That time again, groan.

[M80]

I've been insured with Sheilas' Wheels for a while, and not because they insure my handbag.

So it expired yesterday / today, they seem confused.com, a letter says today, the online account says yesterday. No matter I've not been out driving since Monday.

Annoying is my quote till yesterday was £199 for the 211, now it says £244. 3/4 hr in a queue to discuss yesterday failed as I gave up.

I've been holding off as I hoped to have the Viano up and running by now, but that's been a trawl. Running with the engine back in but has a reluctant start issue.
So I'm thinking insure the Viano for the 12 months, and add the 211 for a few weeks, there is no tax advantage till the end of Sept anyway.

So the compare trawl. Both vehicles come up as manual. Nowt in the V5 describes the transmission. These are often described as semi auto, or even semi manual. The issue is that previously when it comes to trying to amend via online or over the phone they like to call it a non standard change and load the premium. That creates 'discussion' and the to and fro until some snotty school leaver accepts they come like that.
Come an event would they have a reasonable fu escape if I just ignore this?

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Auto renewal is entrapment - better to not allow them to use it and let the policy expire and get a quote for a new policy with the same provider as I did (much cheaper). A contract is a contract, it expires and you take out a new one

 

[Tony Dyson]

I've been insured with Sheilas' Wheels for a while, and not because they insure my handbag....
Come an event would they have a reasonable fu escape if I just ignore this?

Probably, one thing insurance companies like is ambiguity, right up to the point of a claim then they love it and try to write them in again on the next one! Send them a statement of exactly what the gearbox is as defined in a VIN Datacard, it will be described in the header with it's serial number and further again in the SA code section with a generic description. Nil illegitimum desperandum carborundum, mitigate all their grey areas, it will pay dividends in the end!

 

[mioba]

If its standard on the car I would not worry about it.

Insurance co go by the vin in the event of an unforseen circumstance when pricing.

Auto renewal. I ask them to ensure my credit card details are removed immediatedly after I paid. Oh we need them for auto renewal Sir. No you dont need them as far as GDPR is concerned. Ok Sir we shall delete immediately..

 

[Misterdog]

Insurance quotes are cheaper if you ask 4 weeks before renewal date, my insurance is cheaper if I list my ex girlfriend as a named driver.
I checked with Hastings how much to change my policy for my new ( 2010 LOL) A Class and they quoted £ 30, when I got the car 2 weeks later and changed the vehicle online it cost 75p !!!

On compare the Meercat, Hastings were £ 30 cheaper than their written quote.

I gave up trying to figure out insurance companies years ago.
Renewal of both vehicles in the same week always feels like playing pin the tail on the donkey to me (google it if you are too young )

Pin the tail on the donkey - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[mercmancdi]

Adrian flux first time and looks like the last / Cars to be garaged by 10 o’clock if stole after this no cover , restricted milage and a charge per ml if you go over what you state , and never before had to pay £90 to change to a vehicle 11 groups lower , no grace period to change registration £30 . I had heard so many good reviews but now feel totally done as needed a car on the move and selecting them quickly turned out to be bad idea.
would have switched companies but it’s the hassle at the minute , just one more reg to change and it’s all paid up to March then after that I will definitely be prepared early to shop around.

 

[M80]

On the phone to Sheilas' Wheels on the 10th the quote was £239 for me, and £319 to include the Mrs, as she hit a post that shouldn't have been there in December (in her Civic).
I thought the compare sites might beat that, but no they had gone up since my earlier quotes.
On the 11th I'm back to SW's, after listening to their disclaimers, promotions and threats, their prices of yesterday had gone up and they refused to honour them.
Online quotes with other companies, not on the compare sites, were ridiculous.

LV seemed to be more professional. I've paid a few quids extra to go with them. With them and all declared the insurance is cheaper with the Mrs as a named driver.

The mystery of why I am a greater risk to all the others 24 hours later is still there though.



Some have no wish to know about a tow bar, others do.
Some have no wish to know about the entertainment upgrade, others do.
Some seem to apply 15 years + NCD, others no more than 9. LV will remove 4 years NCD for a claim, most it's only 2.

Most of us will be disgusted at those that drive uninsured and even untaxed, but tbh the whole thing is now so corrupt I start to have sympathy.
Come claim time and they say "ah but we insured you for a manual" it's they that have the recording.

 

[Ron240]

Adrian flux first time and looks like the last / Cars to be garaged by 10 o’clock if stole after this no cover

Wow...is that even legally enforceable?
I would be amazed if it is, because there can be any number of genuine reasons why you might find yourself in a position to not garage your car by 10 pm.
I suppose this means if you happen to be a night shift worker (me 1 week in every 3) then this cover would be useless.

 

[Paul Garrett]

Im more sure now that insurance companies make up the rules as they go along, you never know where you are with them? Oh i think they must take their ideas from the clowns who run the country? ....oh wait!! .....

