2005 1:12am
Is everyones mods fully insured,for insntance.JohnWRX,are u mods declared/insured. If u were to write the scooby off would tesco pay for another impreza and give u the retail price for ur new mods??
Posted By: Sanchez Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 26th Dec 2005 6:28pm
i can t belive you bought her that, kim, what the hell are you doing raftl raftl
Posted By: newnes Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 4th Jan 2006 6:13pm
hey guys

liverpool victoria is cheap, well it was for me smile

i got my punto for £1900 a year, an me mate got one not too long ago for £3500! haha
Posted By: xcorix Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 4th Jan 2006 10:52pm
whoooooo quoted £270 now with shilas wheels:P
Posted By: GazzA Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 4th Jan 2006 11:23pm
Quote
Originally posted by phill123:
hey guys

liverpool victoria is cheap, well it was for me smile

i got my punto for £1900 a year, an me mate got one not too long ago for £3500! haha
Is it me or did i hear you say cheap?.. doh learn
Posted By: newnes Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 4th Jan 2006 11:50pm
its cheapish.

i got £6000 from more than tease
Posted By: GazzA Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 5th Jan 2006 3:24am
lol, then someone doesn't want you on the road! lol

My first year of driving to present date

1st - £1170
2nd - £660 (current)
3rd - less then £400
Posted By: AX_125 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 5th Jan 2006 9:55am
1st 1200 Polo
2nd 800 Polo
3rd 600 AX
4th 800 Civic
5th 550 Civic
Posted By: newnes Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 5th Jan 2006 10:37am
1st i had a nova for £1100, then i got my punto in october for £1900.

Only passed me test in july aswell tease
lol
Posted By: Rossyboy Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 16th Jan 2006 1:26pm
my insurance is £1998 fully comp on a 1.4 civic. with liverpool victoria. not bad considering ive had my license about 6 months. thats like at least £500 less than any other quote i got. would you say i should tell my insurance company about my lexus lights and back box?
Posted By: AX_125 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 16th Jan 2006 2:11pm
My insurance renewal has just come through the post at over £100 more than the quote i got from them online oshocked

Getting on to them about that now
Posted By: jonny vectra sri Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 11th Feb 2006 9:31pm
im just about 2 spend £2500 on my insurance for a 2ltr vectra sri
Posted By: mp3_85 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 12th Feb 2006 12:12pm
I got my renewal through the post and it hadn't gone down more than £50. I rang up NU and told them it was insulting and reittrated about ten times NOT to direct debit my account. Then he asked me why I was not going for renewal.. doh

I haven't found a new insurer yet but I know that their price was too high so I'm confident I will get a better quote. I get the feeling to get good deals you have to swap insurers every year or other as they just dont lower the premium along with your age going up/NCB increasing.
Posted By: Mark Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 22nd Feb 2006 3:53pm
2 things reading down this topic.

1st : Liverpool Victoria New / Renewal policy's
They do not cover any modifications anymore ?
I was with them and have been forced to switch there clamping down. There sales assistant said yep they would at one point insure just about anything, but now they wont....
They will allow Alloys and a Sun Roof but that's it...
This isnt to say they may change again in the future.
Your insurance could be invalid call them up and check your policy terms and conditions.

--------------

2nd A bit of bumf through the post.

Motor Insurance Warehouse
Subject to minimum claim £300
Say with one call they can access 25 insurance brokers for you?

Fast quote 0800 015 92 19

I havent used it but may be useful for someone else.
Posted By: lazy_ben Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 22nd Feb 2006 8:22pm
i got a quote off tesco for a BMW 730i.

£1,013 TPFT. Not bad for a massive german bruiser laugh
Posted By: Jimmy1Pint Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 27th Feb 2006 10:26pm
Which company is good for insuring mods that Doesnt make a car faster?
Posted By: Mark Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 28th Feb 2006 10:58am
I am now with Quinn Direct

It came out of the searches from post 1.

I had to change from Liverpool Victoria
as they would only allow a sunroof and alloys frown
Posted By: Garry_St Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 6th Apr 2006 10:00am
igot quote on a shogun 3L V6 24valve fully comp in wallasey and its was £279.00 and highest i got was £2500 dont make any sense
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 6th Apr 2006 5:25pm
I have still to find an insurer anywhere near the price of Frizzell (Liverpool Victoria) for my insurance. The cheapest quotes I have had on my Clio's is like £1100 with 1yr NCB (from the likes of Tesco) with most wanting at least £1300.

