# Insurance it's like one big game.



## tom73 (12 Oct 2019)

So home insurance renewal time again as is alway's the case it's gone up by about 15 quid nothing has changed no claim ect. 
So the game starts and you get looking around at quotes. Oh and what a surprise same cover , some company as a new customer it's cheeper. 
Add on cash back even better deal. 
Just phoned them up after a lot of "oh right just need to go away and see what I can do" I've got them to match the price inc the cash back.

Why not just send out the best price to start with ? 
It's just a big game to them really i'm lucky i'm able to play the game. Many can't companies know it and make a mint off them totally wrong really. 

Can only hope the recent FCA finding's get acted on. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49930973


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## Drago (12 Oct 2019)

Alas, the problem is too many people either let them get away with it through ignorance (in the polite sense of the word), or by letting the company a give a daft quote and then negotiate it down to something reasonable.

I can handle a few percent rise, inflation and all that, but any more that I don't ask questions, I don't negotiate, I walk. If everyone did that they'd soon stop playing this silly game.


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## gaijintendo (12 Oct 2019)

I guess £15 might seem like a lot, depending on what the starting point was.

It is a bit of a game. Some of it will be inflation. Crime figures in the area may have changed, or whatever feeds into their risk calculation.

ThatvsaidThat said, I've never heard of a premium coming down when stats improve...

If you are looking about, consider what the company pay out rate is. What i find annoying is there are so many variables in the property cover (bikes in sheds being a forum concern and a question. Some include things , some you add on...

It's presumably intentionally hard to compare else, it is about providing the minimal service comparable on sites, and additional things at additional expense.


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## tom73 (12 Oct 2019)

Normally I do the same often let it end and sign up all over again if the cheapest. Was expecting as normal to be told to do just that but she turned out to be helpful. It's the cheapest price anyway so went with it.


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## tom73 (12 Oct 2019)

gaijintendo said:


> I guess £15 might seem like a lot, depending on what the starting point was.
> 
> It is a bit of a game. Some of it will be inflation. Crime figures in the area may have changed, or whatever feeds into their risk calculation.
> 
> ...



Guess it is but taking the whole saving i've made it's almost £50 which will be much happier in my pocket. 
New quotes use the same variables though funny how they are often cheeper.


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## swee'pea99 (12 Oct 2019)

tom73 said:


> Why not just send out the best price to start with ?


Because then they wouldn't make as much money. Next!


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## Cycleops (12 Oct 2019)

They've realised that most just let their cover self renew every year so take advantage by hiking prices knowing people don't check or don't care.


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## Bonefish Blues (12 Oct 2019)

Use a broker who does the legwork for you - but check them from time to time too.


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## lane (12 Oct 2019)

Thing is you can get a cheap renewal price but they try to recoup with high charges for various things like making a simple change with a high admin charge so it's not always clear cut who will work out cheaper. Also how good are they when you claim.


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## Bonefish Blues (12 Oct 2019)

Another good reason to use a broker who will help in the case of a claim


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## Globalti (12 Oct 2019)

Why on Earth do you need a broker, either to find a policy or to make a claim?

And yes, every time we phone to renew they try it on and every time we tell them the cost of insurance is coming down and we will not accept more than 2% and every time they pretend to refer to "a manager" then come back and agree. 

The financial services business including banking and insurance is run by incompetent children.


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## swee'pea99 (12 Oct 2019)

Globalti said:


> Why on Earth do you need a broker, either to find a policy or to make a claim?
> 
> And yes, every time we phone to renew they try it on and every time we tell them the cost of insurance is coming down and we will not accept more than 2% and every time they pretend to refer to "a manager" then come back and agree.
> 
> The financial services business including banking and insurance is run by incompetent children.


You think this indicates incompetence?


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## cyberknight (12 Oct 2019)

Stuck with aviva for a while now as they have been good policies and get multi policy discount , they even matched my car insurance against the mrs price wise when she stopped driving as i was a named driver on the policy i kept the NCD


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## Globalti (12 Oct 2019)

swee'pea99 said:


> You think this indicates incompetence?



No, greed by Directors is nearer the truth. I was merely observing that financial services generally seem to be staffed and run by incompetents and children.


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## Bonefish Blues (12 Oct 2019)

Globalti said:


> Why on Earth do you need a broker, either to find a policy or to make a claim?
> 
> And yes, every time we phone to renew they try it on and every time we tell them the cost of insurance is coming down and we will not accept more than 2% and every time they pretend to refer to "a manager" then come back and agree.
> 
> The financial services business including banking and insurance is run by incompetent children.