 

[peterws1957]

Wow...is that even legally enforceable?
I would be amazed if it is, because there can be any number of genuine reasons why you might find yourself in a position to not garage your car by 10 pm.
I suppose this means if you happen to be a night shift worker (me 1 week in every 3) then this cover would be useless.

Can't say it wouldn't be enforceable. If the policy has been taken out and the premium calculated on the basis that the car is garaged over night, it becomes a policy condition and if you don't comply you suffer the consequences. Fairly standard nowadays. I would guess that if you are not at home at night the premium would be different. Whether this condition applies if you are say staying at a hotel or whatever you would need to clarify with the Insurers.

Premiums are all over the place as people have said and seems to vary day by day. One year my premium dropped by more than £50 from the morning to the afternoon. The schoolboy in the call centre couldn't explain why.

 

[peterws1957]

Im more sure now that insurance companies make up the rules as they go along, you never know where you are with them? Oh i think they must take their ideas from the clowns who run the country? ....oh wait!! .....

It's the total lack of transparency that annoys people. If only call centres would explain these anomalies policyholders would be more pacified, but the bods on the phone can only push a few buttons and give you the price, nothing more.
When I started out in car insurance in the 70's the rates which all Insurers used were set by what was The Motor Insurers Bureau and then Insurers added or subtracted percentages for NCB, age, occupation and few other criteria. That wouldn't be allowed to happen now obviously and underwriting has become much more "sophisticated", transparency being lobbed out of the window years ago. But this has resulted in much lower premiums than before in real terms. Despite people complaining about outrageous prices, 70's prices in real terms today would be eye watering.

 

[ChrisKnottIns]

Can't say it wouldn't be enforceable. If the policy has been taken out and the premium calculated on the basis that the car is garaged over night, it becomes a policy condition and if you don't comply you suffer the consequences. Fairly standard nowadays. I would guess that if you are not at home at night the premium would be different. Whether this condition applies if you are say staying at a hotel or whatever you would need to clarify with the Insurers.

Premiums are all over the place as people have said and seems to vary day by day. One year my premium dropped by more than £50 from the morning to the afternoon. The schoolboy in the call centre couldn't explain why.

Garaging warranties usually provide that if the car is parked at the home address, after 10pm, it must be garaged. That doesn't stop you parking it away from the home occasionally.

 

[EmilysDad]

Renewal of both vehicles in the same week always feels like playing pin the tail on the donkey to me

you are lucky .... all 4 of ours are due on the same day. That's cos they were all on a multi-car policy at one time. The renewal came last week .... £1250 for all 4.

 

[JBell]

you are lucky .... all 4 of ours are due on the same day. That's cos they were all on a multi-car policy at one time. The renewal came last week .... £1250 for all 4.

Insured mine this week

Hastings renewal £334

lloyds £267 (Money Supermarket)

Hastings came back at £260

 

[EmilysDad]

Insured mine this week

Hastings renewal £334

lloyds £267 (Money Supermarket)

Hastings came back at £260

I had a look on Compare ... Churchill were coming in at £800something ..... 2/3rds that of LV
I need to make a few phone calls

 

[JBell]

I had a look on Compare ... Churchill were coming in at £800something ..... 2/3rds that of LV
I need to make a few phone calls

I called Hastings to cancel and they "re valued" the policy

 

[Paul Garrett]

I called Hastings to cancel and they "re valued" the policy

Oh isn't that amazing how they can suddenly do that eh? Seems us motorists are just a cash cow esp for the unaware! Good job i always haggle for best deal

 

[EmilysDad]

I called Hastings to cancel and they "re valued" the policy

I fell out with Hastings years ago. A policy was due to end around Christmas time, I phoned to make sure they were not about renew the policy .... they did! When I phoned again to complain & sort it out, the young girl said I should have cancelled the policy until I questioned why I'd cancel a policy with just a couple of weeks left.

 

[Ron240]

I fell out with Hastings years ago. A policy was due to end around Christmas time, I phoned to make sure they were not about renew the policy .... they did! When I phoned again to complain & sort it out, the young girl said I should have cancelled the policy until I questioned why I'd cancel a policy with just a couple of weeks left.

Auto renew is a favourite trick among insurance companies. They always say it is for "your convenience", but the real thruth is they hope you will simply let it renew without shopping around...or better yet forget about it.
Whenever I change insurance companies I always make sure that I tell them not to auto renew my policy.

 

[Paul Garrett]

Auto renew is a favourite trick among insurance companies. They always say it is for "your convenience", but the real thruth is they hope you will simply let it renew without shopping around...or better yet forget about it.
Whenever I change insurance companies I always make sure that I tell them not to auto renew my policy.

I tend to check around a month before policy ends to see what i can get, then contact insurance about the time i get renew info....then haggle til i get good price...works everytime ...job done