The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: jameslindsay on March 30, 2009, 08:36:29 am

Title: Car Insurance
Post by: jameslindsay on March 30, 2009, 08:36:29 am
I received a letter from Direct Line to remind me my car insurance was up for renewal. I thought the fee was quite expensive so went on the internet to find better quotes. However, everything was coming in much the same  price so decided perhaps I wasn't being "ripped off". Then for some reason I tried "Privilege" and their quote was so much cheaper I thought I had done something wrong so tried again and hey presto much cheaper. I then played about with it and reduced my "excess" etc and it still came in a good £60 cheaper. Not convinced this was right I phoned Privilege and had it checked, and it was correct.

So, I phoned Direct Line to cancel the renewal and you know what they came in £79.95 CHEAPER than their original quote and still almost £20 cheaper than Privilege. So, shop around and try the same with your insurance company. Just shows what a rip off the whole thing is!
Title: Re: Car Insurance
Post by: hexhammeasure on March 30, 2009, 09:08:50 am
I always reccommend shopping around. If you find a quote even £1 cheaper then contact you insurer and say you have found a cheaper quote and won't be renewing, don't tell them how much and they will then often give you a much better quote. If they don't you always have the cheaper quote anyway. I saved £200 last time on both my vehicles 150 on my truck and 50 on my van
Title: Re: Car Insurance
Post by: BadgerFace on March 30, 2009, 09:43:51 am
My OH saved £80 changing from Peugeot insurance to the Post Office, plus they gave him £50 cash back !! He asked if Peugeot could offer a better deal, but they didn't want to know. It's not that he's even high risk - over 50, full no claims and drives a 106 !!
Title: Re: Car Insurance
Post by: DavidnChris on March 30, 2009, 12:13:11 pm
We did the same with our Guest House insurance, shopped round and the existing ones dropped their price. Still by not enough though so we moved companies.
Always, always shop round, they rely on you to just stay 'comfortable'.

OIL COMPANIES do the same, if you're on heating oil, shop round every time you want a re fill of your tank. They start off low and work the price up on you. Again relying on the fact that you'll just ring up and ask for your usual order, because it's easy.
If ringing round though you need to do it on the same day, prices change by the hour.

David.

Title: Re: Car Insurance
Post by: garden cottage on March 31, 2009, 06:41:46 am
we had exactly the same with direct line,who matched the new quote that was £100 cheaper, lv london victoria are good for house and car...........neil ::)
Title: Re: Car Insurance
Post by: garden cottage on March 31, 2009, 05:13:04 pm
silly me I meant liverpool victoria insurance ??? ???
Title: Re: Car Insurance
Post by: ballingall on April 01, 2009, 12:14:43 am
Do I have a story about Car Insurance tonight! I am furious with Direct Line.

My car insurance is with Direct Line, and my car tax is up tomorrow. So last week I went looking for my paperwork. I found everything except my insurance cert, so last night I tore the place upside down looking for it. And I still couldn't find it. So today when at work I checked my bank account, to note that Direct Line hadn't taken my Direct Debit from my account since April last year. So I phone them up, for them to say "you haven't renewed you insurance with us". But I say, I don't have to- you send out the renewal, and if I am happy with it the cover just continues.

So the lady goes away and has a look. And she comes back saying- I'm sorry, we didn't send you your renewal notice last year, so you've had no insurance since the 29th April 08!!!!!

The funny thing is, they did this to my mum as well, but they wrote to her in July saying they'd realised they hadn't sent it out and apologising for the mistake!

So I have car insurance with Direct Line from today, but I' going to have good shop around now, and if I find it cheaper I'll be using the cooling off period and cancelling with them. The annoying thing is that because I work for RBS- I actually get a staff discount with Direct Line.

ANyway rant over- but I'm going to write to them to seriously complain.

Beth