Insurance companies watch what addresses you 'try' on compare sites

[Vanilla]

This may be common knowledge but it was a first for me.

I recently took out a policy for new insurance. At first I used a comparison site, in the end I went direct to the company because I could benefit from topcashback.

Anyway, during one of the searches on the comparison site I changed the address to another location as a family member wanted to know, out of interest, what the difference was where they lived. I did so and thought nothing of it.

Got a call from the insurance company today asking about that address, if the vehicle was linked to any other address as they spotted this search (all I did was update the address, saw the quote, then change it back). Little bit of confirmation and proof of address later and i'm all good.

So tip - save yourself some headaches and if you're going insurance shopping and may have a reason to put another address in (second home, interest) - they can see this stuff (more so if you give the license plate of the car as I did).

They saw these searches on a comparison site even though I didn't actually use the comparison site to buy.

Edit:

Something I didn't add to the OP.

I did actually have to pay more. Long story short when they asked if i'd been a resident at my address since birth I said yes but I'd spent a few years overseas (traveling). Apparently they count this as time away if more than 6 months so I had to pay another 60 quid....just for them to edit my details. All they did was change my 'time lived at address' from birth to a few years after. Naturally this had a charge s which was over £70 but I asked for a requote and it came out about £60 more expensive afterwards anyway.

Robbing gits.

They seem to be wise to you checking their site because when I tried to do a quote with her on the phone it said sorry we can't give you a quote at this time (even with hidden number plate). When I tried just now using random names, numbers and close details it gave me a quote 4x the original quote and also said they cannot offer direct debit option, so clearly they are running credit checks at the same time.

 

[Vanilla]

You have to be careful and vigilant about what comes your way with things like this.

Very careful, i mean scammers and hackers can use this info in a way to con you not just advertising only.

If you don't know contact the genuine people or company to say what is going on if your not sure without clicking any links or whatever, zilch of that.

Varying on how it is after contacting genuine people this will help to keep you more secure online etc if you contact them to see what is going on etc and if the details were right and if it was right about your details you may ask them to help protect you against all of that if they detect any invalid scamming requests or whatever you see.

It can look very genuine so be careful, and think twice.

Plus phishing or ransomware or malware can easily use this info etc, so be careful what you click as well.

Dan.

I had a missed call on my phone which it identified as Hastings direct. I called them back using the phone number on their website.

 

[Vanilla]

Something I didn't add to the OP.

I did actually have to pay more. Long story short when they asked if i'd been a resident at my address since birth I said yes but I'd spent a few years overseas (traveling). Apparently they count this as time away if more than 6 months so I had to pay another 60 quid....just for them to edit my details. All they did was change my 'time lived at address' from birth to a few years after. Naturally this had a charge s which was over £70 but I asked for a requote and it came out about £60 more expensive afterwards anyway.

They seem to be wise to you checking their site because when I tried to do a quote with her on the phone it said sorry we can't give you a quote at this time (even with hidden number plate). When I tried just now using random names, numbers and close details it gave me a quote 4x the value and also said they cannot offer direct debit option, so clearly they are running credit checks at the same time.

 

[Vanilla]

OK OK, I'd rephrase it...

I'd tell them, I was just interested. Leave me alone.

Then i'd have no insurance...and they were the cheapest by far

Edit: Read that as 'just not interested'. Ignore

 

[Vanilla]

Quote manipulation has really come into focus for a number of big Motor players over the last couple of years. I've attended a couple of really good presentations on it, and the methods of tracking it are only becoming more advanced.

In cases like the one in the OP where it was a completely innocent 'what if' check you'll get a phone call to discuss to make sure you're not deliberately misleading the insurer for a cheaper price, the advisor will be satisfied and that will be the end of it.

I updated the OP about the extras I had to pay. Do you know anything about this 'out of the UK for 6 months+ counts as not being a resident for that time?

 

[Vanilla]

Its the first time I've heard of it, I'm not saying its not a common policy but its not something I've heard of previously.

In some ways it makes sense, if you've done a 6 month stint abroad you've not really lived at the same address for an uninterrupted period of xxx years, ideally you'd declare your address like:

18 years - 123 Street
6 Months - Abroad
8 Years - 123 Street

If the 6 months had been at an different residential address in the UK you wouldn't have excluded that. However even with my industry hat on, in your position I'd probably have done the same as you and thought nothing of it.

That doesn't feel like something that has been picked up from a quote manipulation check. I think they were just checking that the address you put in was the one the vehicle was going to kept at, and then when confirming your time at the address this came to light.

From a personal stand point, it seems harsh to me, I'd certainly not be happy, but tough one as its probably wrapped up in the documentation somewhere when you performed the quote about what you should / should not disclose.

Out of interest who were the insurer? From the fees it doesn't look like my place.

It was a year in the US and two in Oz.

The company is Hastings.

 

[Vanilla]

......and now they've asked for pictures of my driving license

The funny thing is this is a policy I'm talking out for a car I drive maybe once a year. I took it because I have 9 years NCB but have not had a car for almost 2 years. So rather fork out £330 for a year which will then give me 3 years cover (with regards to keeping the NCB - one year in use then another two years of grace where they are idle) than lose them.

 

[Vanilla]

If you kept a UK bank account still active to that address, then surely you were still legally resident there?

They said they class being out of the country for over 6 months as not resident