Tha Original i30 Owners Club

GENERAL STUFF => GENERAL DISCUSSIONS => Random Chit Chat => Topic started by: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 10:03:56

Title: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 10:03:56: I'm confused - even confused.com have confused me.

Each February, ready for March renewal, I carry out my usual web search for car insurance quotes - using both specific insurers and the main comparison sites - to get competitive prices.

I always specify :-
Comprehensive insurance
Voluntary excess £250
No claims protection
Legal Assistance
Windscreen Cover
Courtesy car
I currently have 3 points on my licence (SP50)
My wife as named driver - she has a clean licence
No insurance claims for either of us in last 5 years
Pay annual premium up front - not instalments

Last year the 5 lowest viable quotes I received were in the range £428 to £504 - I chose Auto Direct at £450

This year - I still have the same car - all personal details are the same (except for being a year older) - yet the lowest 5 viable quotes are in the range £253 to £348
My present insurer is listed at £388 - £62 lower than I paid last year. (But I have yet to receive the renewal notice)

It is the opposite of what I expected and flies in the face of media stories that premiums are 30% higher this year. I must have gone over the figures 6 times to check and double check that I have input all our data correctly - but have not been able to find any errors or omissions.

What on earth is going on?????? ............... :eek: :confused: :sweating:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: neptune on February 19, 2012, 10:10:37: They just love you Alan, and think you deserve a break...... :goodjob:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Dazzler on February 19, 2012, 10:26:23: You put too much faith in the media...Alan.. Your car is older and worth less too..

Now do yourself a favour and put some of the money you are saving into a decent antivirus programme :rofl:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 10:29:24: Quote from: Dazzler on February 19, 2012, 10:26:23
Now do yourself a favour and put some of the money you are saving into a decent antivirus programme :rofl:

I can't - Microsoft don't provide a means of paying them for it................. :P

A further confusion is this. After my late wife died a few years back I was living alone and was the sole driver on my car insurance.

I remarried in May 2009 (wife No 3 Dazz. :goodjob:) and called my insurers to add my wife as a second driver of my car - expecting a premium increase. However - they knocked about £50 off my premium. When I asked why - the insurance agent said "I don't know why either - but it is always cheaper to have two drivers on our policy". So we called my wife's insurers to add my name to her car, and the same thing happened - but by only £20 or so.

Can anyone here explain why having 2 drivers on a policy is cheaper than just one...?
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Dazzler on February 19, 2012, 10:32:41: Good answer :goodjob:

I'd be renewing your insurance early while the premiums are low.. Did you see if you could generate a premium for the new model?
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Dazzler on February 19, 2012, 10:46:47: Hi Alan Just saw you had modified your last post.. No idea why they would reduce the premium withtwo drivers on there?? :wacko:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Mad Dog on February 19, 2012, 10:49:34: They say that Time is a healer and it certainly is for insurance :winker:

You may have crossed an Insurance Age band, most insurers progressively reduce insurance for the more seasoned campaigners :D Alternatively it could be that your SP50 has time expired for some insurers.

You could do as Dazz partially suggests and change some of the criteria on your estimate until you discover the key.

I did several insurance quotes recently and mine were very similar to last year.

PS I added a wrinkly to my insurance a couple of years ago, mine went down and theirs stayed the same :twisted:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 11:31:19: I am 75 next month - but my birthday is after the renewal date. Also my SP50 is less than 3 years old. I therefore doubt that these are a factor.

Not all the insurers or comparison sites yet include the new 130 in their drop-down menu. Those that do have quoted premiums between £344 and £423 which are roughly £85 more than my present car.

The new car will of course have a higher replacement value - but it benefits by being rated in insurance group 14 - my present car is rated in group 17
(the equivalent VW Golf is rated in group 18)
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Dazzler on February 19, 2012, 12:03:16: Thanks Alan,

It will be interesting to do a similar comparison when the new I30 is released in Australia :cool:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: bumpkin on February 19, 2012, 12:16:33: An SP does not have any negative impact on your premium, I have had SP30 endorsements in the past and seen no difference in premium. I would go as far as to suggest that SP30 (speeding in a 30 zone) would be classed as a "worse" offence than your SP50.

I have also seen a reduction in cost with adding a spouse to the policy, I think it is because they seem to classify a married person as less of a risk than a single person trying to woo the ladies (or gents) by doing wheel spins and donuts!! (yes, even at 75 years of age!)

