Been with Direct Line for years and usually best price but just got renewal quote and it's up by another 200 quid, after a fair old incresse last year. Is this par for the course or should I spend time shopping around?

Just be careful when finding a (what seems) a cheaper quote. I had one with Hastings and it came with a black box. Lasted a month. App is faulty and marks you on driving speeds, breaking and the likes. Right blag.

It’s gone up across the board. Still worth doing a price comparison, though.

My admiral multi car policy has doubled from £400 to £800+ in only 2 years.

I change insurance company every year now, loyalty means nothing in the insurance world. My previous one actually doubled in price for the year 2 quote.

Just find a company with a cheap loss leader, there are plenty there. I've never taken a box.

Yeah mine doubled last year. Expecting another rise this time. I was paying a couple of hundred quid a few years ago, now around £800 (albeit in a bigger car)

Always shop around

As I’m now WFH and not going into the office every day since Covid, I found putting less in the “expected miles per year” increased the cost

Definitely worth spending time shopping around, just make sure if/when you get a cheaper quote it's like for like cover as good if not better than you already have (eg protected NCD, courtesy car, legal cover etc).

Selecting a higher voluntary excess figure can also knock a few quid off as can a lower annual mileage estimate.

wilks_bfc wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 4:56 pm

Always shop around

As I’m now WFH and not going into the office every day since Covid, I found putting less in the “expected miles per year” increased the cost

Yep, there's loads of little catches like that. If you have the time to call, you can sometimes get a friendly operator to guide you through these hurdles - a young lady from LV saved me about £150. I bet her employer wasn't happy though.

Is Liverpool Victoria any good ?

MT03ALG wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 5:09 pm

Is Liverpool Victoria any good ?

I literally don't take any notice who the company is, I just look at the price. It's just a racket now, I don't believe anyone is better or worse than anyone else. I used to be loyal to my insurance providers but not any more, as they didn't return the favour.

It has apparently gone up over 40%. The insurers say it is due to all the technical stuff in new cars and you are insured for what you could hit, not what yours is. I have just got a new car and the cheapest I could find was over £600 but, after going for a cheap one and having no end of problems with them, after a hit and run in London (going to Millwall away last year), I have opted for a decent company which was over £800.

The weird things is that the cars I was looking at all had the same size engines but different horespower and the more horsepower were cheaper than the lower horsepower. I can't work it out. I am sure they just pull up numbers from thin air.

I shop around every year. If you use compare the market the site remembers all of your details so when the next renewal comes around it’s as simple as clicking a button unless any details have changed. I recently fell out with Admiral when they tried to charge me £40 more because I was married rather than cohabiting.

Go through a cash back site of your choice and you'll get around £38 back a few months later.

Try and time it so that you renew around 21 days before it's due. Leave it until the day before and it will probably have gone up by a very significant amount(mine was £200 different when I did such a comparison)

Use Go compare and they'll cover the first £250 of your excess.

Remember that you're buying a product so the cheapest quote isn't necessarily the one to go for. Some of the cheaper ones might save you £10 but there's no windscreen cover for example

For those of us living in the BB postcode, we’ve for years had to pay more than most areas, because of the crash for cash scammers. With the postcode area population still paying higher insurance than most others, it appears crash for cash cases are still high. Or is it an excuse for Insurers to use it as another excuse, for their charges.
I don’t know if the cities of Liverpool, Manchester and Bradford are paying more. I suspect they’ve more vehicle crime than our area.
It’s time the Insurance Ombudsman looked into the postcode lottery.

Would agree with checking out compare the market.
Was also with Direct Line and mine too almost doubled.
Got it £150 cheaper wih Tesco, get a quote off them.

Insurance companies are not in the business of protecting the client, they're in the business of making profit, a huge profit! They should be renamed ASSURANCE companies, assuring the company makes money!

Been with Admiral for 5 years, policy went up from £297 to £482….called them and they said they could reduce it to £450….went on comparison site and got Tesco insurance (absolute equivalent in policy terms) for £282….no brainer!

I’ve heard that car insurance for electric cars is astronomical.

