Comparison site irregularities + renewals

[AMGeed]

OK, so this has been covered plenty of times before, but just wanted to post my experience after receiving this years renewal premium from Hastings Direct.

Last year, I paid £282 fully comp, missus included with protected NCB on the E55.
So I knew that IPT had increased on 1st June, so expected a slight rise.
Opening the renewal letter was a surprise, Hastings want £419 this year!

So, I did what I do every year and started looking at the comparison sites, and this is where I can't work out what insurance companies are playing at and how they reach their figures.

The main 3 comparison sites as you know are Compare the Market, Confused.com and Money Supermarket. Trying all 3 brought some surprising comparisons (see what I did there?)

Remembering I'm being quoted by Hastings Direct £419 to renew, I got the following quotes from just the cheapest companies.

Confused.Com gave their three cheapest companies which were as follows.

1 Tesco £292
2 Hastings Essential £326
3 Hastings Direct £331

Then on to Compare the Market.

1 Hastings Essential £330
2 Tesco £341
3 Hastings Direct £343

Finally, Money Supermarket gave me the following quotes and here is the big surprise.

1 Tesco £257
2 Hastings Essential £295
3 Hastings Direct £308

So 15 minutes work could save me £127 going with Tesco instead of renewing, but the thing that bothers me most is Hastings Direct wanting £111 more to renew than me cancelling and renewing online through Money Supermarket!

I haven't finished looking yet and by no means certain I'd choose Tesco (anyone got any experience of Tesco car insurance and what they are like for customer service if there is a problem?) but one thing is sure, I won't be taking up Hastings offer this year.
There is absolutely zero loyalty shown by insurance companies and I'm of the same mind now. Three years running I've has competitive premiums, now they do this. Crooks, the lot of them.

 

[Trev1964]

I've got two cars on cover with Tesco at present and never had any problems.

 

[AMGeed]

I've got two cars on cover with Tesco at present and never had any problems.

Reading the reviews they are dreadful. Hastings don't fare any better either. You only find this out when claims or problems occur.
Aviva was suggested to me. £700+

 

[ZZZZ]

Mine is due for renewal in just over a month time, and I'm also with Hastings Direct - Premier policy.

I'll start shopping around in about ten days time ...

 

[geraldrobins]

I've got two cars on cover with Tesco at present and never had any problems.

I had one claim with Tesco and found them very good.

 

[kid-jensen]

Go for ther cheapest and just avoid crashing...

 

[AMGeed]

Go for ther cheapest and just avoid crashing...

Easily said until you need to make any kind of claim. I have avoided any problems since someone reversed into me 3 days after buying the car. Fortunately the third party was insured with NFU who dealt with my claim instantly and without argument.
I'm now considering Privilege at £339 pa. Reviews are far better on this company.

 

[A.J.]

I took up my renewal this year although not at the renewal price. I did the usual compare the market thing and then rung the current insurer and said if they can match the cheapest quote I would re-new with them. They made an offer within £30.00 ish which I refused. I then enjoyed a couple of minutes piped music. Then the voice returned and said yes they would do the deal, I accepted and stayed with the current insurer. The same ritual goes is repeated every year and I have now been with them for four years

 

[Wearsafoxhat]

I have had an Admiral multi car policy for a five years. I always call then and they always lower the renewal price to almost the original cost. Better to speak to the Canadian call centre than the other one. Paid around £270 for the modded E55k, fully comp for us both.
Have no experience of making a claim though.

I will have this experience to look forward to in July. One can only ask and ask again.


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[A.J.]

I have had an Admiral multi car policy for a five years. I always call then and they always lower the renewal price to almost the original cost. Better to speak to the Canadian call centre than the other one. Paid around £270 for the modded E55k, fully comp for us both.
Have no experience of making a claim though.

I will have this experience to look forward to in July. One can only ask and ask again.


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Don't ask, don't get. I think many people just don't contest it, doesn't cost anything to do so

 

[EmilysDad]

....
I haven't finished looking yet and by no means certain I'd choose Tesco (anyone got any experience of Tesco car insurance and what they are like for customer service if there is a problem?) but ....

Never used their car insurance, but Tesco paid out no problem when Molly the Mutt had £3000 of surgery to her cruciate ligament a few months ago.
I vowed years ago never to use Hastings again after I declined their renewal price & told them NOT to auto renew. Needless to say they auto renewed & tried to blame me for 'not canceling' ..... lets just say I wasn't happy, and told them so in no uncertain terms.

 

[Wearsafoxhat]

I would haggle over my weekly shopping given the chance. I have nearly always asked for a better price.
"Every pound is a prisoner" as one of my friends says.


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[A.J.]

I used to know a Car Dealer years ago named Harry Hinchley, long since gone now RIP. But he wouldn't buy anything at all without a haggle and that did include his weekly/daily shop

 

[rf065]

I find the biggest problem with insurance these days is the fact that companies like Hastings, Admiral, Elephant etc apart from usually being owned by the same parent company, spend all their resources ensuring they are top of the list for cheap insurance on comparison sites. Conversely, look up a site comparing the worst companies for customer service and they invariably top those too.

Go for the cheapest if you must, be be ready for problems if you make anything other than a straight forward claim.

Russ

 

[Lisadj]

I was with Tesco in about 2005 on a Ford Puma. Had an accident where someone pulled out of a side road and hit my side/rear end near Norwich. He'd only been driving 2 weeks. I thought my dad could get it fixed but he told me to go through the insurance. The lad who hit me then put in a bullsh*t account that I was overtaking a white van who flashed to let him out. It was complete lies.
It took a year for Tesco to sort it out. I told them I wasn't happy and I'd be going elsewhere.

Now I'm with Privilege. They seem pretty good so far, (re my recent incident) but I'm claiming from the third party so needed to cancel my claim with mine.

 

[Lisadj]

I took up my renewal this year although not at the renewal price. I did the usual compare the market thing and then rung the current insurer and said if they can match the cheapest quote I would re-new with them. They made an offer within £30.00 ish which I refused. I then enjoyed a couple of minutes piped music. Then the voice returned and said yes they would do the deal, I accepted and stayed with the current insurer. The same ritual goes is repeated every year and I have now been with them for four years

I tried that with Diamond in December and they said they couldn't come close to the quote I got from Privilege.

 

[davemercedes]

I was insured with LV (signed up via the Meerkats after an unfounded increase) and I haven't made a claim and the renewal was enormously higher. I ended up taking a policy with Chris Knott. Not sure I will renew with them though.

I usually end up comparing every year and changing every 2 or 3 years. They don't deserve any loyalty frankly they're the same as a can of beans whoever offers the best price gets my money.