Car Insurance

[highlandjambo3]

3 hours ago, Black Swan said:

Your position was much the same as most businesses unfortunately.  Most insurers detailed what they were covering and that didnt include covid. Direct Line done nothing wrong.  Respectfully it was your expectations that were incorrect (sorry, harsh but true).

 

I'd also be surprised if there was indeed any very small print. It would most likely be the same font as everything else.

 

 

Aye but you’re missing the (my) point…….when you think your covered belt and braces and all that just to find out you actually aren’t.  Imagine getting your house roof blown off by a force 10 gale only to find out your insurance cover only covers up to force 9.

 

I’ll leave the small print font size statement…….

 

woosh

[CostaJambo]

3 hours ago, I P Knightley said:

I shall take a look at Marmalade, thanks. I usually hate the stuff: (1) Honey, (2) Jam, (3) Butter, (4-19) Nothing, (20) Marmalade.

 

What kind of car was he in and was it also your car?

Yes it is my car, a skodia fabia (living the dream!) and you pay for blocks of miles from 100 - 500 at a time. You need to put a wee white box in the car and the kid has to log on via their phone every trip so they can measure how well they are driving, which gives peace of mind too. The good thing about it is that you can calculate exactly how many miles they can do on it in a year before it is no longer competitive compared to adding them to your own insurance.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Aye but you’re missing the (my) point…….when you think your covered belt and braces and all that just to find out you actually aren’t.  Imagine getting your house roof blown off by a force 10 gale only to find out your insurance cover only covers up to force 9.

 

I’ll leave the small print font size statement…….

 

woosh

Like I said bud, your expectations were too high, but I didn't mean to offend, just inform.

[I P Knightley]

2 hours ago, CostaJambo said:

Yes it is my car, a skodia fabia (living the dream!) and you pay for blocks of miles from 100 - 500 at a time. You need to put a wee white box in the car and the kid has to log on via their phone every trip so they can measure how well they are driving, which gives peace of mind too. The good thing about it is that you can calculate exactly how many miles they can do on it in a year before it is no longer competitive compared to adding them to your own insurance.

Thanks for all that info. Very helpful!

 

The only reason I wouldn't get a Skoda Fabia is that I would vandalise it myself, switching the F to an L and then giggling at my immense humour. 

[Ulysses]

4 hours ago, CostaJambo said:

Yes it is my car, a skodia fabia (living the dream!) and you pay for blocks of miles from 100 - 500 at a time. You need to put a wee white box in the car and the kid has to log on via their phone every trip so they can measure how well they are driving, which gives peace of mind too. The good thing about it is that you can calculate exactly how many miles they can do on it in a year before it is no longer competitive compared to adding them to your own insurance.

 

What sort of Fabia?  Mme. U drives the regular hatchback with a 95 bhp TSI engine.  Only 3 cylinders, but handles really nicely and, erm, gets away from lights surprisingly quickly.

[Unknown user]

I got a wee van, couldn't believe it costs about the same to insure as a car.

If you don't have any kids, get a wee van. In fact, if you do have kids, get a wee van and a dog cage.

[highlandjambo3]

6 hours ago, Black Swan said:

Like I said bud, your expectations were too high but I didn't mean to offend, just inform.

You didn’t offend, it was more my *assumption that I was fully/100% covered when actually I wasn’t.  I paid top dollar to a high profile insurance company only to have some phone jockey tell me I was getting zip.

 

* assumption = silly me eh.

 

 

[CostaJambo]

7 hours ago, Ulysses said:

 

What sort of Fabia?  Mme. U drives the regular hatchback with a 95 bhp TSI engine.  Only 3 cylinders, but handles really nicely and, erm, gets away from lights surprisingly quickly.

My missus will only drive automatics and when we moved back to UK we needed a small runaround as well as the bigger family car. I know **** all about cars but on just about all of the car review/comparison sites the fabia was in the top 3 overall and best for engine. I got an estate for the same price as the hatchback so got a wee bit more for my money. When my other son passed his test recently and needed his own car I sold him it for half price and bought myself another one via cinch. Brilliant car, would definitely recommend as an automatic. 

[Guest]

https://www.ey.com/en_uk/news/2023/06/ey-uk-motor-insurance-results-analysis

 

Premiums not coming down any time soon

[periodictabledancer]

On 28/09/2023 at 00:55, ǝǝɥʇᴉɯS said:

I got a wee van, couldn't believe it costs about the same to insure as a car.

If you don't have any kids, get a wee van. In fact, if you do have kids, get a wee van and a dog cage.