Frizzell are currently charging me £704 per year, down from £1083 last year.

Its rediculous, I have searched loads of companies, manually and using the "multi-search" websites for a cheaper quote then Frizeell, but simply cannot find one even near!

I cannot understand it. Oh an another thing, if I insure my car 3rd party (so not covered against theft), I would save £280 just by living at my dad in Hereford. Now, I know the theft level where he lives it zero, but if my car isnt insured against theft, what different should it make to a policy that ony covers the 3rd party in the event of an accident caused by your? I can't see that drivers are safer just because they live in a different postcode *(in fact there are a lot more accidents in Hereford as the roads are not built for the amount of traffic I hate driving down there), it is discrimination no question about it. And I though discrimination was illegal nowadays...

Rant over! lol laugh
Posted By: scoop Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 6th Apr 2006 5:50pm
ur not insuring against just crashes,even tho the postcode is a low risk one theres still the risk that the car [i]may[/b] be stolen,set fire to,tree falls on it

Insurance is for a lot more than just crashing into someone,

Must say elephant.co.uk were best for me and allow a small amount of mods,(think its maximum of 3,so that could be "exhaust,wheels,suspension"
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 6th Apr 2006 6:45pm
Quote
Originally posted by scoop2004:
ur not insuring against just crashes,even tho the postcode is a low risk one theres still the risk that the car [i]may be stolen,set fire to,tree falls on it[/b]
I was talking about 3rd party only (not 3rd part F+T), which only covers crashes, not crime etc Thats why I cannot understand why the difference in premium is so high smile
Posted By: scoop Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 6th Apr 2006 6:58pm
oh right,im as confused as u now lol.If they aint gonna pay out why the hell should crime zone and risk of fire make any difference to premium lol.Just the way it is i spose,personally id never insure a car TP or TPF+F as u'll never see any money from them if ANYTHING happens
Posted By: scoop Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 17th Apr 2006 5:31pm
With my insurance up in a few weeks ive been gettin quotes for next year. Tried this website here just now and i can get insured on a '92 S13 200SX 1.8 T manual STANDARD for a tad under 500 quid with a 500 quid excess,or 600 quid with no excess,or incriments in between depending on how much i want my excess. What a sweet company.Deffo gettin a 200 real soon now.

For reference i paid 900 quid for this year ending on my scort,ill prob start next years with this company and switch it to my 200 when i gets one
Posted By: lawton Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 17th Apr 2006 6:35pm
wow, nice one scoop, ive just got a quote off them and its half the price iam paying at the moment
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 1st May 2006 5:43pm
My 1.6i civic coupé with Liverpool Victoria was I think...a little under £1800 a year, fully comp, 500 excess, no ncb, 18yo

My beemer is a little under £1500 a year with Liverpool Victoria again, fully comp, £300 excess, no ncb and still 18.

Both on my own insurance with no additional drivers.

Most other quotes I've had were ridiculous like £4000 a year up to £8500 a year!
Posted By: newnes Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 11th Jul 2006 11:36pm
i pay £950 with 2 years no claims ... an im only 18 haha

go with liverpool victoria an get all ya no claims smile

thats what i did and then went to lloyds tsb smile
they beat liverpool victoria by a few hundred bcos of the no claims smile
Posted By: newnes Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 11th Jul 2006 11:39pm
bt thats just 0n a standard punto
Posted By: Mark Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 31st Jan 2007 5:33pm
Churchill have just beaten any deal i could find.
Beating the online quotes from confused and supermarket. coffee



Challenge Churchill ends 1st March 2007

Churchill Online yipee

Links to Confused and money supermarket can be found
in the first post.
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 31st Jan 2007 7:07pm
They will only beat it if you have 3yr NCB, so they almost certainly won't match my current insurance with Quinn Direct, who in turn make all other quotes a laughing stock lol!

smile
Posted By: Mark Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 31st Jan 2007 7:16pm
Matty i'm with Quinn Now and Churchill are £100 Cheaper yipee
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 31st Jan 2007 7:27pm
Yer but companies like that tend to aim for "older" drivers, whereas companies like Quinn and LivVic tend to aim for younger drivers.

So it means me filling ut a long quotation form and probably getting a bad quote anyway.

They should have a quick qute optin imho!

smile
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 31st Jan 2007 8:18pm
That Quinn Direct is crap.

