[Closed] Car insurance - views?

How much. !

I have only been driving for 3 years, didn't go for my test till the grand old age of 30, and currently paying £309 fully comp with legal cover. This is with Aviva, and with 3 yrs NCB, on a 1.4 Fiesta.

It's not great, but I am still seen as a new-ish driver.

I should add, the good thing I found with Aviva is that you can strip off all the 'extras' other policies have built in. So I just went with insurance and legal cover, no breakdown recovery etc. That I did separate with Auto-Aid.

I passed my test last month and everyone is telling me it will be at least £1000. No wonder there are so many uninsured drivers out there.

Admiral for me

i switch every year, admiral were cheapest last time but when it came to renew they were like £200 more than the comparison site

it matters not one jot where you live what you drive etc. they just charge what your used to paying so for me my first car was 150.. when i was 17 its now 235 .. 33 years later

Recently renewed my insurance for the car. Play around with the voluntary excess. When I opted to pay zero voluntary excess, the premium didn't change at all from the default figure of £250 or whatever it started at.

Bonkers! But guess how much voluntary excess I opted to pay should the worst happen?

Mate I dont know how old you are or how you got that NCB but often if you're older (and sticking to the NCB rules) its well worth your while talking to a broker or one of the direct line companines over the phone.

They often give intoductory discounts (eg driving the wifes car before now, or company cars, or one claim after 5 years claim free etc).

If you've just started out then I dont know.

And, phone wise, yes: I have a PAYG top-up tesco mobile specifically for this kind of thing. And lastly if you've told them you've ever had a claim, expect to get a call from every solicitor in the country!

Initially, I bought the car with provisional license in 2011 ... arrghh ... long story. Insured under my name but it was so expensive it's crazy as no insurance company was going to insure me because I was going to add an international license to it. I think it was £2k - £2.5

Last year the insurance was £1.4k

This year the same insurance company quoted me £1.2k plus but when I searched the internet I got Admiral quoting me £652 + £75 (nation wide breakdown) = £727. Later on they rang me to offer all in for £701.

Yes, I got my UK full driving license in Feb 2013 ... so 6 months full license.

The voluntary excess is £250 but I don't mind paying the max at £1K, but the premium only changed by £2 only so not worth pushing for max voluntary ...

Any idea how to reduce it further? 🙁

Oh ya ... I am "old" but not hitting the mid life crisis yet. 😆

Car is insured at £4K ... I bought it for £5K.

Secure car park with CCTV but in city centre.

p/s: Since I got the car I have insured it with Swinton who indirectly go them from Aviva. For whatever reason they are more expensive now ...

If someone offered me insurance for £701 I'd bite their hand off.
£1000 a year, 11 years no claims crashes or convictions on a sodding ford focus kept in a locked underground private car park with CCTV.

Yay for a Birmingham postcode....

Can anyone recommend me some insurance broker and etc that deal with a case like mine?

Just tried Aviva so got quoted £675 comprehensive (voluntary £800) without breakdown cover.

The quote from Admiral is still the lowest at £626 comprehensive (voluntary £250) without breakdown cover.

Hmmmm ... 🙁

I've been paying about £270 for car insurance since I was 19.... I' mnow 41.
I've had 4 cars in that time, varying from a slow 1.3 to a 2 litre road rocket, and it hasn't really changed. I've had points, one accident, stayed in different areas......

speak to people and you'll get a discount, thats what I've always found. I saved £60 this year simply by phoning Aviva and telling them I wasn't happy with my renewal quote.
Basically.....
"I'm not happy with my renewal, and I'm thinking of going to (insert other company)"
"Well Mr. Neil, we can give you this much discount today, meaning your insurance will be this much less...."

It works. 😉

OK, I think I shall give Aviva a call tomorrow because I have insured with them through Swinton last year and I think also year before.

p/s: oh yes ... if I buy online from Aviva I get 20% Online Discount which makes it £540. Need to keep trying ... 🙂

I've just insured a 1.4 petrol people carrier berlingoey type thing worth 1k. 420-ish quid full comp, 6 points on licence, 3 for 18mph over limit in a 60 and 3 points for bald tyres, 40 years old, town where I live was a town when I passed my test, it's now a 'city'.. not sure if it makes any odds.

I claimed for a screen last year so the ncb is back to square one. At first it was close to £500 so we altered a few things to bring it down a bit.

I like dealing with a firm based here in the U.K. so going by how much I could have saved over the previous years by going with the likes of Direct L1ne,I think it's worth it. I had an utter mare trying to communicate with them (possibly to India) years ago after foolishly offering a truck driver my details having witnessed an accident. His insurance,the other chaps insurance and my own insurance at the time (Direct L1ne) were getting so confused and unable to understand the story from the two guys involved in the head-on,that I started getting letters as if it was me that was in the accident!!

I'm with Adr1an Flux now and although they haven't been perfect over the years, they've been the easiest to deal with with.

