Don't start me on insurance...

[thatfatbloke]

Phoned current insurers (S*g*) to put wife's recently purchased 2001 E320 on,and they wanted over £600!!. After five minutes on GoCompare,we re-insured with Churchill at £282. Quite a difference.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Phoned current insurers (S*g*) to put wife's recently purchased 2001 E320 on,and they wanted over £600!!. After five minutes on GoCompare,we re-insured with Churchill at £282. Quite a difference.

It's a jungle. I think there as many people moving from A to B as there are from B to A.

Introductory discounts will often enable a significant saving if one is prepared to change provider. What happens the following year, at renewal, will be interesting.

I was happy with 3 cars on an Admiral policy. The price went up each year. 2 years ago I challenged it and they restricted the increase. This year I changed to 3 separate policies with S*G* - at a significant saving.

Since then I have read on the Forum of others being offered similar (introductory) cover from Admiral at less than I am paying S*G*!

Go figure.

 

[denchen]

Hastings Direct for me and the Mrs £134.63. Im happy with that

 

[Shezbo]

Hastings Direct for me and the Mrs £134.63. Im happy with that

All

Just a quick word about insurance, insurance policy rates (£'s) and insurance company "repair" activity. Let me start by saying day in day out I work with insurance companies and Bodyshops and see both ends of the market work i.e. the initial cost of an annual policy and then HOW that policy fixes the car?

Just step back from the situation for a moment, you have purchased £40k worth of Merc and then find the cheapest cover possible. That sentance just does not compute does it?
Why not have the car serviced by a back street garage as cheaply as possible whilst you are at it....well we would not do that would we! Yet the choice of insurance (by price) ONLY seems to be our only focus?

Please look at what the insurance company provides IF you need to make a claim....this IS the critital thing NOT the price: I have listed below some (and this is not exhaustive) things some insurance are doing to your pride and joy:

• Insurers may not use vehicle manufacture repair methods – this is compromises occupant safety and the vehicle does not perform to its Euro NCAP rating – if a second accident occurs.
• Insurers have a panel repair policy, incentivising bodyshops to repair with filler rather than fit new panels – this has both a safety implication and a negative impact on VM and Dealer Crash Parts Sales.
• Use of Non OE panels (from China) and Green Parts (salvage) – not all “pattern” parts have been designed to meet Euro NCAP crash testing specifications – it also invalidates the vehicle warranty has safety and resale implications.
• Re-use of door mouldings etc., via the application of double sided tape, manufacturer’s process dictates that new parts should be used. This comprises the aesthetics of the customer’s car, as this is not a long term repair solution (i.e. the parts will come loose/fall off!)
• Insurers also instruct bodyshops to glue or plastic weld plastic parts; this is not a permanent solution and again comprises safety, mainly to pedestrians.
• Insurers may specify the use of non-VM recommended paint products – invalidating the manufacturer’s warranty.
• Insurers may specify the use of certain support products i.e. windscreen sealant, again compromising safety and VM design rigidity.
• Write off car replacement policy – a customer may receive a competitors branded vehicle to “replace” their written off vehicle.
• Use of Non Franchise Bodyshops, i.e. nominated Insurance Approved Repairer - do they have the correct equipment and have the Body Technicians been MB trained
• Set “average repair costs” for Bodyshop repairs regardless of the size/complexity of the job, the result is a vehicle that has been repaired as cheaply as possible, comprising the total vehicle.

As I say the above is the tip of the iceberg (honestly) - just think some insurers WILL repair YOUR car in a way that: invalidates the vehicle warranty has safety and resale implications. enough said

 

[JordanB180]

If you think a few hundred £'s is too much, i'm currently paying just over 2k for my B180. Admittedly i'm only 18 and with only 1 years no claims, but it is a bit rediculous!
However, I was paying over 2.5K on my last car (1998 1.4 Seat Ibiza) with a GPS tracker limiting the amount of time I drive... Cheaper on the Merc with no tracker! Go Aviva!

