Car Insurance

I wonder how many people just don't bother when they get their car insurance renewal in.

I paid £216 for fully comp insurance last year. Had no claims or changes in the past year and I have just got the renewal reminder in and this year they wanted £297!!!

I went to see the Meerkats online and found exactly the same policy with exactly the same company for £205.55!!

Just rang them up, gave them the reference number quoted and they matched it on the spot.

Insurance companies are just trying it on as I'm sure there are people who just don't bother and just leave their policy to renew automatically.

ALWAYS ring them when they send your quote. They know people will just accept that is their best price and won't budge but they nearly always do.

I'm still paying the price for writing off my own car (and someone elses in a seperate incident) but still always manage to find a £100 discount.

I moved house recently and I am now posh enough to have a drive and a garage to park in. When I rang to change they said I'd be looking at a discount of £50 - only for them to slam a £65 admin fee on it! Con artists!

You never get the best deal by just renewing with your current insurer. I always use the comparison websites and always save.
I wouldn't even give the current insurers the chance of matching on the general principle - If they aren't honest enough to do it in the first place they aren't having my hard earned.
My renewal quote had gone up to £196 and I got the same policy from a different company with less excess for £132 using a well known website.
I even got a Brian Toy.
It's excrement mind.

At the age of 35 I finally insured a car in my own name. It's a largeish family car with about 35k on the clock but certainly nothing special. Zero years no claims and a Bradford postcode made me TOXIC.

All the quotes I got at first were over £1000 but after exhaustive searching and adding my dad as named driver I got it under £700.

Highly recommend following the order set out by Martin Lewis.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/car-insurance/#comparison

The Mrs has just (just before Xmas) moved to Gloucester from the smoke. She is saving £450 a year!!!!!!!

Quoted from Les Brechin

I wonder how many people just don't bother when they get their car insurance renewal in.

I paid £216 for fully comp insurance last year. Had no claims or changes in the past year and I have just got the renewal reminder in and this year they wanted £297!!!

I went to see the Meerkats online and found exactly the same policy with exactly the same company for £205.55!!

Just rang them up, gave them the reference number quoted and they matched it on the spot.

Insurance companies are just trying it on as I'm sure there are people who just don't bother and just leave their policy to renew automatically.

Because they matched on the spot i would have then  told them out of spite Iam now going through the meerkats as the insurance company will have to pay them something (if they try rip me off i am allowed to cost them)  and tell them to remember that next year when they send out renwals so they will at least send you thier best price.......also you would have got 2 for 1 cinema for a year tues or weds and that app is really easy to use

Quoted from Brazilnut

Because they matched on the spot i would have then  told them out of spite Iam now going through the meerkats as the insurance company will have to pay them something (if they try rip me off i am allowed to cost them)  and tell them to remember that next year when they send out renwals so they will at least send you thier best price.......also you would have got 2 for 1 cinema for a year tues or weds and that app is really easy to use

I don't think I've been to the cinema in the last 30 years, plus I already have every meerkat there is!  

I was with Saga  for years just renewing at a higher price,

Then I went with another company at half the price,

The following year Saga offered me half the price,

Too late Saga if you offered me that to start with I would have stayed with you.

Quoted from grimsby pete

I was with Saga  for years just renewing at a higher price,

Then I went with another company at half the price,

The following year Saga offered me half the price,

Too late Saga if you offered me that to start with I would have stayed with you.

I don't know Pete...these companies that take advantage of older reliable clients  

Car insurance premiums are not just all about the price though are they. There is something to be said for the quality of service. You find out the true value of your policy when you need to use them having been involved in an incident. Doubtless there would be cheaper companies, but they might be rotten to deal with in a crisis.

Lots of aspects to a policy. It's conceivable to stick with a company you know offer a great service when handling accidents etc than to leave them for a cheaper rival who aren't nearly so good.
As always, there's a balance to be struck. I stuck with my company even though my renewal was slightly higher as I knew they were good and I could rely on them. I've experienced a few rubbish companies.

All of that said, I think using a comparison site is a no brainer, as it gives you something to bargain with. And, also worth noting, is that it's not advisable to lie in order to bring down costs on things like annual mileage.