I went through an insurance broker for my recent insurance as it was by far the cheapest compared to shipping on the net.

However, after years of shopping around I've come to the conclusion that it's all just a postcode lottery. With my current policy if I use my parents postcode in Devon the premium is £300 & if I use my current address in Cardiff it's just over £600. Go figure.

Edit: oh & I've got 8 years no claims 🙁

Breakdown cover is something I gave up on. I had to get the car picked up a few months ago and it cost £80. Even driving old bangers, cars rarely break down on me. Well, putting the current one aside considering whats going on with it right now 😆

Hastings. about £250/year for a Citroen C4 1.6 petrol on a 56 plate. 48yo full licence since '91, no convictions, no claims since '01

martinxyz - Member

... Direct L1ne ...

Good call with Direct L1ne ... the quote comes to £493.96 ...

I will try Adr1an Flux in a moment ...

The price is dropping now finally.

ell_tell - Member

I went through an insurance broker for my recent insurance as it was by far the cheapest compared to shipping on the net.

Which insurance broker can I get?

Anymore suggestion anyone?

😀

Good call with Direct L1ne

OMG I actually helped somone. Oh have you called them though? On the phone? Its often cheaper on the phone.

As for brokers: you really need something distinctive in your history / or profession.

Are you a fireman....? Doctor....? Anything thats got a professional association?

Or years on a motorbike? Have you driven a van for years? Something. Driven abroad?

Get some other named drivers on there as well, providing they have no points etc. Both my parents are on mine, brought it down a fair bit

couldashouldawoulda - Member

Good call with Direct L1ne

OMG I actually helped somone. Oh have you called them though? On the phone? Its often cheaper on the phone.

I just tried their website quote so will give them a call tomorrow to see if I can get it lower.

Okay ... not a true profession but how about low ranking bureaucrat does that count? Not with any association.

Yes, driven many years abroad then 10 years break when I came back to UK.

gdj001 - Member

Get some other named drivers on there as well, providing they have no points etc. Both my parents are on mine, brought it down a fair bit

Hhmmm ... no other people I am afraid. Friends? Does that work?

[i]Which insurance broker can I can?[/i]

I have a Mazda & joined a Mazda owners forum I believe is run by Neil F above...

I saw some recommendations for a broker called Sky Insurance (nowt to do with Murdoch) so tried them and they came out the cheapest. Always worth a try but you need to call for a quote as don't think they offer an over the net service, which you mentioned might be a problem

So how were you allowed drive abroad? Where did you pass your test?

#Edits:

Ie for those years?

Also, roughly how old are you? Where abouts you living?

ell_tell - Member

... a broker called Sky Insurance (nowt to do with Murdoch) so tried them and they came out the cheapest.

Oh yes will do ...

couldashouldawoulda - Member

So how were you allowed drive abroad? Where did you pass your test?

I got foreign driving license from the land of headhunter (not the HR type ... real ones) .
Passed my test in a foreign land ... many many years go say nearly 30 years ago.

Stopped driving for the past 10 years or so because I walk to work so no need to commute. Bought the car for someone else but when the plan changed I took over the ownership.

Dont be shy about it!

So - ring a broker, you've been driving for 30 years. You've got a UK licence for a few years. No claims ... It's worth a shot.

Where was the first test done - if you dont mind me asking? Commonwealth?

#Edit - we cross posted a bit there I think.

couldashouldawoulda - Member

Where was the test done - if you dont mind me asking? Commenwealth?

Commonwealth country ... at the capital of this island.

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Ahh Ok, and you redid your test in the UK?

BTW: I did mine here originally: Knock airport (while it was being built). Redid it in London.

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Yeah try friends, it's worth a shot as you've got nothing to lose. If they don't bring the price down, don't add them on. If any of them drive for a living, ie work vans, company cars, that would help

couldashouldawoulda - Member

Ahh Ok, and you redid your test in the UK?

Yes. Thought I would be better off with UK license as I intend to start a business in the future so need to drive around.

couldashouldawoulda - Member

BTW: I did mine here originally: Knock airport (while it was being built). Redid it in London.

What quarter mile drag race? 😯 😆

That's what I did at age 17 ...

gdj001 - Member

Yeah try friends, it's worth a shot as you've got nothing to lose. If they don't bring the price down, don't add them on. If any of them drive for a living, ie work vans, company cars, that would help

Yes, will give them a call as there is nothing to loose like you say.

😀

Many bank accounts have breakdown cover on, both my Halifax and Natwest do. Check yours and you might save another few quid by not adding it to insurance.

Do you really need breakdown cover - a well serviced car used on local journeys shouldnt break down . If its local just get your local garage to come tow it 🙂

Guess it might be different if you drive mostly on motorways - its harder to recover from there. Or have wife/young kids i can sympathise with that but Its probably the break down pumpingq insurance up.

Ive been recovered once in 10 years - by a mate no less. From a petrol forecourt when my ecu died of death. - nothing was bringing that car to life again.

