# Has car insurance risen?



## Irishchappie (14 Nov 2006)

My car insurance is up at the end of the month and needless to say I'm shopping around to see whats available out there.

My current insurer, AXA, have hiked my insurance by over €100 and I'm not happy to say the least. 

I did an online quote a few weeks ago with Hibernian and they came in with a very competitive quote, but when I did it again this week, the cost had risen €200.

The best quote I've got is from FBD and its nearly €150 cheaper than my current policy from AXA with all the same benefits and a add ons.
So needless to say I'm seriously considering this. 

When I contacted AXA and informed them about it, the guy started spouting on about discounted weekends away, fuel discounts with Statoil and loads of other crap. I told him that I'm not interested in discounted weekends, Im interested in knowing how they can justify hiking my insurance like that with no reason. He then said he'd see what he could do, came back and offered to knock €20 off the price.

I've no penalty points, 7 years claims free driving, havent changed address or jobs, so I'm kinda stumped.

Are FBD any good or does anyone have any dealings with them?

Tox


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## RS2K (14 Nov 2006)

Prices haven't risen.


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## panindub (14 Nov 2006)

Royal&sun alliance available through a broker, where good for me!
Try AA Ireland and other brokers.
Infact get out the yellow pages and ring around, I find the online prices not as good as what you get on the phone.

Happy hunting

p.s. my insurance TPFT is down from €345 to €300


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## MoodyToo (14 Nov 2006)

There are good quotes available if you ring around, my fiance reduced hers from 500 to 319 by switching to Eagle Star but when I rang them a month later there quote was the dearest of all the companies I rang. Of course our profiles are completely different but she must have fallen into a categary that they particularly favoured.
So ring every insurer (see key posts for a list), on-line quotes I have found can be more expensive than ringing, I don't know why that is.
Good luck,
MoodyToo.


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## briancbyrne (14 Nov 2006)

prices have gone down
FBD are an excellent insurer - I work in the industry and they are taking more and more business away from the more traditional insurers.


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## Dipole (14 Nov 2006)

No.  FBD has gone down in price.
My insurance renewal arrived yesterday.  It is 25% lower than last year and I've passed most of the major milestones than affect motor insurance premiums long ago.

What's more, I changed car last month and at the time they warned me that my new car was classed as a performance vehicle and would be loaded.  I wrote to the underwriters and pointed out that it was actually a slower safer car than they were currently insuring me on and they replied stating that they would not load my policy.

Premium €308 TP, F&T on a 2.5litre V6.
If only the Motor Tax Office were as reasonable.

I have no associations with FBD other than being a customer.


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## angel40 (14 Nov 2006)

Initially my written quote this year was 20 euro more expensive than last year and when i phoned them they said the quote wasn't their final quote??! and then gave me one 80euro cheaper.  Im with the AA and have found them very reasonable


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## ajapale (14 Nov 2006)

A few years ago axa hiked my car insurance premium. I suspect that I was no longer in their target demographic and that they did not want my business. I moved to hibernian and have asked AXA for quotes each year. The are always about 300 dearer than the rest.


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## Irishchappie (22 Nov 2006)

Yeah I think that is the case with me. I'm with AXA for over 9 years now and suddenly they just dont seem interested in insuring me anymore. 

Maybe its because I'm not making claims and they aren't making money off me 

Ahh well, I've contacted 6 different companies now and FBD are by far the cheapest so think I shall be going with them now.

Cheers for the input guys.

I.C


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## ajapale (22 Nov 2006)

I suspect this practice goes on among the car insurance companies although I imagine they will call it legitimate "market segmentation".

I wonder would the competitions authority interpret it differently?


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## BigM (22 Nov 2006)

Irishchappie said:


> Yeah I think that is the case with me. I'm with AXA for over 9 years now and suddenly they just dont seem interested in insuring me anymore.


 
AXA were definitely pushing their 'family cover' for the past couple of years - they were the most competitive for me and my wife (one car between us). 
I have a couple of friends who work there and they recognise that AXA are often more expensive than other insurers but they argue that their packages are better - e.g. including Motor Assistance means you 'save' on AA membership (around €100 pa?).
But as always it comes down to ringing around (and I agree with previous poster - ringing usually cheaper than online)


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## BigM (22 Nov 2006)

http://www.progressivedemocrats.ie/press_room/2159/

just noticed this as well - apparently they have fallen 45% thanks to the consumer's friend, the PDs. That settles it then!


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## aaa1 (27 Nov 2006)

Haggle with them. I've been with Axa for the past couple of years and every time they send out my renewal form I say I've gotten a cheaper quote somewhere else of say, €80 less, and they always match it. One year they added on free breakdown assistance, which I actually used that year. So ever since I tell them, 'I got it free last year and I expect to get it free again this year'. And I do. It's only €50 but I'd prefer it to be in my pocket than theirs


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## liamwoods (1 Dec 2006)

I reckon its because of the plate change coming into the new year.

 Lots of people go out and buy cars in January and hence often take out insurance in January and renew it every year in January.

Demand goes up............ Price goes up.

I bet most peoples insurance is renewed in the first 3 months of the year?


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## Megan (12 Dec 2006)

angel40 said:


> Initially my written quote this year was 20 euro more expensive than last year and when i phoned them they said the quote wasn't their final quote??! and then gave me one 80euro cheaper.  Im with the AA and have found them very reasonable



I have a similiar story but with Hibernian. Last year's price €440. This year's quote €488.  After  a number of phone calls to and foe my final  price came down to €425. This is for full comp with  open driving for over 25s. I found they tried very hard to get me to drop the open driving cover.

I wish to keep it but I wonder why they wanted me to drop it.


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## briancbyrne (12 Dec 2006)

liamwoods said:


> I reckon its because of the plate change coming into the new year.
> 
> Lots of people go out and buy cars in January and hence often take out insurance in January and renew it every year in January.
> 
> ...


 
..true that the large proportion of insurances are taken out jan - apr every year, but the whole price/demand equation isint at work here at all.
rates are made up of car type/value/cc/area/demographic and associated claims hist with this segment / person ...not as this post suggests on a higher demand equals higher price...afterall there is no scarcity of product is there ??


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