Haggling with insurers over premiums

Rotty · 14 Dec 2006 at 10:50

I assume many folks do this but just to remind everyone always to do this, I have never failed to get more money off just for asking

Got my renewal today at £799.90, rang them said it was too much and they immediately reduced it to £725 , still said it was too much ans they went off to speak to other folks and came back with £680.99 which was the absolute bottom line they said

I nearly always find the maximum they will budge to be almost dead on 15%

ramirez · 14 Dec 2006 at 10:50

yep done this a few times myself. renewal prices are usually ridiculous.

Rotty · 14 Dec 2006 at 10:52

ramirez said:
yep done this a few times myself. renewal prices are usually ridiculous.

my renewals are normally competitive but I always get it cheaper just for asking

merlin · 14 Dec 2006 at 10:54

Costs you nothing to do it and more often than not they will conceed. :cool:

Especially important to shop around now because car insurance rates are going to rocket any day. Just waiting for someone to make the first move, NU probably.

Rotty · 14 Dec 2006 at 10:55

merlin said:
Costs you nothing to do it and more often than not they will conceed.

Especially important to shop around now because car insurance rates are going to rocket any day. Just waiting for someone to make the first move, NU probably.

good to know, my insurance isn't due for 3 weeks so it is probably good that I sorted it early

Sp00n · 14 Dec 2006 at 10:57

merlin said:
Costs you nothing to do it and more often than not they will conceed.

Especially important to shop around now because car insurance rates are going to rocket any day. Just waiting for someone to make the first move, NU probably.

Any particular reason?

Rotty · 14 Dec 2006 at 10:59

Sp00n said:
Any particular reason?

I would suspect that rising personal injury compersation has a lot to do with it ( a lot of it fraudulent ) :mad:

NathanE · 14 Dec 2006 at 11:02

Knocked 20% off my Elephant renewal last month :cool:

Never hurts to put on your cocky hat and give them a call

agw_01 · 14 Dec 2006 at 11:05

Might have to try that :cool:

merlin · 14 Dec 2006 at 11:09

Sp00n said:
Any particular reason?

In a nutshell - rates have been falling for 2 years now and I think many insurers are starting to run out of money.

SoliD · 14 Dec 2006 at 11:12

merlin said:
In a nutshell - rates have been falling for 2 years now and I think many insurers are starting to run out of money.

Bah, gonna have to pass my test soonish and sort myself out a car then.Presuming this technique doesnt work so well on your first year of insurance, but i guess it is worth a try!

merlin · 14 Dec 2006 at 11:16

Pff, don't worry about it - it's always been the same cyclical thing.

2 or 3 years of rates dropping, then 2 or 3 of them rising & repeat forever.

Rates WILL go up, that's a fact. Only thing I can't say is when. Could be tomorrow, could be June 07.

Siliconslave · 14 Dec 2006 at 11:17

merlin said:
In a nutshell - rates have been falling for 2 years now and I think many insurers are starting to run out of money.

nuts

not looking forward to my insurance next year then! claims and proberbly having to up my mileage again will be a killer

-westy- · 14 Dec 2006 at 11:26

I managed to haggle about £180 off my premium with Quinn Direct, only paying £689 a year now

POB · 14 Dec 2006 at 11:26

Renewal offers have allways be very expensive for me.

Everytime its been much cheap 50% on occasion to change company.

Also with places like Quidco offering around £100 or more as cashback, its rude not to.

Edit:

Ran a quote through quidco and Lloyds came back at £283.50.

But when you take away the £120 cashback I'd get makes car insurance £163.50!!

panthro · 14 Dec 2006 at 11:30

merlin said:
Rates WILL go up, that's a fact. Only thing I can't say is when. Could be tomorrow, could be June 07.

Its already happened :mad:

Elephant want to put my quote up by £300 :eek:

Im going to phone them in a bit and tell them where to stick it......unless I cant find anywhere cheaper.

monkeyspank · 14 Dec 2006 at 12:12

about a month ago Churchill tried to up my premium from £720 to about £1200. Exactly the same circumstances etc but with one extra years NCB :confused:

needless to say I didn't renew. Got it for about £500 in the end

Dogbreath · 14 Dec 2006 at 12:15

merlin said:
In a nutshell - rates have been falling for 2 years now

They have? That's certainly not been reflected in my premiums!

Oakesy2001uk · 14 Dec 2006 at 12:19

I just got insured on my R6 with all mods declared and insured (a lot), at 21 years old (just) 4 years NCD with a TS20 (3points) For £650 with all breakdown etc included. Fully comp £400 excess.

At the start of the conversation it was £890 third part fire and theft!! :eek:

I told him I want FC for less than £700 and I will give him my card details now.

He toddled off for 20 minutes or so, said he had the underwriter with him, and could offer £690, to which I said, "I have had annother quote whilst I waited for you to call back for £660.

He went down to £650 but said if the phone got cut off there is no way he could offer it again, so I paid up! :-)

Its amazing what being a pain in the **** to them can be, dont forget they are on commission and want the sale, if you tell them you are going elsewhere they will bend over! I got it comfortably £600 under any online quote I have managed to get!

Rotty · 14 Dec 2006 at 12:38

Dogbreath said:
They have? That's certainly not been reflected in my premiums!

mine has been fallin for the last 3 years , maybe some other factot is affecting yours

I suppose £680 for a group 20 car with business use and protected no claims isn't too bad