Doesn't sound very comfy for them. 

[Spellczech]

On 28/09/2023 at 00:55, ǝǝɥʇᴉɯS said:

I got a wee van, couldn't believe it costs about the same to insure as a car.

If you don't have any kids, get a wee van. In fact, if you do have kids, get a wee van and a dog cage.

You should get a sign made up for the back window that says: "If you break into my vehicle tonight, you'll find the only tool in it, is you!" 

[Unknown user]

34 minutes ago, Spellczech said:

You should get a sign made up for the back window that says: "If you break into my vehicle tonight, you'll find the only tool in it, is you!" 

 

"No dogs left overnight"

[Unknown user]

1 hour ago, periodictabledancer said:

Doesn't sound very comfy for them. 

Agreed, hey ho!

[Gizmo]

Missus car insurance went up 70%. Nothing changed, just another year of NCD (20+). 

Best I could do on comparison sites is get the monthly premium down by a whole £1. 

Robbing barons. 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

Miss JJ just got her renewal quote.

Up by a whopping £450, nothing different from last year, same car and a year more no claims.

She's searched on comparision sites and it's still nearly £300 more than she paid last year.

 

Mrs JJ's is due at end of January so that'll be interesting how much that's gone up by.

[dougal]

I seem to recall Martin Lewis saying the cheapest time to look for insurance renewals was around 26 days prior to your renewal date. After that they tend to go up slightly until 21 days from renewal and then within the final 3 weeks they go up quite considerably. For those who have renewals soon it might be worth checking when you reach the 26 days to go till renewal to see if it does indeed make a difference.  Worth also checking his website moneysavingexpert.com as it has a list of comparison sites plus others to look at to try and get the best price.

[Spellczech]

On 25/09/2023 at 08:48, King prawn said:

I think it’s the courtesy cars used by third parties after an accident they’re referring to but they’re all at it so the BS still stands 

I once had a no-fault claim after a crash which involved me using a courtesy car for 3 weeks. The loss adjuster called me and asked me about the distances I'd covered. I was somewhat non-plussed as although i'd had to use it for work it was pretty short distances during that period. I had however made a return trip to Glenrothes from Glasgow. I simply told him that I didn't think the mileage would be excessive but that I'd had to use it to shop around for a new car for a couple of weekends as my own car was a write-off due to no fault of mine (other driver took me out after going through a red light). That shut him up.

 

A week later he called again to negotiate the settlement offer for my car being written off. He stated that the car was an early registration so a year older than i'd put on the form, and also that the mileage I'd estimated (car was gone) was too low, so a double-reduction.... I stopped him there and said, "Wait, if the car was a year older than I'd written then the average annual mileage based off the understated total mileage would be pretty much unchanged, are you not trying to have your cake and eat it?". He hummed and hawed until I got him to stop trying to argue the settlement down by making him admit his error. At one point I actually asked him how long he'd being doing his job for! haha

 

That was Direct Line.

 

A few years later they went on my black list of companies I will never buy from again, after I was enraged to discover that on Page 7! of policy booklet for Pet Insurance there was a clause limiting a claim for an ongoing condition to 12months....I was bloody furious and they could not explain why this was not on page 1 with the other "key points"...

 

 

[Spellczech]

On 14/12/2023 at 13:22, Jambo-Jimbo said:

Miss JJ just got her renewal quote.

Up by a whopping £450, nothing different from last year, same car and a year more no claims.

She's searched on comparision sites and it's still nearly £300 more than she paid last year.

 

Mrs JJ's is due at end of January so that'll be interesting how much that's gone up by.

No Claims is a scam, a con trick to make you think you are getting a discount.

 

You just have to phone and renegotiate every year. Arm yourself with quotes from comparison sites.

[Ulysses]

I'm reading this thread with some degree of interest, for two reasons.  The first is that the UK market seems to be very different to the Irish market, so a lot of what gets talked about by UK customers is a bit alien to me compared to what I'm used to here.  The other is that the public perception here is that Irish insurance companies are a HUGE con.  But this thread leaves me wondering.

 

I drive what is considered to be an insurance group 20 car in the UK (we don't have those groups here).  My renewal is up just after New Year.  I have more years of no-claims than I can count, which is good.  I'm also a bit of an oul' geezer, so age isn't counting against me.  I'm a fella, which used to add a bit to the premium in Ireland but apparently not any more - but I don't know if driver gender is a factor now in the UK.  My wife is a named driver, has never had a claim and has a car of her own in a cheaper insurance group.  I live and park up in a boring middle-class suburb of Dublin where not much crime happens.  And that's about it.  If that was my story in the UK, or in and around Edinburgh, what sort of money would I expect to pay for comprehensive cover?