NEVER automatically renew car insurance with your current supplier. Always compare prices with other companies. Read this first and follow the guidance:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insur ... insurance/

I haven't automatically renewed my car insurance for over 20 years and whilst prices had increased across the board in the last couple of years, comparing will definitely prove cheaper. Use your current quote to compare like for like.

The same principle applies for home insurance.

South West Claret. wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 7:50 pm

I’ve heard that car insurance for electric cars is astronomical.

Mine isn't ...

basil6345789 wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 4:36 pm

Been with Direct Line for years and usually best price but just got renewal quote and it's up by another 200 quid, after a fair old incresse last year. Is this par for the course or should I spend time shopping around?

I've been with direct line for a while, just kept going up until this year I'd had enough, they went from £74 a month to £109 a month, I shopped round and actually got better cover for ironically £74

South West Claret. wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 7:50 pm

I’ve heard that car insurance for electric cars is astronomical.

Mine was cheaper for the electric equivalent

Really well there you go then.

claret2018 wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 9:02 pm

Mine was cheaper for the electric equivalent

Snap

All insurance costs are up. You have to shop around BUT with care. For car insurance EV insurance is @ 20% more than combustion engine cost.

Happy now - initial quote £613, then they dropped it £50 but finally got Ageas for £409 - not much more than last year and reviews are good

Always call before you cancel the policy. I got a cheaper quote by 200 the last 2 years and on both occasions my current insurer miraculously managed to match the offer when I phoned to leave.

ClaretDiver wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 7:23 pm

Been with Admiral for 5 years, policy went up from £297 to £482….called them and they said they could reduce it to £450….went on comparison site and got Tesco insurance (absolute equivalent in policy terms) for £282….no brainer!

And make sure you swap it next year- the Tesco one will be £400 for the second year. They're all the same, but as they're all competing for new business you get year 1 cheap, as a loss leader. Ironically, you'll probably find that a new Admiral policy on your renewal date will be cheaper than your Tesco year 2 quote!

I’m with Direct Line and for second year running the renewal cost has gone up roughly 30%. I tried to shop around but struggled.
So reluctantly have stayed with them. As another poster said, if shopping around make sure you are getting like for like.
One essential in my view is uninsured driver cover. Especially as one in every nine drivers out there are driving around in uninsured vehicles.

If prices keep going up the number of uninsured drivers will keep going up.

karatekid wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 10:27 pm

If prices keep going up the number of uninsured drivers will keep going up.

Sadly, yes. Scary for us law abiding folk who keep having to find the additional cash for these insurance hikes.
I know cars are more complex now and parts do cost a lot more. However, since Covid many businesses and industries have been taking the p!ss, insurance companies being one of them.

Weirdly, mine went down. Identical car, no change to policy or circumstances. No idea how these things are worked out.

Apparently costs in repairing an electric car has increased because of the cost of the battery according to some car maker I was listening to on the radio the other day.

I can’t remember which make it was unfortunately.

PS The battery is about 40% the cost.

MT03ALG wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 5:09 pm

Is Liverpool Victoria any good ?

I was with them for 4 years, always did a comparison at renewal time and their continued cover was similar to the best prices on comparison sites so I renewed each year. This year, same car, same details, another year claim free, their renewal price was double last year. £550 last year, £1100 this year. Did the usual comparison stuff, one of the best prices was with Admiral, however that required a "black box" device that tracked your driving style and speed etc. I was not prepared to be monitored like this so went a little more expensive with Aviva, though their cover was still £800, which covers SDP, commuting and business cover as i sometimes travel with work.

South West Claret. wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 02, 2024 8:37 am

Apparently costs in repairing an electric car has increased because of the cost of the battery according to some car maker I was listening to on the radio the other day.

I can’t remember which make it was unfortunately.

PS The battery is about 40% the cost.

My partner works in fleet management. One of their drivers has a Mercedes EV and has caused damage to the underside of the vehicle (no idea how he has done this). The damage is so severe it requires the battery replacing. Cost of this work? £37k.....

