UK Owners - Insurance

[littlescrote]

I'm just in the process of renewing my insurance and the quotes are coming out double last year's premium!

Has anyone got any recommendations for reasonably priced insurers that they've taken recently please? TIA

 

[DaveL59]

Just been thru that myself, the more major places coming in at £1100-1500 :-(

Ended up going with Flow (underwritten by LVe) for £725 and unlike many their courtesy car cover includes stolen or written off. Given keyless entry that you can't turn off, stolen is becoming much more a possibility so that's a worthwhile cover option IMHO. I do have a steering wheel lock tho just to reduce the risk.

 

[hughwi]

All insurance premiums across the board have gone nuts, I went with Flow last year too, as they had the best price, its online-only, unless you have to make a claim (and you can then call them and wait on hold for about an hour). They have a family pack option, where they will replace all car seats if you have a collision, and tablets, etc, if the car is stolen.

They have been good for us, the only downside is that they do not allow you to drive other cars third party, which more and more insurers are doing now.

Unfortunately, someone drove into our car this week while it was parked outside the house, so there goes the no-claims bonus! Expecting a massive increase in premiums when I come for renewal now in February....

 

[twosout]

I don't know why insurance's jumped so much (it seems to be common in the UK).
There must have been a spate of claims or the underwriters have miscalculated somewhere.

 

[maby]

The mention of the dreaded "EV" gets them very nervous - there have been some high profile cases of Teslas going up in smoke - very literally - and the underwriters are getting very nervous about anything that carts around a lithium battery!

Martin

 

[DaveL59]

All insurance premiums across the board have gone nuts, I went with Flow last year too, as they had the best price, its online-only, unless you have to make a claim (and you can then call them and wait on hold for about an hour). They have a family pack option, where they will replace all car seats if you have a collision, and tablets, etc, if the car is stolen.

They have been good for us, the only downside is that they do not allow you to drive other cars third party, which more and more insurers are doing now.

Unfortunately, someone drove into our car this week while it was parked outside the house, so there goes the no-claims bonus! Expecting a massive increase in premiums when I come for renewal now in February....

Odd as mine says it covers me to drive other cars as third party only.

I have noticed over the years that many quietly drop that and even NCB protection when they quote a renewal which to me isn't a valid renewal if it isn't like cover. I've always picked over the details provided and queried such omissions and got them to rectify and requote.

 

[ChrisMiller]

My renewal (I'm with Darwin) increased from £200 to £275 in August - but my PHEV is 8 years old, and I'm an old codger .

 

[DaveL59]

My renewal (I'm with Darwin) increased from £200 to £275 in August - but my PHEV is 8 years old, and I'm an old codger .

In real terms tho that's still nearly 40% increase, which seems to be about what the average hike is this time round. I recall being told way back that once over 50 your insurance goes down, but even now in my 60s I guess still using the car to travel to/for work hikes it that much more.

 

[littlescrote]

Thanks all for the replies. I was expecting notification of any replies but didn't get any, so thought my post had gone down like a fart in an elevator.

I'm also 50, so not expecting hefty insurance prices, so this was a shock.

Went with Aviva Zero in the end at around £450, up on £290 from last year

 

[JonPaul]

Insured last July, and quotes from comparison sites were four times what I paid last year. Managed to stay with lloyds Bank (UK) where their cover is via Covea Insurance, at merely twice what it was a year ago!

 

[Heysham]

Hastings Direct with a telematics box was the cheapest, about £350. Had a policy with Flow a while back. Had a towbar fitted, told them and they cancelled the policy as they "don't cover modified cars" no arguments, policy cancelled and you try and get cover when you have to tick the box that asks 'have you ever had a policy cancelled?' after numerous complaints and emails I finally got them to confirm that the policy was not cancelled due to fraud and I could therefore answer no to that question.
It was also a fight to get back the refunded premium as they were charging me for their cancellation.

 

[DaveL59]

Hastings Direct with a telematics box was the cheapest, about £350. Had a policy with Flow a while back. Had a towbar fitted, told them and they cancelled the policy as they "don't cover modified cars" no arguments, policy cancelled and you try and get cover when you have to tick the box that asks 'have you ever had a policy cancelled?' after numerous complaints and emails I finally got them to confirm that the policy was not cancelled due to fraud and I could therefore answer no to that question.
It was also a fight to get back the refunded premium as they were charging me for their cancellation.

oh wow, wonder if they feel the same if it was a dealer fitted option? Not like a towbar is like lowered suspension, wider wheels or other such mods after all.