Because they do the legwork to get the best quotes, do the legwork to get a quote for something rather out of the ordinary, and also are capable of influencing insurers who were otherwise being rather uncooperative.

That's why on Earth - in my personal experience on all 3 counts.


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## DRHysted (12 Oct 2019)

At least it’s easier now with the internet. I used to set aside a day to go through the insurance companies in the yellow pages.


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## SkipdiverJohn (13 Oct 2019)

I get all this nonsense with my RAC membership as well. It drives me bonkers, but it's clearly a profitable business model otherwise they wouldn't do it. Normally, a phone call to their customer services gets my renewal back to within a quid or two of what it was last year and I go away just feeling mildly irritated that I had to waste 20 minutes of my time in the process. For every person like me that will query the increase, there must be enough muppets that don't in order to cover the wage bill of the staff who man the phones to deal with the savvy customers.


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## PaulSB (13 Oct 2019)

I can't say it's something that upsets me in the way others do. I see this as an opportunity to reduce my costs and ensure I've got quality cover.

Being retired gives one time which I know isn't available to everyone. I find this approach means my time spent on renewing is minimised.

Decide on type and level of cover required. Make note of what is included and/or save on web
Do the legwork on comparison sites etc.
Decide on a provider. In my case this will always be a known, quality company. Not Fred Bloggs Motor Cover etc
Buy it
When renewal comes around if the price is acceptable renew policy. What's acceptable? A few £££££ is fine.
I find more often than not using an established company reduces the likelihood of silly renewal prices, the phone staff are generally very good and there is the security of knowing a claim would be upheld.

A problem in the UK is the expectation of everything being cheap while demanding high standards. One can see this across every aspect of our society. Want decent services? Taxes should go up etc. Same with car insurance. Want a quality service and switched on phone support staff? Then pay a bit more to get it.

The UK public have a tendency to know the price of everything and the value of nothing in every walk of life.


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## Kajjal (13 Oct 2019)

PaulSB said:


> I can't say it's something that upsets me in the way others do. I see this as an opportunity to reduce my costs and ensure I've got quality cover.
> 
> Being retired gives one time which I know isn't available to everyone. I find this approach means my time spent on renewing is minimised.
> 
> ...



I do the same, work out required cover, compare quality insurers and choose best cover & price. No point having cheap insurance from a poor provider that doesn’t cover your needs. We normally switch every year but this time best offer was from existing insurers on all renewals.


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## tom73 (13 Oct 2019)

Which is totally true but be upfront about it and don't hide behind the fine print or use business methods that leave many who often can't afford it or don't have me means to shop around out of pocket. Paying more is not always the mark of good service financial services. Are full of big boys who trade off an image of trustworthiness , age old heritage , customer is everything. All of which went long ago along with the man from pru.


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## Phaeton (13 Oct 2019)

PaulSB said:


> A problem in the UK is the expectation of everything being cheap while demanding high standards. One can see this across every aspect of our society. Want decent services? Taxes should go up etc. Same with car insurance. Want a quality service and switched on phone support staff? Then pay a bit more to get it.


Sorry but I disagree, in the UK we seem to pay far more for things than other countries, this is a whole new subject. I used to travel to the US regularly & would often find things were the same $ as £ when the exchange rate was 1.5 it made the same item a third more in the UK. It is still the case as you can still buy things in other European countries & get them shipped to the UK cheaper then buying here.

This is not about providing service at reasonable costs, this is about making extra profit by duplicitous means.


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## PaulSB (13 Oct 2019)

Phaeton said:


> It is still the case as you can still buy things in other European countries & get them shipped to the UK cheaper then buying here.



I haven't been to the States for a decade so can't comment on that country. We do though travel in Europe regularly and find prices are generally on par or higher than the UK. Obviously it depends on the market or product being compared.

I've been visiting France for 40 years and over the last 3-4 have noticed it has now become an expensive place to visit. We had a week in Porto in June. I felt we got good value for our money but had to work hard at - plenty of very down at heel restaurants charging €€€€€.

Can you expand on what and where things are cheaper in Europe. I'm genuinely interested to know as I'm surprised by your experience.


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## Phaeton (13 Oct 2019)

PaulSB said:


> Can you expand on what and where things are cheaper in Europe. I'm genuinely interested to know as I'm surprised by your experience.


