I suspect I cannot be alone in wondering at the state of car insurance companies? As an example, I quote my own extraordinary dealings with Toyota Insurance. I've owned over ten Toyota cars and have always insured with the manufacturer's own insurer - until now. I traded in my two-year-old Auris TR Multi Mode 1.6 in September for an identical model, even the same colour. Toyota Insurance charged me £27 to change the details (which seemed a bit steep at the time).

I have a maximum protected no claims discount, but sadly, two days after getting my new car, I had a minor - very minor - bump with a neighbour's vehicle. This week I received my insurance renewal - up a whopping 140 per cent to well over of £900 a year. It couldn't be right, I thought - and phoned Toyota Insurance.

Firstly, I was told, all insurance companies have increased premiums by 35 per cent. My own premium was also increased because of my claim - despite my protected bonus (it would, I was told, have increased even more without the protected bonus). The total premium before reductions is just over £1700. When I queried that my 65 per cent discount should have resulted in a figure far lower than the £900-plus I'm being charged, I was told the no claims discount isn't based on the £1700 premium - although the caller centre didn't know quite what figure it is based on. My £27 administration fee to change the car was based on £10 admin and an extra £17 because the Auris has a different specification - same engine but higher horsepower, so the premium has to be increased.

For the record, I've been driving since I was 17 and I'm now 61, and have never had a conviction of any type. As I said, I suspect that my case is typical - and suspect that many other poor wretches facing a similar plight. I am saving several hundred pounds by simply moving to a different insurance company and will probably never purchase another Toyota.