Renewing Insurance - Thank You

Pippah45
Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
1000 Comments

I can't find the orginal thread/s about questioning my caravan insurance renewal but anyway - it's that time of year for me.  My renewal notice has been sitting there waiting for me to get round to doing the deed.  Last year I went on a comparison site and got so hassled by one of the lowest quoters that I didn't go with and ended up renewing with the 3 Cs.   I decided to just call the insurers direct this year but they called me first - and asked if I was going to renew so I asked for their best price.....  a few minutes later when they had agreed my caravan is a year older (!) - and taken into account the new mover - my renewal dropped by around £40 - so I am happy - thanks to all those who made the suggestion!  I do query it often - but even more now CT offers such useful advice. THANK YOU!   Wink

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,135 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #2

    How nice you got a reduction and came back to tell us, Pippah. 

    I query everything these days and regularly get reductions. My latest success was with my broadband charge. 

  • Pippah45
    Pippah45 Forum Participant Posts: 2,452
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    edited November 2016 #3

    It did rather make me think that they are "trying it on" as she seemed quite surprised when I suggested my van is not worth what it was 12 months ago!  Rocket Science that isn't!  Then I thought it might go back up due to the expensive motor mover that replaced
    the old one.  But quite happy with the result of a polite question Smile

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,192 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #4

    Spoke to son tonight who'd renewed his car insurance. Renewal came through £5?? Sorry can't quite remember. Went online as new customer quote £3?? . Phoned them and discussed they agreed everything the same including excess and matched online quote.

    I really do think various companies don't look after existing customers - in fact they discourage loyalty. Whatever I get a price for I generally ask is this the best you can do? Doesn't always work but you don't know until you ask.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,579 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #5

    I agree getting your motor insurer to go down to the new customer level is a good idea. I would be wary of the lowest quote though as this often is cut to far and inevitably this means worse service or very tight claims handling. 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #6

    Just had a similar discussion with my household insurer. Last year they redueced their renewal premium to proce match their own online quote obtained through one of the price quotation sites.

    This year their premium increased by over 60%, despite there being no claims or changes in circumstances. Telephoned them and whilst they agreed that the quote was correct they nevertheless insisted that I needed to effect a NEW policy as the difference
    was too big to price match. I am therefore no longer a long standing customer but somebody who has just taken out a new policy.

    Why do they treat existing customers with such contempt?

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,033 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #7

    Totally fed up with insurance companies, read about our experience with Devitt/CC in the CC wins award thread!Undecided

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited November 2016 #8
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #9

    Like others I will always check as we know insurance companies just try to rip off existing customers.  The think that baffles me with these renewals versus new customer deals is the cost of administration must be way higher if every year you become a new
    customer!  I played the game with Churchill for a few years even though they told me they were going to stop the practice then change insurer.  I guess if 10% of customers just renew without checking it must be worth it to them!

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,579 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #10

    Just had a similar discussion with my household insurer. Last year they redueced their renewal premium to proce match their own online quote obtained through one of the price quotation sites.

    This year their premium increased by over 60%, despite there being no claims or changes in circumstances. Telephoned them and whilst they agreed that the quote was correct they nevertheless insisted that I needed to effect a NEW policy as the difference
    was too big to price match. I am therefore no longer a long standing customer but somebody who has just taken out a new policy.

    Why do they treat existing customers with such contempt?

    It is not contempt just bad systems.

    Not all policies are negotiable though and the club use a brokerage. The insurer sets the premium and the clubs brokers might not have any wriggle room with that policy although they should be searching their databases to see if they can find a better quote.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,586 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #11

    My household insurance wasn't with the club. As far as I'm concerned any company that increase the premium for existing customers to exceed that offered to new customers by 60% is treating the existing customer with contempt. It's not as if the incentive
    to take out the cover was a £10 M&S voucher. It was a difference in premium of over £120

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,579 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #12

    My household insurance wasn't with the club. As far as I'm concerned any company that increase the premium for existing customers to exceed that offered to new customers by 60% is treating the existing customer with contempt. It's not as if the incentive
    to take out the cover was a £10 M&S voucher. It was a difference in premium of over £120

    The idea of the discount is to get new customers on the books and similar tactics are used by many companies in other businesses. The problem is it completley misses the point that the customera it attracts most are those who are most likely to move each
    year and a rise at renewal of that size which wil be nearer to the true premium is likely to put the rest off. The whole thing is out of hand.