Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Wed 23 Dec 2015 17:13

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - bluenun

I am in my late forties and have been with the same insurance broker since the early 90's, never made a claim (max NCB they give is 9 years), clean license.

I drive a 2003 Ford focus with under 70000 miles on the clock.

Every year the comprehensive insurance cover goes up and last year cost me £410 with breakdown cover, legal expenses cover and admin fee.

I assume the car is only worth less than £1000.

I am going to try the comparative sites when it is nearly due in January.

I know the broker needs to take their cut but if the broker cannot get near (within £100) of the quotes I get, I am thinking of looking elsewhere for cover.

I know it is important to make sure the cover is the same.

For those of you that have changed in the past, how difficult is it and what will the new company need as proof from me?

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Wed 23 Dec 2015 17:26

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - skidpan

Dead easy to swap. Visit a few websites and enter your details. Make sure that the cover is as near as possible the same. If you are happy to proceed with an alternative simply pay them. Ask for proof of bonus from old company for your records, new company will probably not ask for it.

Last month our joint policy was due, Aviva wanted £540, was £420 last year. Got several quotes, More Than offered the same cover for £340. Others were slightly less but their cover was slightly different in important areas.

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Wed 23 Dec 2015 17:38

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - RT

I check the comparison sites each year just to make sure my broker's figure is competitive - you need to have your alert head on though as so many of the sites will quote attractive premiums but based on a different excess, different business/commuting cover, different continental cover, different courtesy car provision, etc etc.

My broker, through the IAM, will "price match" genuine like-for-like quotes so don't be afraid to go back to your broker with a screen printout.

Edited by RT on 23/12/2015 at 17:40

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Wed 23 Dec 2015 18:05

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - RobJP

As said. Changing is easy. However, using a cheaper quote from another company as a big stick is usually equally effective.

In terms of what you need to show the new company (if you do change), it's usually proof of NCD. Which your old company should issue promptly, as soon as your old policy has lapsed. The new company will usually give you 14 days to provide the proof to them.

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Wed 23 Dec 2015 18:31

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - oldroverboy.

Personally I use as a starter Moneysupermarket.. (others are available) and Google (that is the google comparison site)

Moneysupermarket has the option to "play" with the excesses you want and tick the boxes for the little extras you do or don't want.

There is an option to put in your tesco clubcard number and the driving licence numbers of any potential drivers, Just be aware that now some insurance companies are checking that the vehicle is actually registered at the address where the car is insured and also the same for drivers. Be aware if you put in those extra details they are there for insurance companies to see, and also make sure you are totally truthful as Inscos are being very pernickity and checking everything.

LV did it to us last year just when we were changing address, so licence and vehicle docs wre actually at DVLA for exchange and if you need a few extra days ASK and they will allow it.

Otherwise whole process painless, pay by credit/debit card online, documents received by e-mail and a check to www.askmids.... will show your car is actually insured.

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Wed 23 Dec 2015 18:31

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - gordonbennet

I used to stay with insurers but only now if they stay competitive, NFU i found the best insurer by a farmers mile but have priced me out.

As said easy to change, several comparison sites out there, but not all companies feature on such sites, eg Direct Line and NFU i am almost certain won't come up so it might still be worth doing a bit of driect dialling.

Make sure you are comparing covers and excesses in particular.

When it comes to customer service and additional charges is where it gets not so simple to judge, one or two of the very cheapest quoters will pull your pants down for any mid term changes with a probable £40/50 admin fee, so i tend to ignore the companies i haven't heard of and avoid the ones i know take the p and work me way up the quotes till i find someone i would wish to deal with.

we all have our favourites, SWMBO has been with Saga for a couple of years now, renewals so good not worth looking elsewhere and very fair if any admin charges, were very helpful over a car change when we needed temp cover on two cars for a month, would recommend.

As an HGV driver i'm with Cornmarket (formerly Adelaide), and they will meet or beat any genuine quote, also cater for IAM with the same service, nice to deal with too, based in Belfast, i don't wish to give my business to those who outsource if i can help it (if i find out about it) so Aviva and some others won't be considered ever.

