Anyone use Tesco for Car Insurance?

Evening all.

My current policy with Admiral is due to expire on 03/03/13 and my renewal is ridiculous. As a result I have gone back to the drawing board and after using the comparison websites, Tesco is coming out tops.

For Fully Comp with 4 years NCB (protected) I am getting a quote of £438.92. This includes a voluntary excess of £150 and having my old man as a secondary named driver (it's actually cheaper with him on).

I personally think it's a very reasonable quote but I have never opted to protect my NCB before. I don't know why I just thought that perhaps I should from now on.

So, my questions. Should I keep my NCB protection or not have it thus reducing the premium?

Has anyone else used Tesco for car insurance?

Lastly, I was looking at the personal accident payout and in the event of someone's death, loss of limbs etc etc it stands at £5K.

Is this not, well, a bit small?

Also, where can I look on the policy that tells me I am insured to drive another car (my old man's) as I use his car occasionally and I was insured to drive his car with Admiral.

Thanks

Sparky05084

Im insured with Tesco although I've never had to use it. I have £100 compulsary excess and £0 voluntary. I am getting old.

Yes protect your no claims. What ever terms your are held to its still cheaper to protect then to pay the next years inflated premium after an at fault claim. No only would your insurance go up due to the claim add in going back to 0% discount, ouch.

18 years PCN I'd be a fool to loose them and go back to paying a full primeum. The cost of insurance these days for new drivers I'd dread to think what yours would cost even with 4 years claim free going back to zero.

Just to add, I also have Tesco house insurance and used that once, quick, easy and friendly to deal with.

Cheers for that mate. Ok, so could you tell me where I need to look to check that I am insured to drive another vehicle?

My dad is a named driver on the policy therefore he can drive my car but I want to be sure that I can drive his.

I was with Tesco for several years. They consistently gave me renewal quotes cheaper than I was able to match until the latest renewal. Moved to Admiral now though.

I had a non-fault accident claim with them when someone crashed into my parked car. They used JustCarClinic for the repair and I was provided with a Megane as a replacement car while my Fabia was in for repair. Overall - the claim was relatively trouble free but suspiciously I started getting junk mail (and one phone call) from personal injury lawyers afterwards. Only Tesco and the police had details, as far as I was aware.

Also had a windscreen claim. At the time, they restricted claims to one Windscreen company (I think Autoglass). This was irritating as I noticed my chip right outside a National Windscreens office and was told I couldn't use them. The chip turned into a crack and a replacement winscreen by the time Autoglass saw it. That was a few years ago and last time I read a Tesco policy document I don't recall seeing the restriction any more.

sparky05084 said:

Cheers for that mate. Ok, so could you tell me where I need to look to check that I am insured to drive another vehicle?

My dad is a named driver on the policy therefore he can drive my car but I want to be sure that I can drive his.

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Its normal on every insurance if fully comp to be insured, 3rd party only, on another vehical with the owner permission. Any named driver on your policy does not have the same right. Phone to make sure dont take my advice as true for you. Seams insurance companies will do any thing for money and may be they charge for this now.

Don't buy direct from the compare site. phone the top 2 or 3 and they will have your details stroed from the compare site. They will double check the info with you and they will ask whats the cost of your renewal. Tell them the truth and also that you got the quote you are following up from xyz compare and tell them the other quotes you have had. The people on the phone can do more to help you get a low quote than a computer serach program. Also making sure the compare site has entred the propper info.

I see what your saying. When you say don't buy from the comparison website you mean don't follow the link?

I basically went direct to Tesco's site and double checked and all the information is there. Thing is, I have called insurance companies in the past (last one being Hastings) and it was actually more expensive over the phone even though the details were exact.

I was advised to do it through the website in the end and I did. So, are you saying still call them and not buy online even though I am doing it through the Tesco site itself?

Ah through the site itsself is ok. Im old school when it comes to insurance. Take the quote number and phone them they have to stick with the quote from the quote ref number you get of the web site.

Check the details with them on the phone re:3rd party entitlement. If all is ok and they ask you to go back to the site to pay then fine at least you are 100% informed of what your buying. Thus getting no nasty surprise if you do need to make a claim. Who reads the small print. If they take to payment over the phone fine also.

Cheers mate you've been a help. I think I'm going to go for it with Tesco. Personally, I can't see it being any cheaper with anyone esle. Admiral couldn't even get near.

Driving other cars (3rd party only) cover is not as common as it once was. It will be specified in your policy documents, but is usually limited to drivers over the age of 25. Definitely ask, but I'm pretty certain Tesco do not provide this cover under their standard motor policy.

I appreciate it will be more expensive, but the best cover you could get would be if you were added as a named driver on the old man's policy...

I was with Tesco 2 years ago and I'm 100% sure they said I wasn't covered third party for other vehicles, I actually had to do a fair bit of shopping around recently to find my Dad a policy which included this, I think Aviva was the best for him at the time.

Imo protected ncb is a complete waste of time and a great money spinner (or advertising boost) for insurers. They'll only offer it if it's in there interests and are very quick to drop it if you look likely to even break even.

To correct some of the incorrect information above, if you have an accident it's very unlikely you would lose all your ncb, it's usually 2 years per claim but 1 had a policy from Adrian Flux that was 3 years.

Gribs said:

Imo protected ncb is a complete waste of time and a great money spinner (or advertising boost) for insurers. They'll only offer it if it's in there interests and are very quick to drop it if you look likely to even break even.

To correct some of the incorrect information above, if you have an accident it's very unlikely you would lose all your ncb, it's usually 2 years per claim but 1 had a policy from Adrian Flux that was 3 years.

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^that. First paragraph also applies to legal cover.

Thats why I also said "whatever terms you are held to"" 1st years no claims est 20% so lets say the following 3 years is +5% per year. So what are his terms, loss of 3 years loss of 2 loss of every year before 5 full years. 1 claim per year 2 claims. 2 claims in the last 3 years.

If his insurance was £1000 and loses 10% NCD (2 years at 5%) thats still £100 and i'll bet it dosent cost £100 or over to protect his no claims with only having 4 years NCD.

With 18 years it cost me £26 to protect my no claims and thats with my wife on the policy whos only been driving for 3 years and she earns her own NCD if she ever want here own policy. Also I get free legal cover.

Every policy is diffrent, thats why I advised check your terms. Also to phone and make sure he is clear as to what his policy would be with Tesco.

Orford said:

With 18 years it cost me £26 to protect my no claims and thats with my wife on the policy whos only been driving for 3 years and she earns her own NCD if she ever want here own policy. Also I get free legal cover.

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If you've never made a claim in 18 years then it's pretty clear you're wasting your money "protecting" your ncb. Assuming it's cost you £26 every year that's nearly £500 wasted. If you'd actually had a claim the difference between losing 2 years ncb and not isn't significant compared to the overall increase in cost due to the claim. From playing with Direct lines system when I worked there it seemed to be about £40 difference on average.

Gribs said:

If you've never made a claim in 18 years then it's pretty clear you're wasting your money "protecting" your ncb. Assuming it's cost you £26 every year that's nearly £500 wasted. If you'd actually had a claim the difference between losing 2 years ncb and not isn't significant compared to the overall increase in cost due to the claim. From playing with Direct lines system when I worked there it seemed to be about £40 difference on average.

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Thanks for the info I'll take it onboard.