Car Insurance Go Up After Accident

dazza74 · 24-03-2009, 3:07 PM

Been with the same insurance company for a few years and the renewal quote I get has always been resonable but this year it's gone by nearly £100 which equates to about 40%. I was in an accident last year, not my fault and the 3rd party insurers settled the claim but I'm wondering whether this is the reason why my insurance has gone up this year?

t-force · 24-03-2009, 3:12 PM

Did they regard your no claims discount as lost?

eric pisch · 24-03-2009, 3:14 PM

you have a claim on your account in my experience they care not who was at fault and will use any excuse to ramp up the price

shop around the mse guide saved me £260 a year and my wife £190

Cheap Car Insurance: Speedily compare 100s of quotes, & hidden cashback...

FZR400RRSP · 24-03-2009, 3:18 PM

My mother's insurance went up this year, by nearly 40%

Only difference, as with you, was an accident that wasn't her fault and she didn't have to pay anything to fix.
So I just went online and got her another policy.
Even declaring the accident, she got the premium down to what it was before the accident.
Honestly, they're just praying most people can't be bothered and will stump up.

Kebabhead · 24-03-2009, 3:18 PM

Even though you were not at fault they will still load you for it

FZR400RRSP · 24-03-2009, 3:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kebabhead

Even though you were not at fault they will still load you for it

Your existing provider might, but new ones might not.
As proven by my mother's (new) policy.
I definitely declared the accident, their website had a choice of drop-downs when you declared 'accident'.
One of them was "not my fault, I didn't have to pay anything"
Click on that, no loading.

Kebabhead · 24-03-2009, 3:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowfer

Your existing provider might, but new ones might not.
As proven by my mother's (new) policy.
I definitely declared the accident, their website had a choice of drop-downs when you declared 'accident'.
One of them was "not my fault, I didn't have to pay anything"
Click on that, no loading.

The real way to find out is go on a comparison website and get two quotes one declaring the accident and one not to check the price

**Iccz** · 24-03-2009, 3:28 PM

Same applies for points on the license I believe, not all will bump your insurance up because of it, yet some will take advantage of this matter, it's easy money in their pocket, that's how they see it.
As long as you don't collect points regularly

dazza74 · 24-03-2009, 3:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t-force

Did they regard your no claims discount as lost?

Don't think so, I had protected no claims on the policy. It was a pretty open and shut case the whole claim as I was fortunate somebody see the incident and gave me their details so as to act as a witness. Only talking about £200 worth of damage anyway to mine. Thanks to all that have posted

think I might phone them and say I'll take my business elsewhere unless they renew my insurance at last years level

**Iccz** · 24-03-2009, 3:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazza74

Don't think so, I had protected no claims on the policy. It was a pretty open and shut case the whole claim as I was fortunate somebody see the incident and gave me their details so as to act as a witness. Only talking about £200 worth of damage anyway to mine. Thanks to all that have posted

think I might phone them and say I'll take my business elsewhere unless they renew my insurance at last years level

Give them quotes from other companies, they will generally try to match them, especially if that is a quote including the accident.
If not, then fair enough, go else where, no point in trying to threaten them saying you'll take your business somewhere else, just give them the chance by pointing out it's cheaper elsewhere. You may at some point want to go back to them so try to do it in a polite way just incase!
Which im sure you would do anyways.

FZR400RRSP · 24-03-2009, 3:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kebabhead

The real way to find out is go on a comparison website and get two quotes one declaring the accident and one not to check the price

Which I did, out of cynical curiosity.

dazza74 · 24-03-2009, 3:57 PM

Phoned them up and explained the situation, one phone call took the price down by over £50 but I'm still getting some quotes on comparisons sites of around £60 cheaper than that so think I'll go elsewhere. Thanks for everyones advice and help

**Iccz** · 24-03-2009, 8:57 PM

Out of interest who was your original insurer who tried to up the cost?

