I have just been phoning around for insurance quotes this evening and got a rather 'suspiciously' cheap quote from Hastings.
Details: 23 yo male, 3 years ncb, IAM member, 2000 (W) Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 DI LS 4 door saloon (with optional Vauxhall alloys which I declared as a modification), annual mileage 15K...
Anyway, the quote was for about £480, which surprised me as the second cheapest was at £660. I expect my renewal with Churchill to be about £700.
Any comments on Hastings anyone?
Thanks,
Richard
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Seen the ad's in National press but no personal knowledge. You're doing the right thing by ringing round though. Will any of the other names you might prefer pricematch the quote? I wouldn't be put off Hastings, given the huge variation in quotes possible. Definitely keep ringing round though. Wonderful thing, Yellow Pages. Previous posts here have expressed disappointment re. internet quotes experience. Stick to the phone.
What happened when you got a quote from the mob in Milestones? I've been a member for 30 odd years and always found as good or better elsewhere and have never used them.
KB.
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We've insured both our cars through them, on the recommendation of several friends who also use them without complaint.
They're quite a lot cheaper than most of the big names, and quite professional. No complaints from here.
Lee.
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You don't say where you live or your occcupation, but that looks incredible for any under 25. I am being asked for well over £500 by Liverpool Victoria for an X reg xantia HDI/110 in Northants at 42 as a Civil Servant with a claim free record.
Get it in writing and accept!
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I used them and they were cheap.
However, claims are problematic. I claimed for a broken windscreen, and via the policy called the well known windscreen repair people (autoglass ?) who replaced my windcsreen and collected the £100 excess.
They, autoglass, then chased me for SIX months for the balance of the payment since Hastings were cr@p at administration.
It was sorted in the end, but not without aggravation that I can do without.
Now with Direct Line. The business.
MM
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Obviously and do not turn BOLD on and off here!
Oops!!
MM
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I think I will be phoning them back tomorrow and accepting their quote, only after I go through all the details again by phone to check they have all my details entered correctly. BTW, I live near to Warrington in Culcheth, an ok area, and I am a quantity surveyor/graduate trainee with Amec, a large civil engineering/construction company. I also specified that the car will not be used for business (I use company cars for this if necessary). I think that they also offered me a discount as I am a member of the IAM, a scheme I would highly recommend to anybody, not just because it can help reduce insurance premiums.
Thanks all for your input!
Richard
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Simon,
Surely you need to shop around. That's high.
David
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I've had the wife's car insured with them for a couple of years with no ploblems even when we were unfortunate enough to have to claim.
I can't understand though how they can be so cheap for my wife's car but can't get anywhere near the best quote for mine ( same drivers etc. etc.)?
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I've been with them for 3 years and no complaints, but no claims so haven't tested them out fully. However, they do charge extra for green cards (£15 for 4 days in France last year) which used to be free. Have always been v. competitive on price overall though.
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A misconception exists which peratins to a relationship between premiums, underwriting, customer service, claims processing and repairs.
No Insurance company repairs the vehicles, it is, at most, contracted to a local garage under a "recommended repairer" scheme.
Very few (more or less none) Insurance companies have their own inspectors, this is contracted out to local inspection/assessment firms.
Underwriters have *NO* contact with claims processing.
Insurance companies rarely make an underwriting profit.
AD repairs are insignificant when compared to TPI & TPD claims.
Consequently, as well as being invalid to think that a "dear" insurance company is dear for all, or indeed that a "cheap" company is cheap for all, it is usually invalid to draw a conclusion about claims behaviour from rating/underwriting behaviour.
When you have a claim, get involved. Find the assessor/inspector and deal with him directly, ignoring the underwriters or customer service people. If you don't know who it is, I guarantee that the repairing garage can tell you.
Find the in-house assessor/claims administrator and deal with him.
Above all else, in a claim situation do not waste your time with your broker/agent unless you have an uninsured losss, or claims support policy, and perhaps not even then.
Mark.
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Well, I went ahead and bought the policy today. I went through ALL the details one by one and all seemed correct. I will receive the policy documents for me to approve and sign, which I will of course check through in detail, in the next couple of days. They strike me so far as being a professional outfit.
I am quite chuffed really, ok, £480 is quite a sum of money, but for a 23 year old on this particular car it is exceptionally good.
The motto of this story is to phone around. It was well worth an hour or two of my time, plus most of the companies I phoned were 0800 numbers.
Thanks all for your time.
Regards,
Richard
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Hope you find them OK Richard, be sure to let us know if you have any problems, I'll be shouting here if I do!
Regards,
Lee.
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