Last year I paid £264 inc. legal for the Outlander with Hastings Direct.
Haven't had the renewal notice yet, but looked for quote on Moneysupermarket.com anyway.
Hastings came up at £242, + £30 for legal. Cheapest was Privilege at £205. Quotemehappy was £234.
I thought I'd better review my details. Updated my occupation from manager to consultant (I'm now retired and do a bit of freelance work).
There was also a button for "modifications, e.g. tow bar" so I added the towbar as the sole mod.
Hastings Direct went up to £641. Quotemehappy is now the cheapest at £205 + legal £25. Bought.
Now for the MX5, which thanks to a year with Admiral's multicar_rip_you_off_on_renewal product in 2011-12 is now on the same renewal date.
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I've put mine with aviva multicar - they don't seem to have quite the same hike at the end of the year.
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I used Google car insurance search for the first time(as well as all the others) they came up with the best quote with the AA.
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>> I used Google car insurance search for the first time(as well as all the others)
>> they came up with the best quote with the AA.
Didn't know about that.
It's such a pain that I usually settle for moneysupermarket.com from the comparison sites, which I am told has the best coverage. Doesn't of course include all insurers, including Saga who beat it for the MX5 last year, with £177. Saga wanted £208 this year, I rang up Lancaster and got £134 with owners' club discount. Couldn't see it being much less so didn't bother to call Footperson James.
In short, what Admiral quoted £656 renewal for on its bargain discount Multicar last year for the two cars, I got for £441 then, and £366 this year, so I'm feeling reasonably happy.
Not that I have cost them a bean since 1999, so I suppose the insurance industry is even happier than I am.
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>> they came up with the best quote with the AA.
Give the AA a disposable email address. The last time I had anything to do with them they passed my email address to all and sundry.
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>> >> they came up with the best quote with the AA.
>>
>> Give the AA a disposable email address. The last time I had anything to do
>> with them they passed my email address to all and sundry.
I put yours into all my online quotes....
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After SWMBO's Zafira went up in flames driving to Cornwall last Autumn I wasn't looking forward to renewal time.
She claimed on her insurance (protected no claims) - this year's premium was 20 quid up on last year.
On the other hand my premium has gone up 60 quid, because I was driving the car before the 'incident'
ho hum.
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£80 sounds like a reasonable price to get rid of it..;))
Sorry SC someone had to.
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I did a comparison when the two cars were up for renewal last time, Admirals multicar we stayed with as spliitting up and taking out new policies elsewhere would only have saved around £20, rather leave things be for that amount.
I don't take the very cheapest quote anyway, i work up the prices until i find a company i recognise and hope (probably in vain) will be fair to deal with in the event of a claim.
Hastings does come up cheap for me sometimes but i have read so many negative reports about them coupled with ludicrous admin fees that i ignore them and some others, Norwich Union in particular whatever they are now called i would never deal with again due to previous poor experience.
I'll probably ask NFU again when the time comes and have another sharp intake of breath when the figures are mentioned.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Wed 10 Jul 13 at 20:45
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>> £80 sounds like a reasonable price to get rid of it..;))
>>
>> Sorry SC someone had to.
>>
LOL, Yeah, didn't shed too many tears; had 160K odd on it and had started to get clonky and would've needed a fair bit of work before the next MoT I reckon. Insurance company write-off value was about 300 quid more than I thought it was worth, so that was a bit of a result. We added 300 quid to the payout and bought another Zafira 3 years newer with half the mileage on it, same trim level.
Was quite entertaining trying to get wife + kids + dog+ luggage out of the darned thing as the flames took hold. Took about 3 days to get the smell out of my nostrils.
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Did they ever find the cause? Seems to me they never bother these days. Car fires are really very common, Dont think you can go down any motorway or fast A road without seeing the road damage form a fire every couple of miles. I passed one on the A20 the other day.
Edit G string
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 10 Jul 13 at 21:54
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>> Did they ever find the cause? Seems to me they never bother these days.
No, there was no attempt to find the cause to my knowledge. I reckon that an oil seal went and sprayed hot oil on to the exhaust; the oil had been at the top of the dipstick for months before the journey, yet the 'oil low' warning came on as we went past Launceston. Reckon I could've saved it with one of those little fire extinguishers some folk carry, but needless to say I didn't have one.
