Insurance Fun and Games!
My CMC insurance renewal came through a few days ago. Perfectly reasonable quote, only a few pounds more than last year. Previously I have tended to pay premiums by monthly installments but I realise this is an expensive option so this year decided to save £50 and pay in one go. So far so good! I have decided to change the wheels on the motorhome to alloys (my model year just missed out on them being standard fitment) I realised that I would have to inform the insurance as its a modification from the there original. What I didn't bargain for was it costing me £50 extra premium!!! So out of the window goes my monthly payments saving! I decided to ring round a couple of other options. I know many speak highly of Comfort so I tried there first. No problem with the wheels being change, they don't charge any extra. Quote came out at about £25 lower than the CMC revised quote but I didn't check if that included legal protection? Very nice people on the phone. Second call was to the C&CC. Initially gave up after 15 minutes of holding thinking I would try later. Waited until the afternoon and after 25 minutes someone answered the phone! Their Quote over £120 more expensive. Back to CMC, who picked up almost immediately. They are going to check if there is any room to meet the Comfort quote and they are also going to check on a slightly lower valuation as the van is now two years old. I remember once asking my car insurer if there was any room for lowering the premium and she said do you realise your car is still insured for what you paid for it? Given that it was now worth substantially less it provided a reasonable reduction. Probably something we often overlook when buying insurance? Different if its a new for old policy. So that is how I have spent my day today!
David
Comments
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insurers are a law unto themselves at the best of times. You can bet your last dollar that in the event of them paying out for total loss, the chance of being able to buy a comparable vehicle with what they pay out, is virtually zero. They'll quote 'market value'.
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Interesting. Everyone’s experience is different. I have been with Comfort for a few years now, always the cheapest. CMC & NFU always a few hundred pounds more than Comfort. Comfort also do great European cover for £65 any size MH. On one renewal the Comfort chap actually said “your renewal looks a bit high, let’s see what we can do.” On another renewal I had to phone back because I had forgotten to tell the the MH had been uprated to 3850kg. No extra fee just a “thanks for letting us know.”
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House rules for insurance are never accept first quote, challenge everything, loyalty rewards don’t exist, shop around.
Don’t envy anyone sorting out insurance, for me it’s always mind numbingly boring, time I could better spend on something else, but it does need doing.0 -
I recently received a renewal quote for my caravan from "Staysure" I've been with them off & on a few years.
I decided to look around but the results were very similar so a few days before it was due I telephoned Staysure to ask a few questions with the aim of reducing the cost.
I asked if I had EU cover "Yes" was the reply. "Well can you take it off as I have no intention of going even if allowed"
"Sorry I can't do that, it's all included in a package".
I then asked if he could remind me of the renewal amount. The figure he gave me was around £50 up from the email quote they sent me! I put the phone down and completed a feedback on their website.
Went searching again and found a company called "RIPE". Their website allows you to custom build what you need. So I had a go, increased a few values, increased my public liability, added legal cover, excluded European cover and it came in £100 cheaper on a "New for Old" policy....job done.
Now keep getting pestered on the phone and email from Staysure but just ignore them.
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I believe Kinetic are brokers, not insurers. You need to determine who underwrites the policy because in the event of claims/disputes, it is they who you will need to deal with. I steer clear of the 'at Lloyds' bunch and insurers based in Gib, the Isle of Man etc.
Nearly everyone buys insurance on price and not what you are likely to get in terms of cover and service in the event of a claim (when you need them most) hence the number of complaints about their conduct. As a rule, with insurance you get what you pay for. Smaller companies will be much keaner on cutting the amounts they pay out - one way or another. I never accept the cheapest quote from price comparison sites because it is usually from a cheapskate insurer.
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