No I’m not renewing with your company (car insurance)

[oldstudentmum]

I always use comparison sites every year, got to look after the pounds! Anyway my current company couldn’t match. The bloke kept me on the line for 30 fucking minutes, oh but it’s only this much difference, you do realise it’s so much time and paperwork to provide the other company with your no claims. when’s your mot due (?) do you have other cars in the household .Kept putting me on hold or the cutting me off or saying hello are you still there ? The best comment was “ I want you to do your research and make an informed decision “ this pissed me right off. So I had to end the call as I’m busy told chap look I have to go now I don’t want to renew. His tone changed sounded rather annoyed.
It totally annoyed me his attitude and tone. Even if next year they come up cheaper I won’t use them due to this rude condescending man. I think insurance companies like drivers like me 25 years and no claims!
Rant over oh and my new insurance asked for name of previous insurance and will ask them for no claims proof so no time wasting or paperwork.
Oh I’ll name the company Hastings Direct.

As I read your post I was thinking “ bet it’s Hasting Direct” . Never been happy with any dealings with them.

Strangely I have always been able to get Hastings down to near enough what anybody else offered!
I did once phone direct line and tell them not to even bother trying to give me a new quote as they should have provided a decent quote in the first place. I had just got home from hospital after a really traumatic late miscarriage and I was taking no shit.
Years earlier when I had a claim they were brilliant though, even sent flowers to my house within an hour of me phoning them, so I may look at them again as I saw recently they are good when needed. I was just so annoyed at that time the renewal was so ridiculous.

I've never been kept on the phone by people like this because I've never allowed it to happen.

A brisk, "no thank you, I'm definitely leaving unless you match the price - yes or no", and they don't bother pursuing it.

They're like wolves, they can spot the weak members of the herd.

It would make me want to walk away from them even if they could match!

It’s just business and it’s just his job. Say yes or say no. Who spends half an hour on the phone to a sales person if they don’t want the product?

Why would you stay on the line? Just tell them the price they need to best, and if they can't you tell them you won't renew and end the call. You don't need their permission.

I moved to RAC, I got fully comp and recovery cover for £100 less than my renewal quote from Aviva this weekend plus meerkat movies etc as I went through a comparison site.

Another one not understanding. I just tell them I don't want to renew, they offer their best price and I either accept or say no thanks. Three minutes tops, including their search.

Hastings were awful to deal with day to day and then cocked up so epically when I did make a claim that they ended up paying me compensation. The call handler still tried to talk me round when I cancelled the policy!

Just end the call. Why would you stay on the phone?

Oh I've never had this with them and they have always been able to match the lower quotes.

And after my mum died the call handler was so lovely and didn't charge me any extra to change my insurance.

Same, I had to claim and pay £400 (long, long story where someone lied about being rear ended and shunted into me) and it took 8 months to get it back
Never again

Hastings do come up cheaper the first time you take out their insurance, but you have to phone every renewal to get it cheaper and their phone number isn’t a freephone number and the call takes a while. My 26 year old son is with them. A van crashed into him and everything was sorted out quite quick, but they get a lot of money from car hire when your car is being prepared, my Son told them he didn’t need a hire car, but they said one was being delivered anyway.

I had exactly the same, it took 30 minutes to get him to cancel the policy’s renewal. He managed to get it down to the same price but there was no way I was continuing with them having had to go through those hoops. Everybody else it’s a 5 minutes polite conversation.

The phone line kept being cut off! And the guy kept asking are you still there! He was really lingering it out. First line I spoke was I’ve got a cheaper price I wont be renewing. If they had matched it there and then fine. However I’ve been had over many years ago by an insurance company (Admiral) I wanted it confirmed by the handler my insurance would not be renewed. Last year I had a delightful person took 10 mins. If you would have asked me last year yes I would have recommended them.

I keep renewing with 1st Central as they are the only insurers I've used who drop the premium each year to equal or less than the lowest quote I get on comparison sites, without me asking. Never had to claim <touch wood> but happy they aren't greedy.

Why didn't you just put the phone down?

New FCA regulations came in this year that means insurance companies can't price match anymore. They have to give their best price at renewal and then shouldn't be applying any discount if a customer calls up to complain. So don't bother wasting your time. If you've found cheaper just go with it.

Direct Line couldn’t insure my car because they said it didn’t exist. I’d tried online and couldn’t find it in their list, so phoned. The lad obviously thought I was a stupid woman who couldn’t do things online and quite patronisingly said he’s have a look. He was taken aback when he couldn’t find it in his list and apologised that he wouldn’t be able to insure the car.

I would have understood if it was a niche marque, but not a bog standard manufacturer.

Thats very interesting, thanks!