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"Car Insurance - what a pain!"

Blimey getting car insurance sorted is a right pain!


I've been with NFU Mutual for ages (8+ years) - I have two cars (Land Rover Discovery and Land Rover Freelander) and my home and contents are insured with them.

Never had a claim on cars or house - so in theory I'm an ideal customer - just pay the premiums and that's it.

This month my car insurance renewal came through - it's gone up 73% !!!

I contacted NFU to see if there had been a 'typo', but before I could explain what my query was about they launched into a script about how all insurers have put up their premiums due to insurance fraud rising etc. etc. etc. - I had to politely cut him off half way through his spiel!

So as NFU Mutual seem to have lost the plot I'll be taking my custom elsewhere this year. So for the first time in a long while I'm having to get quotes etc.
I REALLY HATE all the TV insurance advertising so I'm not enjoying this!

By getting online quotes (not through a compare site) I've managed to find some that are similar prices to what I paid last year so guess I'll be going for one on those.

SPAM Tip: Always use a 'throwaway' email address when getting quotes especially if you use a 'comparison' site.

The problem is who to choose?
Searching online for 'so and so car insurance review' brings up so called 'review' sites where it appears they are ALL TO BE AVOIDED. So not much use. All this tells me is they all appear to be rubbish if/when you actually need the insurance so perhaps you may as well go for the cheapest price anyway?!

I've found that The AA, Tesco and Admiral have come out best price wise at the moment.

I'm just venting really as I'm not enjoying this task and I've wasting too much time over it - this isn't helping! ;¬)

I thought I would post this in General Chat just in case someone has an interesting view on things.

[s]Hmmm...[/s]

Thanks people.

The problem is 'brokers' all use the same/similar underwriters!

For example Adrian Flux (my son's current broker) sometimes use the SABRE Insurance Company. NOTE: in our case Equity Red Star were our underwriters so do many others, TESCO for example may also insure you with them.

So moving insurance brokers doesn't mean if there's an issue you will get a better service as all the important dealings will be with the underwriters. Usually using a non-geographical phone number so it will cost you just to talk to them! :¬(

So in my case even though I'm not happy with how things were dealt with I'm wondering if it's better to stick with the devil you know!

Adrian Flux do seem more open/interested on forums so at least I can get a response with them - I'm not sure Tesco etc. show the same interest.

When you search for 'insurance company name' review they just about ALL read as a total nightmare! Obviously it's often only the problems that get posted so you have to take everything with a very large pinch of salt.

I've currently got two cars [@Garin both Land Rovers ;¬)] insured via Tesco. Looking at their online reviews it doesn't read well - at all!

So I'm inclined to take the view that if there's any issue at all it will be VERY HARD WORK to get sorted whoever you use. So you might as well go with the most competitive quote and keep everything crossed! I must admit I hadn't banked on my son's situation with a 'dodgy' claim being made.

It's not good!
[s]Hmmm...[/s]

Good to hear that it's all in the process of being sorted Hmmm...

I think moving to another insurer is the best, or at least seeing what they have to offer.

Regarding problems with insurers my friend had a problem a few years ago, insurers were refusing to quote for him and wouldn't give him a valid reason why. After some digging around (and a solicitors letter) it transpired that he shared the same name and DOB as a guy convicted or multiple insurance fraud. Both their Christian and Surname were the same but the middle name was not, turns out the insurers refused to believe that he was not this other person. I would have thought that proving this was not the case would have been reasonably straight forward but it was not the case, took him ages to get it sorted. Not really fair to just blame the insurance companies though as history repeated itself when we went to get a mortgage.

Anyway, good to hear you that finally got things sorted Hmmm.

Glad to hear that you're all sorted Hmmm ... even though you still face a hefty premium, at least your son's got his NCD back :¬)

HM - your story shows just what a state the insurance world is in :¬(


Anyway my day seems to be going better.
After a load more phone calls this morning my son's 'claim' has been removed and we are back to normal :¬)
Unless someone changes their mind or another letter arrives!

As the figures involved are so high this sort of thing isn't a game - getting this resolved has saved over £2500, a considerable sum.

It hasn't been an enjoyable ride but I can now decide whether to renew via Adrian Flux or not - but at least the pressures off for next weeks renewal.

Thanks for the support fellow Freeolaites :¬)
[s]Hmmm...[/s]

Eccles wrote:
I had a phone call this month just after changing insurers (got it down from £900 to £452) and the person knew my name (I didn't confirm it, just asked who was ringing). They then said I'd be in a accident

Wow, fortune telling injury claim solicitors, whatever next...

Car insurance is a nightmare. Sorry to hear of your problems Hmmm...

Recently had a renewal quote rom Swiftcover with my premiums going up be 33% (from £600 to just over £950), saying "premiums have to go up because of the climate/fraud".../we want more money...etc.

E-mailed them back saying I'd go elsewhere with a lovely message "we don't think you'll beat our quote - we're the best" and found one for £430. Then they offered to match it. For a company to suddenly offer to knock 50% off of the premium to keep you as a customer, just goes to show they aim to rip of loyal customers anyway.

Lesson learned so far is to search every year for the best deal...

Sounds 'iffy' now Hmmm ... give the local Police a ring and ask for an 'incident number', if they query it ... give them the full story! You'll only talk to a 'Customer Advisor' but I would think that what you tell them would be of great interest and mention the Insurer aswell.

Hmmm... wrote:
Dreading the phone calls we still have to make in case people have changed their tune.

I was right! :¬(
I'll be back with an update tomorrow or so...

I've just been trying to explain to my son how Customer Service is so @*%$ in this country! *head hurts*

[s]Hmmm...[/s]

Hi DL,
As I mentioned earlier it's all very mysterious - the time was 0000 and no location provided. Date and Reg. number that was it.

Dreading the phone calls we still have to make in case people have changed their tune.


[s]Hmmm...[/s]