Just tried to get a quote and they only have like 10 different makes of cars selectable.

Even some of the more common makes are missing thumbsdown
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 31st Jan 2007 9:17pm
Make sure you use the "personal" insurance quotation, as they do "commercial" insurance as well and this has a much smaller range of cars.

The list I get is pretty much the same as every other insurer.

wink
Posted By: Garry_St Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2007 3:18pm
i am paying 275 full comp with no excess and 6 years NCB i think i found a good one
Posted By: Aaaaaalex Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 14th Feb 2007 10:22pm
£1400 in parents name with me as named driver - 21 yrs old, 1 yrs named driver ncb and £800 excess... damn conviction!
Posted By: CustomIce Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Apr 2007 8:45am
Group 15 car 2 yrs NCB 26 yrs old £450 ish with Allianz Cornhill, scary thing is though i've already paid out as much as i paid for the car in insurance alone in 3 years!
Posted By: Surfergirl89 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Apr 2007 3:40pm
I paid £410 third party fire and theft on my Pug 106 1.1 this year with Prudential. Didn't think that was too bad as i'm only 18 with 1 years NCB.
Posted By: jonah Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Apr 2007 9:25pm
5 yrs no claims £300 fully comp a year
Posted By: Petei123 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 13th May 2007 11:50am
i pay 1400 tpft after a 1 year ban 4 drink driving!!!
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 7th Sep 2007 4:09pm
I pay £1700 on my BMW.

That is with Tesco, 21 year old, 0ncb (2 years named driver discount) and a CD10 with an 18 month ban, not so bad.
Posted By: Davey_Martin Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 10th Sep 2007 7:34am
i got a quote on a peugeot 1.4 LX for £695, that's with holding a full uk license less than 1 month. that was with eCar insurance second lowest was Kwik Fit at just over £790, they didn't provide a courtesy car which would have boosted the price a bit. not that i would need one, just nick the gf's car lol
Posted By: MrPhil Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 10th Sep 2007 11:11am
fiesta mk6 with my missus as main driver and me as 2nd i have had 2 bans and the missus has 5 points (clean licences now tho), 750 Fully comp with courtesy car inc for free, thats with swinton.
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 10th Sep 2007 11:50am
I pay £995 for a trade policy with Highway insurance via qoute me today.
This entitles me to drive any car i like 24/7 and i can have as many cars on the policy as i like with a simple 1 min phonecall to the mod database.
It also covers anyone who wishes to drive my cars wether they have insurance or not.
And i only passed my test in march last year!
Does not cover motorbikes,quads or pre 1960 cars though.
A big improvement on the £890 odd i was paying tescos to insure my probe 24v smile
Posted By: Davey_Martin Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 10th Sep 2007 2:23pm
just got offered £987 for a 2002 fiesta zetec s... havent got a car yet as u might figure... trying to find one tho that i can afford to pay for and run/insure... the fiesta zetec s looks like the most likely option for me just now tho
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 7:46pm
I have a problem at the moment...

tried to get my car insured today with the same company I used last year.

Exact same details, nothings changed except I've held my license a year longer.

My insurance used to cost almost £160 a month and they are now quoting me £260 a month.

Thats with eCarInsurance, so I'm after other insurance companies to try - any ideas?
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 7:58pm
Liverpool Victoria:

1 payment of £3740.22

OR

9 monthly payments of £354.68

somad
Posted By: MrPhil Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 8:02pm
try swinton joe, we got a good deal off them, also add an older driver, ie, mum, dad etc.

we had as good service off them when the drivers door wash knocked into last year. and they have an office in Birkenhead so atleast you know you speak to english poeple.
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 8:39pm
Swinton:

£255.20 Monthly Payment

or

£2,529.01 single payment
Posted By: Pomp Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 9:28pm
Originally Posted by BMW Joe
I have a problem at the moment...

tried to get my car insured today with the same company I used last year.

Exact same details, nothings changed except I've held my license a year longer.

My insurance used to cost almost £160 a month and they are now quoting me £260 a month.

Thats with eCarInsurance, so I'm after other insurance companies to try - any ideas?


Joe ring them up and explain your situation! usually works, say to them that you've been with them with the cost of £160 monthly but now you've been quoted £260 an ask whats going on.
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 10:17pm
That was my idea pomp, but they're not open until monday now.
I have tried a few others and Admiral are cheap (for me that is) at £1620.65 a year.

