Insurance for the elderly

BrianTompkins

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Hi,

Newcomer just joined both the forum and MB ownership. Bought a pre reg SLC250d, this was to replace my wife's 2015 Mini Cooper S convertible and my 2016 Mazda MX5 Sports Nav.....thought it about time to get respectable. My wife and I are 77, no medical problems, I have a three year old SP30 my wife license is clean, both of us have maximum NCB in our own right . Mileage is around 5000 a year, the car is kept in a locked garage.

However, bit surprised at my insurers quote for next year, £ 621 fully comp. Previously my wife was paying £312 and the MX5 cost me £246. In fact my current insurer Esure is the cheapest I can find so far. Many insurers just give silly numbers when I tell them our ages......£4970 in one case.

Incidentally I have been with my present insurer for about fifteen years.

Any other old codgers experiencing ageism?

Brian.
 

mikestrivens

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my mum is 89 and getting insurance is getting more and more difficult and very expensive. I guess old people are more likely to have an accident and insurers don't want to underwrite the risk.
 
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BrianTompkins

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Interesting quote.

The Department for Transport (DfT) says there is no evidence older drivers are more likely to cause an accident, and it has no plans to restrict licensing or mandate extra training on the basis of age.

But yes I expect to pay a bit more for the MB but twice that of the MX5 or the Mini Cooper S, does seem a bit steep.
 

Parisien

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Looks like another type of institutional discrimination, same as happened with female drivers.

Moneysavingexpert site has a guide to buying insurance, excellent advice on there, plus try those not on the various compare.co.uk sites, finally I changed to Aviva multicar policy, effectively two cars insured for price of one, I change my insurer regularly, everyone should do the same!!!

P
 

daveenty

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Hello Brian, and welcome.

So many factors affect insurance nowadays, age is just one of them though, I suppose, a relevant one and one we'll all hopefully have to get to wrestle with eventually. :)

Incidentally I have been with my present insurer for about fifteen years.

I'd strongly recommend getting a few other quotes as a starting point, then speaking to your current insurers to see if they can match them, or at least better their original one. We tend to get taken for granted as long term customers and, whilst most other industries give rewards for customer loyalty, car insurance tend to be the polar opposite.

Try Chris Knott (forum sponsor) as a starting point, also the comparison sites.
 

mancman

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Fair play to you both for the cars you were driving, stay young at heart.
 

mikestrivens

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I'd strongly recommend getting a few other quotes as a starting point, then speaking to your current insurers to see if they can match them, or at least better their original one. We tend to get taken for granted as long term customers and, whilst most other industries give rewards for customer loyalty, car insurance tend to be the polar opposite.

Try Chris Knott (forum sponsor) as a starting point, also the comparison sites.

The problem with this is that most comparison sites won't accept an age above certain limits and many insurers won't cover old people.
 

malcolm E53 AMG

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There are one or two Mercedes specialist insurers on the forum probably worth talking to them, you’ll find them listed under forum supporters

Your quote does seem on the high side but as already said there are so many variables nowadays when assessing insurance, you could try Saga but I’ve always found them uncompetitive, I’m currently with Aviva who are fairly flexible and offer multicar and reduced mileage discounts
 
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BrianTompkins

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Fair play to you both for the cars you were driving, stay young at heart.

Cheers, that's how Barbara and I see it, why should the young have all the fun.

I suppose my point is re age, I am the same age as I was when I insured the MX5 and the insurance has doubled. O.K. The SLC cost me £29,000 against the Mazda £23,000 yet the insurance from the same company has increased about 60%.

Very few insurance companies in fact will quote......make one feel like a waste of space.

Funnily enough last year I had to hire a people carrier, all the rental people showed me the door once I mentioned 1940........until Hertz. I asked them about age, no problem in fact we give a 10% discount for senior citizens was the response. :)
 

A.J.

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Hi Brian, welcome to the forum. :)

Strangely my insurance premium hasn't risen for a little while now. I have been with the same company for the last three years. Each year the renewal comes through at a higher rate and each time I ring them and ask if they want the business at the previous years rate or I go elsewhere and each year, so far, they have agreed to it. Next year it may be different however, have to wait and see. :rolleyes:
 
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BrianTompkins

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That's what I usually do, but changing cars makes a difference.

Just been speaking to a nice guy from Chris Knott, £1200 + whoops, double the quote from Esure.

However the pleasure of driving the new car is well worth the extra few pounds Esure want.

Only got three gripes with the car, tacky heater controls, fumbling to find the keyhole and that growling groaning noise from the exhaust. Oh and the jerk when the stop start kicks in from the foot brake "hold" position. But the gearbox alone makes up for those.
 
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A.J.

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That's what I usually do, but changing cars makes a difference.