If any of them drive for a living, ie work vans, company cars, that would help

Not sure if you're kidding? Additional drivers who do loads of miles are higher risk and won't help. You want to add nice safe drivers, in their 40s who do 5k miles a year.

Whilst playing with the online quote engines play with excess, can make a big difference. Think about mileage too, loads of people just go for 10-12k by default, it makes a huge difference if you're not actually going to do that.

My motorbike insurance is £89 a year fully comp!

anagallis_arvensis's motorbike:

[img] [/img]

Hey - dont knock it . I had one of them for a field bike when i was 12 very hard to kill 🙂

My land rover insurance is 150 through a broker . Insane considering the theft target they are. - maybe they know mines is a wreak 🙂

[img] [/img]

Just changed my address for move next week and its gone down by £9 to £80 a year!!

Yes, I am getting rid of the breakdown cover.

Oh yes, the price is going down now ...

DirectLine is the lowest so far at £493, which is less than half the amount Switon has quoted me initially.

I will give others a call soon.

Anymore suggestion?

🙂

Okay I am trying all those insurance brokers in my area on Monday.

I will attempt to get my quote down as far as possible.

I hope I will find something at around £300 - £450.

Postcode is still the killer, £2500 for my accord tourer with clean liscence and 5yrs plus NCD because its an OL postcode.

Thankfully we will no longer reside in such a stupid postcode area after next month when the renewal is due.

Check your postcode [url= http://www.carinsuranceexplained.com/car-insurance-explained/car-insurance-postcode-risk-list.html ]here[/url]

And remember, the postcode is where your car spends most of its time, so you could argue a work car park is the correct postcode if its lower risk, or your parents, or wherever really. How they prove you spend any/more/less time there is anyones guess.

Trick with insurance companies is to treat them like mushrooms (keep them in the dark and feed them shit)

The question is usually where is the vehicle kept over night.

Wont be your work unless you do nightshift 😉

Also id encourge you to be truthful with insurance companies- you are the only one that will lose out by lying.

OK this sucks ... DirectLine has just re-quoted me £879 because they do not count 3 year NCB during the time I was on provisional license. Previously their website counted 1 year Full UK license but accept 3 years NCB. So they are treating me as a new driver with 1 yr full license ... arrgghh ...

Adrian Flux quoted £800.

Admiral quoted £701 all in.

Looks like Aviva is cheapest at £540 after 20% Online Discount. Will try Aviva again but this time with 3 yrs NCB as I think I typed in 2 yrs NCB.

Arrgghhhh ...

Oh ya ... post code is NE1 ... damn! Not sure what it means on the location post code lottery says ... "Refer" ... to what?

p/s:

trail_rat - Member

The question is usually where is the vehicle kept over night.

Wont be your work unless you do nightshift

That's where I work and live. I park in a secure car park with CCTV and security gate i.e. you wont be able to get in without security fob. Told them the truth as I know Insurance company can screw people up if they want especially in developed world.

OK this is worst than I thought ...

I just revisited Aviva and the quote is £1,744 ... after I re-checked my Full driving license category. Dammit.

Most online quote is so stupid they do not accept that I have 3 yrs NCB and less than one yr Full UK license.

Bought the car in 2011 with provisional license.
Got my full UK license in Feb 2013.

Insured it under my name all this time ...

Dammit. They are treating me as new driver with a new car ...

😡

You have a case that cannot be answered with online quotes

Do your self a favour. Step away from the computer and phone round the old fashioned way you need to speak to people not computer logic.

trail_rat - Member

You have a case that cannot be answered with online quotes

Do your self a favour. Step away from the computer and phone round the old fashioned way you need to speak to people not computer logic.

Yes, I will call my local insurance broker who also offer car insurance.

Bloody hell I think from now on my only choice is to call them if I want my 2 yrs NCB (during provisional license) to be taken into consideration for my quote. Getting quote online does not take this into consideration ... bloody pooter says no.

Yes, called DirectLine just now and the lady said the same thing ... "sorry we can't help you there because the computer does not allow me to key in that information." i.e. have more NCB than full time license.

Hhmmm ... feel like I/we are slowly being automated to fit the definition as defined by the pooter ...

Stop now ... need some fresh air ... back later on this evening to search ... dammit.

Update ... arrghhh ... finally got my car insured.

I called Admiral and spoke to someone in Wales ...

The premium is £645.54 with Admiral and they have taken into consideration my 2 year NCB. Can't protect it though. Apparently I can only protect NCB after 5 years.

Called 6 or 7 local insurance brokers with price ranging from £833 to £1,800. 😯

Oh well, I guess I will just have to stick to Admiral to get my 2 yr NCB from past two years while having provisional license. Others only accept NCB with Full UK driving license.

Admiral accepts my 6 months full UK license with my 2 year NCB.

Guess I cannot get out from Admiral for a while ...

😮