Check out BBC Breakfast/News-I feel vindicated! The Commission of Fair Trading finally produced a report stating that Car Insurance Market is dis functional, fraudulent, with costs spiralling out of control riddled with dishonest providers taking advantage of the system resulting in ridiculously high premiums where all of the above is being passed to customers as insurance companies couldn't be bothered to do anything about except from continually raising premiums to balance their books just because they can... I hope something will be done with it finally!!!

And these are the people want you to declare everything and let them decide.

Damn shame my emoticons aren't working right now.

Have a read!

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/market-studies/private-motor-insurance/OFT1422.pdf

I recently had to claim on my neighbours insurance after he reversed off his drive into my car whilst I was in the house, looking forward to a suitably higher premium in December when I have to renew my policies.

Interesting read that OFT document. No wonder my neighbours insurance were so quick to point out that I had no need to involve my insurance company in getting the car sorted out. Had they been involved it probably would have doubled the cost of the claim and taken longer to get in sorted.

Interestingly I was chatting to a Dutch coleage at work about car insurane, He actually thought I was trying to wind him up when I told him about the hoops insurance companies make us jump through in the uk. He isn't asked for anual mileage or even who is going to drive the car.Looking online if he moved to the uk and his kids continued to use his car as they do now his premium would be in the region of 10 times what it is now!Same was true when I spent time in South Africa, friends couldn't undersand why I questioned being able to use their cars when they offered.

Anyways...does anyone know how I am supposed to know what was standard rather than factory fitted on a car that is nearly 10 years old with 4 owners? I really don't know what was standard and what was a factory option on either of my cars.

Edited 29 September, 201213 yr by MarkyTDI

Thats crazy, how`d an insurance company be able to cover a car if they dont even know who is driving it!

They just cover the car!

My insurance came down a bit this year, despite adding quite a few more mods since last year (air ride, etc). Great price and service again from Brentacre.

Honestly I can't imagine insuring directly with a big faceless insurance company like Direct Line / More Than, etc now. I like being able to phone up and speak to an individual I can ask for by name, who actually remembers me and my car and is interested in having a bit of a chat about my latest mods and understands them all. Very different experience.

They just cover the car!

Yup, that's they way it works in some countries.

They just cover the car!

The owner of the car insures the vehicle and is held responsible, irrespective of the driver, but there is a no claims bonus system, which means that those with fewer claims pay less than those who have made more claims. Other factors are taken into account.

There are 3 types of insurance WA(TP - minimum legal cover), WA Plus/WA+mini Casco (TPFT) and Casco (comprehensive).

It's difficult to compare different countries because some items are covered by the state through taxation.

Thats crazy, how`d an insurance company be able to cover a car if they dont even know who is driving it!

Sometimes there are simple age restrictions on policies but actually having to name every single person is not normal in many places.

I have a boat in the uk which is worth much more than my car and TBH in inexperienced hands would probably result in a claim on the 1st outing. Who is insured to use it........any one who I, the owner gives permission. I think the only exception is that anyone under 25 must have relevent experience of such a craft.

Why the uk car insurance industry is as it is has always baffled me.

What is baffling here?!?

Non regulated "industry" based on a legal requirement to have an insurance = a license to rip off who come under that law. Due to poor or non existent returns fro their investments in money markets, criminally fraudulent rise of costs of repairs, hire etc topped with legal "profession" mercilessly milking the system ... What do you expect? Follow the path of least resistance-increase the premiums and try not to cough up or procrastinate as long as possible so the money can stay in the system longer for their profit...

Insuring people and not cars must the biggest scam in the history of Europe...

Yep, every other country I've driven in had the vehicle insured. Some policies would restrict drivers demographics to reduce the premiums (i.e. no drivers under 20 or under 25), others (like all mine) simply have a higher excess for a younger driver. Under 25 is another $300 excess, under $20 is another $300 on top of that.

No mileage limits, nothing like that. I do pay a 20% higher premium on my Solihull products than a 2wd car of the same value. Simply because they know those vehicles get taken silly places in bad conditions. I'm happy knowing I've got full off-road coverage for only 20% more.

I suspect unscrupulous insurers are intentionally going out of their way to make sure their underwriters refuse cover, so they can charge a nice big admin fee (hidden away in the small print), and they probably make more money this way.

I don't get how they can expect you to declare factory fit options, if you did not know your car had them - if you purchased second hand. For example, aircon might have been a factory option on my model, but if I bought it and it came with aircon, if I didn't have the slightest clue otherwise, I wouldn't know it was a factory fit option.

I suspect this is more aimed at your average chav in his Corsa or VRS with lowered suspension/remaps, driving with the car insured in his parent's name with no mods declared. They've targeted the fronting aspect (parent named as main driver when not), so this would be the next logical step.

One thing nobody mentioned here so far... EU Gender Ruling for insurance purposes. It may be beneficial to cancel your insurance before December '12 and get into a new contract before price structures change. This is for our young female members who pay more than £700/year.

