to remind you loyalty does not pay

[endlesstidying]

Insurance is due for renewal and I got the letter this mornning. I've been with the same company for years and its always gone up quite a bit. This year it his £60 a month so finally I decided to ring up and ask for a discount.

After keeping me on the phone for ages they came back and offered £10. I asked if they mean monthly and they said no for the whole year. I lost my temper at this point and told them if this is what 5 years of loyal custom meant (not to add 20 years as a customer of their bank) I was taking my custom elsewhere. I was not polite.

I went to more than and was quoted nearly £350 less for exactly the same policy. Its a huge saving wish I'd switched years ago.

Feeling evangelical now so here to remind you loyalty does not pay when it comes to insurance. Switch your policy

[clio51]

Just got my car ins £327, just gone comparison site exactly same £176
Nether to say I won't be staying with them

[Oodlesofoodles]

Aa/RAC was £100 difference from being a new customer/renewing

[RubberBullets]

I don't give companies the opportunity to match. If they want my business then give me a decent quote to start with.

[DeWe]

But then you go back to the first insurance company and say "X has offered me so much. Can you match it?" Generally they will. Dh does this every year. Phones round to the best offer, and then goes back to our original one and they match (and very occasionally better)every time.

[AbbeyBartlet]

Sorry OP I thought you had been rude to the one on the phone!

You were right to get the info to the manager though - it is the only way to get it through to them!

[oldgrandmama]

I switch insurances pretty well every year - gas boiler, house and contents, emergencies (electrical, water, plumbing etc.), cat insurance. I use one of those comparison websites (won't say which) but I now own six toy meercats! And yes, I find I can always do better than the current insurance premiums. It really is worth switching, if you can be bothered.

[endlesstidying]

Don't worry Abbey I didn't go to that extent. I did make it clear though they should convey my views back to their managers or put one on the line to me as it wasn't fair that they should have to put up wiht people being upset by their derisory offers.


You are right though I should have been nicer

[WoodBurnerBabe]

We go through a price comparison website every year. Every year, our current insurer comes out the cheapest, but usually around £200-250 cheaper than the auto-renew price. This years was a cracker, auto-renew would have been £860 - we got it down to £520 (for 2 cars). But we've been with the same insurer for about 6 years, they just price match the comparison site every year.

[AbbeyBartlet]

Oops - pressed send too quickly

It isn't the person on the phone who decides the premium.

YANBU to switch though.

[AbbeyBartlet]

And whilst it is frustrating, it isn't the person on the phone who

[AbbeyBartlet]

YABU to have been rude on the phone though - I used to work in insurance and some customers were absolutely vile about their premiums. I was called a fucking bitch on more than one occasion.

[JingleMyBells]

My letting agent made out I had to use a certain firm for contents insurance. After 8 months of paying £36pcm, I now pay £9pcm!! Made sure I had tenants liability after being reminded on here but it's the exact same policy

[BewitchedBotheredandBewildered]

If you have your children on car insurance as named drivers and you effectively take a new policy every year, rather than renew, their NCD only applies for the duration of the new policy ie. a year. Even if if they've been named for 5/6 years with the same company.

[WorraLiberty]

I never ask for a discount, I just ring up and tell them I won't be renewing due to the cost.

It's amazing how fast they come back with a much better price.

[RubberBullets]

If you go to Easyfundraising you can raise money for charity by just getting quotes. They will give £1.15 to a charity of your choice just for getting a quote from confused.com and 75p for getting one from gocompare.com. If you buy insurance from any of the insurers registered on there then there is usually quite a big donation. I got £30 for my buildings and content insurance last year, it really makes a difference.

[EauPea]

I was suprised at the difference in car insurance since the changes regarding female drivers.

Normally I am insured as policy holder and dh as named driver.
I got a few quotes last week as we are looking to get another car, put all the details in, then checked to see how much cheaper it would be without dh (as I will probably be the only one driving this car) and his 6 penalty points.

It went up by around £40 when I took dh off.

I have never had an accident or claim, this makes no sense to me.

[beecrazy]

I do that too. I've been with the same car insurance company for 8 years. I stay with them because if you claim they are good and don't quibble and are quick to organise everything for you.

When my renewal comes in I check it on the price comparison websites, like for like including their own prices then phone them.

They have always given me the lower renewal price plus an extra 5% so I'm happy.

There is no loyalty to customers you just have to accept that and find the best deal for you.
The cheapest is not always the best if the won't pay out when you need it.

[ToBeSure]

I threaten to cancel things all the time. I 'saved' £40 on my AA membership with a five minute phone call the other say.

HERE is MSEs guide to haggling

I stay with the same car insurance company but do an online application as a new client then phone them. They then match their own price . Its mad!

[WilsonFrickett]

Do make sure you're comparing like for like with home insurance though. Our last policy had a cheap premium but the excess was £350 which meant it wasn't worthwhile claiming on two small(ish) things that went wrong with the house...

[WilsonFrickett]

Life insurance slightly different Dip as I wouldn't expect your premium to go up every year? Mine stays the same (or iirc, is guaranteed not to go up for 10 years) so I'll leave it where it is.

Absolutely agree re: everything else.

The Martin Lewis website has a good energy savers club, where basically you put in what you're paying and it not only tells you if you can get a better deal now, it stores your details and emails you if you can get a better deal in the future.

[ConfusedPixie]

I switch for the better deal, but only after asking my current company if they'll price match. In 2012 Admiral wouldn't price match so I switched to Sainsbury's. In 2013 Admiral ofefred me a better deal (through price comparison sites) and included a few things that Sainbury's offered as 'optional extras' so I called Sainsbury's and they made it a fiver cheaper than admiral, removed the extras I didn't want (or need!) and gave me extras that Admiral's policy had. It is worth checking with them first though!

[DipDabDabDip]

Are your supposed to switch life insurance providers as well? Dh seems to think we should stick but I thought they were like all other insurances and it was better to shop around each year.

[GTA5MASTER]

Yeah I always switch insurance companies to whoever is cheaper. If they can't be bothered to reward loyalty then why be loyal in the first place.
Enjoy your extra cash op! :-)

[Hoppinggreen]

I switch every year. House insurance due soon so will be on the comparison sites later

[Crowler]

Nicely done OP!