As has been stated different insurers seem to target different age bands, my father has never been able to get decent quotes from any of my insurers over the last 10-15 years and vice versa, so obviously the ones that insure me cheaper offset some of their (loss) costs to other age bands to get my business (and again vice-versa).

Whatever way they calculate it and whatever way you look at it, the whole thing is a scam, it wouldn't be so bad if they gave you decent service from their "authorised repairers" but look at the shambles (no pun intended) Lester has just been through!

I renewed the ix20 in October for me and my wife, 8000 miles per annum, both clean licences with no claims in last 5 years (actually even that is something your insurers will play with, More Than recognised we had no claims in 15 years and reduced the premium accordingly) for the princely sum of £185 including protected NCD and no voluntary excess.

The quotes ranged from £150 to £1495 :Shocked: for me though which I think highlights what I have written above.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 19, 2012, 12:29:34: Quote from: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 10:29:24

Can anyone here explain why having 2 drivers on a policy is cheaper than just one...?

Sort of.

When my son was renewing a few years ago he added his girlfriend and the premium reduced significantly.

They said that by having a partner he was less likely to drive erratically/take chances at junctions etc/drive late at night/drive under the influence etc as he had responsibilities.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 12:31:10: We moved house last year - a distance of 2 miles as the crow flies - and into a different post code.

My home and car insurances both went up immediately - house £54, car £33. I am a Neighbourhood Watch organiser with good contacts with the police. They confirmed that our new location is subject to less crime than the previous one.

Perhaps all the criminals live in our new area and dont crap in their own patch.... :whistler:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 19, 2012, 12:41:46: Quote from: bumpkin on February 19, 2012, 12:16:33
Whatever way they calculate it and whatever way you look at it, the whole thing is a scam, it wouldn't be so bad if they gave you decent service from their "authorised repairers" but look at the shambles (no pun intended) Lester has just been through!

"Shambles" is being mild. I'd call it something else but this is a public site...

Now my insurance is due for renewal mid March so I'll be interested on the renewal quote and also what quotes I get now that I've an accident even though non fault, on my record.

Also I've changed occupations, well don't have an occupation now, so again this will be interesting to what risk they put on me.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 19, 2012, 12:42:56: Quote from: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 12:31:10
We moved house last year - a distance of 2 miles as the crow flies - and into a different post code.

My home and car insurances both went up immediately - house £54, car £33. I am a Neighbourhood Watch organiser with good contacts with the police. They confirmed that our new location is subject to less crime than the previous one.

Perhaps all the criminals live in our new area and dont crap in their own patch.... :whistler:

I posted a link to post code risks assessment a week or so ago.

If I find it I'll repost.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Surferdude on February 19, 2012, 20:18:25: Quote from: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 12:31:10
We moved house last year - a distance of 2 miles as the crow flies - and into a different post code.

My home and car insurances both went up immediately - house £54, car £33. I am a Neighbourhood Watch organiser with good contacts with the police. They confirmed that our new location is subject to less crime than the previous one.

Perhaps all the criminals live in our new area and dont crap in their own patch.... :whistler:
What's more likely is that the value of the houses in your new area is higher (on average), so any claim is likely to cost them more. There may even be more people insured in your new area which raises the incidence of claims. Moving into a new postcode can be misleading as the insurers base their figures on history from the whole postcode. Maybe your new one extends quite some distance further than the two miles you moved and the farther extremities of it have different demographics to those in your neighbouring streets.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: diablo on February 20, 2012, 00:54:56: There's a list of UK motor insurance postcode ratings here -

http://www.carinsuranceexplained.com/car-insurance-explained/car-insurance-postcode-risk-list.html (http://www.carinsuranceexplained.com/car-insurance-explained/car-insurance-postcode-risk-list.html)

I seem to be in the low-to-middle C band.

My insurance type is almost identical to Alan's except I don't have anyone else on the policy and I'm 'only' 60. Seems to have gone up from £190 when the car was new, then to £234 last year and then the latest quote is £273 after two years. I only do low mileage though. :)
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: AlanHo on February 20, 2012, 06:36:55: Quote from: diablo on February 20, 2012, 00:54:56
There's a list of UK motor insurance postcode ratings here -

http://www.carinsuranceexplained.com/car-insurance-explained/car-insurance-postcode-risk-list.html (http://www.carinsuranceexplained.com/car-insurance-explained/car-insurance-postcode-risk-list.html)

That list is interesting. However - I moved from postcode B91 to Postcode B90 and the premium went up - but on the list they are both in the same risk group B.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 20, 2012, 10:39:41: Quote from: AlanHo on February 20, 2012, 06:36:55
Quote from: diablo on February 20, 2012, 00:54:56
There's a list of UK motor insurance postcode ratings here -

http://www.carinsuranceexplained.com/car-insurance-explained/car-insurance-postcode-risk-list.html (http://www.carinsuranceexplained.com/car-insurance-explained/car-insurance-postcode-risk-list.html)

That list is interesting. However - I moved from postcode B91 to Postcode B90 and the premium went up - but on the list they are both in the same risk group B.

