With the advent of online insurance quote engines - I won't mention
names, you almost certainly already know who they are - you would have
thought car insurance would have got cheaper. But in my experience - it
hasn't. Mostly it has rapidly risen in cost.
One of these costs, the expense from increased compensation and lawyers fees, you can't do much about. The other you can though - automatic renewal.
Since around two and half million car insurance policies every year simply roll on from the last year and since many insurance companies have noted that the innocents (motorists!) assume they are still the cheapest quote out there - after all, they checked thoroughly last year and you were the best - they have noticed they can give a hefty rise to the premium and rely on your lethargy or ignorance to let the new and increased premium roll on.
This is such a definite phenomena they are willing to put out there very cheap car insurance quotes just to acquire a new punter. They won't make any money on him this year - but next year and the year after that...
The various online comparison sites feed the new business, they themselves collect a few million in commission each year. But who is funding all this really? If you could just get one good insurance company would it not all be simpler.
Finally, and this can be the most dangerous part though we only have ourselves to blame, it is too easy to alter an aspect on the form to get the quote that bit cheaper, mileage too low, parked in a garage and not on the road type of thing. Then, should claim time come you may find the cheaper quote is very expensive indeed - they won't pay out as the insurance details are just wrong.
Solution - this is a little old fashioned perhaps but I think it works well. An Insurance Broker - a professional one with a good reputation of course. I like these because the bulk of the form filling is done by them, they just ask the questions over the phone. They have a certain ethics presence and standard and discourage "little white lies" to save a few pounds as they know the risks. At renewal time - they do the leg work of getting a new and cheaper quote from another supplier if needed - they are also unlikely to experience the automatic renewal hike you or I would get as the big insurance companies know they are professionals and can place hundreds of policies with them.
One of these costs, the expense from increased compensation and lawyers fees, you can't do much about. The other you can though - automatic renewal.
Since around two and half million car insurance policies every year simply roll on from the last year and since many insurance companies have noted that the innocents (motorists!) assume they are still the cheapest quote out there - after all, they checked thoroughly last year and you were the best - they have noticed they can give a hefty rise to the premium and rely on your lethargy or ignorance to let the new and increased premium roll on.
This is such a definite phenomena they are willing to put out there very cheap car insurance quotes just to acquire a new punter. They won't make any money on him this year - but next year and the year after that...
The various online comparison sites feed the new business, they themselves collect a few million in commission each year. But who is funding all this really? If you could just get one good insurance company would it not all be simpler.
Finally, and this can be the most dangerous part though we only have ourselves to blame, it is too easy to alter an aspect on the form to get the quote that bit cheaper, mileage too low, parked in a garage and not on the road type of thing. Then, should claim time come you may find the cheaper quote is very expensive indeed - they won't pay out as the insurance details are just wrong.
Solution - this is a little old fashioned perhaps but I think it works well. An Insurance Broker - a professional one with a good reputation of course. I like these because the bulk of the form filling is done by them, they just ask the questions over the phone. They have a certain ethics presence and standard and discourage "little white lies" to save a few pounds as they know the risks. At renewal time - they do the leg work of getting a new and cheaper quote from another supplier if needed - they are also unlikely to experience the automatic renewal hike you or I would get as the big insurance companies know they are professionals and can place hundreds of policies with them.
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