Hiya, usual story, renewal in (currently with Esure). Cheapest quotes I can get are from Directline and Tesco who are within a couple of pounds of each other.
I have checked all the excesses etc but is there any reason why anyone would recommend one against the other?
|
ISTR they end up in the same place??
If so, then I guess Tesco as you'll get their points!
|
BobbyG, have you tried www.liverpoolvictoria.co.uk ?
They bettered my previous cheapest Tesco by a good few pounds when I renewed back in July.
Might be worth a look.
PP
|
|
Found elephant better than tesco, direct line or Liverpool Victoria (who were my previous insurers).
|
Elephant is a broker, DirectLine is an insurance company.
I've used Touchline (now a broker), Churchill, AXA and others over the years, combing the net each year for the best deals.
Generally DirectLine has been the most expensive but, last year, it came up with the best deal at £193 fully comp for my Bora; naturally I did the switch from AXA whose premium had jumped quite substantially.
This year I did the usual Internet review only to discover, when DirectLIne's renewal request arrived, that the premium had dropped - yes dropped - to £176. I already had a maximum NCB so that did not enter the equation.
|
I'm with Elephant and always presumed they were an insurance co, being part of Admiral.
Once difference I can vouch for is the customer service levels if you need to make a claim.
Elephant are excellent (despite the fact you'll need to phone em, as although they're supposed to be an email-only service.. they take ages to answer an email)
Tesco are abysmal in my opinion, and that of my brother who also got messed about big-style on a no-fault claim.
|
Tesco, like so many big names, rebrands insurance from an actual insurance company and, in effect, earns a commission from the premiums.
Its motor insurance is underwritten and provided by UK Insurance Limited, a member of the General Insurance Standards Council.
|
elephant.co.uk, I notice, makes an administrative charge which includes the cost of processing your changes, issuing documents and postage.
No doubt few notice until they come to pay the bill...:-)
|
PS
esure is under the Halifax and Bank of Scotland banner.
|
|
|
elephant.co.uk, I notice, makes an administrative charge which includes the cost of processing your changes, issuing documents and postage. No doubt few notice until they come to pay the bill...:-)
If they do make a charge then so be it, at least they admit it rather than rolling it into the premium. I am with Elephant and have found them nothing less than excellent. On my new car they quoted me £1175 for a 10 month bonus-accelerated policy (I was 20 with 0 NCB insuring a Gp15 Audi A3 TDI Sport) while everyone else wanted £2000+ (and Endsleigh the student ripoff insurers wanted nearly £9500!!!)
I've just called elephant this week to add another driver to my policy, she's 20y/o, NEVER driven before, only holds a provisional licence, and they have charged me just £10 to add her to the policy, with fully comprehensive cover and the same excess as myself. Elephant seem excellent in my opinion and certainly have been very helpful, even if letters do come signed "xyz, Elephant Handler"!
Regards
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
To give the opposite view about Tesco. My wife is insured with them and had to make an (at fault) claim and we both thought the service was faultless and surpsisingly easy. Everything dealt with in 2 short phone calls.
I have, however, been advised by a friend in the bodyshop business not to touch them with a bargepole. I think the mods would probably be unhappy if I went into any more details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I use Tesco insurance for my car and my wife uses Vauxhall Insurance for her car which are both underwritten by UK Insurance. I can't fault them on efficiency & accuracy or price. Everything has been perfect on the documentation side although I hope never to need to use the actual car insurance bit! We did have to make a contents claim on our household policy a few years back and that was with UK Insurance and again their service was faultless.
|
|
Check with First Alternative on the Internet. They were a good £90 cheaper for me. Especially good prices for 'protecting' your NCB
|
Thanks for all your replies guys and have tried all your recommendations but still Tesco on £330 and Directline on £338 are the cheapest.
Renewal is not till Oct so have some time to plough my way through the small print and terms and conditions.
It's actually strange, I have been with Esure for last 2 years and I am so happy that I now can go elsewhere cheaper. I hate their adverts and it always annoyed me to know I was contributing towards them!
|
Just as a follow up to this, received through the post today, letter from Egg who I have account with. They offer insurance, £50 cashback, and interest free for a year if I pay with my Egg card.
Quote format was identical to Tesco, right down to giving you a folder and pin number reference at end of quotation.
Premium was a fiver dearer than Tesco, but then take another £50 off that and it gets ridiculously cheap!
|
Hi,
I think UKI insurance are behind the scene for Vauxhull, Citroen, Direct Line, Privelage, Tesco insurance.
I had a very competivive renewal for tesco, but found citroen to be 11 pounds cheaper but had to cancel as I found out no courtsey car available.
Then tried privelege who came in just under 50 pounds cheaper and offer a courtsey car (Subject to availabity) but one could also pay for (Hire Car) cover which gives you 14 days cover even if your car was written of. Tesco and Direct line offer no Courstsey car but offer extra hire car service.
It is amazing the different premiums for same level of cover. Privelage ended up 203 pounds for myself and Wife (Her car (Citoren Xsara 1400cc forte) so in her name) 5 years protected no claims age 35 and 32. No legal cover (as get this through citroen assist)
Cheers
Jlo
|
I have been with Elephant until my renewal came through yesterday when I phoned them up to confirm that I would like to continue, and to also let them know that my job title has recently changed from reseach fellow to restaurant manager - and they informed me that the change would lead to an increase in my premium from £500 to £780!! I tried to get them to understand that I was the same person not changing my driving styles just to suit the job but they weren't interested. In the end Churchill matched the origianl quote of £500 so that's who I'll be with from 3 weeks time.
So far not impressed with Churchills customer service compared to Elephant who were always polite and helpful but thats the what you get for being a cheap skate ;-)
|
That'll be the cheap skate you sell in your restaurant then Kennybase.
I've recently changed from Tesco because this time they were well above other quotes. Tesco were good at setting up the policy but it was a nightmare trying to do anything out of the ordinary, you couldn't seem to get to speak to someone in authority.
|
If you are an existing Direct Line customer you're probably being fleeced. I recently knocked £130 off my home insurance just by getting an online Direct Line quote rather than just accepting their renewal quote. Have also made similar substantial reductions in motor insurance. Why are they ripping off their own customers?
Watch out for the automatic renewal bit on the policy - they will take the amount from your credit card without any authorisation at all next year and forever more!
|
|
|
|