Fortunately have no recent claims so couldn't tell you how good any will be in the event of a claim.

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Wed 23 Dec 2015 22:22

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - RobJP

Just to add regards Cornmarket Insurance in Belfast. I'm also with them through IAM. Always highly competitive, and an absolute pleasure to deal with on the phone.

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Tue 26 Jan 2016 14:33

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - gordonbennet

Possibly of interest to you Rob, my sons (who is also a customer) friend who's yet another lorry driver, who is also insured with Cornmarket has had two non fault claims processed by CM without a hitch, approriate courtesy cars provided no hassle whatsoever, he has nothing but praise for how they handled both times from start to finish.

Just renewed my two policies with them, did an online check when the renewals came in and i couldn't get within £40 of either of the renewal figures for same cover same excesses, well pleased...as you said above they could not be nicer to deal with.

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Wed 23 Dec 2015 18:32

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - KB.

I suppose it's nice to hark back to the good old days when we were younger and we all visited the brokers shop, with the tall wooden counter that we leaned on whilst a bloke in a suit and tie (or, if you were lucky, a pretty lady who smelt nice but had a bit too much make up on) flicked through those thick and boring looking books of tables and gave you a quote based on the figures therein. It was a bit of an annual ritual and our premiums were £40 a year for our Morris Minor or, if we were lucky, Escort Super Deluxe 4 door.

But that's all changed hasn't it? A couple of clicks on the PC and you've got a hundred company's quotes varying from "cheap as chips" through to "you're 'avin a larf". You make your choice, you pay online, you get your certificate sent online to your printer, your details appear (eventually) on the Motor Insurance Database and it's done for another year. You might make a couple of calls to see if a particular company wants to try to beat the figures you've obtained, but, hopefully, you've satisfied yourself that you got a decent price for the cover you want and hope that if you have to claim they'll sort you out.

I think that to accept the same broker's figures without checking round is good for the broker but might be costing you money. The only factor I can think of, which you hope would be in your favour, is they MIGHT offer a better or more convenient service in the event of a claim....but I don't think there's any guarantee of that.

I can't believe I'm saying all of this but even I must concede the world's changed and there are some advantages to owning a computer.

Edited by KB. on 23/12/2015 at 18:33

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Wed 23 Dec 2015 23:25

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - Smileyman

I changed insurer last month (November) - I have similar cover as you, but without breakdown cover, I saved something like £140 in the process, although this did include a discount for having a dashcam - I went to a few insurer's websites (direct and picked at random, not via any online search engine) and then spoke with an agent of my chosen provider to close the deal. I'm now with AXA.

For evidence of my cover I submitted by email a copy of the renewal notice, there was a problem since I had a mistaken identity claim on the policy which was removed for me by the old insurers - they sent me an email to confirm this which I forwarded to Axa who accepted the email as proof of removal.

Mrs S's policy will need to be renewed early January, so will be running the same exercise again soon!

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Thu 24 Dec 2015 11:20

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - John F

For those of you that have changed in the past, how difficult is it and what will the new company need as proof from me?

Not difficult. We have a 2000 1.6 auto and pay much less than that with LV. But we no longer bother with breakdown insurance or legal - 35yrs peace of mind plus only two local recoveries has cost hundreds. I shall gamble from now on!

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Thu 24 Dec 2015 19:25

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - bluenun

Thank-you very much for all the helpful replies.

I have to admit I dread waiting for my renewal to come through the post every year but after reading the replies I feel that I must make the effort to find a cheaper like for like quote and if the Broker I have been using for all these years wont get near the quote I will make the change, using the quote as proof of my NCB etc.

Like someone else mentioned, I have never needed to use the breakdown cover but it is nice to have that peace of mind knowing that I can get a tow home should I break down, especially as the car is 12 years old now.

