Car insurance - is it all a con?
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:05 am
Renewing car insurance has always been an unpleasant experience for me. I just hate the routine of phoning up brokers and going through all the details again and again, especially when I have mods and an import. One moment its all OK and the next its - sorry - the underwriters have now decided...
I suppose 'cos I have an engineering background I feel that insurance should be logical. I'm also a project manager so I know all about risk management. Just quantify the risks and add them up to calculate the premium. Although its annoying to find that if you live in one postcode area you have to pay more than another because of crime statistics, at least you can understand the decision process and live with it.
But now with my recent renewal experience I believe this is all BS.
I had a renewal notice for 685 and a clear statement the the broker had searched the market, found this was the best price, and if I get a better one I should contact the broker because clearly the cover wouldn't be as good.
So, following the advice on here I shopped around and got a quote of 539.
So I phoned my broker and asked for the proof of NCD. First I was told that it was 8 years and not 9 as I believed, but second they suggested that they could get a better deal. I mentioned the wording in the letter and they said they will reconsider it for the future.
So next they come back with a price of 515 for exactly the same policy.
That sort of thing pisses me off. Obviously 685 was NOT a fair premium if they are willing to reduce it to 515 just because I said I had a quote from somewhere else of 539.
What would have happened if I had lied and said it was 450 for example?
Anyway I examined both policies and decided that the 539 policy had better cover which for me was worth the 24 difference. Plus the behaviour of my current broker had annoyed me. But not as much as I am annoyed now.
I just got my proof of NCD. It shows 9 years as I had thought is should even though the broker said it was 8. It also shows the renewal premium.
593
FFS!
So the whole business is just a ****ing street market! He who bargains well gets the best deal. He who does not bargain gets screwed. And he who does not pay for any insurance at all just laughs until he gets a miniscule fine and then laughs even more.
Rant over.
I suppose 'cos I have an engineering background I feel that insurance should be logical. I'm also a project manager so I know all about risk management. Just quantify the risks and add them up to calculate the premium. Although its annoying to find that if you live in one postcode area you have to pay more than another because of crime statistics, at least you can understand the decision process and live with it.
But now with my recent renewal experience I believe this is all BS.
I had a renewal notice for 685 and a clear statement the the broker had searched the market, found this was the best price, and if I get a better one I should contact the broker because clearly the cover wouldn't be as good.
So, following the advice on here I shopped around and got a quote of 539.
So I phoned my broker and asked for the proof of NCD. First I was told that it was 8 years and not 9 as I believed, but second they suggested that they could get a better deal. I mentioned the wording in the letter and they said they will reconsider it for the future.
So next they come back with a price of 515 for exactly the same policy.
That sort of thing pisses me off. Obviously 685 was NOT a fair premium if they are willing to reduce it to 515 just because I said I had a quote from somewhere else of 539.
What would have happened if I had lied and said it was 450 for example?
Anyway I examined both policies and decided that the 539 policy had better cover which for me was worth the 24 difference. Plus the behaviour of my current broker had annoyed me. But not as much as I am annoyed now.
I just got my proof of NCD. It shows 9 years as I had thought is should even though the broker said it was 8. It also shows the renewal premium.
593
FFS!
So the whole business is just a ****ing street market! He who bargains well gets the best deal. He who does not bargain gets screwed. And he who does not pay for any insurance at all just laughs until he gets a miniscule fine and then laughs even more.
Rant over.