[il Duce McTarkin]

7 hours ago, Ulysses said:

If that was my story in the UK, or in and around Edinburgh, what sort of money would I expect to pay for comprehensive cover?

 

About the same as for a round of pints in Dublin.

[Ulysses]

2 hours ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

 

About the same as for a round of pints in Dublin.

 

Indeed.  Don't drink and drive.

 

There's no reference source for information like that (same as here).  Everything on the web seems designed to sell you a quote or sell you ads. 

 

There's an assumption made here that insurance is less expensive in the UK.  Car prices are a bit lower in the UK, so it would make sense if insurance was also cheaper.

[Sooperstar]

I'm due for renewal at the end of next month so done a search on a comparison site yesterday. Been quoted only 30 quid more than last year. Am I doing something wrong? Where is my £200+?

[il Duce McTarkin]

8 minutes ago, Sooperstar said:

I'm due for renewal at the end of next month so done a search on a comparison site yesterday. Been quoted only 30 quid more than last year. Am I doing something wrong? Where is my £200+?

 

In your sky-rocket, champ. Good work.

[Sooperstar]

10 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

 

In your sky-rocket, champ. Good work.

Well that's just great, isn't it? Now I'm going to have to put it into my pension so that the bloody Scottish Government can't get hold of it and put it to good use helping those less well off. 

[il Duce McTarkin]

2 minutes ago, Sooperstar said:

Well that's just great, isn't it? Now I'm going to have to put it into my pension so that the bloody Scottish Government can't get hold of it and put it to good use helping those less well off. 

 

Hooker and council bingo, bud. 

[Ulysses]

3 hours ago, Sooperstar said:

I'm due for renewal at the end of next month so done a search on a comparison site yesterday. Been quoted only 30 quid more than last year. Am I doing something wrong? Where is my £200+?

 

My renewal is shortly after Christmas. My quote is €29 more than last year, and I'm still pissed off.  I don't like the price hike, and I'd consider moving insurer just to spite the ****ers, but it's probably not worth making 3 or 4 calls to try and save somewhere between zero and €29.

[Stewie Griffin]

4 hours ago, Sooperstar said:

I'm due for renewal at the end of next month so done a search on a comparison site yesterday. Been quoted only 30 quid more than last year. Am I doing something wrong? Where is my £200+?

My insurance just changed over today to a new provider, I used compare the market for quotes 23 days before it was due and I’m the same as you only paying about £30 more than last year.

[Herbert.]

I got my quote, It's hilarious. 1300 per year. Thats more than double what I paid this year. My cheapest quote was 900 on compare the market, It works out cheaper buying monthly car insurance.

[Sooperstar]

2 hours ago, Herbert. said:

I got my quote, It's hilarious. 1300 per year. Thats more than double what I paid this year. My cheapest quote was 900 on compare the market, It works out cheaper buying monthly car insurance.

What are you driving, a fighter jet? 

[Herbert.]

1 hour ago, Sooperstar said:

What are you driving, a fighter jet? 

 

A 1.6 peugeot 308. It's hardly a high end car. I phoned them and asked about it today and they said its so high because i was involved in an accident this year. It didnt matter if it wasnt my fault and my no claims is still intact the price is higher. It kind of defeats the point of a no claims discount.

[davemclaren]

34 minutes ago, Herbert. said:

 

A 1.6 peugeot 308. It's hardly a high end car. I phoned them and asked about it today and they said its so high because i was involved in an accident this year. It didnt matter if it wasnt my fault and my no claims is still intact the price is higher. It kind of defeats the point of a no claims discount.

Important. Having no-claims bonus protection will not stop your car insurance premium from increasing.

This might sound odd, but having the protection in place won't stop your insurance costs going up as a result of a claim.

Insurers will still take into account any claims you've made, and if they think you're more likely to claim in future, they'll increase your premium. After this, they'll apply any no-claims bonus you have.

[Sooperstar]

1 hour ago, Herbert. said:

 

A 1.6 peugeot 308. It's hardly a high end car. I phoned them and asked about it today and they said its so high because i was involved in an accident this year. It didnt matter if it wasnt my fault and my no claims is still intact the price is higher. It kind of defeats the point of a no claims discount.

Jesus christ, I'm 40 now and have never paid close to that in my life. That's scandalous. 

[henryheart]

4 hours ago, davemclaren said:

Important. Having no-claims bonus protection will not stop your car insurance premium from increasing.