Any change in the overnight location of the car - garage yes/no, drive yes/no, road parking yes/no

Change in property - House/flat yes/no

It's surprising what can and can not influence a price.

Also, they have an "admin" fee for changing details. I've seen that being as lilttle as £zero to as high as £50.

Also I heard that age of a certain decade (70 or 75 plus depending on the company) will increase the cost. Up to it you are lower risk but over it the risk increases.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: baroudeur on February 21, 2012, 15:43:02: Quote from: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 10:03:56
I'm confused - even confused.com have confused me.

Each February, ready for March renewal, I carry out my usual web search for car insurance quotes - using both specific insurers and the main comparison sites - to get competitive prices.

I always specify :-
Comprehensive insurance
Voluntary excess £250
No claims protection
Legal Assistance
Windscreen Cover
Courtesy car
I currently have 3 points on my licence (SP50)
My wife as named driver - she has a clean licence
No insurance claims for either of us in last 5 years
Pay annual premium up front - not instalments

Last year the 5 lowest viable quotes I received were in the range £428 to £504 - I chose Auto Direct at £450

This year - I still have the same car - all personal details are the same (except for being a year older) - yet the lowest 5 viable quotes are in the range £253 to £348
My present insurer is listed at £388 - £62 lower than I paid last year. (But I have yet to receive the renewal notice)

I see from your later post that you are a little older than me. I seek the same cover as you but no convictions and of course the postcode is different.
I had a Terracan insured from May 2011 at £276 but three weeks later I bought the i30 on a spur of the moment impulse (I only went in for a service). I then received a £45 refund from the insurers indicating the premium would have been £231 or a little less. This May will tell if premiums have gone up but my experience over the last ten years or so is that insurers rely on inertia selling hoping people will not change as my premiums have shot up on house, cars and caravan. Only switching on a like for like basis keeps them down.
Strange thing is that if I get quotes but switch main driver to my wife instead of me there is a considerable difference in premium although nothing else has changed.
There is no apparent logic in insurance.

Edit: Why do you take Legal Assistance? Theywill only take on cases that they are sure to win. If you are fully comp they will fight your case anyway as they stand to lose money. Use a stand alone Legal Aid cover. I get mine free as a retired union member and also through my breakdown cover with Britannia Rescue..
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 21, 2012, 15:47:55: Quote from: baradeur on February 21, 2012, 15:43:02
Quote from: AlanHo on February 19, 2012, 10:03:56
I'm confused - even confused.com have confused me.

Each February, ready for March renewal, I carry out my usual web search for car insurance quotes - using both specific insurers and the main comparison sites - to get competitive prices.

I always specify :-
Comprehensive insurance
Voluntary excess £250
No claims protection
Legal Assistance
Windscreen Cover
Courtesy car
I currently have 3 points on my licence (SP50)
My wife as named driver - she has a clean licence
No insurance claims for either of us in last 5 years
Pay annual premium up front - not instalments

Last year the 5 lowest viable quotes I received were in the range £428 to £504 - I chose Auto Direct at £450

This year - I still have the same car - all personal details are the same (except for being a year older) - yet the lowest 5 viable quotes are in the range £253 to £348
My present insurer is listed at £388 - £62 lower than I paid last year. (But I have yet to receive the renewal notice)

I see from your later post that you are a little older than me. I seek the same cover as you but no convictions and of course the postcode is different.
I had a Terracan insured from May 2011 at £276 but three weeks later I bought the i30 on a spur of the moment impulse (I only went in for a service). I then received a £45 refund from the insurers indicating the premium would have been £231 or a little less. This May will tell if premiums have gone up but my experience over the last ten years or so is that insurers rely on inertia selling hoping people will not change as my premiums have shot up on house, cars and caravan. Only switching on a like for like basis keeps them down.
Strange thing is that if I get quotes but switch main driver to my wife instead of me there is a considerable difference in premium although nothing else has changed.
There is no apparent logic in insurance.

