Insurance Industry - A rant.
Insurance Industry - A rant.
Author
Discussion

.blue

Original Poster:

726 posts

209 months

Monday 27th September 2010
quotequote all
My blood is boiling. I've just gotten off the phone with the company that extensively promotes multi car schemes, but for a single car quote.

Last night I was quoted just over £1k. Today I phone up to take the quote and it has expired overnight and they want £1.4k.

This is an exact repeat of what happened with another company (starts with A and the second word rhymes with Bucks) who initially quoted under £1k then raised it to £2k when I called back.

The BBC ran an article on the dangers of fronting - it frustrates me that this cheating, dishonest industry is receiving so much favourable press. I for one would never defraud any party, but I'm beginning to understand the rationale for others to do so after being treated like dummies.

I'm not really expecting any advice off PH, just a place to vent but nevertheless... is there anything I can do or am I just a small, helpless individual who will have to succumb to every last wish of this thieving industry?

GG89

3,693 posts

215 months

Monday 27th September 2010
quotequote all
Yes you just have to pay up or get a smaller cheaper car to insure. I've been paying premiums of £1000+ for the last 4 years on a MINI cooper and it hasn't went down much since turning 21. Legalised robbery.

Dr_Gonzo

962 posts

254 months

Monday 27th September 2010
quotequote all
I think there needs to be an insurance industry rants section. Perhaps it could go under a general "Idiotic & Ignorant" section.

How exactly is it legalised robbery to charge you a premium that barely covers your risk profile?

How much do you think you should be paying for insurance?

Edited by Dr_Gonzo on Monday 27th September 12:26

Anatol

1,392 posts

263 months

Monday 27th September 2010
quotequote all
Did the OP's risk profile change by 40% overnight before he called back to take up his quote?

winshent

1,174 posts

224 months

Monday 27th September 2010
quotequote all
Most quotes are usually valid for 30 days i thought.

Next time you get some quotes, ask how long the quote is valid for..

What car are you trying to insure btw..

R1 Loon

26,988 posts

206 months

Monday 27th September 2010
quotequote all
Dr_Gonzo said:
I think there needs to be an insurance industry rants section. Perhaps it could go under a general "Idiotic & Ignorant" section.

How exactly is it legalised robbery to charge you a premium that barely covers your risk profile?

How much do you think you should be paying for insurance?

Edited by Dr_Gonzo on Monday 27th September 12:26
This

Jeffmaniac

533 posts

228 months

Monday 27th September 2010
quotequote all
As an insurance industry person i am amazed if they have upped their quote within 24 hours with no alterations. I would ask for their explanation and then advise that this does not seem fair and advise you will be going to the financial services authority to report their behaviour. See you that scares them!

R1 Loon

26,988 posts

206 months

Monday 27th September 2010
quotequote all
Jeffmaniac said:
As an insurance industry person i am amazed if they have upped their quote within 24 hours with no alterations. I would ask for their explanation and then advise that this does not seem fair and advise you will be going to the financial services authority to report their behaviour. See you that scares them!
Are you mad? If you work in the industry, you must be pretty junior to come out with waffle like that.

The insurer you've effectively named are very price sensitive. As such they amend their prices with amazing frequency to keep them where they want to be positioned in the marketplace and also against the capacity they bring to the market.

They may be over exposed in the OPs risk profile and choose to up their prices to reflect this.

28 days used to be the norm, but that wa smore in the days whe you relied on the post to deliver a written quote and sent a cheque to pay for it. With modern technology changing the world those days are more or less redundant.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

275 months

Monday 27th September 2010
quotequote all
R1 Loon said:
Are you mad? If you work in the industry, you must be pretty junior to come out with waffle like that.
No arrogance there then.

R1 Loon said:
The insurer you've effectively named are very price sensitive. As such they amend their prices with amazing frequency....
40% overnight is amazing indeed.


R1 Loon said:
They may be over exposed in the OPs risk profile and choose to up their prices to reflect this.
So they became that exposed overnight? Doesn't sound very likely at all.

R1 Loon said:
28 days used to be the norm, but that was more in the days whe you relied on the post to deliver a written quote and sent a cheque to pay for it. With modern technology changing the world those days are more or less redundant.
Well, next time you get a carefully negotiated quote for some work on your home don't be surprised if it's gone up 40% when you try to accept it the next day! That's the way it is these days you know.

vit4

3,507 posts

199 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
quotequote all
Got my quote, paid 3 weeks later confused

Thing is, doesn't surprise me. In the couple of months between me turning 17 and me passing my test my quotes (as if I'd passed) went up from ~£1800 to ~£4000, from the same companies mad Cheapest was just over £2500 frown

busta

4,504 posts

262 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
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Just tell 'A. Bucks' you have a quote for £900 from 'Multi car specialists', and vice versa. They should pull back into line when they know they have a bit of competition.