 

[Shezbo]

If you think a few hundred £'s is too much, i'm currently paying just over 2k for my B180. Admittedly i'm only 18 and with only 1 years no claims, but it is a bit rediculous!
However, I was paying over 2.5K on my last car (1998 1.4 Seat Ibiza) with a GPS tracker limiting the amount of time I drive... Cheaper on the Merc with no tracker! Go Aviva!

£2K is cheap for an 18 year old, some Ins Co's will not even quote a price for someone under 21.........

 

[drmw]

Just step back from the situation for a moment, you have purchased £40k worth of Merc and then find the cheapest cover possible. That sentance just does not compute does it?

I don't believe your argument stands up.

Based in the underlying principle that all insurance companies are a combination of cheats and liars employing as much sharp practice as keeps them (just) within the law, none can be believed.

You are implying that the more you pay, the better the result in the event of a claim. I don't think that is the case.

I have no doubt that the awful things you cite have and do happen, but who is to know what shortcuts any insurer will take when it comes to the acid test?

On that basis, I usually go for one of the cheapest as long as I have heard of them. The cheapest for my current car was Admiral - I had to cancel a SAGA policy (Aviva) halfway through as they applied a huge increase when I changed my car last week - it wasn't acceptable.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Based in the underlying principle that all insurance companies are a combination of cheats and liars employing as much sharp practice as keeps them (just) within the law, none can be believed.

You are implying that the more you pay, the better the result in the event of a claim. I don't think that is the case.

+1 for your conclusions David.

Having seen the insurance industry operate from a privileged "inside" view, they do seem to be excellent at accepting the clients cash, but even better at resisting payment (or minimizing the amount to be paid) in the event of a claim.

I am sure that they need to be worldly wise, as no doubt there are folks out there who don't believe that it has been a good year unless their claims exceed their premium, and arithmetically that can not be sustainable if we all do it.

Sadly, the victim in all this is usually Joe Honest, who seldom makes a claim and just wants to pay a fair premium which reflects the low risk he/she poses.

 

[Shezbo]

+1 for your conclusions David.

Having seen the insurance industry operate from a privileged "inside" view, they do seem to be excellent at accepting the clients cash, but even better at resisting payment (or minimizing the amount to be paid) in the event of a claim.

I am sure that they need to be worldly wise, as no doubt there are folks out there who don't believe that it has been a good year unless their claims exceed their premium, and arithmetically that can not be sustainable if we all do it.

Sadly, the victim in all this is usually Joe Honest, who seldom makes a claim and just wants to pay a fair premium which reflects the low risk he/she poses.

Please see my reply on the other thread that is running under the "insurance topic" I have replied on this thread "A few words of warning about Insurance and Repairs" - hope that helps - regards

 

[d215yq]

Just step back from the situation for a moment, you have purchased £40k worth of Merc and then find the cheapest cover possible. That sentance just does not compute does it?

And lots of things to worry about

I'm sure some of that goes on but when you think 99.99% of people never claim, then most of the claims aren't serious anyway...in the hugely unliklely event a car is damaged in such a "safety critical" manner it would very likely be written off....so then when you think about it of the few safety critical repairs we do have then a good deal of those will be done properly.

So then when you think of the chance of having a badly repaired car and seriously crashing it again in exactly the same place and then die from the fact it wasn't repaired to the original NCAP rating... i think the chances are so remote there are plenty of other things both non motoring related and motoring related that are far likely to kill you...sitting here not doing any exercise is probably more likely to kill me!

And then as has already been pointed out as for soem people the cheapest company is the most expensive and vice versa there is no such thing as cheap insurance anyway.

So yes that sentence really does compute...get the cheapest legal insurance you can while we can all still afford it, and put the saving on enjoying your car/life/whatever. And nothing wrong with (some) backstreet garages too...we'd all be better off (and probably not in recession) if we fought for a better deal rather than believing the marketing rubbish that anything cheap is bad and anything expensive is good.

 

[Shezbo]

I'm sure some of that goes on but when you think 99.99% of people never claim, then most of the claims aren't serious anyway...in the hugely unliklely event a car is damaged in such a "safety critical" manner it would very likely be written off....so then when you think about it of the few safety critical repairs we do have then a good deal of those will be done properly.