Will keep searching, but still open to suggestions smile
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 10:23pm
Try Quinn-Direct if you havent already...

but tbh, just get a quote from www.moneysupermarket.com - it is extremely good comparison site, far better and less biased then the likes of compare.com etc...

smile
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 10:26pm
The reason I say try Quinn, is because this is the difference they were for me:

https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/186322#Post186322

smile
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 10:38pm
First time I tried it asked me to log in as it timed out???

and second time of trying I got this:

An internal error has occurred in the quote system - please try again later, or call QDI.


So I aint even going to bother with them
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 2nd Feb 2008 10:43pm
Do a quote with money supermarket then smile
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Feb 2008 1:07am
I did do, thats how I got Admiral wink
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Feb 2008 1:15am
Looks like they will be ya cheapest then... feel for ye matey, im only paying £29.00 per month increased from £24.50 per month last year, £160 a month is absolutely ludacris!!!
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Feb 2008 1:16am
Come to think about it, I only paid summit like £90 on me first car like 4 years ago!!

You're over 21 aint ye??
Posted By: Cali_16v Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Feb 2008 1:19am
i went with confused.com, there quoted the same price as moneysupermarket.com.

Lancaster insurance, £580 a year, that with nil no claims bonus, on a group 14 car. only been driving 4 years.

I am 26 like.
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Feb 2008 12:38pm
Originally Posted by MattLFC
You're over 21 aint ye??


not yet, 7 months time frown
Posted By: Pomp Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Feb 2008 1:19pm
look like I'll be 21 before joe
Posted By: Tony_1985 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 3rd Feb 2008 1:49pm
I'm with Zurich, paying £50 a month for my 1.8 vectra FULLY COMP

22 yrs old
driving 4 years
3 yrs ncb

might be worth trying them
Posted By: Mark Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 4th Feb 2008 4:20pm
Originally Posted by BMW Joe
First time I tried it asked me to log in as it timed out???

and second time of trying I got this:

An internal error has occurred in the quote system - please try again later, or call QDI.


So I aint even going to bother with them
Use IE Joe it happened to me too in FF.

=========================================
The Search Begins for my re-newal car insurance.
Ive been on with it all day as the prices are daft?
Its working out exactly the same as last year think ??

After some digging and quoting ive found out why?

This year i have 4 years no claims smile < pat on head > But....
I obviously want to protect my No Claims now.
And that varies from £30 to £96 depending upon who omg

So that's something i didn't think about having to pay to protect what i have.

God knows what's happend to previous insurers ive used.

This year quote = £436
Renewal want a bit more but not as much additional stuff included.

LV = (Used to be great for me) Now £933 omg omg
Quinn = (Used to great for me ) Now £531

Its gone nuts.

I did get through to my current insurer and they put me through
to a retention person to try and keep me lol....
Will ring them back again to see what they can do now i finally
have a quote in place.

Only thing is the new Quote is with that dopey

"Its only a commercial" - esure lol...
But £150 better than the rest so.........

So i would call up to your old insurer again joe.

LV : You now have a drop list to declare any mods on your car.
Quinn : Do any driver for a second driver over 21.

And there seem to be more questions and offers.
Switching things on and switching things off to adjust the prices...

Insurance is now a pain in the ass < Confirmed > lol
Posted By: BMW Joe Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 4th Feb 2008 8:44pm
Originally Posted by Mark
Insurance is now a pain in the ass < Confirmed > lol

it always has been and it always will be a ballache

I f*cking hate it.

I'll keep trying as I'm hoping to get insured this week and have it MOT'd and on the road next week sometime
Posted By: Pomp Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 4th Feb 2008 10:10pm
gona try that moneysupermarket see if i get any interesting offers
Posted By: Cali_16v Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 4th Feb 2008 11:09pm
Confused.com yet again


Focus = paying £500, will be paying thatnks to confused.com £210.00
Posted By: jonah Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 19th Feb 2008 12:47pm
well, i've just noticed both our insurances is up for renewal soon, so here is some advice om what to consider when looking for insurance yourself.


If you are a driver or owner of a car, motorbike, lorry or any other type of motor vehicle, you must be insured by law.

The world of motor insurance is a complex one. There are literally hundreds of different policies to choose from, and it's not always easy to know how to go about finding the right one for you - and at a cost that won't break the bank!

Here we aim to explain some of the ins and outs of motor insurance, and the advantages of obtaining impartial and expert advice. Also, what you should do if you're involved in an accident.

