Insurance time again!

[robjf]

When my parents first gave me their old car (Ford Focus Estate 2l 2001/51) I accepted the fact that i would pay an extortionate amount as I had no no-claims. Having driven as a named driver when i first passed my test, then on company insurance for a number of years, I never had my own policy.

So when I first got my car (12 months ago), it cost me approximately £1200 over the course of the year, paying monthly of course! Now when i got this policy, I tested the waters for how much it would have cost me should I have had 1 years no-claims, and I remember getting several quotes in the region of £600, from big name insurers.

So Swift Cover were kind enough rolleyes to email me to remind me i needed to renew my policy and that it would renew automatically next month at a cost of....£1516! What a joke!

Ive since done a quote on sites such as Go Compare etc and with all the same details, Swift Cover are quoting me at £985, which is far more stomach-able!

I guess i have 2 questions.
1) Are there any other ideas to lower the cost of the policy? I have added my girlfriends father as he has 40 odd years driving behind him and it lowers the quotes (and he uses my car occasionally!)
2) Why are they such idiots, giving me such a lame auto renewal quote?! Should i just call up and say you have quoted me the lower price online but auto renewal is extortionate, I presume they will match it?

Cheers,

Rob

 

[Barks]

They do it because some people are stupid enough to accept the renewal quote.

When it happened to me they honoured the significantly cheaper quote I received by pretending to be a new customer without any problems or hassle.

 

[robjf]

The only number i can find for them is the cancellations number, should i just call that? When i had to call to make an amendment last i got charged £30, i don't want that to happen again!

Rob

 

[SGWills]

ring up any number explain to them your looking to discuss your renewal and they should pass you through to the right department

 

[robjf]

Cheers guys will give it a go. I certainly don't want to automatically renew the policy as it is at the moment!

 

[Maccy]

It happens to all of us every year. Elephant tried it on with me too back in January, quoted in excess of £400, I called up and explained that I'd got a significantly cheaper quote via a comparison site, gave them the reference number and they adjusted it accordingly.

 

[Hxc]

Bell quoted me lower than the quote for a new customer when renewing, just bucking the trend here

I think I buck the trend with most insurance threads on here, mind...

 

[Kenai]

Bell quoted me lower than the quote for a new customer when renewing, just bucking the trend here

Admiral were the same with me, renewal was about £150 cheaper than a new quote and they were the cheapest quote I got from anyone.