Key Post What are the options for shopping around for car insurance?

My quote from the AA for cover through aviva was for €490 fully comp including NCB cover and my wife on the policy. That for a 2007 zafira.
 
Not sure if it was here or somewhere else I read that adding someone on reduces the cost, I knew I had tried this before but anyway I was talking to AXA today and they confirmed it would reduce my cost by €50 but it had to be a spouse!
 
I am insured with Caoga since last April. On changing my car on the 24th I rang the company to do substitution and next day received an insurance cert & disc only dated to 3rd of November. They requested a copy of the tax disc so I rang to ask why and was told insurance companies now require this! Since the insurance is with AIG I rang them and they would give me no information but said it may be an arrangement with the underwriters and Caoga. Rang Caoga again and pointed out that I will not have the tax book by the 3rd of November so the girl told me she would issue another temporary disc to the end of November. I did point out that they had a premium from me paid up until April 2018, we had a contract and they were not complying with the terms of the contract. All I got was that they had to follow the guidelines. I am really annoyed and wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem.
 
Petunia said:
All I got was that they had to follow the guidelines. I am really annoyed and wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem.
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Were any of these guidelines documented in the T&Cs available to you prior to signing up?
 
Hello,

While I think that a list of contacts for motor insurance quotes would be very useful, I think the nature of the business is such that various providers can be more or less competitive depending on their desire to grow their market share at a particular time. As such, this thread could go on for ever, with extremely different experiences for the different insurers or brokers being reported. Perhaps the solution is a thread for each entity where discussion on that entity can take place, all linked back to a master thread where the various parties can be categorised (i.e. brokers or insurers, specialist for commercial insurance, target markets etc.) ?

FWIW, I have been with Chill for about 3-4 years now, prior to that I was with 123.ie for a similar period. Found each one competitive initially, but then took to increasing my premium each year, despite me having an additional year of accident free driving, no points etc. I think the entire insurance business is the same, they all seek to push up your quote year on year, once they sign you up. Different operators compete more or less aggressively for new business, depending on their desire to grow their business at a particular time or depending on their current level of claims in various sectors of the motor insurance market. Ultimately, we are forced to search far and wide every year, to try and overcome these challenges and I cannot ever see that changing tbh.
 
Petunia said:
I am insured with Caoga since last April. On changing my car on the 24th I rang the company to do substitution and next day received an insurance cert & disc only dated to 3rd of November. They requested a copy of the tax disc so I rang to ask why and was told insurance companies now require this! Since the insurance is with AIG I rang them and they would give me no information but said it may be an arrangement with the underwriters and Caoga. Rang Caoga again and pointed out that I will not have the tax book by the 3rd of November so the girl told me she would issue another temporary disc to the end of November. I did point out that they had a premium from me paid up until April 2018, we had a contract and they were not complying with the terms of the contract. All I got was that they had to follow the guidelines. I am really annoyed and wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem.
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The company won't admit it, but its probably got to do with their 'risk intelligence' system. Companies are more and more looking at what they see as moral hazard issues when covering people (so if a vehicle isn't taxed or NCT'd they start to think the client might be suspect). These systems fall down when you are simply changing your vehicle and their should be some leeway. Not saying I agree with any of this BTW just saying how it is.
 
No mention when I originally took out policy. I did the negotiations online, gave my details and those of the car and that was it. They told me last week they knew the last car was taxed. I cannot see why an insurance company think they have to police the tax on cars. It would not instil any confidence in me with regard to this particular company as they have my full premium since last April yet will not provide me with an insurance cert and disc up to next April until they get a copy of tax disc. I contend they are breaking their contract with me because of this refusal.
 
RedOnion said:
2 suggestions.
1. Try An Post (they use AIG and Zurich). If they're any way close, phone up and see if they'll better the best quote you got. I've got a discount 2 years running.
2. Try Aviva directly. My mam has fully comp on 12 year old car for less than 300 (rural address). They will quote up to 15 years.
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That time of year again! Got my renewal quote from post insurance (an AIG policy). Over 500 - I was surprised by the increase.

So followed my mam's advice and went to Aviva. They quoted me 280 fully comp! When I checked price breakdown, they actually had to add a little to it to bring up to the minimum quote! No further shopping around required for this year.
 
PaddyBloggit said:
What make/model of vehicle etc. did you insure?
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Sorry, should have a bit more detail.