Car parts are the big one, I can often get them in Germany or Italy shipped to me than I can buy locally or even Nationally


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## nickyboy (13 Oct 2019)

Whilst I agree that in an ideal world insurance company's wouldn't gouge existing customers you can take comfort in the fact that, while they do, sticky customers are subsidising your cheap premiums when you shop around. Hardly a satisfactory state of affairs but, at a individual level this is the benefit of the current system to those who shop around.


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## colly (13 Oct 2019)

House insurance is one of those things you really have to have although it's not a legal requirment. Ours was going up in leaps and bounds and despite a change last year it was still a big wedge.
Not having made a claim for years and years I went through the policies and decided on the things we did need and didn't need. I've pared it back to the essentials such as fire and flood. Cut out accidental cover and gone for a biggish excess and the premiums have dropped to 25% of what they were.
So in effect we have disaster cover only with just a couple of add ons.

If the house burns down or we have a massive flood either external or internal or we are robbed blind we are covered up to over a million for the buildings and contents are something like half million. (which should just about do it) 

If I were sensible I would put the premium savings aside to cover eventualities.


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## Drago (13 Oct 2019)

Phaeton said:


> Car parts are the big one, I can often get them in Germany or Italy shipped to me than I can buy locally or even Nationally


I've ordered Smart car parts from Canada cheaper than I could buy them in the UK and europe. An Internal door handle cable manufactured in Germany, shipped to Canada, unpacked, put into stock, picked, packed and posted back to me in Englandland was about a tenner cheaper than I could get them domestically or from Europe. Go figure.


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## Electric_Andy (14 Oct 2019)

The price comparison sites play an even bigger game. I was doing a quote for my friend who is 18 and wanted car insurance quotes. I put in all his details and clicked on "fully comprehensive" policies. As I warned him, they came out at £2400 odd. I then went to 3rd party F&T, increased to £4000. I clicked on 3rd party only - £9000. 

However, when I went back to fully comprehensive (same driver and details remember) it refreshed and the cheapest was showing as £3200, with the same company that only 5 minutes earlier was offering £2400. They know by the cookies I guess, that the type of person to look at every insurance policy to save money is maybe the type of person to drive erratically.


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## Drago (14 Oct 2019)

That's madness. When I had my Allegro I could only afford TPFT (which used to be cheaper than comp back then) and as a consequence I was super extra careful, because I knew kf something happened and it was my fault I'd be stuffed.


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## swee'pea99 (14 Oct 2019)

Drago said:


> That's madness. When I had my Allegro I could only afford TPFT (which used to be cheaper than comp back then) and as a consequence I was super extra careful, because I knew kf something happened and it was my fault I'd be stuffed.


I've heard that these days fully comp is often cheaper than TPFT, on account of



Electric_Andy said:


> the type of person to look at every insurance policy to save money is maybe the type of person to drive erratically.


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## Tail End Charlie (14 Oct 2019)

Drago said:


> That's madness. When I had my Allegro I could only afford TPFT (which used to be cheaper than comp back then) and as a consequence I was super extra careful, because I knew kf something happened and it was my fault I'd be stuffed.


I took it one stage further and only had third party. I thought a chain round the steering wheel, a flashing light pretending there was an alarm, etched windows would be enough to put people off stealing it. Oh, and the fact it was a Morris Marina!
I believe the way insurance companies push comp cover is for their benefit. If everyone has it, then things even out in their eyes, instead of having to do some work claiming off another company, as is the case with TPO and TPF+T.


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## bruce1530 (10 Feb 2020)

Changed house insurers last year, getting the price down quite a bit in the process. £180.

This year’s renewal, with no changes: £245

Running it through a comparison website, for same cover: £155.
With the same company that I’m currently with!


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## Phaeton (10 Feb 2020)

My car insurance came through the other day, gone up by £15, used a comparison site, existing insurer came back at last years price ie £15 cheaper, another company is £15 cheaper than that, but as I've got it for sale I don't really want to take one out only to cancel it before it starts, I'm sure there will be some small print that will cost me a kidney if I do.


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## gavroche (10 Feb 2020)

My car insurance is due for renewal at the beginning of next month. I contacted my present insurer for the new quote , same details as last year, and he said : £258. It was less than £200 last year so went on line and found one with for £176 so guess who is going to have my business next month?


