There have been loads of threads about the cheapest insurance companies but in the past few months, I've discovered (and I'm sure I'm not the first) that it's what happens when you make a claim that counts.
I thought it might be useful for others if people could post the experience they've had when making a claim as that might provide more info and help people to reach a decision that's not entirely based on cost.

Here's mine:

March 2003- started a fully comp policy with admiral, very reasonable, a number of declared mods and 2 yrs NCB.
May 2003 - had a single vehicle accident where the car ended up undriveable.
This is where the fun starts....
I didn't have admiral recovery so called the AA, because it was an acident not a breakdown, they charge a fee. Admiral did not refund that fee.
Car was trailered to home to be picked up by repairer.
Following day, repairer picked up the car.
Admiral very clearly offer a "gauranteed" courtesy car "while the vehicle is being repaired" by their repairer so I called to arrange my courtesy car...
"The car has to be assesed to see if it's a right-off before you get a CC, you don't get a car if it's a right off"
"When will it be assessed?"
"Well, that model isn't in our system and our assesor is on holiday so it'll be a couple of weeks"
Several irate phone calls later, Admiral agree to have it trailered to another repairer.
Car gets assesed a couple of days later...
"Can I get my CC now?"
"It's been assesed but not approved"
"How long does that take?"
"Couple of days"
Couple of days later...
"Can I get my CC now?"
"Admiral have asked for an engineers inspection"
"So I don't get a car?"
"no"
"How long for the inspection?"
"Couple of days."
Turns out (after speaking to one of the guys at the garage) that Admiral sent the engineer to confirm the mods declared matched those on the car. His report then took "couple of days" to be approved. Because the garage were busy, they didn't start work for a couple of days.
At no point in the previous weeks had my car been classed as "being repaired" so at no point did I qualify for a CC.
When my repairs got approved (3.5k's worth) and they actually picked up a spanner, I qualified for a CC, surprise suprise, they had none available.
Not only does your car have to be actually being worked on, the gauranteed CC is "subject to availability".
It's all in the small print it seems.
In the end, I got a Micra for three days.
I'm lucky that I don't use my car for work, if I had, I'd have been severely out of pocket while they farted around.

The repair was good, they even put on the same spec tyres and replaced the missing undertray but the whole process was a shambles.

Now when I come to renew, they hike the premium (almost double). I asked about reverting some mods to standard to save money and they say "it doesn't save you any money to take them off because there was no charge to put them on". This is apart from the fact that it cost over 200 quid when I declared them!

Anyway, that's just my experience, I've complained many times and got basically nowhere and I cant be arsed persuing at anymore.
I'm not bitter (honest) but just beware that cheapest is not always best. These b'stards will take you every chance they get.

Oh, and check out the "personal Accident cover" it's a max of 5 grand and that's for loss of a limb or an eye.

"I've got a good online quote, I'd like to add another modification to that"
"Yes sir, what's the modification?"
"I've replaced the standard plastic dump valve with a stronger metal one, no power gain"
"Oh, hold on...........
just a minute..........
..... Sorry sir, we don't cover cars with dump valves"
"what if I return it to the standard Fiat item?"
"So it'll have a dump valve?"
"Yes"
"We won't cover a car with a dump valve"
"But you were ready to cover it 10 mins ago...?"
"Yes, but your saying it's got a dump valve now, we won't cover cars with dump valves, it's a new rule"
"So you'll not be renewing anyone currently insured with a Fiat Coupe or for that matter any turbo VW or Audi?"
"We won't cover cars with dump valves sir."

Muppets