Have just had both our car insurance renewal documents through, both with Direct Line. £445 for my Subaru, £323 for wife's Honda. (I know many other companies are cheaper, but I have had favourable experience with Direct Line whan making a claim and at least their call centres are in UK).
Any way, decided to put both our details back into their website, and up grade to "Guaranteed Hire Car Plus". Now mine is only £368 and wife's is only £284. Total saving £116 (would have been £136 saving with out the upgrade.
I suggest any other Direct Line customers out there do the same. I was tempted to change companies but I'm sure they're all of equally dubious moral virtue.
normal procedure for any renewals round here.
its shameless to some extent, but at least Im happy in the knowledge that the complacent are subsidising my cover.
I suggest trying Churchill, Prudential, Tesco and Privilege- they're all RBS Insurance companies running off the same system, and you will probably get similar introductory offers off them all for new policies - and they use the same call centres.
It nearly always will pay to switch car insurers each year due to introductory and online discounts.
never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never accept an insurance renewal quote.
WOW! Who'd have thought going elsewhere may save you money.
You might also save money by going through cash back sites instead of taking the renewal quote. BTW, insuring thru the company I work for the renewal quote is always less than new business as we give a discount based on how long you've insured with us.
Just as a counterpoint, I've been with Direct Line for about 10 years now.
I'm not stupid - every year I check a few direct insurers, some comparison sites and a couple of brokers but seems to work out that I just stick with Direct Line. They have rarely actually been the cheapest but they offer me decent cover and when you look at the detail of what you're getting then with the extras to bring the bargain basement policies up to Direct Line level there's so little in it that it's not worth the bother of changing to save a few pounds.
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ah when I just took insurance with DL I specifically stated NOT to auto renew, this was met with "are you sure? really sure? really really sure?" err yes!
Quoted by Direct line for a renewal... did the confusedcomparesupermarket.com thing. Best quote was £110 less than my renewal offer. Phoned Direct Line with this news and they matched it straight away..... they appreciated the chance to keep my business rather than just being dumped.
as rickmeister - at renewal I just phoned back saying that I'd shopped around, what could they do - save £120 (or about 25%)
The thing is, why don't they give existing customers an honest competitive quote rather than trying to take the piss? I think my problem is I'm in a line of work where money doesn't feature in my relationship with my punters, so I think I subconsciously assume that everyone else puts their customers first rather than trying to screw them.
Got my van insurance through a few weeks back and it was lower than last years premium and after ringing around was the 2nd lowest quote. Shocked? I'll say.
I've been with DL for 12 years now and have never managed to beat the auto-renewal quote anywhere else - in fact DL have always been significantly cheaper....
Possibly because I have a modified car which means that 95% of insurers put me in the 'risky as hell' group.
aye, I've got to say- it depends on what your quote is- I've always found Direct Line the cheapest at renewal time, but I need a van covered for social+business+musician use. always pays to check around anyway though, certainly wouldn't just accept!
I havent had a car for a few years so couldnt say about car insurance but I recently renewed my house and life insurance package. Did the usual trawl round tinterweb got a few quotes which looked good all about 10% less than my renewal quote.
Was out doing the shopping and I went past an insurance brokers decided to pop in and try my luck not expecting anything anywhere near the web quotes.
I was stunned by the offer I got from the broker they would match any quote I could get and then they would knock another 10% off and they would throw in £3000 of cover for the mountain bikes. So it goes to show you dont necassaryily get the best quote on the web.
swiftcover, the cheepest by miles. the renewal was 180 quid cheeper then the 2nd best price I found hunting around, the first was swift and it was the same as my renewal.
2nd year running its been like this.