My much loved 1.8 TSi comes up for insurance renewal and I got an email reminder, but no renewal quote at that time.

 

So I do all the usual compare sites and come up with present company still the best (E-Sure) at £162, though Sheila's Wheels the same.

 

A few days later I get my E-Sure renewal quote...£147.    How do these guys operate?

 

Go figure................

 

 

 A renewal quote will sometimes be cheaper for an existing company than comparison websites, as the sites don't take into account any loyalty bonus (as in the company don't want you to take your moneys else where!) 

 

Also the comparisons can also be dependent on the deal they have with the insurers, the position of the moon in relation to Jupiter and how disappointed the quotes chap is with his life on that day! 

Just done my renewal yesterday and my best was around £250! Happy with that, but it's amazing what a difference small things can make to a price.

 

Just out of interet Ed, would you be happy sharing some of your details to compare the quotes? One difference is yours is an Elegance to my L&K, but curious as to the other stuff. This is what I gave them:

 

Value - £7650

Mileage - 65k

miles per year - 12k

38 year old male driver, 12 years no claims, social, domestic, pleasure & commuting.

Just done my renewal yesterday and my best was around £250! Happy with that, but it's amazing what a difference small things can make to a price.

 

Just out of interet Ed, would you be happy sharing some of your details to compare the quotes? One difference is yours is an Elegance to my L&K, but curious as to the other stuff. This is what I gave them:

 

Value - £7650

Mileage - 65k

miles per year - 12k

38 year old male driver, 12 years no claims, social, domestic, pleasure & commuting.

Sure:- gave them £7K value (total guess, car is soon 6 years old), only 7K miles per year, so about 40K total mileage, social use only. Very long NCB (protected). 

Me:- Married, nearly 70 years old, only access to one car, only me driving. Kept on our driveway. No mods, -  factory alarm and immobiliser only. That's about it I think.

Yeah, mine was book value for a good example. It is generally the mileage which makes the difference, so that makes sense. Apart from age, the personal stuff is pretty identical. I'm a fireman so I don't know if that helps when it comes to valuations cos I know some professions are 'better' than others.

 

Just a thought, if you're married and your wife drives, I have mates who get lower quotes for simply naming a second driver! Dunno how it works, but it does. Even if they never drive it, just having them on the policy sometimes makes a difference, bizarre as that sounds.

Yeah, mine was book value for a good example. It is generally the mileage which makes the difference, so that makes sense. Apart from age, the personal stuff is pretty identical. I'm a fireman so I don't know if that helps when it comes to valuations cos I know some professions are 'better' than others.

 

Just a thought, if you're married and your wife drives, I have mates who get lower quotes for simply naming a second driver! Dunno how it works, but it does. Even if they never drive it, just having them on the policy sometimes makes a difference, bizarre as that sounds.

The only profession they know is that I'm retired (Or is that re-tyred ? )

The only thing my wife drives is me mad.

(Actually about 35 years ago she tried to learn on a Daf 44. Like driving a pedal car. Gave up after 3 tests!)

Assuming the IK is similar to AUS, the inurers are willing to do a deeper discount for new customers than for existing.

I had the same issue in July when my 1.8tsi came up for renewal with a major local insurer. The premium had gone up to $1100 and a quick check on their site came in at $796. I rang them to get the price fixed & they refused to match the price for new customers but did bring the price down to $860. They didn't seem to understand that it was easier to retain an existing customer than hook a new one.

I told them to stick it up their jumper & went with a supermarket insurance offer for $696. I got a rock in my windscreen yesterday & am about to test out the "1 free windscreen per year" component of the policy.

Assuming the UK is similar to AUS, the insurers are willing to do a deeper discount for new customers than for existing.

 

That is exactly what I always found up to about 3 years ago. Changed insurers every year. Then when I got onto E-Sure I found they sent me a renewal about £20 cheaper than my first year, and when I did compare sites, out of curiosity,  the premium was back up to what I'd paid originally (though still usually the lowest.)

 

So my annual charge went something like £185, down to £165, then again down to £145 last year. This year it was about £147 but still easily the best. I know premiums have supposedly come down anyway, due to cracking down on false (whiplash) claims etc. But I'm staying with them till I have reason not to!

Wish my Insurance was that cheap for about the last 5 years it's been round £500 that was on a vw touran and now with my vrs

I'm 38

About 14 years no claims bonus

10k miles year

But do have 6 points 3 coming off this year

Car around 11k

I forget how much  mine was exactly, £240 I think....

 

I'm 31 with 8 years NCB

£4K car, 5K miles a year, 1K business (though that makes no difference)

2.0TDI Elegance DSG

Parked on a drive, no mods

I know ESure said to me they don't do price matching and their renewal was their best offer.

 

That seems true enough although I got much cheaper via Quidco's comparison. I saw some quotes from unknown companies that were so low I was suspicious.

 

Ended up with Chaucer. They don't have a great rep but then do any insurance companies other than the very expensive NFU?

I know ESure said to me they don't do price matching and their renewal was their best offer.

 

That seems true enough although I got much cheaper via Quidco's comparison. I saw some quotes from unknown companies that were so low I was suspicious.

 

Ended up with Chaucer. They don't have a great rep but then do any insurance companies other than the very expensive NFU?

Yes, I only go with companies I've heard of for quite a while, but even allowing for that there were no obscure ones offering a better price.

I have never had a competitive quote from any of the supposedly "oldie" companies like Saga or Rias.

Never had a good quote from AA even though I'm a member.

Direct Line ("We're not on ANY compare sites") seem always double the price of anyone else...........so....................

 

(Just did a Direct Line quote - came out at £217)

Edited 9 September, 201411 yr by ednmra

When I moved from Market Harborough to Fenland my insurance actually came down.

Its not like Harborough was a high crime area, and the driving here, well... 'nuff said.

A garage is one thing they look for.

I am always asked if I have pass+ and the like. I always explain there was no such thing available way back then.

A 49 year no claims bonus doesn't count for much....

I find the whole thing irksome in the extreme, being patronised by a fifteen year old. Being told I have to listen because he won't proceed unless he tells me a loads of useless and irrelevant guff about offers there is no chance of me ever accepting.