Just been speaking to a nice guy from Chris Knott, £1200 + whoops, double the quote from Esure.
I am with a company called Diamond, I think it is an Insurance company that specialises in the female of the gender. The car I have now is the second Mercedes I have had with them so I don't know about that :)
 

anglaslt

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I was reading the other day yet another newspaper article proposing that all older drivers are re-tested at age 70, prompted by just one incident. The insurers' association though confirmed, as you already said, that older drivers are statistically safer than younger drivers, especially those up to age 25. I remember too a TV discussion a few years back where a group of teenagers said that "all old people" should be totally banned from driving. One young lady, when asked, said that meant anyone over 45 - bless her.

I thought all insurance quotes were risk based but it seems not and older drivers are just another money making opportunity. I assume you've tried comparison sites? I use confused.com but I guess they're all similar. Also, have you tried RIAS and Saga whom I believe are especially targetted towards older clients?

I hope you get it sorted with a realistic quote and enjoy your car.
 

Craiglxviii

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Hi,

Newcomer just joined both the forum and MB ownership. Bought a pre reg SLC250d, this was to replace my wife's 2015 Mini Cooper S convertible and my 2016 Mazda MX5 Sports Nav.....thought it about time to get respectable. My wife and I are 77, no medical problems, I have a three year old SP30 my wife license is clean, both of us have maximum NCB in our own right . Mileage is around 5000 a year, the car is kept in a locked garage.

However, bit surprised at my insurers quote for next year, £ 621 fully comp. Previously my wife was paying £312 and the MX5 cost me £246. In fact my current insurer Esure is the cheapest I can find so far. Many insurers just give silly numbers when I tell them our ages......£4970 in one case.

Incidentally I have been with my present insurer for about fifteen years.

Any other old codgers experiencing ageism?

Brian.

Not ageism per se, but I very strongly suggest that you start shopping around. Loyalty to insurers is like seniority amongst junior officers... comparethemarket.com (not meerkats!) or moneysupermarket.com both offer a very good comparison service.
 

Parisien

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Having said all that, rarely is the converse true, but sticking with your current insurer, ie you're a known quantity to them, have been loyal for 15 yrs, so set lower mileage limits, much bigger excess, and then try to negotiate, always worth asking for a reduction got nought to loose!


P
 
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BrianTompkins

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Thanks to everyone contributing to this thread, many good points.

I am perfectly willing to pay the extra insurance, but was rather surprised at the 60% increase. To me the SLC is far more of a Boulevard cruiser, my wife's Mini Cooper S was an out and out go cart, it inspired hooliganism., the MX5 was just fun.

I do wonder if Mercedes is a bit loaded re insurance, my quote on a new ( pre reg) Boxster was £580.

Yes Saga is a little less then Esure, only about half a bottle of Aldi gin:) so it looks like sticking with the old firm.

Again thanks for the input.
 

rifiki

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I am 80 and drive a 05 3 litre CLK, also 1960 Ponton 190. last year the basic insurance for the Ponton was less than £100 and for the CLK £270, limited to 5000 miles per year. On both insurance policies have extra cost add ons, legal protection etc.
On insurance comparison site the quote variation is huge, from around £250 to £2500!
It will be interesting to see what happens in March this year insurance is due for renewal.
 
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BrianTompkins

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I am 80 and drive a 05 3 litre CLK, also 1960 Ponton 190. last year the basic insurance for the Ponton was less than £100 and for the CLK £270, limited to 5000 miles per year. On both insurance policies have extra cost add ons, legal protection etc.
On insurance comparison site the quote variation is huge, from around £250 to £2500!
It will be interesting to see what happens in March this year insurance is due for renewal.

Interesting. Which insurance company is this with? Although I don't know if the difference between your 05 CLK and my 2017 SLK 250d AMG line, £270 against £621, and I don't know about yours but my missus is also on the policy.

You are right re the differences on comparison sites. Although just got a quote from John Lewis £1012, don't think they will price match on this one. :)
 

jp williams

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Hi,

Newcomer just joined both the forum and MB ownership. Bought a pre reg SLC250d, this was to replace my wife's 2015 Mini Cooper S convertible and my 2016 Mazda MX5 Sports Nav.....thought it about time to get respectable. My wife and I are 77, no medical problems, I have a three year old SP30 my wife license is clean, both of us have maximum NCB in our own right . Mileage is around 5000 a year, the car is kept in a locked garage.

However, bit surprised at my insurers quote for next year, £ 621 fully comp. Previously my wife was paying £312 and the MX5 cost me £246. In fact my current insurer Esure is the cheapest I can find so far. Many insurers just give silly numbers when I tell them our ages......£4970 in one case.

Incidentally I have been with my present insurer for about fifteen years.

Any other old codgers experiencing ageism?

Brian.


1.Have you tried L.V. BRIAN ?
2. 5000 miles p.a. seems too low to be running a diesel, me thinks.

Regards
John
 

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