It wasn't gonna T-cut out!
picasaweb.google.com/103316771952814678930/July10201302
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Ouch, that is a bit scorched isn't it? My pal is wrestling with a dilemma at the moment. His wife wants a seven seater ( they have 3 kids of their own and she says she's always having to give lifts to their mates too ) They currently have an oldish Zafira which they both hate and want to replace it but they're struggling to find anything more useful than it on their relatively finite budget.
They want something no more than 3 years old with 7 seats and don't want to spend much more than 7 grand so it's a tough brief. There are some Scenics and what have you about but he's not feeling that lucky !
He's thinking it may have to be another Zafira.
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Wed 10 Jul 13 at 22:46
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>>
>> They want something no more than 3 years old with 7 seats and don't want
>> to spend much more than 7 grand so it's a tough brief. There are some
>> Scenics and what have you about but he's not feeling that lucky !
>>
>> He's thinking it may have to be another Zafira.
>>
Can't think of anything else that isn't French that would fit the bill, don't think you'll get an Avensis Verso that new for example.
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>> Was quite entertaining trying to get wife + kids + dog+ luggage out of the
>> darned thing as the flames took hold.
Must admit i nearly kicked meself as i posted earlier, did wonder if it might have been a touch nasty, glad you all piled out OK.
The you bought another one..whaaaat?..;)
Vehicle fires are no laughing matter at the time, its 35 years ago now but my company rented a Volvo tractor unit for my regular night run, i was trundling through our yard when all of a sudden the cab filled with smoke, really choking acrid stuff too.
Within seconds i was a coughing hacking mess, if it had happened at 70mph on the motorway in the dark the outcome might have been quite different.
I stopped and jumped out, spotted a glowing wire by the battery cover and ripped it out.
Turned out some half wit had jerry wired a single unfused feed from one of the batteries directly to the 12v radio, he'd fed the wire into the cab via a grommet...round the outside of the grommet that is chaffing nicely against the drill cut metal, that wire then routed with the main loom which it melted completely.
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>> >> Was quite entertaining trying to get wife + kids + dog+ luggage out of
>> the
>> >> darned thing as the flames took hold.
>>
>> Must admit i nearly kicked meself as i posted earlier, did wonder if it might
>> have been a touch nasty, glad you all piled out OK.
>>
>> The you bought another one..whaaaat?..;)
>>
No worries GB, whilst it wasn't much fun at the time it was pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things.
SWMBO likes the high driving position of the Zafira, they're great for tip runs and loads of rear seat legroom with the middle row pushed back. 1.8 is adequately quick, does 30 odd mpg around town, just over 40 on a motorway cruise. Not too big to park in little parking spaces. Pity the replacement is a horrible shade of bluey green.
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Joking aside i don't know why the Zaf seems to receive such stick, i carried hundreds of the things for Vaux fleet, usually ex renters, they seemed to be a solid enough motor with no real vices i could tell, nice Diesel auto too.
didn't fill the yard with smoke like those Ford Diesels..:-)
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That would be tyre smoke I suppose?
;-)
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>> That would be tyre smoke I suppose?
>> ;-)
If only they kept running long enough for tyre smoke.
I like Spamcans candid pic, do you do call outs Spam? say if one of us happened to have a car like say a Mundano that lunched its DMF again for the second time in a week sort of thing?
:-)
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>>
>> I like Spamcans candid pic, do you do call outs Spam? say if one of
>> us happened to have a car like say a Mundano that lunched its DMF again
>> for the second time in a week sort of thing?
>>
>> :-)
>>
Reckon it trumps Rattle's Panda ding last year by some margin!
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>> Joking aside i don't know why the Zaf seems to receive such stick,
Not sure it does actually. Loads of them on the roads, wailing and moaning seems to be pretty absent. Friends of ours had one and the EGR went but thats about all. Its a wagon that seems to deliver the goods.
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Friend ran us to the airport in his Zafira.
Wife had bought those huge IF suitcases but I was amazed that his boot had so much height that he could stand the cases vertically in his boot
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I ran a 1.8 one for quite a while. They are the most extraordinarily practical car. I can't think of anything else that size with seven full-sized seats[1] in it and yet while also offers monumental load capacity without removing bits from the vehicle.