10 year old astra, 1.4l petrol (it's our backup car that gets used a few times a week). 5+ years no claims, no penalty points.
The missus as a named driver, and has her own car.
Non Dublin address.

Discounts they applied from initial quote:
No claims 50%
No penalty points 27%
Online 10%
Multiple policies 10%
 
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That's very good, especially for a 10 year old car. Insurers seem to be negatively inclined to taking on 10+ years old vehicles.
 
Hello,

Forgot to add to this thread a couple of months ago, but in short:

Chill sent me out a crazy quote from AIG (increase of over 60% with no good reason - I have full No Claims Bonus etc).

Went through the usual nonsense, ultimately got the quote reduced by €80 with no changes to cover, but it was still about €200 higher than last year.

Priced around and found most companies to be suggesting even higher quotes, all claimed higher costs, payouts, blah blah blah.

Ultimately, got my insurance through Supervalu (underwritten by..... none other than AIG), same cover etc for €50 more than last year's premium, but also got €20 Supervalu vouchers and 1,000 Supervalu points.

Cost me the guts of a full day online and on the phone getting quotes and I really wished I could have gone to another insurance company, rather than AIG, but price dictated the decision.

I wish the EU would take some action against these insurance companies as I'm convinced that they are not treating customers fairly or honestly. Anyone know what happened following the EUs raids on some of their offices a while back?
 
Insurance renewal time. I am "reliably informed" that my renewal from AXA via AIB as broker will not be competitive. If I reveal how I know, I'll have to send the dog around, despite him being very sick.

its4women came in at €660 plus finance charges; big deposit plus 10%
123.ie (just for the quote, even if it was free they wouldn't get the business) €880
caoga.ie won't quote as the car, Toyota Avensis H/B 2.0 litre D-4D, is more than 10 years old (07 reg)
Chill.ie came in at €570 (€608 inc finance) for Sertus De Luxe (from RSA, same company as 123.ie)
They quoted €513 for Sertus Economy
A broker quoted me €530 (€560 inc finance) for a Sertus policy but I need to clarify which one.

All comprehensive, driving other cars (Sertus DeLuxe comp cover), windscreen cover etc, excesses vary from €350 to €500.

Renewal notices due Friday or Monday, will update further then.
 
Front page Indo article today highlighted that loyal customers who renew with the same company are being given higher quotes than new customers. I moved insurer today and rang my old broker explaining why I wasn’t paying out an extra 150 with them this year.
 
The outlandish quotes contine:

AIG via SuperValu as broker €1,260
 
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My renewal Notice from AXA via AIB as broker arrived this morning. Very disappointing

New premium quoted as €937.37 and a bit of whinging on the phone got it down to a 'mere' €885, €50 off!! What knocked me sideways was the suggestion from the help-desk jockey that I could probably do better by getting an online quote from them as a new customer. I had to bite my lip to avoid biting the head off her, figuartively of course.

Sertus via Slattery Sullivan Insurance Brokers in Nenagh it is from renewal date, details already supplied electronically. €530 inc finance charges of €30 for Sertus Economy policy. €160 deposit, €370 on the drip, lower than I originally stated.
 
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@mathepac
As a matter of interest, did you get quotes for paying full premium as a single amount for comparison?
I noticed that as well as charging interest for monthly repayment, which they disclose as a hefty APR, some of the underwriters also add a loading to your premium which can be significant.
 
Only as stated above "plus finance charges" One or two offered 10% discount for paying in one lump online in advance e.g. AIG via SuperValu.
 
RedOnion said:
Sorry, should have a bit more detail.

10 year old astra, 1.4l petrol (it's our backup car that gets used a few times a week). 5+ years no claims, no penalty points.
The missus as a named driver, and has her own car.
Non Dublin address.

Discounts they applied from initial quote:
No claims 50%
No penalty points 27%
Online 10%
Multiple policies 10%
Click to expand...

I went online and thought I had a very similar risk

2005 Audi A3 1.6l Petrol
5+ no claims and no penalty points.
Dublin address though.

Quoted €556 for TP F&T

123.ie offered renewal at €416 which is €4 cheaper than last year.

I was struck by this post

MrEarl said:
Cost me the guts of a full day online and on the phone getting quotes
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So I will probably just renew it online.

upload_2018-8-14_10-27-49.png
Does this mean that if I ring them and ask for a lower price, I will lose the online discount?

Brendan
 
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