This might sound odd, but having the protection in place won't stop your insurance costs going up as a result of a claim.

Insurers will still take into account any claims you've made, and if they think you're more likely to claim in future, they'll increase your premium. After this, they'll apply any no-claims bonus you have.

 

Indeed. A van reversed out of a parking space into the side of our car and the driver immediately held his hands up and accepted full responsibility. His insurance company did not dispute the claim and paid all the costs in full. It cost my insurance company nothing and it accepts that 100% of the fault lay with the other driver. I have 20 years plus no claim bonus protected (the maximum) and what did my insurance company do? On renewal my premium went up by 88%, of which 17% was attributed to my car having been in an accident. 

 

Well done to those facing minimal increases. Other than this one minor scrape last year I have made no claims for over 30 years, have a clean licence, park my car overnight in a garage and only use it for social uses, but I now pay £650 up from £340 last year and I cannot get it cheaper.  

 

 

[davemclaren]

29 minutes ago, henryheart said:

 

Indeed. A van reversed out of a parking space into the side of our car and the driver immediately held his hands up and accepted full responsibility. His insurance company did not dispute the claim and paid all the costs in full. It cost my insurance company nothing and it accepts that 100% of the fault lay with the other driver. I have 20 years plus no claim bonus protected (the maximum) and what did my insurance company do? On renewal my premium went up by 88%, of which 17% was attributed to my car having been in an accident. 

 

Well done to those facing minimal increases. Other than this one minor scrape last year I have made no claims for over 30 years, have a clean licence, park my car overnight in a garage and only use it for social uses, but I now pay £650 up from £340 last year and I cannot get it cheaper.  

 

 

The wonders of actuarial mathematics.  

[Ulysses]

10 hours ago, Herbert. said:

I got my quote, It's hilarious. 1300 per year. Thats more than double what I paid this year. My cheapest quote was 900 on compare the market, It works out cheaper buying monthly car insurance.

 

6 hours ago, Herbert. said:

 

A 1.6 peugeot 308. It's hardly a high end car. I phoned them and asked about it today and they said its so high because i was involved in an accident this year. It didnt matter if it wasnt my fault and my no claims is still intact the price is higher. It kind of defeats the point of a no claims discount.

 

Stupid question, but have you tried phoning?  I know I'm in a different market to you, but every year I do this I get better quotes by phoning up than by going online.  If you're going to get screwed over for that kind of money it's surely worth a couple of phone calls to see what you might possibly save.

[henrysmithsgloves]

1 hour ago, henryheart said:

 

Indeed. A van reversed out of a parking space into the side of our car and the driver immediately held his hands up and accepted full responsibility. His insurance company did not dispute the claim and paid all the costs in full. It cost my insurance company nothing and it accepts that 100% of the fault lay with the other driver. I have 20 years plus no claim bonus protected (the maximum) and what did my insurance company do? On renewal my premium went up by 88%, of which 17% was attributed to my car having been in an accident. 

 

Well done to those facing minimal increases. Other than this one minor scrape last year I have made no claims for over 30 years, have a clean licence, park my car overnight in a garage and only use it for social uses, but I now pay £650 up from £340 last year and I cannot get it cheaper.  

 

 

Tried that with myself a few years back,I complained to insurance ombudsman and won. Got the extra I was paying plus money to say sorry 🧐😁

[henrysmithsgloves]

Just checked the now, it's not changed

 

[henryheart]

10 hours ago, davemclaren said:

The wonders of actuarial mathematics.  

 

And there was I thinking that a 30+ year gap between accidents would mean that, based on the law of averages, the chance of me being involved in accidents in successive years would be slim..... 

[henryheart]

8 hours ago, henrysmithsgloves said:

Just checked the now, it's not changed

 

 

Thanks, this is useful. I lodged a complaint with my insurer and I've had a vague response that doesn't answer my questions but concludes that they have done nothing wrong. Looks like I will be moving on to the next stage.

[henrysmithsgloves]

11 minutes ago, henryheart said:

 

Thanks, this is useful. I lodged a complaint with my insurer and I've had a vague response that doesn't answer my questions but concludes that they have done nothing wrong. Looks like I will be moving on to the next stage.

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/insurance no fault accident,you still have to disclose,but you should not be held responsible for it. Good luck mate👍🏻

Edited December 21, 2023 by henrysmithsgloves

[Sooperstar]

1 hour ago, henryheart said:

 

And there was I thinking that a 30+ year gap between accidents would mean that, based on the law of averages, the chance of me being involved in accidents in successive years would be slim..... 