Third Party, Fire And Theft

The minimum insurance cover you can buy is called 'third party only'. This covers you if you injure someone else or damage their property. However, very few companies will sell you this cover on its own.

The next step up includes 'fire and theft', and this provides protection against loss and damage if your vehicle is burnt or stolen. However it will not protect you against damage to your vehicle if you're involved in an accident, or if it is vandalised.

Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your vehicle from a wide range of causes, including accidents and fire and theft. Other benefits sometimes include limited cover for items stolen from your vehicle, medical expenses and personal accident protection. Some companies such as Directline now include vandalism cover free as standard on all fully comp policies.

The word 'comprehensive' can be misleading however, as these policies always include limitations and exclusions.

Uninsured Loss Recovery (ULR)

This provides the policyholder with cover for legal expense costs to pay for a solicitor to pursue a guilty third party in order to recover your uninsured losses - policy excess, hire car charge, any other out of pocket expenses caused by the third party negligence - as well as costs to pursue a personal injury claim. ULR often provides cover for free 24 hr legal advice of a personal nature.

It is especially useful for Third Party Fire & Theft policyholders and will attempt to recover not only the losses mentioned above, but also their vehicle damage costs (from a negligent third party.)

Motorist's Legal Protection

This is cover to meet the cost of defending court actions arising from incidents on the road. It includes a free 24 hour expert advisory service.

How much will it cost?

The cost of motor insurance can vary enormously - an insurance broker who knows the market will be able to select the best policy for you. However, many factors will influence the premium you have to pay.

• The type of vehicle you drive. The more powerful the engine, the more expensive the car is to repair, and the more likely it is to be broken into or stolen will all affect the premium you have to pay.

• The area you live in, your occupation and where your car is parked. If you live in an inner city where you are more likely to be involved in an accident or have your car stolen, you will pay more than someone who lives in a country village. The same is true if you use your car for work . Whether or not your car is kept in a garage can also make a difference. Including cover for drivers under the age of 25 will also affect the premium - costs can be kept lower by restricting the drivers to you, or you and your legal partner only, although named drivers can now earn no claims discounts too..

• Your age and driving experience. Young drivers are more likely to have accidents, while older people tend to be more careful. Insurers generally apply a basic rate to drivers aged 30-49. If you're younger than this, your premium is likely to be higher due to the higher risk posed. If you're older, you could qualify for a discount. Any disabilities you have will also be taken into account.

• If you've been convicted of motoring offences in the past, or have a bad accident record, you will probably have to pay a higher premium.

• Before an insurance company will sell you motor insurance it will want to weigh up all the risks involved, so before your broker can offer you an accurate quotation they will have to ask a lot of detailed questions covering the points outlined above. Remember - if you fail to provide accurate information a subsequent claim may be refused.

• It's worth consulting a broker who has a wide knowledge of what's available and will shop around, saving you considerable time in having to seek quotations from different insurers.

Cutting the Cost

You may be able to reduce the premium you pay by restricting the cover granted by the policy. For example - you could limit the number of people who will drive the vehicle. But be careful - if the regular driver is incapacitated, you don't want to find out that nobody can drive the car in an emergency.

Another way of cutting your insurance costs is to agree to pay the first part of any claim. This is known as an 'excess' and discounts are available for taking out an additional voluntary excess (e.g. £100) but beware that compulsory excesses may already apply. Young drivers may be able to obtain an initial discount on their first year’s policy if they have successfully sat the "Pass Plus" exam.

If you have more than one car, most insurers will offer dual car discount which can be as much as 10%. Even putting down your average annual mileage can reduce your premium...

No Claim Bonus

Once you've had motor insurance for a year or more without making a claim, you should be eligible for a 'no claim discount' or 'no claim bonus.' This usually amounts to a reduction of 30% on your premium in the first year, rising in annual steps to a maximum of 60 or 65%.

If you make a claim, your no claim bonus will be reduced or disallowed. If you have built up a higher rate of bonus, most insurers will usually reduce it by two years, rather than disallowing it altogether, and some offer a protected no claim bonus. Sometimes it may be cheaper to pay for minor damage yourself, rather than risk losing your bonus.

But what if the accident was not your fault? If you have protected or guaranteed your 'no claim bonus' this should be preserved following an incident, however if it is not protected it will be stepped back until the claim is resolved and a recovery made in full from the guilty third party. Your no claim bonus shouldn't be affected if the insurer is able to recover the cost of the claim from the party who was to blame.

