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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.
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] Page:
Evening Hmmm,
Can only suggest those points that Eccles made earlier. You being 'a named driver' does seem to work though.
But watch Quinns....eldest son, 26 to-day, started with Quinns and didn't realise until it was required, some two years later, windsreen cover is an 'extra option' not as standard as I suspect yours and mine are! He was left with a £500 bill for a new front screen! However, his renewal from Quinns for this year has 'gone through the roof' ... so in April he is changing to Hastings, some £300 cheaper :¬)
Can only suggest those points that Eccles made earlier. You being 'a named driver' does seem to work though.
But watch Quinns....eldest son, 26 to-day, started with Quinns and didn't realise until it was required, some two years later, windsreen cover is an 'extra option' not as standard as I suspect yours and mine are! He was left with a £500 bill for a new front screen! However, his renewal from Quinns for this year has 'gone through the roof' ... so in April he is changing to Hastings, some £300 cheaper :¬)
Thanks Eccles. All good points :¬)
Yes, as you mention, getting 'adults' as named drivers works well.
I've got that on my list. With Quinn it saved £400! They still wanted £3866 though.
We haven't actually bought the car yet. It will be a 2002ish Corsa or perhaps a Polo for under £2000. So these have airbags etc. The 1L 3 cylinder versions seem to be recommended by the insurers.
Not paying by instalments also seems to save around £300-£400 so we'll also go that route. That's my yearly insurance premium! *this is crazy*
It will be interesting to see what quotes I get from the GPS/Monitoring "in bed by 2300" insurers.
My 'post code' is a decent one so at least I don't have to move!
Just checking I haven't missed any tricks - if you think of any more please let me know.
I've spent more time on this today than working :¬(
Lost yet more mon£y!...
Yes, as you mention, getting 'adults' as named drivers works well.
I've got that on my list. With Quinn it saved £400! They still wanted £3866 though.
We haven't actually bought the car yet. It will be a 2002ish Corsa or perhaps a Polo for under £2000. So these have airbags etc. The 1L 3 cylinder versions seem to be recommended by the insurers.
Not paying by instalments also seems to save around £300-£400 so we'll also go that route. That's my yearly insurance premium! *this is crazy*
It will be interesting to see what quotes I get from the GPS/Monitoring "in bed by 2300" insurers.
My 'post code' is a decent one so at least I don't have to move!
Just checking I haven't missed any tricks - if you think of any more please let me know.
I've spent more time on this today than working :¬(
Lost yet more mon£y!...
[s]Hmmm...[/s] 
Have you tried putting yourself as a named drive with your son as the main driver, that can sometime reduce the premium a little.
Try upping the excess, bit pointless on low value cars but adding £50 - £100 will make a difference.
Pay the full annual premium as monthly payments cost more over the course of the poilcy.
Wait until December next year when the new insurance equality rules will come into affect (yeah not practical!).
I know you have the car already but consider other options. The safety rating of the car can make more difference to the premium than a few CC in engine size (obviously a 1L versus a 2.0L the 1L will be cheaper).
Congrats to your son for passing though!
Try upping the excess, bit pointless on low value cars but adding £50 - £100 will make a difference.
Pay the full annual premium as monthly payments cost more over the course of the poilcy.
Wait until December next year when the new insurance equality rules will come into affect (yeah not practical!).
I know you have the car already but consider other options. The safety rating of the car can make more difference to the premium than a few CC in engine size (obviously a 1L versus a 2.0L the 1L will be cheaper).
Congrats to your son for passing though!
YOUNG/FIRST TIMER DRIVERS
More *pain* - not NFU this time. That's all sorted, I've moved both my vehicles away from them!
Now my son has only gone and passed his test!
(I know I don't look old enough...)
This is ridiculous.
We're looking at a 1L (973cc) Corsa (2002ish) as this seems to be about as low as you can go!
Trying to be 'straight' and avoid 'insurance fronting' where children are insured as a named driver not the main driver. I know lots of people start this way but I'd rather not. In theory insurance companies could decline to payout in the event of a claim if they go to the trouble of finding out who's using the car regularly etc.
The AA - £10,000+ "I appreciate we're not very competitive"!!!
Lots of others are around the £4000 mark *gulp*
The best so far have been Adrian Flux and eCar - around £2800.
But when you read reviews (especially eCar) it's not good reading and you wonder if you might as well have gone the pikey* route.
*see earlier posts.
My son is taking 'Pass Plus' this week, which some insurers seem to like.
I see some companies are starting to use GPS boxes to monitor/limit the driving times etc. (CIS, i-kube, Insure the box) - I've yet to get a quote but it's on the list to do. Does anyone have any experience of these?
I'm writing to see if anyone has any other tips for a first time 17 yo driver... (and no, he doesn't want to become a girl!).
Thanks,
More *pain* - not NFU this time. That's all sorted, I've moved both my vehicles away from them!
Now my son has only gone and passed his test!
(I know I don't look old enough...)
This is ridiculous.
We're looking at a 1L (973cc) Corsa (2002ish) as this seems to be about as low as you can go!
Trying to be 'straight' and avoid 'insurance fronting' where children are insured as a named driver not the main driver. I know lots of people start this way but I'd rather not. In theory insurance companies could decline to payout in the event of a claim if they go to the trouble of finding out who's using the car regularly etc.
The AA - £10,000+ "I appreciate we're not very competitive"!!!
Lots of others are around the £4000 mark *gulp*
The best so far have been Adrian Flux and eCar - around £2800.