Miss Chief · 25-03-2009, 4:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazza74

Phoned them up and explained the situation, one phone call took the price down by over £50 but I'm still getting some quotes on comparisons sites of around £60 cheaper than that so think I'll go elsewhere. Thanks for everyones advice and help

Book going via Quidco! you can get up to £50, sometimes more!

dazza74 · 25-03-2009, 8:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iccz

Out of interest who was your original insurer who tried to up the cost?

Elephant

Dancook · 25-03-2009, 10:02 AM

Directline send me a renewal quote every year, and I just go their website and get a lesser quote - tell them and they match it.

t-force · 25-03-2009, 12:49 PM

They must be loading you because of the accident - I've been with Elephant for 5 years now, and I always shop around at renewal time, and every time they've been the cheapest, so if they're not, and you don't have some particularly unusual case, it must be the accident - *******s.

baldrick · 25-03-2009, 1:48 PM

Insurance companies are a rule unto themselves. I totalled my car a few years ago and thought "doh, that's, my nice car driving days done for a few years". Out of curiosity I got a quote from my existing insurer (Admiral) for a newer version of the car I'd just crashed (SEAT Leon Cupra R) and it was cheaper than I'd paid for the car I'd just written off!?!?!? No idea how or why and even phoned them to confirm. They said "that's the right price" so I ordered a brand new SEAT....

Often the renewal price a company gives you will be higher than when you shop around based solely on the premise that a percentage of people won't bother checking. Morale of the story always get a 'new policy' quote, even if its from the same company!

Regards the OP, did you make any 'whiplash' type claims as is the norm now days? That's the thing that's killing insurance companies....

Showoff · 25-03-2009, 2:31 PM

I usually take my renewal figure as a starting point and then ring round 10 (at least) companies to get the best price, then go back to my original company who I've been with for years and get them to beat my best quote.
This year I couldn't be bothered to ring round so when my renewal came through at £350 I rang them up and explained what I usually do, said how about you save me and yourself a lot of wasted time and get my renewal down to £300 and I'll pay it now and that's what they did.

Sometimes the simple direct approach works best.

baldrick · 25-03-2009, 2:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Showoff

I usually take my renewal figure as a starting point and then ring round 10 (at least) companies to get the best price, then go back to my original company who I've been with for years and get them to beat my best quote.
This year I couldn't be bothered to ring round so when my renewal came through at £350 I rang them up and explained what I usually do, said how about you save me and yourself a lot of wasted time and get my renewal down to £300 and I'll pay it now and that's what they did.

Sometimes the simple direct approach works best.

10 at least! Normally 1 or 2 is enough to let you know your renewal quote is taking the ****!

Showoff · 25-03-2009, 2:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baldrick

10 at least! Normally 1 or 2 is enough to let you know your renewal quote is taking the ****!

I have an imported car so the quotes vary hugely from company to company. 2 will give you an idea, but the more the merrier if you want the best price. Especially as they usually ask you what your best quote is so far...

*Steve170* · 25-03-2009, 3:21 PM

I was also with Elephant and had a non-fault incident last year, all fully recovered from the third party. Non-claims bonus not affected etc. My renewal shot up by about £150. I know this 'cos I went onto their website and got identical quotes with and without the accident declared. With it declared was approx. £150 more than without. To really rub salt in, I tried seeing what it was if declared as my fault and it was only about £20 more than when declared as non-fault!

I emailed them to ask why it had gone up when all costs had been recovered and they said it was because statistically if you are involved in a non-fault accident, you are more likely to have a fault accident in the future!

FZR400RRSP · 25-03-2009, 3:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve170

I emailed them to ask why it had gone up when all costs had been recovered and they said it was because statistically if you are involved in a non-fault accident, you are more likely to have a fault accident in the future!

Eh?
Are they mental?
That's like saying a victim of terrorism is more likely to join Al-Qaeda.

**Iccz** · 25-03-2009, 3:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve170

I emailed them to ask why it had gone up when all costs had been recovered and they said it was because statistically if you are involved in a non-fault accident, you are more likely to have a fault accident in the future!

Did you question how they came to that conclusion?

Because that's the most ridiculous thing i've heard for a while.