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## Drago (10 Feb 2020)

176 sheets? Flipping hell, do you have 35 points on your licence or list your profession as "conscript Syrian infantryman"? My old bus is group 40 and doesn't cost that much.


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## gavroche (10 Feb 2020)

Drago said:


> 176 sheets? Flipping hell, do you have 35 points on your licence or list your profession as "conscript Syrian infantryman"? My old bus is group 40 and doesn't cost that much.


Clean licence, no convictions, 9 years+ no claim and my wife as well as additional driver.


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## Drago (11 Feb 2020)

You live in Gaza next door to Hamas HQ?


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## Venod (11 Feb 2020)

cyberknight said:


> Stuck with aviva for a while now as they have been good policies and get multi policy discount , they even matched my car insurance against the mrs price wise when she stopped driving as i was a named driver on the policy i kept the NCD


Plus one for Aviva, I have had the battles with various companies about renewal, but Aviva have been very good for a few year now, I think I have had to threaten to leave just once.


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## cyberknight (11 Feb 2020)

Venod said:


> Plus one for Aviva, I have had the battles with various companies about renewal, but Aviva have been very good for a few year now, I think I have had to threaten to leave just once.


bit of a bump. work mate had a yoof dent his car, yoofs fault but uninsured so mate has to claim on his insurenace, avivia put his renewal up from£400 odd to over £900 for the 2 cars on the policy


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## Drago (11 Feb 2020)

You chum should have claimed from the MIB, who exist to cover the cost of whoopsies caused by uninsured or unidentified drivers.


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## Venod (11 Feb 2020)

cyberknight said:


> bit of a bump. work mate had a yoof dent his car, yoofs fault but uninsured so mate has to claim on his insurenace, avivia put his renewal up from£400 odd to over £900 for the 2 cars on the policy


That's out of order, a while ago, Mrs Venod damaged the back end of an Audi we had insured with Saga, it looked bad so I rang Saga and told them I would get an estimate for repair, it turned out to be a lot less than the excess, so I told them we wouldn't be making a claim, come renewal time the policy increase was ridiculous, I asked them why, they said it was because we had reported a bump, but I said we hadn't made a claim, it made no difference, needless to say they didn't get my business and never have since despite being bombarded by their offers, be careful what you tell them.


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## Freds Dad (11 Feb 2020)

Martin Lewis did a good show last night about car insurance with a few tips on how to reduce it.

https://www.itv.com/hub/the-martin-lewis-money-show/2a1827a0079


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## vickster (11 Feb 2020)

cyberknight said:


> bit of a bump. work mate had a yoof dent his car, yoofs fault but uninsured so mate has to claim on his insurenace, avivia put his renewal up from£400 odd to over £900 for the 2 cars on the policy


I’d be making the yoof pay? was yoof driving uninsured? Or was the idiot walking on the roof 
Can MIB help?


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## vickster (11 Feb 2020)

Venod said:


> That's out of order, a while ago, Mrs Venod damaged the back end of an Audi we had insured with Saga, it looked bad so I rang Saga and told them I would get an estimate for repair, it turned out to be a lot less than the excess, so I told them we wouldn't be making a claim, come renewal time the policy increase was ridiculous, I asked them why, they said it was because we had reported a bump, but I said we hadn't made a claim, it made no difference, needless to say they didn't get my business and never have since despite being bombarded by their offers, be careful what you tell them.


That’s normal. And you are obliged to report any accident to your insurers whether you claim or not. 
Especially if there was someone in the other vehicle who could report to their insurer and make a claim, even a personal injury claim


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## Pale Rider (11 Feb 2020)

Careful what you don't tell them is better advice.


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## Venod (11 Feb 2020)

vickster said:


> That’s normal. And you are obliged to report any accident to your insurers whether you claim or not.
> Especially if there was someone in the other vehicle who could report to their insurer and make a claim, even a personal injury claim


But she scrapped a wall on our property, no other parties involved.


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## vickster (11 Feb 2020)

Venod said:


> But she scrapped a wall on our property, no other parties involved.


That wasn’t clear, you said she bumped the back end of an Audi...I assumed that was another car!


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## Phaeton (11 Feb 2020)

Freds Dad said:


> Martin Lewis did a good show last night about car insurance with a few tips on how to reduce it.
> 
> https://www.itv.com/hub/the-martin-lewis-money-show/2a1827a0079


Won't le me watch it on either Chrome or Firefox tells me to update some settings but the instructions have no relevance to anything on my page, I presume they assume everybody uses Windoze


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## Venod (11 Feb 2020)

vickster said:


> That wasn’t clear, you said she bumped the back end of an Audi...I assumed that was another car!