Edit: Why do you take Legal Assistance? Theywill only take on cases that they are sure to win. If you are fully comp they will fight your case anyway as they stand to lose money. Use a stand alone Legal Aid cover. I get mine free as a retired union member and also through my breakdown cover with Britannia Rescue..

See here - https://i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=7417.msg145915#new (https://i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=7417.msg145915#new)

OK did an online quote with current insurers and got the premium down by £60.

Rang them and they could reduced but only by 50% i.e.£30.

Explained that my online was £60 so the chap did a "new" quote and guess what . Yes £60 cheaper.

Asked him to quote by taking son off policy and it would reduce by 54p!!!! So he has been left on.

So old policy will expire and will not be renewed.
New policy start from 1 minute after old policy expires.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 21, 2012, 15:56:02: Quote from: baradeur on February 21, 2012, 15:43:02
Edit: Why do you take Legal Assistance?

Use a stand alone Legal Aid cover. I get mine free as a retired union member

Like you I don't have this as part of the renewal with the insurance company but I am covered thro' my union membership.

OK it is only circa £20 but £20 is 13 litres of diesel
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: baroudeur on February 21, 2012, 16:01:59: Quote from: diablo on February 20, 2012, 00:54:56
There's a list of UK motor insurance postcode ratings here -

http://www.carinsuranceexplained.com/car-insurance-explained/car-insurance-postcode-risk-list.html (http://www.carinsuranceexplained.com/car-insurance-explained/car-insurance-postcode-risk-list.html)

I wonder how old that list is. Most insurers now work on the full postcode and two friends long time in the insurance businesss confirm that is the case.
My postcode first three digits (the post code district) are shared with a well known high risk urban area and only the fourth (postcode sector) digits separates us, in a rural village eight miles away, from that location. The linked list shows my postcode as risk F but it is in fact C. A hamlet a mile down the road is in a completely different postcode area (i.e different first two letters)
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 09:26:10: Quote from: eye30 on February 21, 2012, 15:47:55
So old policy will expire and will not be renewed.
New policy start from 1 minute after old policy expires.

Just don't get your mornin' paper during that minute... :whistler: :rofl:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 22, 2012, 09:31:10: Quote from: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 09:26:10
Quote from: eye30 on February 21, 2012, 15:47:55
So old policy will expire and will not be renewed.
New policy start from 1 minute after old policy expires.

Just don't get your mornin' paper during that minute... :whistler: :rofl:

Might get it delivered that day :cool:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Surferdude on February 22, 2012, 10:33:44: Quote from: eye30 on February 22, 2012, 09:31:10
Quote from: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 09:26:10
Quote from: eye30 on February 21, 2012, 15:47:55
So old policy will expire and will not be renewed.
New policy start from 1 minute after old policy expires.

Just don't get your mornin' paper during that minute... :whistler: :rofl:

Might get it delivered that day :cool:
If we change insurers the new one overlaps the old one. There's no technical ~~moment~~ minute when you aren't insured.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 10:52:07: I was joking.. :whistler:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Surferdude on February 22, 2012, 11:04:24: Quote from: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 10:52:07
I was joking.. :whistler:
I know that.
I was commenting on the one minute lag between the two policies.
It seems strange.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 11:18:58: Quote from: surferdude on February 22, 2012, 11:04:24
Quote from: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 10:52:07
I was joking.. :whistler:
I know that.
I was commenting on the one minute lag between the two policies.
It seems strange.

I assumed Lester was using Poetic license :Shocked:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Mad Dog on February 22, 2012, 11:30:46: I phoned my insurance to tell them I was changing to the i30 a couple of weeks back, expecting to have to co-ordinate the arrival / departure time to fit in with the insurance. Admiral told me that on a switch-over day they insure both cars, the old until you hand it over and the new from when you take possession. I thought that was pretty neat, especially as they gave me £45 back as the i30 is a lower group :happydance:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 11:34:17: That was good MD :goodjob:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: bumpkin on February 22, 2012, 11:40:32: Quote from: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 11:18:58
Quote from: surferdude on February 22, 2012, 11:04:24
Quote from: Dazzler on February 22, 2012, 10:52:07
I was joking.. :whistler:
I know that.
I was commenting on the one minute lag between the two policies.
It seems strange.

I assumed Lester was using Poetic license :Shocked:

No our policies state that they run out at 2359h on a date. Ours also start at 0000h, so on paper we have a minute of non-insurance.

