St Neots Insurance

[vacant-100]

I'm moving to St Neots early next year, and having done a couple of quotes online, insurance seems to be pretty high there.

I'm currently paying just over £600 a year for a Golf Mk5 GTI parked in a public car park in South London.
To move that to a PE19 postcode with a locked garage is coming up about £150 per year more.

Anyone know why this might be? I can't see it being any worse than my London location for crime risk, could it be the neighbours have had a few claims?

[itcaptainslow]

Is that with your current insurer? Might be worth trying a few quotes across the board to get an idea if it's the car combined with the postcode, just the postcode or your current insurer just doesn't like the fact you're moving.

[vacant-100]

Various quotes from various insurers.
Seems strange to me.

[anonymous-user]

Have you tried getting an quote for keeping the car on the drive?

Insuring for it in a garage is not always cheapest.

[Zippee]

Seems a little odd to me as St Neots has always been reasonably low risk. Where abouts in town are you moving to as that may make a difference? Possibly try an Eaton Ford postcode versus a Loves Farm one to gauge the extremities of the town?

[Bikesalot]

it'll be the garage making it expensive.

See what it's like on driveway / road...

[Spindoctor]

I'd be surprised if the garage is the main reason for it going up so much, but as said worth asking for a quote on drive/in road. Postcode is likely to be the main issue, unless something else in your profile has changed (claims, your job etc). Change in declared mileage may have an effect as well.

Insurance premiums are rising quite sharply for almost everyone, so it might just be a reflection of that general trend.

[vacant-100]

It's very strange, haven't re-quoted without the garage as I'd always assumed garaging the car at night would be less risky than leaving it on the road?

Nothing else has changed in my circumstances bar my address, and I only took the policy out a couple of months ago.

One to chalk up to experience I guess.

[Spindoctor]

vacant-100 said:

I'd always assumed garaging the car at night would be less risky than leaving it on the road?

Far too sensible! Some insurers see a garage as a risk - apparently we're more likely to prang the car going in and out of it, and burglars who get into your house are more likely to find it and nick it than if its parked on the road or in a public car park.

[vacant-100]

So just to follow up on this, I phoned my insurance company today to advise them of my change of address, and they're refunding me £150.

Not sure why initial quotes were coming up more expensive in St Neots than London, but I'm happy with the outcome.