It's important that you inform your broker of all incidents of damage or loss, however small, and even if you do not make a claim for them. There have been cases where insurance companies have refused to meet claims because the driver failed to disclose previous incidents.

Insuring your car abroad

Your UK policy will provide cover in EU countries to meet their minimum legal requirements, but this may not be enough if you have an accident. Nor will it cover you for theft or damage to your car, and may not cover your legal liabilities to other people. Some insurers will ask you to pay an additional premium for comprehensive cover whereas others give it at no cost. If you are a regular traveller to the continent check with your broker who will select the most appropriate choice for you. You may need to advise your insurer of any overseas trip.

If you don't tell your insurer and have an accident, you may find yourself paying for the extra costs that would have been incurred had the accident happened in this country, provided the insurer agrees to deal with the claim.

When you start your policy ask your broker if you have an EU certificate and if it is necessary to tell them about journeys less than 30 days to Europe.

If you do not have a EU certificate, or are travelling outside Europe you will need to give your broker plenty of notice that you wish to order a green card. This will provide the necessary evidence that your policy meets the legal requirements for third party liability in the country you are visiting.

However always ensure that if you do travel outside the UK your insurance policy will extend the same cover to Europe. Some policies will only give the minimum legal requirement in the country visited which will not necessarily be the same as the cover you have in the UK and in this scenario will certainly not provide cover for loss or damage to your vehicle..

If you are involved in an accident

If you have a vehicle accident which causes injury or damage, you must give your name and address, and details of your insurance policy to anyone who reasonably needs it.

• If you're involved in an accident, do not admit liability. Take the name and address of the other driver, and details of their insurance company, and of any witnesses. If anyone is injured, call the police. If they do not attend the scene, or if someone else's property has been damaged, the accident must be reported to the police within 24 hours.

• You must tell your insurance company about the accident, even if you do not intend making a claim, as you will always need to report and incident. Your broker can advise you about whether you should make a claim or not.

• If you intend to claim, you'll have to contact your broker. You should wait for the go-ahead from your insurance company before having your vehicle repaired. They may want a damage assessor to look at it, or you may have to supply estimates before the work is done. Some insurers may have their own repair schemes, where you can take the vehicle to garages which may be able to start repairs immediately.

• If you have to pay a proportion of the repair costs, then you must pay this to the repairer irrespective of who was to blame for the accident. Should you decide to go ahead with the repair yourself, you are responsible for the cost until your insurers have agreed to pay. But beware of taking this course of action, because if the insurer can show repairs could have been done cheaper somewhere else, they may pay a lesser amount than you claim.

• If your vehicle is not worth repairing, the insurance company will offer you a lump sum for it. This is known as a 'write-off' or 'total-loss'. The damaged vehicle then belongs to them.

•After an accident, you may incur expenses which are not covered by your policy - examples are the cost of hiring a car while yours is repaired, or compensation for personal injury. Such expenses might be claimed against a third party – again, your broker will be able to give you all the advice you need.

If your vehicle is stolen

If you vehicle is stolen, you must inform the police immediately. You should also tell your insurance broker as quickly as possible.

You'll may have to wait up to six weeks with some insurers before they will settle any claim for its loss. This time is to allow the police to investigate the crime, and hopefully recover the vehicle, however many insurers operate shorter timescales.

If your vehicle is found, tell your insurance company and give them precise details of its whereabouts.

Personal property stolen from a vehicle or damaged may be covered under a comprehensive policy, but only up to a certain limit - usually around £150.



Posted By: chiccy Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 19th Feb 2008 1:40pm
good lord jonah!!!
Posted By: dave_g Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 24th Mar 2008 12:47am
wos with kwik fit on a mondeo 1.8 an they wanted an extra 500 or so for a 1.3 td corsa b*****s
smack
Posted By: dave_g Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 18th Apr 2008 11:10pm
they are crap
Posted By: Beemertastic Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 18th Apr 2008 11:36pm
hmm..best ya get insurance..or plod will have you...
Posted By: Beemertastic Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 18th Apr 2008 11:37pm
and your motor..and smile whilst they do it!!
raftl pc
Posted By: Davey_Martin Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 19th Apr 2008 11:14am
for me on missus policy were paying £350ish fully comp, legal assistance, breakdown cover, etc etc with the AA
Posted By: MGCraig Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 12th Nov 2008 12:50am
For a 1995 Alfa Romeo 146 1.7 Boxer... I was recommended to ask Tesco Compare for a quote.

