Car insurance - any good companies?

[jimbouk]

The internet is full of tails of woe of everyone being ripped off and messed around with for car insurance. I've got a pretty standard car to insure so shouldn't need a broker, and no claims or unruly profession.

After the debacle with changing vehicle and paying more for something that should have been the same price, but because at the exact second I took out my policy the price was mysteriously £200 more for the year, I'm taking my business elsewhere.

Confused.com is throwing up Hastings and associated companies as the cheapest lot, but reading reviews there's a common theme of many hours on the phone and a complete lack of customer service when claiming, renewing, cancelling, etc. That's something I can believe as true. Looking at Direct Line the price is good but they also have bad reviews - occasional ones for trouble with a claim but mostly just prices increasing. Anyone else had dealing with them recently? Most likely end up with them.

Prices do seem to have gone up in the last couple of months for me, wish I'd just cancelled and taken out a new policy when I got the car now. Hindsight eh?

[Jonj1611]

Everyone's prices went up this year unfortunately, my own insurance with 10+ years no claims went up by about 50%.

I found Lloyds car insurance to be really good, never had any problems with them but they were the same company who put up the prices. But new customers do get some good deals.

[g8ina]

Try Adrian Flux, they tend to specialise in slightly odd types including disabled, but seem to give a good deal for anyone - Ive always had a good deal off em

[DanceswithUnix]

I find myself ignoring the lowest quotes as they just sound like the sort of companies that won't pay out. You will hear horror stories about all the big names, in the same way as I have heard horror stories about every car manufacturer. You just don't hear about when things go well.

Personally I am getting bored of getting renewal quotes, phoning up to point out that they are clearly having a laugh, and getting £100 knocked straight off getting me more in line with last year, but they all seem to be doing that now.

[jimbouk]

Thanks you two. Checked with Lloyds and it's coming in around £500 for just me. Direct Line were about £350 so currently top of the list. Will get Adrian Flux to give me a call back later as I'm at work and have a meeting soon. I know people like the personal touch and it's a big selling point, but when you're entering data then having to spell it out over the phone is a bit of a pain.

[Zak33]

Try Adrian Flux, they tend to specialise in slightly odd types including disabled,

seconded.. all my quicker stuff goes through them, and so did my rally cars

However.. when reading tales of woe online, just remember that the millions of satisfied/semi satisfied punters cant be bothered to wax lyrical about good insurance. For example.. you pay £500 and you dont like it, but you do as it's cheapest. One year later you swap to another company for £450 and you go another year... still no reason to sing from the rooftops. We all hate paying it... why celebrate it?

until you come to claim and dont agree with the admin process or outcome. Could be you got something wrong on the doc... did too many miles etc...

then the rants start

[jimbouk]

Personally I am getting bored of getting renewal quotes, phoning up to point out that they are clearly having a laugh, and getting £100 knocked straight off getting me more in line with last year, but they all seem to be doing that now.

Yeah, had I not already been messed about by Admiral this year I'd be looking to renew with them. I may have to swallow my pride if the other half does want to remain on the insurance to learn. Renewals have always been very competitive with them previously, sometimes cheaper by a clear margin than other quotes.

[Saracen]

I think it's incredibly hard to recommend a "good" company.

As has been said (DanceswithUnix, I think) cheaper isn't necessarily better. The acid test (and Zak said it) is how they are to deal with when you have a claim. I had a nightnare, about 30 years ago, with a VERY large, apparently reputable household name company that decided, for what reasin I don't know, to sit on a fairly large claim for months. After 6 months, I started getting angry and they came up with excuse after excuse, lost paperwork, staff left, staff on holiday, staff moved to different office, etc.

Ultimately, after endless hassle, I rang head office in a last ditch attempt to sort it and fortunately happened to be put through to soneone with real clout, a director of the company. Having explained the farce, the number of (documented) phone calls, letters, faxes, etc and the 8 months I'd been waiting, I told him I was hoping Head Office could unblock it, and quickly, because if not, my next step (as advised by my solicitor) was to sue .... and it was too much for small claims court. He did manage to unblock it, and shortly after, I had my settlement in full.

This wasn't a cheap, no-name company, either.

For sime years now, I've used a broker. We fo cars, house, travel and business insurance through them and, SO FAR, have been good. I do keep them honest by getting comparative quotes, but to date they've been more or less in line with the cheaper quotes, and they take most of the hassle out of the paperwork, too. They fo charge a fee, but even including that, they're competitive.

I think the important thing is to be dealing with a good broker, which often boils fown to a good branch manager. Mine is, IMHO, but there's no guarantee even other branches of the same firm would be, which is why I won't recommend them.

[Butcher]

I've claimed off a few (Zenith, Admiral, Esure) and not had any problems. I'm currently with Admiral as they are by far the cheapest for me; I'm a bit limited on who will cover me due to modifications.

[Kanoe]

We fo cars, house

They fo charge a fee

which often boils fown to a good branch manager.

Saracen - someone replaced your d key with a f key?

I've been with Tesco bank a few years, competitive on price, usually get some cash back and club card points too. When there was a claim they were easy to get hold of and very helpful.

[Disturbedguy]

I've claimed off a few (Zenith, Admiral, Esure) and not had any problems. I'm currently with Admiral as they are by far the cheapest for me; I'm a bit limited on who will cover me due to modifications.

I'm just about to leave Admiral.

My renewal price was up £300 more than last year and the cheapest quote I got online, using the same details, was £500 cheaper. I contacted them to see if there is anything they can do and they have effectively told me to get stuffed.

[Hoonigan]

Direct Line seem to be best, never had an issue with them and always had good prices.

[Saracen]

Saracen - someone replaced your d key with a f key?

Nope. Someone replaced my KB with an on-screen touch contraption, on a 7" device instead of my usual (apparently deceased) 10" tablet, replaced daytime with 2am, and replaced decent eyesight with significant problems.

[BobF64]

For years my renewals kept going down, only ever been with Admiral, until last year when it went up instead.

Did the usual quote finding on the internet, found a lower price, phoned Admiral and 'miraculously' they gave me a renewal quote of a little less than the one I found, but a lot less than their first try.

I know they bank on people being lazy, but its like they hate loyal customers.

[spacein_vader]

For years my renewals kept going down, only ever been with Admiral, until last year when it went up instead.

Did the usual quote finding on the internet, found a lower price, phoned Admiral and 'miraculously' they gave me a renewal quote of a little less than the one I found, but a lot less than their first try.

I know they bank on people being lazy, but its like they hate loyal customers.

That's what gets my goat. When I find a better quote for the same cover and ring my current insurer to cancel l'm happier if they can't match it. If they can now suddenly pull a better price out I turn it down on principle. Give me your best price to begin with, don't mislead me in the hope I'm too lazy to shop around.

[Jonj1611]

That didn't work for me on Lloyds this year, they basically said, oh well nevermind. And that was that.