You read it wrong then, this is what I said, looks clear to me.



Venod said:


> Mrs Venod damaged the back end of an Audi we had insured with Saga


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## Phaeton (11 Feb 2020)

Venod said:


> You read it wrong then, this is what I said, looks clear to me.


I'm with @vickster I thought she'd hit the Audi, not driving it


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## Venod (11 Feb 2020)

Phaeton said:


> I'm with @vickster I thought she'd hit the Audi, not driving it


OK whats wrong with this sentence,

Mrs Venod damaged the back end of an Audi we had insured with Saga 

I suppose I could have typed,

Mrs Venod damaged the back end of our Audi we had insured with Saga

Did you think she had driven into the back of an Audi we had insured ?


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## Freds Dad (11 Feb 2020)

Phaeton said:


> Won't le me watch it on either Chrome or Firefox tells me to update some settings but the instructions have no relevance to anything on my page, I presume they assume everybody uses Windoze



I opened it in Safari but I'm sure search of the ITV Hub will find it for you.


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## Phaeton (11 Feb 2020)

Freds Dad said:


> I opened it in Safari but I'm sure search of the ITV Hub will find it for you.


Nope still doesn't like it their instruction don't work.







Then go to where they send you to switch it on only to find it already is.






I'll try Safari when I get home


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## cyberknight (11 Feb 2020)

vickster said:


> I’d be making the yoof pay? was yoof driving uninsured? Or was the idiot walking on the roof
> Can MIB help?


on a bike jumped off the kerb without looking into the side of the car


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## vickster (11 Feb 2020)

cyberknight said:


> on a bike jumped off the kerb without looking into the side of the car


What an utter tool


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## glasgowcyclist (11 Feb 2020)

Venod said:


> OK whats wrong with this sentence,
> 
> Mrs Venod damaged the back end of an Audi we had insured with Saga
> 
> ...




That was my reading of it.

I thought that between you, you had more than one car and they were covered by different insurers. 
So, "Mrs Venod (in another car, with a different insurer) damaged the back end of an Audi we had insured with Saga."


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## Drago (11 Feb 2020)

Mrs Venod hurt her back then she tripped on an Audi?


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## Venod (11 Feb 2020)

glasgowcyclist said:


> That was my reading of it.
> 
> I thought that between you, you had more than one car and they were covered by different insurers.
> So, "Mrs Venod (in another car, with a different insurer) damaged the back end of an Audi we had insured with Saga."



I suppose you could also interpret "Mrs Venod damaged the back end of our Audi we had insured with Saga " the same way, so to avoid any ambiguity, Mrs Venod reversed our Audi (which was insured by Saga) into a wall.


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## Phaeton (11 Feb 2020)

Venod said:


> I suppose you could also interpret "Mrs Venod damaged the back end of our Audi we had insured with Saga " the same way, so to avoid any ambiguity, Mrs Venod reversed our Audi (which was insured by Saga) into a wall.


That was very careless of her, why didn't she reverse somebody else's Audi into a wall you don't own that would have been cheaper for us, although she may then have been accused of TWOKing


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## Venod (11 Feb 2020)

Phaeton said:


> That was very careless of her, why didn't she reverse somebody else's Audi into a wall you don't own that would have been cheaper for us, although she may then have been accused of TWOKing


It was an Audi she was probably speeding and driving recklessly, doesn't everybody in an Audi, and it was not the fastest Audi we have owned.


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## MarkF (25 Feb 2020)

Home Insurance renewal time, Churchill are rewarding me with a "loyalty" offer of £360.64 which is nice of them.

Churchill online quote, £170.25.


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## Phaeton (25 Feb 2020)

Motorbike insurance came through last week, last March it was £241 as I'm returning to riding & no no claims, swapped from the Honda to the BMW in July & had to pay them an extra £100. Renewal came through wanting £347 for the BMW for the coming year, rang them up & after 15 minutes got through to somebody who when asked why it had gone up so much now I had 1 years no claims, immediately dropped it to £250. TBH I was a bit pissed that he could just drop it like that, also to find they had it on auto-renew (which should be illegal) so said cancel the auto-renew & I'll get back to you. Jumped on a comparison site, got the same insurance policy AXA with another broker for £144. Have written an email to the complaints department advising them I'm not happy with the treatment I've received from them.


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