So then when you think of the chance of having a badly repaired car and seriously crashing it again in exactly the same place and then die from the fact it wasn't repaired to the original NCAP rating... i think the chances are so remote there are plenty of other things both non motoring related and motoring related that are far likely to kill you...sitting here not doing any exercise is probably more likely to kill me!

And then as has already been pointed out as for soem people the cheapest company is the most expensive and vice versa there is no such thing as cheap insurance anyway.

So yes that sentence really does compute...get the cheapest legal insurance you can while we can all still afford it, and put the saving on enjoying your car/life/whatever. And nothing wrong with (some) backstreet garages too...we'd all be better off (and probably not in recession) if we fought for a better deal rather than believing the marketing rubbish that anything cheap is bad and anything expensive is good.

The accident rate is currently 14.1% it was as high as 18% three years ago, however this figure is the recorded number of Insurance claims (cash jobs are not "counted") to put a figure on a percentage, over 2 million RTA per year that is quite a few.

I am fine with your summary: buy incorrect (I never said cheap was bad) insurance if you want - however I personally want to cover my P&J and my family and may finances "correctly", that is my advice and why I started the thread, to ADVISE and HELP people.

BTW it may not cost me a penny more than you to do to insure my cars correctly:lol:

All I am saying is that all insurance products are NOT the same.

Regarding back street garages, I don't think your new AMG SLS (we all can dream) would go near a back street garage...honestly...if you had one, nice sentiment, but a throw away line, me thinks? They would not know where to start

 

[d215yq]

The accident rate is currently 14.1% it was as high as 18% three years ago, however this figure is the recorded number of Insurance claims (cash jobs are not "counted") to put a figure on a percentage, over 2 million RTA per year that is quite a few.

I am fine with your summary: buy incorrect (I never said cheap was bad) insurance if you want - however I personally want to cover my P&J and my family and may finances "correctly", that is my advice and why I started the thread, to ADVISE and HELP people.

BTW it may not cost me a penny more than you to do to insure my cars correctly:lol:

All I am saying is that all insurance products are NOT the same.

Regarding back street garages, I don't think your new AMG SLS (we all can dream) would go near a back street garage...honestly...if you had one, nice sentiment, but a throw away line, me thinks? They would not know where to start

Sorry but how does listing a lot of things to worry about, mentioning "safety" every other line for emphasis to scare people help anyone. As an insider you may know the "correct insurers" but we don't...so what do we do? I'm sure some insurers are bad some time and some are good...like some repairers are bad sometime and some are good.

If the accident rate is a truly astonishing 14% perhaps we should all spend the time and bother thinking about how not to crash instead of whether we pay "enough" for our premiums. I and almost everyone i know (even people that aren't that competent) never crash (in 10 years motoring) so some people must be doing an awful lot of crashing out there to get such a statistic! 88% of accidents are caused by human error and not faulty repaired cars/mechanical failures so i think time is better spent focussing on this.

As for backstreet garages, were i to get a new merc i would happily take it to some as i know and trust them unlike a dealer and the labour rate is 30% and they are just as knowledgable...As for the AMG SLS, well what proportion of the population own one of those??? actually probably a higher percentage than those whose SAFETY is being compromised by getting a good deal on their car insurance!

 

[Shezbo]

Sorry but how does listing a lot of things to worry about, mentioning "safety" every other line for emphasis to scare people help anyone. As an insider you may know the "correct insurers" but we don't...so what do we do? I'm sure some insurers are bad some time and some are good...like some repairers are bad sometime and some are good.

If the accident rate is a truly astonishing 14% perhaps we should all spend the time and bother thinking about how not to crash instead of whether we pay "enough" for our premiums. I and almost everyone i know (even people that aren't that competent) never crash (in 10 years motoring) so some people must be doing an awful lot of crashing out there to get such a statistic! 88% of accidents are caused by human error and not faulty repaired cars/mechanical failures so i think time is better spent focussing on this.