On BOTH Fully Comp and £rd Party, I was given a cheapest quote of £1589


So i thought Screw that, i know I can get that cheaper... Thanks to MoneySupermarket.com, I got a quote of this...

[Linked Image]

YES....£1055.....Thats £500 whole pound cheaper. Thats another car for gods sake !!!!
Im sure that by ringing the company up in person, I should be able to get it cheaper as well laugh


Tesco..... Robbing barstard !!!
Posted By: Mark Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 6th Jan 2011 7:28pm
My dads Renewal had gone up from £295 to £462

But of price comparison and from £295 to £362 we can live with not happy about it.

Admiral insurance worked for him.
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 25th Jan 2011 11:38am
Admiral are quoting cheapest for me too Mark. £303 for the year, though that is without breakdown (Quinn it was always included at no extra cost). Admiral want £89 per year for a half-decent breakdown service, id rather go to the RAC or even Tesco (Green Flag) at that price.

Got me renewal invitation through from Quinn Direct last week... last year they increased it from £220 the previous year, to £540, and now it has jumped to £1050!!

Have queried it, and it appears they are now charging me nigh on £250 for the "any driver" scheme, whereas last year it added £0.00 to the premium. Given up discussing it any further with them, since they seem intent on getting around £800 a year from me, and Admiral are quoting almost 1/3rd the price with the point included.

Wouldnt mind, but im doing less than half the milage nowadays (asked about dropping from 7000 miles to 2000 miles and they said it would make no difference) and Quinn shafted me last month dropping my car off their MID for a few days even though it was insured, causing me the hassle and cost of having the car siezed, which they were made aware of and have since apologised for, and then they have the nerve to invite me to renew with them at double the cost a few weeks later.

Insurance companies really don't give a shit about loyalty, ive been with Quinn for 5 years, and never paid over £500 in all that time so for it to suddenly skyrocket this year makes no sense. I guess their only excuse is the fact they are in administration, which means they are in the financial shit.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 24th Mar 2011 12:12pm
Renewal quote through of £717 with Admiral.

Not bad, paid over £1,000 last year but have since hit the magical age of 25.
Posted By: dva99999 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 25th Mar 2011 12:24am
For the last few years I have bought very good 15 year old cars to get classic car insurance through Footman James. Now, before people go on about limited mileage, I pay for a 15 year BMW estate with business use, fully comp, £194 per year. I have a few points, 3 accidents ( 2 non fault). I also had an MX5 93, again with business use £222. The insurance company require that the car is garaged between 11pm and 7am. I have worked out (with my history) that it is cheaper to run both cars (including tax) than it is to run one newer car, also taking into account the initial costs and depreciation. Oh, I can do 6000 miles a year.
Posted By: poodlepup Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 25th Mar 2011 12:51am
Yes i;m withyou on that classic car is the way to go

my insurance had jumped up from £302 to £780

shopped around got it for £435,why are all the premiums going scandasly high?
Posted By: derekdwc Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 25th Mar 2011 10:48am
Car insurance companies know they're on a good thing.
If you have a car you have to have insurance by law and they have the police who enforce it.
If you need something that is a 'got to have' they can charge as much as they can get away with - same with petrol, TV licence
Posted By: MrBrightside Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 25th Mar 2011 10:56am
I pay £592 one off payment with elephant. BMW 323 coupe. Was paying £932 last year. Im 28 and still pay lots. One of those things hey! 3 year no claims.
Posted By: snowshoes Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 25th Mar 2011 11:05am
I pay 450...2010 new Toyota Corolla
Posted By: Wiggi77 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 26th Mar 2011 12:01am
Just had a quick look for insurance quote online cos mines due next month. Can get insured again with same company swiftcover for £438 and a few round about the same price, but one company (wiserchoice insurance) at the bottom quoted £18734!!
Posted By: Andy13 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 26th Mar 2011 1:40am
red diesel is a must for me hehe
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 27th Mar 2011 8:39am
Originally Posted by Wiggi77
Just had a quick look for insurance quote online cos mines due next month. Can get insured again with same company swiftcover for £438 and a few round about the same price, but one company (wiserchoice insurance) at the bottom quoted £18734!!


