A lot of manufacturers are introducing these, including Ford and Suzuki, and I have looked into the schemes. The ides is to exclude the credit hire cowboys and accident management ambulance chasers, and also ensure the car is repaired quickly and to a high standard so that a franchised dealer would re-sell it from stock if you later part-exchanged it. Some insurers impose a £200 excess to policyholders who nominate their own insurers. The manufacturers are negotiating to get them to drop it. You can be sure that any insurer who does not drop it is in the hands of Private Equity investors trying to get as many bites from the cherry as possible, and when your policy comes up for renewal you should find another insurer.