It is 2359 until 2359:59 when it becomes 0000 so I think legally we are OK :happydance:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 22, 2012, 15:50:58: Quote from: surferdude on February 22, 2012, 11:04:24
I was commenting on the one minute lag between the two policies.
It seems strange.

Just looked out last years certificate and compared to current certificate.

The old one expired at 23:59 and the new/continous one has a start time of 00:01.

I've often wondered what would be the legal position if you had an accident dead on 12 midnight.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 22, 2012, 15:58:57: Just been reading the new policy booklet with my renewal.

Under Basis of Settlement - Repairs - it states:
we may use parts or accessories which aren't made or supplied by your car's manufacturer but are of similar type and quality to the parts and accessories we are replacing.

Checked the booklet from last year and this paragraph wasn't in. So they have included it from this year.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Mad Dog on February 22, 2012, 17:47:17: So who are you with pls eye30?
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: diablo on February 22, 2012, 18:25:37: My Prudential cover booklet says -

Non-Manufacturers parts
If Your Car is three years old or more,
We may decide to repair it with parts
which have not been made by the Car’s
manufacturer, but are of a similar standard.

Same clause was in the policy two years ago.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: bumpkin on February 22, 2012, 18:48:26: That's a pretty nasty clause if you have a 5 year warranty, I would be tempted to check it!!! :undecided:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Asterix on February 22, 2012, 20:12:15: Quote from: diablo on February 22, 2012, 18:25:37
My Prudential cover booklet says -

Non-Manufacturers parts
If Your Car is three years old or more,
We may decide to repair it with parts
which have not been made by the Car’s
manufacturer, but are of a similar standard.

Same clause was in the policy two years ago.

This is not an unusual clause in Danish insurance policies, but don't know if it could cause some problems with the warranty. :question:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Mad Dog on February 22, 2012, 20:26:48: Presumably this is the type of occasion where Hyundai First would hope to make a difference ... ?

Quote from: diablo on February 22, 2012, 18:25:37

Non-Manufacturers parts
If Your Car is three years old or more,
We may decide to repair it with parts
which have not been made by the Car’s
manufacturer, but are of a similar standard.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 22, 2012, 20:27:53: Quote from: Mad Dog on February 22, 2012, 17:47:17
So who are you with pls eye30?
Frizzells
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: neptune on February 22, 2012, 23:26:03: Quote from: eye30 on February 22, 2012, 15:50:58
Quote from: surferdude on February 22, 2012, 11:04:24
I was commenting on the one minute lag between the two policies.
It seems strange.

Just looked out last years certificate and compared to current certificate.

The old one expired at 23:59 and the new/continous one has a start time of 00:01.

I've often wondered what would be the legal position if you had an accident dead on 12 midnight.

This time comes from the military time in the 24hr clock....that no time exist between 0000 and 0001....so if you were going to do anything bad...that is the time to do it.......but as for a car accident....I would change the time to the 12hr clock
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: baroudeur on February 23, 2012, 11:57:15: Quote from: surferdude on February 22, 2012, 11:04:24

I was commenting on the one minute lag between the two policies.

Isn't it two minutes?

There is no 00.00 or 24.00 so the old policy expires at 23.59 and the new one starts at 00.01
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Mad Dog on February 23, 2012, 20:30:59: Yikes - just been reading my Insurance terms for a separate thread and came across this -

EXCESS - The amount you must pay towards any claim for damage to or loss of your car. You are responsible for the excess even if the incident is not your fault.

Is that normal? I must admit I thought you only paid the excess when "At fault".
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: Dazzler on February 23, 2012, 20:32:12: Quote from: Mad Dog on February 23, 2012, 20:30:59
Yikes - just been reading my Insurance terms for a separate thread and came across this -

EXCESS - The amount you must pay towards any claim for damage to or loss of your car. You are responsible for the excess even if the incident is not your fault.

Is that normal? I must admit I thought you only paid the excess when "At fault".

:whsaid:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: AlanHo on February 23, 2012, 20:50:13: My understanding is that if you are not at fault and this is admitted by the third party - your insurer will try and get the excess you have paid recovered from the third party insurer. I have no idea whether this works though.
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: bumpkin on February 24, 2012, 08:48:28: :whsaid:
Title: Re: UK Car Insurance Costs
Post by: eye30 on February 24, 2012, 12:40:20: I've not paid anything towards the repairs in my recent accident.

I was the 3rd party and non fault