Insurance companies wonder why no-one likes em?

[xX-Alex-Xx]

Time to do the yearly renewal on my insurance. Company I'm with wants to up my price from £160 to £180 quid a year because another year of NCD must mean I'm 15% more likely to claim??

Go online to a comparison site and THE SAME company comes back with the cheapest quote for £110 and change.

That - I'm switching companies just on principle. Of course you have to phone to cancel so it'll be interesting to see what they come back with for a "we'll try and match it" price, even though it's their own price in the first place.
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DILLIGAF

[Bhud]

Here's roughly how it is for me:

I get the reminder email from the insurance company, urging me to renew now, telling me the price will be £xxx. I write a reply saying please do not renew (just to cover my back). I receive an auto-reply saying they will reply to me soon (they never do). They send me an identical reminder email urging me to renew now, telling me the price will be £xxx. I call them up and tell them I don't want to renew. Oh, wait one moment sir, do you still have the bike.

Here's the key to avoid being passed around the call centre for an hour: tell them you got rid of the bike, you no longer have it and you want the policy to expire. They ask if you're replacing it. I say, no, I'm done with motorbikes, and can you please confirm by email that you will not renew. They say, sure.

They send the email confirmation that they will not renew, and follow it up with another reminder letter to renew my insurance... Hahaha. I ignore that, then I go to Gocompare and Comparethemarket. Enter my details again, and nothing has changed. Lo and behold, I get a cheaper quote, from the same company.

I've got them figured out.

[Ste]

[Easy-X]

Just had the same conversation with my mum, Tesco car insurance gone up £70 for no particular reason. Done a quick quote online: slightly cheaper than current insurance from... Tesco again! This is a repeat of what happened last year
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[MCN]

[Musketeer]

I never get a good renewal quote and always have to switch.
Currently I pay £190/year for my Fireblade.
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Current Bike: Yamaha XSR900 Previous bikes: Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja, Aprilia RS125 2-stroke

[Polarbear]

I'm with Direct line and have a multi car policy and in the 4 years I've been with them the only time it has gone up rather than down is when I changed from the Ford to the Jaguar. Other than that its dropped a few quid each year and I'm on full NCD.

I actually feel a bit dirty praising an insurance company.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[xX-Alex-Xx]

[UncleFester]

Been with LV now for a few years.

Excellent on the phone.
No admin charges for changing minor details.
Excellent prices.

Won't be going with anyone else unless their prices fall massively out of line.
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Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[colink98]

[Feasty]

Every car/bike renewal time I always shop around, this year I've moved to BikeSure as they were cheaper than everyone else - plus they offer 3rd party cover when riding other bikes, useful when it came to test riding a few for my next bike.

Cars have been with Admiral multi-car for a few years now as the prices keep going down, and although I shop around no-one can beat them.

House insurance is something else - I can never be bothered shopping round as there's so much detail you have to know, the last few years I used a broker instead that's local and friendly.
This year they upped the renewal by £100, I was not happy ! I spent a few hours looking into their small print (turns out they only approach 1 insurer, I thought a broker compares and gets you the best deal!) - I ended up shopping round and moving to Admiral on their highest level of cover, which was still cheaper than the broker renewal - plus as I've already got multi-car, adding the house insurance reduces the car insurance. Win-win
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[stinkwheel]

I welcome the new moves because getting quotes and agreed values on modified vehicles is a total pain in the arse.

I KNOW my current guys are gouging me because the premium went up but it takes literally days of back and forth of emails, specs, valuations and photos to get a price out of someone.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Polo]

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[MCN]

I have Zero Loyalty to any insurance bastirts.
Possibly only a handful of underwriters but a hundred pikey brokers all with their snoots in the trough.

I change broker ever year and every machine.
It's normal now.

Get in the perfect habit of shopping around.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[UncleFester]

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[UncleFester]

If you fit stuff and don't tell them then it can cost you big time if you have a prang and they get hold of the bike.

If what you fitted caused the accident / incident then expect major issues.

So as a new rider / new policy holder it's best to stay away from things that make insurers nervous. Most bikes come with factory options for 'performance' stuff .

So when you start looking at quotes and bikes, have a look if there's a 'performance' version and see what difference in price that one is for both the cost of the bike and the cost of the insurance.

If it's an £800 CB500 from 1995 and you're going to throw a £90 BlackWidow stubby on it then i doubt the increase in insurance is going to matter a tuppenny fuck on the grand scheme of things.

Honesty is the best policy, find an insurer that doesn't want to bend you over for that.
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Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[xX-Alex-Xx]

[TaffyTDM]

[MCN]

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Easy-X]

Shocking news: my renewal has come through and is substantially less than last year. And the Meerkats suggest similar prices from other companies. The Matrix must be glitching
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[TaffyTDM]

Nah its just theve been caught on the hop with this new "dont be a twat" ruling. Give it another 12 months and they will have caught up with the loop holes and new ways to take the piss!