The Broker is hundreds of miles away now as I have moved several times over the years, each time I get a hefty charge even though I have moved to ao safer area now and park it on the drive.

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Thu 24 Dec 2015 19:32

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - KB.

If you would still like the assurance of some breakdown cover but don't want to pay for the usual recovery service, then 'Autoaid' is for you. It's "Pay and Claim". Countless references to it here and everywhere else and I've yet to see a negative review of it. Been using them, on and off since, 1984. When I buy a new car I use the AA or RAC cover that comes with it and when that expires I revert to Autoaid. Currently £42.35 a year. Why risk breaking down on a motorway without cover when you can have peace of mind for less than a tankful of petrol?

The other great value for money car related purchase is membership of the CSMA. Your annual membership gives you free car insurance legal cover included and yet annual membership is cheaper than getting it added to your car insurance - plus you have access to the CSMA's facilities (whether you use them is up to you) but you also have access to the CSMA warranty. It's good cover and isn't expensive - yes I have it on my Yeti. The Hyundai is coming up five years so I'll have to decide whether to replace it for another i10 and get a further 5 years cover....or get the CSMA warranty for it. And, before you ask, virtually everyone on the planet will find that, by hook or by crook, they qualify for membership!! Some lateral thinking may be required but, rest assured, they'll be happy to have you,.

Edited by KB. on 24/12/2015 at 19:42

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Sun 3 Jan 2016 10:10

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - bluenun

Thank-you for the helpful replies.

The broker that I have been with since the 1990's quoted me

£288 for comprehensive insurance

£40 arrangement fee

£88 breakdown cover (includes european assistance which I do not need).

Quotes from moneysavingsupermarket and gocompare,

£193 for comprehensive insraunce (same cover and excesses)

£58 breakdown cover without europe assist (through Liverpool Victoria or Autonational rescue).

Or £42.35 via Autoaid.

So I could make a worthwhile saving. I will telephone the broker Monday to see what they can do but it looks like I wont be using them anymore.

On my renewal it says I have 9 years NCB even though I have never claimed in the 30 years I have been driving.

For the online quotes I did put 9 years NCB.

Edited by bluenun on 03/01/2016 at 10:13

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Sun 3 Jan 2016 10:27

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - gordonbennet

Good start and saving there, suggest you check out the online feedbacks for the possible unknowns who might have offered the cheapest quotes, re admin fees especially, maybe go for a known good name if there's only a few quid in it?

there is one particular southerly name who crops up regularly who quotes cheap and then piles on admin fees whenever they can, have a google

Your broker is taking the mickey, all those years and still wants his cake and eating it, commission on the cover and a nice £40 bung for trousering it on top, hope he has a not so good new year.

Assuming LV is the insurer you are considering (from the breakdown quote), i hear good things.

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Mon 4 Jan 2016 09:05

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - bluenun

The insurer is Liverpool Victoria.

I called my current broker and he told me to check that they will allow me to keep the 9 years NCB because I was out of the country for over 6 months in the last 2 years.

I was living out of the country from Jan 2014 to Jan 2015, he said they might not accept my NCB because of that.

I called LV and was told that they will accept what is typed on my renewal letter.

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Mon 4 Jan 2016 09:53

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - RT

NCD is normally valid for 2 years, without being used - only after that does it lapse - your current broker is still doing you no favours, you're best shot of them.

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Wed 6 Jan 2016 17:50

Ford Focus 1.6 auto. - Changing Insurance company - Steveieb

Suggest you take a look at the Which report which does all the comparison independently , not like the comparison websites which take a commisiion like the high street brokers. And the acid test is when you make a claim.

As Gordon Bennet says the gold standard is NFU but at a price! Next best is Nationwide which is administered by LV which i have used for the last year and dealt superbly with a recent write off claim. from arranging the collection to providing the hire car to settling the claim, totally seamless!

IMHO Nationwide are brilliant and offer special introductary discounts to their customers. Breakdown recovery is provided by LV Brittania Rescue who again are rated joint best along with the AA in Which.

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