Car insurance renewal - EU travel cost & admin charges

[Gilesme]

Originally Posted by id5

And the price difference between the automatic renewal and the comparison sites was? and you saved?

I usually have a quick play on price comparison sites at renewal, but for me LV just seems to be always near the bottom of the price range (and although i've not yet claimed (touching wood here !)) i know from others are pretty painless should you need to.

Price isn't always the primary factor - i once went with First:Utility and regretted it for a couple of years !

As per my previous post, hopefully all insurers will start printing last years premium on the renewals.

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by GMcL

Every year they try to stiff me 20%, I do an online quote and by some "magic" they manage to meet the online quote. "Amazing"

I know many are like that, hence why I said only two years running. Mine would be a dam sight cheaper mind without Class 3 use on there....

[Arianne]

Originally Posted by Gilesme

I usually have a quick play on price comparison sites at renewal, but for me LV just seems to be always near the bottom of the price range (and although i've not yet claimed (touching wood here !)) i know from others are pretty painless should you need to.

Price isn't always the primary factor - i once went with First:Utility and regretted it for a couple of years !

Liverpool Victoria
Quite a few folk have said very positive things about LV and I do understand why. In 2003 we had just bought a brand new Ford Galaxy Ghia. Driving south on the A1 Mrs A stopped at a roundabout and a woman in a Ford Fiesta drove straight into the back of us (the A1 had roundabouts in those days). Our Galaxy was just 3wks old. I was livid but kept calm as soon as I saw that the lady was so upset and she had an infant in the car with her.

She was insured with LV. No ifs, buts or maybe's - LV wrote to me direct and apologised for the actions of their policyholder, offered to repair the car at one of their bodyshops or one of my choice. No fuss, no hassle. They were everything that you don't expect a car insurance company to be.

First Utility
I remember when these guys were the cheapest, newest kid on the block for gas & electricity. But I stayed well clear because the customer reviews were appalling and their pricing structure looked weird.

Sheila's Wheels
Which is why this year I stayed clear of Sheila because, although she was cheapest on MoneySupermarket, the reviews were also 100% awful.

Volvo Insurance
And finally, through my letterbox this morning pops the invitation to contact the Volvo car insurance people for a quote. It looks good, as per other folks' posts on this thread. But I did notice one thing - just 31 days free EU cover. Lloyds Bank have offered me 60 days free.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice folks. We could go on and maybe we will? But if we do......try not to be too edgy with the posts - some folk will have had a hard day so go easy with the messages

Best wishes, Arianne

[Ninja59]

Good point Arianne....

Interesting irony for me when it comes to insurers is NFU Mutual actually having been hit by one of their drivers I thought it would be swift as the reviews they get are good.

Never have I met some an incompetent and not willing to listen company ever. Convenient to blame a new IT system, it might be but not to listen to a person who has been hit by one of their drivers is just simply amateur - I am not talking complex here I mean basic statements such as no I have a hire car and yes it is already at a bodyshop....

I had considered them in the past for a potential quote and maybe switching but overall after that forget it (and they were firmly told so).

Some insurers seem to forget when one of their third party's hit you it can also give you an impression of whether you would or not consider them in future.

[id5]

Originally Posted by Ninja59

...
Never have I met some an incompetent and not willing to listen company ever.
...
.

Hmmmm...you ought to try the f^&wits that the stolen XC60 was with, that saga still rolls on. They have already been mentioned in this thread but until we accept a pay out I will keep quiet as it may still go to court.

[pagan8c]

I have stayed with Volvo insurance because they have not raised the costs at renewal and I do look round first .What I like is you get the car taken to a volvo garage they also give the free EU cover and the cost for extra days isn't a fortune.I have had no problems with my DD unlike Scottish Power who have still not got it right after 6 months.I am switching to Sainsburys it is cheaper (for electric and gas).

[Arianne]

Originally Posted by pagan8c

I am switching to Sainsburys it is cheaper (for electric and gas).

Sainsbury is the cheapest utility provider for most people right now. In-law's have just switched and, because there was a delay in effecting the switch, Sainsbury paid them £20 good-will straight into their bank account - they didn't even ask for this!

Arianne

[MikeIOW]

Originally Posted by Ninja59

Good point Arianne....

Interesting irony for me when it comes to insurers is NFU Mutual actually having been hit by one of their drivers I thought it would be swift as the reviews they get are good.

Never have I met some an incompetent and not willing to listen company ever. Convenient to blame a new IT system, it might be but not to listen to a person who has been hit by one of their drivers is just simply amateur - I am not talking complex here I mean basic statements such as no I have a hire car and yes it is already at a bodyshop....

I lost any love for NFU when they tried to raise our home insurance 40% a few years ago! Pretty quick to find an alternative.....yes, those things do stick with you & influence your selections!

[MikeIOW]

Time for the merry insurance dance again.....esure renewal 280, LV at 450, Volvo online fail, most quotes 290+, ended up with Aviva using TopCashBack to make it around £240 including legal, euro, NCD protection....

Another lump of my life I won't get back this year.....

[ashadam]

One of the main benefits of company car driving is not having insurance hassles, excess charges and having to get new quotes every year due to your existing provider raising charges for no reason. I arrange my mothers insurance every year and she has never claimed or had an accident in almost 40yrs but most insurers try and increase every year except for LV (Not Cheapest).