Cancellation.

You will pay an admin fee for cancellation and will get refund of your premiums for the remaining period - TESCO in my case will charge me £30, already spoken to them because of new Fabia vRS replacing Lupo in few weeks, let's hope .

Also, we need to be careful when comparing different EU Car Insurance markets! There is something called average wage to premium ratio as well as historic structures of insurance models. You might be shocked how much more they pay compared to us here...

I still come back to a point I made earlier - If it's that simple there has to be a business opportunity for an insurance company to market a "simple" system or a per vehicle system - unless off course there is regulation preventing them from doing this.

I think a lot of this is down to marketing an our own gullibility. We all see fixated on "Go Compare" and getting the perceived cheapest deal. How may actually use brokers or deal direct with a high street insurer.

My own premium has come down for each of the last 2 renewals, with no change in NCD or circumstances. I can walk into my insurers office a speak to a person.

I still check on line - when I did this at my last renewal I could find a headline price £22 per year cheaper, but when I wanted to pay monthly I was hit by a stupid ARP interest - often as much as 30% when my current insurer charges 2.3%. Don't be baffled by the bull excretment.

Edited 30 September, 201213 yr by slider

What is baffling here?!?

Non regulated "industry" based on a legal requirement to have an insurance = a license to rip off who come under that law. Due to poor or non existent returns fro their investments in money markets, criminally fraudulent rise of costs of repairs, hire etc topped with legal "profession" mercilessly milking the system ... What do you expect? Follow the path of least resistance-increase the premiums and try not to cough up or procrastinate as long as possible so the money can stay in the system longer for their profit...

Insuring people and not cars must the biggest scam in the history of Europe...

Assuming it is down to regulation It would be interesting to see/know how differently ours has been regulated/unregulated compared to else where.

I wonder how long it will be until you have to have named inhabitants/visitors on the house insurance. " I'm sorry Sir, we aren't going to pay out to rebuild your property after the fire as someone was in the house who wasn't named on your policy"..... :wonder:

Well I re-insured with Aviva for the fourth time this year,( the 1st time I have ever stayed so long with the same Insurer. Most want new business and have no loyalty to their current customers. I do feel every car should have insurance displayed on the car( like France ) as it costs 4 billion pounds in uninsured drivers( and £35 on everyones policy ) Having put my daughters Ford Ka on to my policy, she being named driver the costs for new drivers is staggering. Aviva were the cheapest again £1000 for 3rd party for a £400 car. Where is the incentive to get insurance when her friends ( male ) pay £2500 for ins and driving with no insurance will not generate that amount of fine. There should be a cap on new, or young drivers,( maybe £900) but then in the event of a claim ( your fault) a further £900 excess. That way more could have insurance but would take more care. There is an Area 5 miles from me, where 1 in 4 drivers has no insurance !

If you think car insurance is a scam then think again! My partner pays for cat isnurance £30/month! And there is no hope for the little bugger popping his cloggs any time soon... :(

My griff is that after 9 years I see no change in my NCB,although I've got twice that .I smell RIP off .

Mine's even better than that.

Started driving in 1998.

Had a No-Fault accident in 1998.

Had another No-Fault accident about 4 months ago (so 2012).

Despite having 14 years of (protected) no-claims built up, my last broker had me down as 11 years.........and told me over the phone that when I moved insurer, they would tell them that (as it only shows 9 years on my form, being their maximum NCD).

When I moved, they sent a form saying 5 years NCD.

I then asked for the 11 years confirmation they had promised - nothing.

My new insurer then spoke to them, and had 9 years confirmed (their max NCD).

My new insurer gives 9 years max, ok, but has now put me on 9 years officially...........so I've just lost 5 years of no-claims in the space of 1 year!

I appreciate there are maximum NCD's, but seriously, how can I just lose years without claim? Because when I go to reinsure next year, I will be asked how many claim-free years (other than no fault, of course) and I will say 15, but they will get confirmation of only 10!

It's just ridiculous and makes me look like a liar.

And don't even get me started on premiums going up for no-fault claims...........happened in 1998 to me and I am dreading the renewal next March...........and before any bright spark says "but anyone involved in an accident is statistically more likely to be involved in another one, regardless of fault in the first accident" - well, balls, I had 14 years between mine - if that's "more likely", you can kiss my rear.

As you can tell, I love insurance.

H

As kfor full insurance history and it will be clear what your No Claims period was. If they are saying it was 9 years just because this is the max they IT systems can handle then they are providing missinformation...

Also, I noticed your sig... I have the same problem! In the last two years I spent £1500 in servicing costs for 07 plate 520d (163bhp motor). I am having really enough of it, especially after the last Oil Service turned out to be £330 affair as they felt they needed two microfilters changed. Now I am thinking between Superb Estate and Passsat Estate...

What are your thoughts?

Edited 2 October, 201213 yr by Jabozuma