Motor Direct renewal quote from existing insurer

A

AB74

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My car insurance is up for renewal at the end of July.I deal through a broker. I have contacted the existing insurer directly to see if I can get a better deal by cutting out the middle man.

However they have refused to quote for me direct though because I am already insured with them through a broker.

Is this allowed ?

Has anyone else had this problem and if so how have you got round it ?
 
Seems anti consumer to me - protecting the broker rather than the customer.
I thought the changes a few years back to renewal procedures whereby the NCB is issued with the renewal is to facilitate greater competition and allow customers to move more freely at renewal date.
 
If you believe they (the insurer and / or broker) are indulging in anti-competitive practices you have the right to complain through the channels provided for in the relevant consumer protection / financial legislation.
 
The relationship between the broker and insurance company is often an unhealthy one. I had awful trouble dealing with a lazy broker who did not obey the law.For that reason I always deal direct with insurance companies.

I thought the changes a few years back to renewal procedures whereby the NCB is issued with the renewal is to facilitate greater competition and allow customers to move more freely at renewal date.
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Dealing direct there is no issue. Trying to get a NCB from a broker can be a nightmare.

OP, does the company have a website where you can get a quote from?
 

A brokers job is to act on behalf of his client, if that doesnt happen for you change broker!

Same if you have issues getting an NCB, move broker! It should be issued with your renewal notice 15 working days prior to your renewal date!

In terms of not quoting directly, the insurers is hardly going to want to run the risk of being competitive against itself. And FYI, if it asks the question online "who is your prior insurer" or something similar and you deliberately answer it incorrectly, technically you run the risk of having youtr policy cancelled should you go ahead with cover!
 
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All well and good with it should be issued 15 working days prior. When they don't comply there is in reality not alot that can be done to discipline lazy brokers. The FR will only act on multiple complaints. Instead of changing broker I stopped using one resulting in much better service.

Quinn's own online quote page actually undercut my renewal by over 400 Euro. I went ahead with the lower quote and sent Quinn back their own NCB cert. They didn't have an issue with that and they didn't ask online who the prior insurer was.
 
I would have thought the insurers would have preferred customers to deal directly with them saving the commission payments to brokers so whilst strictly speaking being competitive against themselves they are able to sell at a better margin direct ?
 
A lot of companies will use the broker network to cut down on their costs & so will not have the ability to deal directly with the public. More and more companies don't offer local branches and use brokers to setup & admin policies, which is much more cost effective for them (most brokers now set up, process mid term adjustments & print renewals on behalf of the company). IMO the most competitive companies on the market (such as Sertus, Kennco,ARB,Wrightway etc) would not have been able to offer alternatives to the bigger companies without brokers providing the network & technology to facilitate them.

www.powerinsurances.ie
 
I'm with one of the global players who operate in both the broker & direct fields.
I'm interested if there are any posters who can give a FR, consumer association or IIF view on refusing to quote directly at renewal when insured already with the insurer through a broker. Reading between the lines most of the replies to date have come from a broker perspective.
 
The insurance company will always argue that any contract is between you and the broker. That will be their reason for not wanting to deal direct.

There is nothing to stop you getting a direct quote online.
 
Why don't you just shop around yourself and ditch the broker and the existing company you are with.
 
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