Suprisingly well screwed together for a GM vehicle too and I learned a great deal of respect for the capabilities of the GM "Ecotec" lump while I had it.
[1] I don't care what the reviewers say. If I can sit in the 3rd row in reasonable comfort, anyone can.
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I'd rather have the best quality insurance I can find than the cheapest. Car insurance is only a small part of my total motoring costs.
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>> I'd rather have the best quality insurance I can find than the cheapest. Car insurance
>> is only a small part of my total motoring costs.
I tend to assume I won't need it, so cheapest is best, within reason. With three cars to insure we could waste a lot of money.
House insurance is next on the list. I'm more particular about that - more at stake, in the normal course.
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>> I tend to assume I won't need it, ............
A lot of drivers (especially new drivers!) think that road traffic accidents are something that only happens to other people
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>>I tend to assume I won't need it, so cheapest is best, within reason
I would agree, its just about remembering your decision when the sticky stuff hits the whirly thing.
Your insurance cover is contractual and and its core is pretty consistent across the market.
There can be differences in ancillary cover; rugs & clothing, excesses, glass, DOC, etc. etc.
There can be more rigid policies with high admin costs for change.
There can be much narrower portfolio specs and so a change in risk can get very expensive.
Customer service can be worse (yes, really).
If you're cool with that stuff, and I am, then take the cheapy.
Equally if you;re paying for the expensive one, then you should understand whether or not that is a worthwhile decision on your part.
Pretty much a personal choice.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Thu 11 Jul 13 at 18:24
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I occasionally sell our fee protection insurance to clients (it guards them from our fees in the case of an HMRC inspection). When they baulk at the insurance charge my favourite line is 'insurance is only good value when you make a claim'. It does give them peace of mind though.
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At one time, in my younger days, I was insured with Fire, Auto and Marine Insurance Company ~ until they went bust! tinyurl.com/pkvvf9d
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>> At one time, in my younger days, I was insured with Fire, Auto and Marine
>> Insurance Company ~ until they went bust! tinyurl.com/pkvvf9d
>>
Ah yes, I remember FAM. I can see now why you so firmly advocate buying the best not the cheapest!
The only problem is identifying just which is the best. Quality in insurance provision is very hard to judge, not least because you hope never to need it.
In fact, paradoxically, you have the same aim as the insurer - ie that you pay your money but never see any of it again.
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>> >> At one time, in my younger days, I was insured with Fire, Auto and
>> Marine
>> >> Insurance Company ~ until they went bust! tinyurl.com/pkvvf9d
>> >>
>>
>> Ah yes, I remember FAM. I can see now why you so firmly advocate buying
>> the best not the cheapest!
See Mr Roebuck's comment re the Co-op. I moved to the Co-op after Fire Auto and Marine went bust.
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One of the very best insurers for both car and home, indeed anything, is NFU who has local offices staffed by intelligent people, dealing with them was a pleasure not something to dread once a year.
At one time we had all our insurance with them for many years, we had one motoring claim and one house electrical claim (local lightning strike) with them.
In both cases the payouts were fuss free fair and generous without any need to negotiate, maybe being local officed they know their customers better so have a rought idea who they do and don't need to investigate should a claim arise.
Problem for me is that they are simply too expensive now for the mileages we cover, and the house insurance costs have escalated dramatically, the only insurance still with them is for the dog.
I've now reluctantly halved our insurance costs by going elsewhere to hopefully fair companies (we'll find out if something happens), haven't gone for the very cheapest either.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Fri 12 Jul 13 at 08:31
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>> >> At one time, in my younger days, I was insured with Fire, Auto and
>> Marine
>> >> Insurance Company ~ until they went bust! tinyurl.com/pkvvf9d
Ah yes, as was my father at the time. You should have heard the swear words when ever Emil's name was mentioned. He then went to another company that also went bust tho its name escapes me
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>> >> >> At one time, in my younger days, I was insured with Fire, Auto
>> and
>> >> Marine
>> >> >> Insurance Company ~ until they went bust! tinyurl.com/pkvvf9d
>>
>> Ah yes, as was my father at the time. You should have heard the swear
>> words when ever Emil's name was mentioned. He then went to another company that also
>> went bust tho its name escapes me
Good old internet
Vehicle and General.