Maybe you're getting to that age now where you are a danger on the roads. 

[henryheart]

1 hour ago, Sooperstar said:

Maybe you're getting to that age now where you are a danger on the roads. 

 

Early 60's........ , but it does beg the question as to which age group is the safest on the road based on accidents and traffic offence convictions.  

[Jambo-Jimbo]

14 hours ago, henryheart said:

 

Indeed. A van reversed out of a parking space into the side of our car and the driver immediately held his hands up and accepted full responsibility. His insurance company did not dispute the claim and paid all the costs in full. It cost my insurance company nothing and it accepts that 100% of the fault lay with the other driver. I have 20 years plus no claim bonus protected (the maximum) and what did my insurance company do? On renewal my premium went up by 88%, of which 17% was attributed to my car having been in an accident. 

 

Well done to those facing minimal increases. Other than this one minor scrape last year I have made no claims for over 30 years, have a clean licence, park my car overnight in a garage and only use it for social uses, but I now pay £650 up from £340 last year and I cannot get it cheaper.  

 

 

 

JJ junior was at his work and somebody ran into the back of his car which was parked on a wide street, in broad daylight, totalled his and their car, the other driver admitted lilabilty and their insurance paid out in full, it cost JJ juniors insurance nothing, yet at his renewal his premium had went up by more than 50%, when he phoned them (Direct Line) he was told it was because he had made a claim.........yeh a no fault claim which didn't cost Direct Line a penny yet they still increased his premium.  He changed company after that and has never went back to and may never return back to Direct Line.

[Fxxx the SPFL]

My insurance is with the AA, i have just had my renewal it's went up from £315 to £524 feck that never made a claim so i called them and she said all premiums have went up across the board and i said by 80%. i said just cancel it she said hold on and got it down to £465 i said sorry still cancelling then one more offer of £417 it's just a bloody con. It's actually made my mind up going to flog the car in January and save myself £400 a month all in. We both have bus passes, senior rail cards 30% off travel down to Tweedbank regularly to see kids/grand-kids. Retiring in March sorted.

[Jambo-Jimbo]

On 21/12/2023 at 12:40, **** the SPFL said:

My insurance is with the AA, i have just had my renewal it's went up from £315 to £524 feck that never made a claim so i called them and she said all premiums have went up across the board and i said by 80%. i said just cancel it she said hold on and got it down to £465 i said sorry still cancelling then one more offer of £417 it's just a bloody con. It's actually made my mind up going to flog the car in January and save myself £400 a month all in. We both have bus passes, senior rail cards 30% off travel down to Tweedbank regularly to see kids/grand-kids. Retiring in March sorted.

 

MrsJJ has just had her renewal from Aviva and like you its went up from £315 to £522.

 

I spent yesterday afternoon searching all the comparison sites, even tried Direct Line, the renewal quote from Aviva at £522 was the cheapest, which did really surprise me, most were £20 to £80 dearer apart from some which were hundreds more, but Direct Line their quote was £937, WTF, they can stick that.  At the moment looks like she'll just be sticking with Aviva, although might well phone and threaten to cancel and see what they say, you never know they might knock something off it.

[Fxxx the SPFL]

37 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

MrsJJ has just had her renewal from Aviva and like you its went up from £315 to £522.

 

I spent yesterday afternoon searching all the comparison sites, even tried Direct Line, the renewal quote from Aviva at £522 was the cheapest, which did really surprise me, most were £20 to £80 dearer apart from some which were hundreds more, but Direct Line their quote was £937, WTF, they can stick that.  At the moment looks like she'll just be sticking with Aviva, although might well phone and threaten to cancel and see what they say, you never know they might knock something off it.

They will reduce it the AA eventually knocked it down by £100 but as I said I’m getting shot of the car not needed now we hardly use it even with the kids and grandkids stay in Tweedbank we have senior railcard. Save shelling out £400 every month 

[highlandjambo3]

Tesco last years insurance £311 (expires 24 jan 24) renewal quote £775….fek them…..found Darwin at £400…👍

[ArcticJambo]

Just got my Direct Line renewal on a one litrei, up from 338 to 514. They're ripping the piss! Will call and see if I can at least get 20-30 quid off, that's at least a few pints before a game.

[maroondevo52]

I'm with AXA renewal due 24th Jan, paid £280 last year up to £330 this year.

[escobri]

Hastings Direct put mine upto 500 from 270, best quote so far is 400 via the AA. Mot up shortly aswell and car definitely needs work to pass 😪.