dazzaTypeR

I went to insure my gixer this year and was quoted nearly £800, more than I paid for my R1, last year.

Phoned next broker and after all of the needless questions you have answer, even though most insurers share databases nowadays and have all info needed. They then asked what my cheapest quote had been so far, so I thought well i' m not gonna tell them £800 coz they'll only beat it by £50 quid or so. So I thought what would I be happy with and just said £420, she then goes off for a second and comes back with £405. FANTASTIC, and paid for it there and then.

So it makes you wonder how the hell do they work it out, I'd not had a quote anywhere near that, even though I've been riding for 12yrs and have 6yrs NCB, locked and alarmed garage 4K per year, not the worst of records by far. I've now put my RSV on top of my gixer for £170 FComp. And it still beats the best quote I'd had previously.

So lesson hear I guess is it does'nt hurt to bend the truth a bit and it's not something that will affect a future claim as it's up to them to research a quote properly.

dazza

GM

I'd say that was "lying" or "fraud" rather than "bending the truth" myself........

Mo

Always do it.

Adrian Flux sent me a renewal this year for £1300, up £500 from the year before. Rang around, cheapest quote was £1100. Rang back Adrian Flux and told them I had got a quote for £850 they then renewed my policy for £800 - the same as what I paid the year before.

Makes you wonder.

GM

Well no, actually it isn't........

Insurance contracts are subject to the doctrine of "utmost good faith" - you are obliged to disclose any material fact. If you choose to deliberately misrepresent a material fact, then the underwriter would be perfectly within his rights to avoid any claim.

CTI v Oceanus [1984] 1 Lloyd' s Rep. 476:

'Everything is material to which a prudent insurer, if he were in the proposed insurer' s place, would wish to direct his mind in the course of considering the proposed insurance with a view to deciding whether to take it up and on what terms including premiums' (per Stevenson LJ).

The amount of another insurer's quotation is a material fact because it is something an insurer is taking into account in deciding what premium to charge.

G

jamesjones

Could the insurer prove that someone had told them they had had a low quote of x amount though? I doubt it unless the conversation was recorded, but they have to tell you that before they start talking with you. It would come down to my word against yours.

Anyway, who says the lowest quote wasn't from your best mate. Then you're not lying or even bending the truth. I agree that it's their responsibility to research the facts at hand. After all, they don't have to insure you if they don't think it's at the right price.

How many times have people been selling something and told a prospective buyer that they have had an offer of x amount from someone else (when they haven't)? Most people. It's the same thing. The prospective buyer should have their own idea on how much something is worth and what they're prepared to pay.

J

P.S.
How many times have you had a quote or renewal from an insurance company saying that this is the best they can do, only to challenge them and they then lower the quote. Every renewal I get i've lowered by more than 20%. Surely them saying this high x amount is the best we can do is fraud because if you pay it, you are invariably paying more than they can really do. Think about it.

[Edited by jamesjones - 6/1/2002 12:05:42 AM]

[Edited by jamesjones - 6/1/2002 12:07:37 AM]

jamesjones

A less contentious tip is that most insurers have bandings on their mileage rates which affect the premium big time. One insurer even told me this and it's a part of their training.

When I was bored at work recently, I did many an online quote and found that by reducing my mileage by 1 mile from 11000 miles to 10999 miles often saved over 10% (a lot when insuring a Scooby). Under 9999 miles saved another 5%. Obviously, this is something they look at closely in the event of a claim but if you think you do e.g. approx 11k miles a year, try reducing it by 1 mile.

Reducing your car's value by £1 can sometimes work as well (e.g. from £10000 to £9999).

A third tip is adding your partner to the policy (usually 5% saving).

Also mention that you have kids if you do. Responsible parents can get discounts.


Hope these legal tips help.

J

madfiddler

> A third tip is adding your partner to the policy (usually 5% saving).

Get this, my wife is Turkish, and has been in the country for 8 months. OK, I don't have a Scooby..yet, it's a Rover 216GSi, but I was getting on average a £50 reduction putting her on my insurance as a second driver on a provisional licence (most companies won't take the international licence option)...

JamieMacdonald

I added my parents to my policy (must be mad!) but rather than bringing it down, it put it up £120!! (Privilege)

J

rlfan

It is not a legal necessity to inform a party that a phone call is being recorded. It is a legal requirement that _one_ party be aware of the recording - not both.

This is a common misnomer! Basically the law exists to protect privacy when it comes to bugging, etc. i.e. where a conversation between two parties is recorded without either knowing. This is illegal. Simply recording a phone call where one involved party is aware of the recording is perfectly legal.

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

I declared a recent claim on another vehicle and they brought my premium down.

And yes I did re check with the insurer that they had got this right.

Go figure.

BTW as I thought I was 'on a roll' I tried to add a BB and they said this would be free! It's on the policy now to prove it.

F

boomer

rlfan

"It is not a legal necessity to inform a party that a phone call is being recorded."

Are you sure that applies to commercial calls? If so, why does just about every company call centre that you contact warn you of the fact - even for 0800 calls which will cost them (slightly) more money to give the warning?

mb

rlfan

Boomer,

It is perfectly legal for businesses to record calls without telling you as long as they only use the information for certain purposes. Recording a business transaction (as in insurance premium quotation) is one of those purposes.

Take a look at:

http://www.oftel.gov.uk/consumer/advice/faqs/prvfaq3.htm

It explains everything in black and white.

RaZe-=Buzz=-

I ALWAYS tell them "Ive had a better quote" - no specific details, and most of the time they just say "give me a minute" and come back with something better. So to claim "its the best we can do" is a LIE!
And as for the claims on television - we search for the best quote so you dont have to (you know who you are..) - BOLLOX! Ring round!! Im with Norwich Union Direct who have been slated on these forums, but I get fully comp for a my96 turbo with all the legal protections and NCB protections etc etc and a tiny excess for £550 for two named drivers, me and the wife.
They WANTED £650 for renewal, but I rang around then rang them back, told them Id found better (and I actually had been quoted 600) and they gave me 550. So whos the LIAR here?

Sorry if this has turned into a rant

Buzz