I have paid and insured my daughter’s insurance with the same brokers since you received it as a 17th birthday present (lucky girl and she knows it).

Anyway, in January she was driving down to Wales and was stopped by a police officer at approx 1.15am! I was fortunately still at my desk when she rang in a very stressed state to say that the car was not insured.

I said no way, let me have a word with the officer. I explained the above, gave him the insurance details and help line no. After 15 minutes she rang back and the cop spoke with me and greed to let her go (confiscation was the other option) as he took my word, and I thanked him, and said I'd immediately email the brokers and ask them to call my daughter first thing and call me if any problems. Phew!

The next day the broker had made contact with my gal, they had left a message, so I rang them. The car was not insured and had not been since end of October, so I said why not?

They said that they had sent a reminder to an old address which they had been informed and she had left to stay at home. I immediately renewed the policy. It was 'all' down to their office moving, which you can imagine I was not impressed with.

OK, they direct debit had stopped, but I had two others running with them last year, so yeah I should have checked, but she could have an a accident, that's not what I pay broker for.

The long and short was I got very little excuse even though I rang head office in the City. Result is that I got a better quote and cancelled that policy and did not renew mine last month with (BlueFin), part of AXA.