Gransnet forums

Legal, pensions and money

55% increase in car insurance premium

(26 Posts)
Opal Fri 25-Aug-23 14:46:05

My car -insurance renewal letter came today - with a 55% increase in my car insurance premium for this year! I've told my insurer exactly what I think on the phone earlier - complete rip off. I appreciate car repair costs have increased, but not to the tune of over 50%! I've been with my current insurer for a number of years, with no claims and a clean licence. I'm searching for better prices, but all of the insurers seem to be hiking their premiums way over the current inflation rate - pure profiteering on their part. Shame on them.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 25-Aug-23 14:51:19

They will all be increasing their prices I’m sure. We have been with NFU for house and car insurance for some years and they are excellent - and we get a loyalty bonus each year.

Do check that the cover provided by other insurers is sufficient - ie read the small print carefully.

Farzanah Fri 25-Aug-23 15:02:54

I was shocked when I got my renewal notice but looked around and it’s similar to others but better cover.

Coolgran65 Fri 25-Aug-23 15:06:05

My car insurance came in with a renewal up about 30%. I spent an hour ringing around and got several quotes that were much less. Some were cheaper than my last year price. I then rang my provider who came down to just £20 above my last year price. I've been with them many years and also have my house insurance with them. They are a local broker and if I had an issue I can visit the office to discuss.

Nagmad2016 Fri 25-Aug-23 15:12:37

I have been with the same car insurance company for several years. Every year I receive a renewal notice offering me the same cover with an inflated premium figure. Every year I ring them and tell them that I will not pay more than the previous year, and every year I get the premium I have asked for. I think the computer churns out random figures and if you are not going to negotiate, they're happy. Don't be afraid to haggle for the price you want.

Jaxjacky Fri 25-Aug-23 16:13:39

It took a lot of time, but mine is a few pounds cheaper this year and my husband’s 5% more, I did them both about three weeks ago.

Allsorts Fri 25-Aug-23 16:19:57

You did well Jaxjacky.

westendgirl Fri 25-Aug-23 16:26:50

I have been looking for Travel insurance and am horrified at te quotes I've been given.

IClaudius Fri 25-Aug-23 16:53:09

I've just renewed my car insurance too and was astonished at how much it had gone up. Last year it was just under £200, this year £330! I managed to haggle it down to £270 and before committing to it, I looked at all of the comparison sites online but they were even higher. Road tax has also gone up this year.

Allsorts Mon 04-Sept-23 15:03:27

My car insurance has doubled, I tried compare the market but it’s no cheaper. Someone reversed into me, he admitted liability and my insurance company claimed all back, I had protected no fault too, why would it double? I’ve never made a claim.p

Georgesgran Mon 04-Sept-23 15:12:41

No Allsorts, but you have been involved in an ‘incident’. Your no-claims bonus is protected, but it doesn’t prevent your premium from increasing. Unfortunately, they’ll use any excuse.

Charleygirl5 Mon 04-Sept-23 15:56:14

Mine was over £600, I wondered if I was putting a down payment on another car but other companies gave me similar quotes. I have never had an accident but I am about to reach the magic age of 80 but most of my marbles are intact.

M0nica Tue 05-Sept-23 14:16:27

Innsurance companies take a lot into account when calculating insurance rates. Your age (that changes every year), your average mileage, the cost of car repairs, and every other potential cost of a claim, the cost of new and secondhand cars.

Charleygirl5 I have just reached 80 and my insurance went up about £200 to £560. I went on a comparison site, asking specifically for quotes for people over 60 and the cheapest rate was under £400. The one I took was £460 because I wanted extra's like being covered to drive in Europe.

crazyH Tue 05-Sept-23 14:21:50

Monica - I am so jealous. Driving in Europe - wow !

M0nica Tue 05-Sept-23 16:42:27

crazyH For the last 32 years we have had holiday home in Normandy, and I drive when I am there. But all that will end soon as we are 80 this year and have decided that this is the time to sell it, so it is ccurrently on the market.

So next year I may not need European cover.

Grannmarie Tue 05-Sept-23 17:43:46

Hello 👋 Opal!

When my car insurance renewal comes in, I always phone them and explain politely that it is too dear, but I would like to stay with them as I had excellent service from them when I had a claim some years ago.
I mention some quotes from Compare the Market. They always reduce my renewal figure.
Last week I was quoted £313, previous year was £230, we agreed upon £260.
I'm with the AA.

Opal Tue 05-Sept-23 19:43:47

Thanks for all your responses ladies. It seems that all insurance has gone up across the board. I just object to the enormous hikes, way over the current rate of inflation.

I've got to renew within the next two weeks, so I'll keep you posted if I find any bargains smile

Redrobin51 Tue 05-Sept-23 20:04:09

I'm with LV a d mine only went up by quite a small amount. I do do quite a low mileage but have to say I was pleased with the price after hearing all the narrow stories. My husband also had a quote after his insurance costs spiralled and he has also decided to go with them. I know you only find out how good an insurance company is when you have an accident but they appear to have a good reputation. Hope you find something to suit your budget.

Deedaa Tue 05-Sept-23 20:05:29

I renewed my car insurance last month. It had gone up about 30% so I clicked on an ad that offered to find cheap insurance and ended up with a company that saved me about £150 for pretty much the same cover. When I rang my existing company (Churchill) to tell them I had found a cheaper quote they didn't even bother to argue.

MrsKen33 Tue 05-Sept-23 20:14:04

GSM We too were with NFU , with bonuses. However lately said bonus has not covered any increase. Which has been prodigious. DH did a lot of research and we have got the exact same insurance with Sainsbury’s at two thirds of the price. Well worth shopping around these days for any form of insurance.

M0nica Wed 06-Sept-23 09:07:47

Opal official rate of inflation measures the rise of prices across the economy, as a whole, rates of inflation in different sectors can go up by more or less than average.

The price of new and secondhand cars has risen faster than the average and possible other costs - parts, labour - have risen faster as well.

M0nica Wed 06-Sept-23 15:05:03

I must have been prescient. There is a long article in the i today on the rise in car insurance.

While it is not all approval it points out that Brexit has caused supply chain issues. Shortages of semi-conductors and other arts has driven prices up, and the total cost of vehicle repairs has increased by 33% in the past year.

The average age of a garage owner is 65 and many are giving up the business when they retire, so the number of garages around to undertake repairs is causing pressure on resources.

So, as I said, the costs for some parts of the economy are going up faster than others.

Opal Wed 06-Sept-23 18:02:07

Thank you for the info Monica, much appreciated.

nandad Wed 06-Sept-23 18:21:32

Husband was hit from behind last year and had his car repaired by a repairers arranged by his insurers. When he came to renewing his insurance he had to find out how much the repairs had cost - £11,750! It was a broken bumper, some minor scratches and no mechanical damage. Even at half that price it would have been a rip off. Insurers are raising their prices to cover their costs because repairers are overcharging.

Kim19 Wed 06-Sept-23 18:35:17

Just read an article in Martin Lewis circular which said three insurance companies were repaying £30 million to some customers who have been overcharged since 2021. Apparently this error came about when existing customers were charged more for renewal than they would have been as a new customer with the same requirements. Frightened to list the companies as I may have remembered wrongly but one was definitely Direct Line and I am with them. Fingers crossed!