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>> At one time, in my younger days, I was insured with Fire, Auto and Marine
>> Insurance Company ~ until they went bust! tinyurl.com/pkvvf9d
>>
And how much did you lose, compared with what you have since overpaid for "the best"?
Insurance failure is now substantially covered by FSCS.
I make sure the contract covers what I need. I don't need hire cars, hotels, breakdown cover, personal accident, and I'll risk flaky service (i have no idea what the service bas. Ee. Like for the last 14 years, I havent used it) unless the reviews are really bad ( as Swift was a couple of years ago).
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My main gripe with insurance companies (work experience, not private) both for motor and general company liability claims is that they make very little attempt to investigate an incident, and simply pay up, leaving us with increased premium loadings as a result.
We have had several recently:
1) Van stopped in a queue of traffic. Queue directed to reverse to allow a wide load to pass. Motor cyclist nipped in behind the van and stopped a foot away. Bike damaged when driver reversed. Insurers said it was automatically our fault as he was stationary, we were reversing. Bike was already damaged, so he got it all repaired at our expense.
2) Bike came round corner on the wrong side of the road, braked and skidded into van.
Insurers believed biker's story that we were on the wrong side, he was on the left. They declined to follow up evidence from policeman who saw vehicle positions immediately afterwards.
3) Customer in shop dislodged item on head-high shelf, suffered minor bruise.
We were sued by accident claims company for £10,000. Insurers said we should not display goods on shelves, and paid up.
4) Driver tried to load a wardrobe single-handed in a strong wind to show off his strength. Fell off tailgate, suffered alleged back injury, insurers paid him £40,000.
We later learned he had extracted £100,000 from a previous company for a similar accident.
I don't know how one is meant to judge an insurer's quality from these experiences from 3 different companies. But we are stuck with them anyway - high as their premiums now are, they are less than those from other companies having now got a claims record.
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>> 1) Van stopped in a queue of traffic. Queue directed to reverse to allow a
>> wide load to pass. Motor cyclist nipped in behind the van and stopped a foot
>> away. Bike damaged when driver reversed. Insurers said it was automatically our fault as he
>> was stationary, we were reversing. Bike was already damaged, so he got it all repaired
>> at our expense.
Well if it is as described, that outcome was correct.
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>> Well if it is as described, that outcome was correct.
Its not just for that reason, but our rigids have all been fitted with rear facing cameras, lens at very top looking down and a good picture.
One of our tractor units has been trial fitted with a full three lens (forward nearside and rear facing) recorders for accident prevention/investigation..not as we have a bad record there...i suspect the whole fleet will be retrofitted in short order.
Don't really need reverse cameras on the tanks, you can see behind quite well.
I did wonder if they were considering self insuring too, but thats way above my pay grade.
As CP notes, the insurers just pay up* which costs us all in the long run, so having some usable evidence has to be a good thing.
*annoys me no end that they simply pay out large sums to obvious claims manipulators instead of growing a pair and making an example of a few by bankrupting them with claims for legal costs.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Fri 12 Jul 13 at 10:09
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I'm sure the insurers will say that the cost of investigating things like vehicle accidents properly would just add to insurance costs overall.
Probably applies to contesting individual whiplash claims also, cheaper just to pay £3,000 out. In the not-so-long run of course, they might gain a great deal from properly investigating / contesting them routinely - the non-win-no-fee crooks wouldn't be so keen to take on obviously fraudulent claims. But they won't look further than their nose ends while they are making decent money passing all the costs on to the punters., so in my opinion they should be made to do it.
In any other business, that would be called due diligence.
Insurance reserves should be treated as client money when third party claims are presented.
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A very good post MT particularly the last two sentences, if you happen to have a worthwhile MP where you live or know of one you should make your views known to them on this subject IMO, high time this situation was taken seriously and not just the meaningless waffle we hear from ministers after headlines.
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>>Well if it is as described, that outcome was correct.
No, he should have had to cover the costs of the pre-existing damage himself.
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>> >>Well if it is as described, that outcome was correct.
>>
>>
>> No, he should have had to cover the costs of the pre-existing damage himself.
True on that part.
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Bonkers car insurance again - Tigger
