Keep your old motor insurance certificates
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Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 9:20 AM
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I've been with same insurer for a few years and have 7 years no claims. However - this renewal letter states I have 6 years. This is because the last few certificates have stated '5 or more' - which is correct but obviously not precise. They've now got a new system which just adds a year onto the last know number, so I've lost a year and a potential extra discount. They say they can't do anything about it. Sigh.
I then phoned my insurer on our first car for a quote, during which it emerged they have me down as 11 years on the first car. But I joined them with 13 years, the next two year's certificates stated 'maximum' and now it''s magically 11. Appears it's all systems driven and they can;t physically print a number higher than the maximum discount offered.'
Fortunately I've kept some of the old certificates, so can prove the number of years by someone looking through the consecutive years and doing the maths. If they can be bothered. It doesn't change the prices much as both no claims periods are quite long, but I'd rather it was correct.
It seems to be more common than I thought - you can potentially stay with a company for years, but the certificate may not show more than the maximum number of years they offer a discount on - eg 5 or more. But if you move to an insurer who gives discounts on say 9 years, you may not be able to prove it.
So be a bit anal and keep a hold of those certificates!
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 10:11 AM
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I recently had to renew my motor insurance, and due to being involved in an accident (as a passenger) during the icy conditions, I considered protecting my no-claims discount, something I'd never thought necessary or worthwhile up to now.
Once I requested a second set of quotes from my favourite car insurance comparison website, this time with the "Protected No Claims" option selected, I was amazed to find a reputable insurer, underwritten by one of the larger underwriters, and incidentally the same underwriter that my previous policy with esure was with, for less than half the nearest similar policy *without* protected no claims.
I had to go through each element to ensure I wasn't being sold a mickey, but no, everything checked out. No hidden excesses, everything at a reasonable £50 or £100. Protected No Claims. Legal Cover. Monthly Direct Debit fee. Correct Details. The works - all identical or better than the nearest rival.
So I bought it.
I pay around £13 per month.
Bradford and Bingley wrote to me to let me know their computer had made a bit of a boob, and that they had vastly undercharged me for my insurance.
Since it was their fault they are honouring the price (I guess they may have been able to get out of it if they wanted, not sure though).
They just warn me that any chances to my policy will probably result in a large increase in premium, and likewise at renewal time I should budget for an increase!
At the time I thought it might have been so much cheaper due to an 'only insuring careful drivers' type policy, where perhaps they only insured people who had a long enough no claims discount, and also wanted to protect it.
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 10:40 AM
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Many years ago I used to be with NU and left them because they became uncompetitive so it pays to keep up with the market when your renewal comes round.
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 10:47 AM
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For the reasons you mention I haven't included both Aviva or Direct Line in my renewal searches for a number of years as I always found them to be more than (no pun intended) £150 than the nearest competitors.
I'll give them a try at my next renewal.
Forum Moderator and Customer
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear - Mark Twain
He who feared he would not succeed sat still
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 10:50 AM
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Mind you the fact that the car is a Vauxhall Omega with a 2.6 litre V6 engine may have something to do with it.

Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 10:52 AM
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Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 11:25 AM
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It's no good having very cheap insurance, if when you come to claim they provide poor service. better perhaps to spend a few more pounds and a company that deals with claims well.
You can only do that on personal recommendation - I presume ?
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 11:28 AM
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Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 11:35 AM
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Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 11:37 AM
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Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
05-03-2010 11:52 AM
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Of course, next year they decided to put my premium up (ever wondered why your no claims discount and everything should give you a discount, but your premiums go up?) so I went to a price comparison website and found an offer for around £70 which was cheaper than the £110 renewal. I phoned up A-Quote saying "I don't want to renew, I've found a cheaper quote" and magically, they beat it! Of course, last time my premium went up.... again, another quick search brought me a quote for £50, much less than the £80 I'm paying now, they refused to match it but I decided to stick with them. This year my bike is SORN so I'll not be getting insurance till it's repaired and road-worthy again.
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
07-03-2010 9:51 PM
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Talk of comparison websites.
Final electricity bill came, did a yearly budget, little less usage, little less cost compared with last year, which is good considering the cold of Jan and Feb.
STILL thought I'd run a comparison with one of the websites.
I'm currently with E.ON, plugged in my details, usage, payment methods, area etc......................low and behold Scottish and Southern came up as cheaper.
Tried it over again but this time said I was with Scottish and Southern rather than with E.ON................guess what.....E.ON came out cheaper.
Appears they are never going to say you've got the best deal, want you to switch to get their commission.
No surprise.
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
Re: Keep your old motor insurance certificates
07-03-2010 10:01 PM
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