But when you read reviews (especially eCar) it's not good reading and you wonder if you might as well have gone the pikey* route.
*see earlier posts.
My son is taking 'Pass Plus' this week, which some insurers seem to like.
I see some companies are starting to use GPS boxes to monitor/limit the driving times etc. (CIS, i-kube, Insure the box) - I've yet to get a quote but it's on the list to do. Does anyone have any experience of these?
I'm writing to see if anyone has any other tips for a first time 17 yo driver... (and no, he doesn't want to become a girl!).
Thanks,
[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Hi pipsqueak123,
NFU certainly seem to have lost the plot.
I 'did' have two Land Rovers, House and Contents all with them - but I'm moving everything away from NFU.
My Discovery insurance ended up with The AA - slightly cheaper than last years NFU Mutual premium (rather than their 73% hike this year!) and it looks like the Freelander with be with Tesco (I need to renew this week). NFU have quoted a 76% increase for this years renewal - again no claims or changes.
I found this thread on a Farmers website Had it with NFU - at least it's not just me and you they are playing with, others are seeing the same.
They suggest NFU stands for something a bit stronger ;¬)
I can only think NFU are looking to get out of the insurance business...
NFU certainly seem to have lost the plot.
I 'did' have two Land Rovers, House and Contents all with them - but I'm moving everything away from NFU.
My Discovery insurance ended up with The AA - slightly cheaper than last years NFU Mutual premium (rather than their 73% hike this year!) and it looks like the Freelander with be with Tesco (I need to renew this week). NFU have quoted a 76% increase for this years renewal - again no claims or changes.
I found this thread on a Farmers website Had it with NFU - at least it's not just me and you they are playing with, others are seeing the same.
They suggest NFU stands for something a bit stronger ;¬)
I can only think NFU are looking to get out of the insurance business...
[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Welcome to the Forums, pipsqueak123 ..... as you may have gathered from this thread, car insurance for some seems to have made astronomical leaps and yet for others, myself included, it has been an extremely modest, if negligable increase. Why it is, is hard to fathom especially as some of us are with the same insurer! Perhaps your only recourse is to either join Pikey Insurance immediately or take your business elsewhere....in the hope of finding 'greener grass' (which I somehow doubt) :¬)
I'm a few years older than you :¬D
I'm a few years older than you :¬D
HI
I have just had my renewal from the NFU and paid £223 last year for a 2006 volkswagen polo 1400 Tdi, am 55 years old and have not had a claim in 11 years. I only do about 6000 miles a year and work part time and don't even use my car at peak times - my renewal is £354!!!
NFU really stands for NO FLIPPING UNDERSTANDING.
I have just had my renewal from the NFU and paid £223 last year for a 2006 volkswagen polo 1400 Tdi, am 55 years old and have not had a claim in 11 years. I only do about 6000 miles a year and work part time and don't even use my car at peak times - my renewal is £354!!!
NFU really stands for NO FLIPPING UNDERSTANDING.
Thanks for all the replies :¬)
I'm looking into 'pikey insurance' a bit more as it seems very popular these days. Reading the claims service reports all providers can seem bad so that's not putting me off!
I especially like the 'free courtesy car of your choice (if you can get in)' if your car is in involved in an accident. Also the unlimited tax payer funded legal support sounds good. If you do hit someone else then this is also resolved by a 'let the others pay' clause.
The non-pikey providers also keep asking me tedious questions: "where's it kept? named drivers? email address? Date of birth? etc. etc." Pikey seem to have somehow cut out all of this, which can only be a good thing! :¬P
I'm looking into 'pikey insurance' a bit more as it seems very popular these days. Reading the claims service reports all providers can seem bad so that's not putting me off!
I especially like the 'free courtesy car of your choice (if you can get in)' if your car is in involved in an accident. Also the unlimited tax payer funded legal support sounds good. If you do hit someone else then this is also resolved by a 'let the others pay' clause.
The non-pikey providers also keep asking me tedious questions: "where's it kept? named drivers? email address? Date of birth? etc. etc." Pikey seem to have somehow cut out all of this, which can only be a good thing! :¬P
[s]Hmmm...[/s] 
I recommend pikey insurance,it's free but I hear the claims service isn't very good.Think you do get free road tax with it though :)
Evening all...an interesting 'chat' as this car insurance renewal lark seems to be going 'bonkers' this year.
Have been with M&S for the last 4 years and their renewal for this year was £22 more than I paid last year - no changes, no claims - this policy also includes the top RAC Breakdown cover and the policy covers me or Mrs DL, not the car....so any car we travel in we can claim if necessary. Cost this year - fully comp, no claims protected, European cover etc etc - £272.
Friend at work also insured with M&S, on my recommendation, three years ago. No changes etc - his quote this year had risen by £250!! I thought that it may also be an error but no and so he has subsequently gone elsewhere.
Same company, but different results - doesn't make sense :¬(
Have been with M&S for the last 4 years and their renewal for this year was £22 more than I paid last year - no changes, no claims - this policy also includes the top RAC Breakdown cover and the policy covers me or Mrs DL, not the car....so any car we travel in we can claim if necessary. Cost this year - fully comp, no claims protected, European cover etc etc - £272.
Friend at work also insured with M&S, on my recommendation, three years ago. No changes etc - his quote this year had risen by £250!! I thought that it may also be an error but no and so he has subsequently gone elsewhere.
Same company, but different results - doesn't make sense :¬(
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