Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

Car Insurance - What a nightmare!!!!

27 replies

dsw · 28/11/2003 11:18

I have spent most of the morning trawling loads of different websites for cheaper car insurance - the differences are vast, I have been quoted between £500.00 and £1200.00.
Can anyone save me this hassle and reccommend an insurer that is reasonable in cost(I have to confess to being a bit of a tight wadd!!!)

OP posts:
Lambchops · 28/11/2003 11:54

We find Direct Line....you know...the one with the red phone on wheels....consistently best for all insurance but especially car insurance.

Original poster
dsw · 28/11/2003 11:55

Thanks will try them now.

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 28/11/2003 12:07

dsw, mine is due too and I'm about to trawl too. I'll let you know if I find anyone cheap.

Original poster
dsw · 28/11/2003 12:11

Privilege and Direct Line came out at the same - possibly because they are sister companys. They have been the cheapest so far.....

OP posts:
SenoraPostrophe · 28/11/2003 12:12

dsw - it depends completely on how old you are and what car you have. For example, Direct Line was cheapest for me (female, 29, IT bod, family car), but it was way more expensive than the other company when we tried to put it in dp's name (as me, but older and male).

So a trawl is the only way! Or alternatively a broker (not the AA, a proper local broker from Yellow Pages) - you'll pay a bit extra to the broker, but they will be able to trawl for you.

Also you might try swapping the name on the insurance, or rephrasing your job (mine is rather vague and so happily fits into a few of the insurer's categories)

Original poster
dsw · 28/11/2003 12:22

You might be my twin!! 29,Office Based, Family Car Older DP - with bloody speeding convictions though!!!!

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 28/11/2003 12:26

dsw, me too, an SP30 and SP60 which I'm sure is bumping it up this year

Original poster
dsw · 28/11/2003 12:30

It definatley is bumping it up - thinking about taking him off insurance, as he has got van he can use, and is a company vehicle we don't have to worry about the insurance for that.

Went on Diamond - the one for ladies - bloody rip off!! Don't go there or Tesco's.

OP posts:
janh · 28/11/2003 14:15

dsw, try this site - you give it basic details and it comes up with quotes from lots of places.

Mind you once you start going into specifics like SPs (we have some too) the quotes go up a bit.

There's another site like this too, I'll see if I can find it.

dadslib · 28/11/2003 15:07

Message withdrawn

Original poster
dsw · 28/11/2003 15:22

Cheapest so far is Direct Line. Thanks for the link Janh. Am just going to look at Swinton and see what quote I get. I 3 thought points on license and bloody fines was enough of a punishment without it pushing up the price of insurance!! I got all excited thinking that cause I hadn't made a claim it would be lovely and cheap How wrong I was

OP posts:
dadslib · 28/11/2003 15:29

Message withdrawn

Original poster
dsw · 28/11/2003 15:30

Thanks Dadlib - is it that obvious that I have totally no clue about Car Insurance??

OP posts:
dadslib · 28/11/2003 15:39

Message withdrawn

dadslib · 28/11/2003 15:40

Message withdrawn

Original poster
dsw · 28/11/2003 15:48

Very Funny!!! I have just been quoted by Swinton -they too are robbing gits!!

Am seriously contemplating selling the family car and getting a moped!!

OP posts:
Slinky · 28/11/2003 15:57

I'm with Tesco and have found them the cheapest by far.

My policy is up for renewal next month and they have quoted me a Basic Premium with 5years No Claims for £292.95 - although I have added Discount Protection and for £12.60 per year have added the "Courtesy Car" offer.

I have just run through the site that Janh pointed out and Direct Line have quoted me £391.65 and Endsleigh have quoted £586!! What a con!!

janh · 28/11/2003 16:50

Another broker-type site though this one just gives you one figure, not what all those quoting came up with so you can compare cover and monthly payments etc.

Slinky, we have Tesco too, it is quite competitive though not the absolute cheapest - but will insure the DDs when they have time to learn without charging thousands. (We were with More Th>n who were v cheap, but stopped insuring learners altogether.)

Slinky · 28/11/2003 17:02

Just tried that link, Janh and they have quoted me £478.85!

I can't believe the differences between companies - definately worth shopping around though.

StressyHead · 28/11/2003 17:07

message withdrawn

StressyHead · 28/11/2003 17:10

message withdrawn

SoupDragon · 28/11/2003 18:08

Admiral seemed pretty good. An equivalent level of cover to my old Norwich Union policy but £470 ish rather than over £700! Website is something like admiral-online.co.uk I think.

Cam · 28/11/2003 19:12

I find More Th>n to be the cheapest. When insuring your dh as well for the same car, remember to put yourself as the main driver.

janh · 28/11/2003 19:13

Slinky, I was just going to reply along the lines of Stressyhead's point 3 - there are loads of variables - when I did a search on the first link (think it was that one, it was a few weeks back) there were a few companies that wouldn't quote at all, presumably either because we have 3 SP30s or because we keep the car on the street, but the cheapest were well under £300 - can't remember now who they all were but Endsleigh was one of them. So they do vary wildly.

Our insurance with Tesco is around £400 (that includes small excess, courtesy car, max protected no claims, legal/uninsured cover etc) but the second site I linked to quoted me £255. (Which is why I put the link up!) It might be an age thing - DH and I are both over 50.

Cam · 28/11/2003 19:13

Mine beats Slinky's Tesco insurance, however I guess the type and age of car is relevant too.