Can't quite believe that they have changed your quite that quickly though! It's as if you rang back and said 'BTW I've just put nitrous on it'.

Ben Hughes

1,937 posts

208 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
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H_Kan

4,942 posts

228 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
quotequote all
[redacted]

Animal

5,667 posts

297 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
quotequote all
H_Kan said:
fairly low powered cars
This is only one factor in deciding premiums. What about:

1) Your age
2) Driving experience (length of time driving, number of accidents, advanced driving quals)
3) Your sex
4) Your location
5) The individual insurer's appetites

etc, etc.

Anyway, insurance of any type is a market: if you don't like what one person is trying to sell you don't buy it - move on to the next one!

Of course, you could come on PH and start a new thread whinging about the cost of insurance - that would be original...

H_Kan

4,942 posts

228 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
quotequote all
Animal said:
H_Kan said:
fairly low powered cars
This is only one factor in deciding premiums. What about:

1) Your age
2) Driving experience (length of time driving, number of accidents, advanced driving quals)
3) Your sex
4) Your location
5) The individual insurer's appetites

etc, etc.

Anyway, insurance of any type is a market: if you don't like what one person is trying to sell you don't buy it - move on to the next one!

Of course, you could come on PH and start a new thread whinging about the cost of insurance - that would be original...
Firstly, I didn't start the thread. Secondly, the other things you mention can't usually be easily changed, the car you choose to drive can be far more easily picked.

All the premiums I have paid have all been after extensive quote comparisons etc and have been the cheapest I can find. The point I am making is that yes they are expensive in isolation, but what riles is that they are also sodding expensive compared to the penalties handed out for people caught with no insurance as well.

Austin.J

888 posts

221 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
quotequote all
Like i say on nearly all of these type of rants, If you were my age (19) and insuring a car you'd have a heart attack. Then when you've done that, try insure a group 17 car at 19. Then you can rant about it.

CWH

9,080 posts

194 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
quotequote all
Austin.J said:
Like i say on nearly all of these type of rants, If you were my age (19) and insuring a car you'd have a heart attack. Then when you've done that, try insure a group 17 car at 19. Then you can rant about it.
I don't think somebody in your position can rant about it to be honest.
Being 19 you would of only just recently passed your test a year or two ago.
You pass your test then start your learning.
Then you choose a group 17 car. Higher the group usually the car has more power and then this then leads to driving a bit faster/careless because it has the 'potential' to.
I'm 21, been driving 4 years nearly and still get quoted £3000 plus by most companies apart from two. And I drive a 1.4 diesel Fiesta.
It's understanding how people who have been on the roads 10 plus years are shocked and appauled by renewals being more than what they paid last year but a 19 year old claiming the right to have a whinge I don't believe is right.

Edited by CWH on Tuesday 28th September 14:56

R1 Loon

26,988 posts

206 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
R1 Loon said:
Are you mad? If you work in the industry, you must be pretty junior to come out with waffle like that.
No arrogance there then.

R1 Loon said:
The insurer you've effectively named are very price sensitive. As such they amend their prices with amazing frequency....
40% overnight is amazing indeed.


R1 Loon said:
They may be over exposed in the OPs risk profile and choose to up their prices to reflect this.
So they became that exposed overnight? Doesn't sound very likely at all.

R1 Loon said:
28 days used to be the norm, but that was more in the days whe you relied on the post to deliver a written quote and sent a cheque to pay for it. With modern technology changing the world those days are more or less redundant.
Well, next time you get a carefully negotiated quote for some work on your home don't be surprised if it's gone up 40% when you try to accept it the next day! That's the way it is these days you know.
Oh goody, I've got a stalker.

Keep throwing the bait, although it's unlikely I'll bite.

Petrolhead_Rich

4,659 posts

221 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Ben Hughes said:
Only just noticed she has an engagement/wedding ring! boxedin

As for the OP - Second Insurance Rant today I believe....

No Advice, were all fked over by them!

Jgtv

2,130 posts

226 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Petrolhead_Rich said:
Ben Hughes said:
Only just noticed she has an engagement/wedding ring! boxedin
No she doesnt its a ring on her right hand.

If you cant afford the insurance you cant afford the car, simple.
If you choose to buy a car thats a high insurance group thats your fault.

The reason the policy changed is probably because they found out some more things about you. sucks but its true cheap slow cars are the way forward for cheap insurance.