Car Insurance renewal, ongoing claim

I’ve just got my renewal through from my current insurer and its gone from £558 to £910. I use my car for work travel hence the rather high numbers, I also had to make a claim in early March following an argument with a bollard in a retail park which I foolishly hit with the rear passenger wheel arch. First claim in 21 years, not that that makes any difference to insurance company.

The insurance approved repairer cannot do the work until late June. I haven’t yet had to pay the excess.

Q1. Is my insurance going up (lots) because all insurance is going crazy at present or is it going up because we have a claim ongoing?

Q2. Can you go to another insurer mid claim?

This has always been a pay and forget thing for me, although since starting to use for work I do shop around each year as not all companies will do a policy covering work travel and personal.

I use my car for work travel hence the rather high numbers

I my experience of the +20 years on/off of using my own car for business travel it makes bu99er all difference.

In theory you should be able to move insurers as the existing insurer deals with the current claim, so long as you declare it.

On the other hand I’ve been here in the recent past (other driver’s insurance basically stopped responding to letters despite it being nine months before renewal) and it ended up being easier to stay with current insurer, and Meerkats etc. were frantic with a declared open claim.

I guess it can’t hurt to ring up someone like LV or direct line so you can speak to someone and explain the situation.

As it’s a fault claim being dealt with by the current insurer I don’t see why you can’t switch provider for the new period?

The insurance approved repairer cannot do the work until late June

You don’t have to use them, ask the insurer to authorise another repairer

I haven’t yet had to pay the excess.

IME you pay the repairer on completion

Q1. Is my insurance going up (lots) because all insurance is going crazy at present or is it going up because we have a claim ongoing?

Second bump? If fault is yet to be decided or it’s your fault then that’ll affect your premium. If it’s later decided to be not your fault then the excess premium will be refunded. Insurance seems to increase massively every year anyway, but speak to them and ask why

Q2. Can you go to another insurer mid claim?

I haven’t tried it, we opted to stay because it’s simpler and we were expecting a “no fault” verdict, which we got

NB, be careful, the insurer’s courtesy car may not be available if you choose an indy repairer. Cost of a hire car may not be covered by your insurer, a courtesy car will if specified

Q1. Is my insurance going up (lots) because all insurance is going crazy at present or is it going up because we have a claim ongoing?

Yes and yes.

Q2. Can you go to another insurer mid claim?

Yes. Make sure you declare it to the new insurer.
You may find it more straightforward to say with your current insurer while the claim goes through just in case of any problems – but you can still complain if you’re not getting the service even if you’ve left them.

If you’re not happy about waiting till June you can ask to speed it up. Or choose your own repairer (but watch out in case the insurer limits how much they’ll pay, and your excess is usually higher if you use your own repairer).

Helps but doesnt help.

When I renewed insurance I had to declare 1 fault claim from that year. They were not bothered about what had happened all the claim value just whether it was fault/non fault.

Your increased cost doesnt appear that unreasonable given everyones costs are going up massively.

Go on a comparison website and put your details in with a claim and without to get any idea of how much its going up