What's that on?
Posted By: Wiggi77 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 27th Mar 2011 8:54am
It's an a4 s line diesel. It's worth about £12k. Why would I pay 18k insurance?
Posted By: paxvobiscum Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 7th Jul 2012 3:46pm
I have just accepted 7yrs no claims £205 insurance for 3yr old Nissan Micra. This year I opted to pay £24 extra for legal liability. I don't really understand the advantage, but thought should play safe, so would value comments from Wikki. I am retired.
Posted By: jaki1 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 7th Jul 2012 5:11pm
just got my daughters sorted on wednesday.
she's 23 and 1 years no claims,a punto.
quoted £1136 for one off payment and £1800 for direct debit.

robbing gits.
Posted By: dave_g Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 7th Jul 2012 9:51pm
things like occupation can change the price,try changing different things (within reason!)and you will see a difference.
Posted By: dave_g Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 7th Jul 2012 9:52pm
things like occupation can change the price,try changing different things (within reason!)and you will see a difference.
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 7th Jul 2012 9:58pm
Originally Posted by dave_g
things like occupation can change the price,try changing different things (within reason!)and you will see a difference.


Pisses me off that, because I work for a company that sell vans they automatically assume I'll be using my own insurance to drive work vans even though I am on works insurance policy.

So I pay out the arse for my trade policy, full of crap, just to get more money out of us.

Assholes they are!

frown
Posted By: Excoriator Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 9th Nov 2013 9:54am
I was horrified to receive a renewal from Admiral (Multicar, 2 cars) for £1200. I managed to get the same deal for £540 from LV via confused.com.

It is irritating, because next year there is every chance that LV will send me a renewal letter quoting a huge increase and Admiral will prove much cheaper. They clearly hope you won't look for a cheaper quote.

I always do, and I do the same with energy companies. You can ALWAYS get it cheaper by switching.

You'd think these companies would wish to keep your custom by charging less than the competition, but clearly they can make more from the inertia or laziness that results in many people NOT switching.

Posted By: dizdazdoz Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 28th Jan 2014 1:12pm
Starting to pee me off and getting right on my nerves at the min.

Police interceptors last night an uninsured driver with a child sleeping on the back seat his fine is a huge £120, I pay 4x that to be legal with 10+ yrs no claims.

My daughter who is 17 and a learner, we looked at insurance for when she passes on a 12yr old 1.2 ltr punto priced at £491 and the insurance (only 1 company would quote) is a lovely price of.

£13475.29 per year . . . what is the logic in youngsters actually doing the lessons/test then being priced of the roads, at that price some must think I will risk losing the 27 other cars I can buy by not bothering.

I think the fine (minimum) should be what 12 months legally insurance would be, as for the % of insurance that goes in a pot for uninsured bumholes I would sooner it was used to help those legally trying to get road experience.
Posted By: mikroc Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 28th Jan 2014 1:52pm
Try 2k for a car worth a quarter of that but have to start somewhere
Posted By: dizdazdoz Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 28th Jan 2014 6:23pm
The quote was £13k
Posted By: reddragon Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 28th Jan 2014 11:55pm
Just a thought Diz have a shufty for any driver over 18 on your policy see if she can be insured that way
Posted By: dizdazdoz Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 29th Jan 2014 5:34pm
Did and it was 6.5k with wife and daughter, really is ridiculous when its cheaper not to bother.
Posted By: fish5133 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 24th Nov 2016 12:37am
Gosh last post nearly 3 years ago.
Current renewal price with Saga who have been with awhile £270. Compare the market cheapest £190 and about 30 other insurers less. Doesn't pay to be loyal..additional year no claim and they put it up 8%.
Posted By: diggingdeeper Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 24th Nov 2016 1:21am
LV are pretty good at the moment and are negotiable on price.

Had the same with Saga, they were never the cheapest but not a bad price then their prices got silly.

It was the AA that started all this nonsense off, they tried to capture the majority of the car insurance market with low prices (I seem to remember their target overt 60% of the market) but after they failed to attract as many as they thought they would they started to go for the renewal trap instead.

I use a specialist broker for some of my vehicles and even they struggle to get decent prices in Merseyside these days.
Posted By: fish5133 Re: Car Insurance : Online Estimates - 24th Nov 2016 9:05am
Hastings came in cheaper tbis time.was with them before . admiral one year. Presume they must keep having promotional times to get punters back.
First direct for wifes car but not mine..strange.
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