Herts Clarets wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 02, 2024 8:45 am

My partner works in fleet management. One of their drivers has a Mercedes EV and has caused damage to the underside of the vehicle (no idea how he has done this). The damage is so severe it requires the battery replacing. Cost of this work? £37k.....

Christ all mighty

Herts Clarets wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 02, 2024 8:45 am

My partner works in fleet management. One of their drivers has a Mercedes EV and has caused damage to the underside of the vehicle (no idea how he has done this). The damage is so severe it requires the battery replacing. Cost of this work? £37k.....

Did they drive over a giant magnet?

There's an insurance brokers in Rawtenstall my other half's parents use. She managed to get it far cheaper than they could find on any comparison site. Not sure of the name but can probably be found with a quick google.

All the money that is generated from motorists such as vat on the purchase price, tax at the pumps, road tax, tax on your insurance and yet I still feel like when I’m driving on the roads I’m actually driving on a lunar surface.

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 9:47 pm

And make sure you swap it next year- the Tesco one will be £400 for the second year. They're all the same, but as they're all competing for new business you get year 1 cheap, as a loss leader. Ironically, you'll probably find that a new Admiral policy on your renewal date will be cheaper than your Tesco year 2 quote!

Not true any more

The price available for renewal must always match that offered to a new customer on a like for like basis. The regulations changed on this on 1st Jan 2022.

MT03ALG wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 5:09 pm

Is Liverpool Victoria any good ?

Just got my LV renewal quote yesterday up by £101.
Not made a claim in 50 years so I'm shopping around

I have used LV for years as they have been well priced and good when needed.
This year they bumped up my car insurance from £180 to £320, I shopped around but couldn’t really beat it.
They’ve now raised my home insurance from £340 to £510, I shopped around & got it for £178 at a reputable company.
I have no loyalty to any provider anymore, they don’t show me any.

Stproc wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 02, 2024 12:40 pm

I have used LV for years as they have been well priced and good when needed.
This year they bumped up my car insurance from £180 to £320, I shopped around but couldn’t really beat it.
They’ve now raised my home insurance from £340 to £510, I shopped around & got it for £178 at a reputable company.
I have no loyalty to any provider anymore, they don’t show me any.

That last is very true imho.

LV refused to insure my 2006 Honda Jazz because it's too easy to steal wtf!!

karatekid wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 02, 2024 9:11 am

All the money that is generated from motorists such as vat on the purchase price, tax at the pumps, road tax, tax on your insurance and yet I still feel like when I’m driving on the roads I’m actually driving on a lunar surface.

Yep.
The motorist has for decades now been treated as an easy cash cow, available for fleecing as and when.

And this state of affairs is not likely to change any
time soon.

Woodleyclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 02, 2024 1:34 pm

LV refused to insure my 2006 Honda Jazz because it's too easy to steal wtf!!

Really we’ve got an older Jazz and it’s the best are we’ve ever owned.

Plissken wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 02, 2024 12:05 pm

Not true any more

The price available for renewal must always match that offered to a new customer on a like for like basis. The regulations changed on this on 1st Jan 2022.

Ha ha, good luck with that one.

I'm another who's read/heard a stream of hefty price increase stories but managed to secure a better/higher mileage police with a better profile company (Aviva) for £20 less than I managed last year

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 02, 2024 8:02 pm

Ha ha, good luck with that one.

I work for one of the insurers mentioned in this thread, sometimes on issues relating to regulatory and legal compliance.

But I'm sure your mate down the pub, combined with that warm feeling in your gut is a much more reliable source.

South West Claret. wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 02, 2024 8:37 am

Apparently costs in repairing an electric car has increased because of the cost of the battery according to some car maker I was listening to on the radio the other day.

I can’t remember which make it was unfortunately.

PS The battery is about 40% the cost.

I've heard (but can't vouch for) that electric cars are expensive to repair because if the battery is damaged, or even potentially damaged, the insurer has to replace it because of the potential fire risk. If they send back a car with a potentially damaged battery, even if it's only a small potential, the costs of failure in both human and money terms are astronomical. Most parts of most vehicles don't carry the same catastrophic risk.