As for backstreet garages, were i to get a new merc i would happily take it to some as i know and trust them unlike a dealer and the labour rate is 30% and they are just as knowledgable...As for the AMG SLS, well what proportion of the population own one of those??? actually probably a higher percentage than those whose SAFETY is being compromised by getting a good deal on their car insurance!

If safety is not an issue that is fine, however MB believe it is (as do other VM's) look at the millions they spend on research and note how vehicles are now laden with various anti injury devices...good things too! However I am sorry but your back street "expert" is just not capable (that is why they disappearing) of repairing (and Body reapirs in particular) anymore, unless it a very simple job, they just don't have the tools, equipment or knowledge.
Some folk don't like this, however I want to maintain the warranty, encap saftey rating and keep the residual value of my car, by having "proper" repairs completed...

 

[d215yq]

If safety is not an issue that is fine, however MB believe it is (as do other VM's) look at the millions they spend on research and note how vehicles are now laden with various anti injury devices...good things too! However I am sorry but your back street "expert" is just not capable (that is why they disappearing) of repairing (and Body reapirs in particular) anymore, unless it a very simple job, they just don't have the tools, equipment or knowledge.
Some folk don't like this, however I want to maintain the warranty, encap saftey rating and keep the residual value of my car, by having "proper" repairs completed...

So when has a warranty ever been void by an insurers crash repaired...the resale value is affected by the cat C or cat D on the paperwork...how would the punter know if it's been repaired to the MB standard or not and what bodyshop is "correct" or not?

Driving a vehicle has an inherent degree of risk which will never be eliminated. safety is only important when there are clear and statistically likely consequences of going cheap (things like driving quickly with bald tyres in the wet)...not a list of ifs buts and maybes and coincidences. a lot of money is made out of people by over egging the safety argument and suggesting if you pay x, y and z you'll be safe when in reality you have no better chance in the random world of traffic accidents than anyone else.

Some folk don't like this hoewever I suppose I simply want to buy a car, insure it, put petrol in it and drive it places and enjoy myself, and as cheaply as possible. If I can't accept the slight element of risk rather than go on about my safety and search for the best of the best insurer that might repair my car in a slightly safer way than another instead should i crash maybe i shouldn't use a car at all and just stay at home...though apparently sitting too much and not doing anything also has some safety issues too!

 

[Shezbo]

So when has a warranty ever been void by an insurers crash repaired...the resale value is affected by the cat C or cat D on the paperwork...how would the punter know if it's been repaired to the MB standard or not and what bodyshop is "correct" or not?

Driving a vehicle has an inherent degree of risk which will never be eliminated. safety is only important when there are clear and statistically likely consequences of going cheap (things like driving quickly with bald tyres in the wet)...not a list of ifs buts and maybes and coincidences. a lot of money is made out of people by over egging the safety argument and suggesting if you pay x, y and z you'll be safe when in reality you have no better chance in the random world of traffic accidents than anyone else.

Some folk don't like this hoewever I suppose I simply want to buy a car, insure it, put petrol in it and drive it places and enjoy myself, and as cheaply as possible. If I can't accept the slight element of risk rather than go on about my safety and search for the best of the best insurer that might repair my car in a slightly safer way than another instead should i crash maybe i shouldn't use a car at all and just stay at home...though apparently sitting too much and not doing anything also has some safety issues too!

Taking your points in order:
When you have an accident a car only appears on the "register" if it has been written off - it then - if returned to the road is issued with a Cat C or D i.e. letting the next person know it has been written off and put back on the road. However if you have an accident and your car (over 12 moths old) has a bump and is worth £25K it can have Body reapirs of at least £15K and it is not registered anywhere (execpt the Ins Co own data). If it has had the repair at a VM Approved Bodyshop they issue the car with a guarrantee repair certificate, detailing repairs and the fact that it HAS been repaired correctly - which is what you want!

Regarding your point about risk, I agree with that you cannot take stupidity out of the equation, however with "lane assist and ESP and Adapative Cruise control and eye closure recognigtion" VM's are doing there best.

Your last point, I too want to enjoy my car and run it as cheaply as possible however you never know when some other idiot will run into you...at that millisecond I want peace of mind...and I believe you do