This is a first.

Just swapped Skoda's from Karoq to Superb

My current provider is Hastings. They have asked for numerous photos from every angle inside and out and I must include driving licence in every shot.

The tone of the email is very aggressive and suggests they will cancel the policy in 7 days without the photos.

The car is just under a year old and is exactly specified as it left the factory but it did have some factory options.

I've sent the photos through and will report back after I've spoken to them tomorrow.

If you declared the factory options they may just be looking to check?

Did you do a history check on the vehicle before purchase? They may know something about the car they need to verify?

Also Hastings are a Broker not an insurer so it's possible the particular underwriter that they have the quote from needs them.

Edited 14 April14 Apr by Stonekeeper

1 minute ago, Stonekeeper said:

If you declared the factory options they may just be looking to check?

Also Hastings are a Broker not an insurer so it's possible the particular underwriter that they have the quote from needs them.

Their own website says factory options are not classed as modifications.

A quick Google shows Hastings are doing this often and a few people have open cases with the ombudsman?

TBH if it were me I'd be inclined to take my business elsewhere if they are being difficult unless the quote was a very good one and they can explain why they want the photos

1 minute ago, skomaz said:

TBH if it were me I'd be inclined to take my business elsewhere if they are being difficult unless the quote was a very good one and they can explain why they want the photos

I'm 3/4 of the way through the policy. Renewal is in July. But I've just swapped cars.

My house insurance is with them as well. They have lost all my business come renewal.

It is elsewhere suggested on the world wide web that everything typed into comparison sites is collated, so if someone does a search for a car insurance quote and inputs details then submits details again and changing what they have put to see if the price alters. The insurer will then query the change. If mods have been input before for that registration then later not, photos would be needed to verify?

Edited 14 April14 Apr by Stonekeeper

2 minutes ago, Stonekeeper said:

It is elsewhere suggested on the world wide web that everything typed into comparison sites is collated, so if someone does a search for a car insurance quote and inputs details then submits details again and changing what they have put to see if the price alters. The insurer will then query the change. If mods have been input before for that registration then later not, photos would be needed to verify?

I have a private plate that's been on numerous vehicles, have just changed the car, have changed from on drive to in a locked garage and have down graded my annual mileage. Not sure if that would have raised flags.

3 minutes ago, Stonekeeper said:

It is elsewhere suggested on the world wide web that everything typed into comparison sites is collated, so if someone does a search for a car insurance quote and inputs details then submits details again and changing what they have put to see if the price alters.

Now you mention it I seem to recall having that issue once before after getting two quotes from the same insurer.... In that case I just got a nice email asking noting the discrepancy and asking me to check what I'd entered was correct. There was no hard line from the insurers and no need to evidence anything. In my case it was simply a typo from memory and the info I'd used for the insurance I took out was correct so maybe logiclee's issue is something else.

That's interesting about the private plate.

I have one but always insure the car with the number that is on it before changing over, because you have to wait for the v5 to do it yourself online. if you used your number on the phone before doing the change they may want the pictures because their database will still show your car as a Karoq?

2 minutes ago, Stonekeeper said:

That's interesting about the private plate.

I have one but always insure the car with the number that is on it before changing over, because you have to wait for the v5 to do it yourself online. if you used your number on the phone before doing the change they may want the pictures because their database will still show your car as a Karoq?

I insured it with the Superb's original plates first.

I'm thinking back to when I was looking to swap I may have done a quote on a comparison site for a Superb with aftermarket wheels.

The Superb's I have bought has the factory wheels although they are an option wheel from new.

Insurers do have access to comparison site quotes.

Last year my renewal came via email with a click to pay.

When i went to a comparison site for quotes i couldn't find cheaper so went back to the app to pay and the option had been removed saying I now had to phone.

When I rang and queried it apparantley when filling in the form online at the meercat i had changed my job.

I hadn't actually changed what i do for work i just picked a different descriptor in the drop down box.

The renewal remained the same

11 minutes ago, logiclee said:

I'm thinking back to when I was looking to swap I may have done a quote on a comparison site for a Superb with aftermarket wheels.

That would be a different registration though.

I make many alterations to quotes each year but not about the car itself and have lots of quotes on the same comparison site or provider and never had a problem.

I go through TopCashback comparison site that gives us £45 back (a good percentage of premium) and takes us to the same comparison sites and providers as not going through them at same or lower prices - with £45 to come back later.

What makes a difference to premium cost is how early or late you buy the insurance prior to renewal date and possibly sometimes time of day and which day of the week but biggest difference is buying early before renewal date.

I never go for cheap but lower priced good quality, cheap is for when you are never going to claim but if you do it often doesn't work out to be cheap in price but only cheap service and covering of costs.

Be interesting to hear what Hastings say. After the brokers (and including some of them) there's not many companies actually covering car insurance, same names appear no matter who you go through.

And where is good value one yea often isn't the next as despite what you might hear they're all competing for your business sometimes against themselves with different or same name.

Always cancel automatic renewal, or don't take it in the first place, and don't wait for late renewal notice with next year's cost either contact them and ask or look on your insurance account website. The nearer you get it sorted to 30 days before renewal usually the better the offers and premium price.

Edited 14 April14 Apr by nta16

I swapped cars with Hastings once - even having only passed three months previous, they didn't ask for anything. I also update my address and other details every year, without issue.

This is a very common thing to catch people out (often young boy racers) that have plastered their car with wheels, a splitter, spolier, intake and all sorts of other things, that they haven't declared on their policy. In other words, it's them basically saying 'we don't trust you and we want to catch you out'.

If it were me, I'd cancel the policy and tell them to swivel.

Take a look at Admiral multi-cover. I'm paying a very good price for my vRS.

Well I spoke to them this morning.

There's no further issues as the car is standard from when it left the factory.

I asked them why?

Apparently I asked for a quote in 2020 for a remap. (I've had three cars since then)

How they can tell if a car is remapped from photos beats me?

Edited to add.

I have three family cars and house insurance with Hastings. If they can't accept me on good faith they do not deserve my business so I'll be moving all policies come renewal.

Edited 15 April15 Apr by logiclee

If you have a specialist car or modified a lot then specialist insurance may offer better policies and premiums. The comparison sites are more for Joe and Jane average. Always makes me laugh when I see "average savings" advertised by some companies and the "average savings" are a lot more than the premium for our car(s) - it is of course an old car and we are old people with full protected NCB. It's also about where you live, work, your job, etc., etc..

Not meaning anyone here, but people who lie and break laws aren't always the cleverest of people, people with things like misspaced numberplates and too dark tinted windows don't seem to realise those can be signs shouting out "stop me" or "check me" as I disregard rules, regulations and laws and those are possibly just the start going on to more serious law-breaking and criminality.

I'm not defending the current insurance companies (though there are a few that are good) but in different lives I have dealt with the public and can assure you people are people whether they work for (or own) an insurance company or are just buying insurance some people are good and some are bad and everything in between. No, I've never worked for (and certainly not own) an insurance company but have bought and dealt with lots of car insurance over four decades.

On 15/04/2025 at 09:24, logiclee said:

Apparently I asked for a quote in 2020 for a remap.

I imagine the insurer views this question similarly to a wife whose husband has just asked her what she thinks about the idea of an "open marriage". 😄