19 replies to this topic

[MiniGrin]

I don't get much luck..... none in fact. Some idiot in front causes an accident involving me writing off my pride and joy mini, then drives off leaving me to claim on my own insurance. This is still dragging on and they are putting up a fight.... but that's a different issue. 

Now, a few days ago I see a very sexy looking 1380cc 1966 Mini. Its my dream car, and at a price I can afford....just about. Yes its a 1380, yes im young, and yes ive just lost my no claims, so i wasn't expecting to get insured. So i was quite surprised when I get insured at £1715.13 on a popular comparison website using a small insurance broker. SO I run it through again, all is still good. So I go out and buy the car, getting all exited. I then go home, run it through the system, still the 1715 price, actually pay for the insurance. I get a call a day later from the insurance company, who were extremely rude to me for one, who said they will not insure me on that car. They then hang up. I call back and after a staggering 48 minuets on hold, this on a premium rate 08 number, I get some equally unhelpful guy who basically says no we are not, go away. I then call the comparison site, who in there defence were incredibly helpful and sympathetic, to the extent of this lass on the phone working half an hour over time unpayed for me. She called and explained to the insurance broker what had happened and that I was not happy.

The broker then calls me back, he then basically explains to me that he cant insure me as the comparison site didn't tell them the size of the engine put into it. So I reply with, well it is still an A searise, and its just 0.3 of a litre bigger, he says that they assume it would have been a reasonable improvement, nothing too outrageous, i reply, it is just 0.3 more, how much less could i possibly bore it to? To this he then says, well how much would the car the engine come from cost, I say a 1275 cooper is around 10-15000 as the car is an early 60s. He then says well thats not a reasonable price for a 40 year old car and even if it was a decent price, so as im saving on the purchase cost, they will charge me more.... yea i know.... makes no sense.

So I then ask "why then, am I quoted this 1715 price, i mean, where is that from, is it just made up?" to this he replies "We give that price so we can get your custom, we then phone you to give you a more accurate price, most people will not get a quote but the odd one will, if we didn't quote much lower we wouldn't get the business, and no one would get a reasonable quote, this way although 75% or more of people will be disappointed, some will be happy, this is better as we get the business and the odd one or 2 people will get an offer"

^^^ this bit in particular seems really dodgy by them..... deliberately quoting lower to get our details, then they can give us the actual much higher quote that if we had had in the first place we wouldn't have been interested in, and they justify it with, well we couldn't get the business if not. That is surely not legal....

Anyway it ends with me lodging a formal complaint to the comparison site, loosing my £200 deposit on the car, annoying a very nice member of the mini community I bought the car off, and wasting 2 days holiday from work, and finally wasting my local mini specialist and good friend's time.

You'l notice that I haven't used the names of ether the comparison site, or the broker. I wish I could but I know that naming and shaming of them can lead to them suing me for big money for loss of earnings so im not going to name them. All ill say is both are a sizeable company, and particularly the comparison site is very commonly used. I will say the comparison site was both annoyed with the broker as was I, and sympathetic to me. But the broker was very rude, very abrupt, and i think bang out of order with there working practices and how they were conning you into business and plain old lieing to you.

[panch1989]

I personally have had terrible experiences using comparison companies, in the end I went to Footman James and they are fantastic. If you're a member of British mini club they give you a sizable discount. Highly recommended them for classic cars

[Down&Out]

I have, and always will, hate insurance companies.

The price of third party insurance needs to be worked into road tax, that way, you would never need to deal with these rude, theiving, knowledge-less scumbags. 

[Jordie]

try someone like Brentarce, small firm very good and quotes are spot on.

[Tamworthbay]

They can't Sue you if all you state is the facts. Name and shame, some comapnies think they are untouchable and until people start shouting and they lose money they will drag their feet and tell you to get lost. If they have listed a price and you paid it then I think you have a VERY strong case to take to the independant insurance ombudsman.

[robminibcy]

+1 name and shame. I too would have a look at specialist insurers especially as it is modified. and try other comparison sites. As a young driver as well I've found normal insures to be far cheaper than specialists although am now insured through flux direct. Also have a go at making a formal complaint with the insurers that have refused to give you the quote. You may find that a bit of firm but polite conversation does the trick!

[Tubby1987]

I'm also insured with flux direct on both my Mini's, my checkmate was quite a bit more than my mayfair, but because I already have a policy with them they gave me more discount, I mentioned I'm a member on here too (not sure if that counts towards anything) and got my quote around £100 cheaper than the original online quote, which was reasonable to begin with. Also got my renewal through for the mayfair and that's dropped too, so I'm really pleased with flux, and the guy sorting my insurance was a Mini lover himself and I had all on getting him off of the phone!

[MiniGrin]

I know im probably safe to name and shame, but its not worth the risk. The comparison site were incredibly helpful, im not going to blame them one bit as all they did find that quote, and display there findings, its the broker they received a quote from to blame. I was recommended to try Flux Direct by the unhelpful broker shortly before they hung up on me. I did call Flux, they were very helpful, very friendly, but also very expensive Ive had problems from my previous insurance company before, issues with them not being happy with my dad (named driver on my policy)'s crash a few years back, and now after my crash they have been about 5 weeks and still not paid out. Always hated insurance companies, why do they make you feel like you've done something wrong? and how? XD Im gutted cus ive now got the disappointment of not getting this dreamy 1380, and im 200 quid down. I still have my metro, and i have a feeling ill be a while before im back in a mini for the reason of insurance companies.

Edited by MiniGrin, 31 October 2014 - 10:26 PM.

[Chance]

If it was me I'd just get it and HOPE I could find insurance

I don't use my head when I buy cars though lol

If you are over 21? You should be able to find a decent enough quote with one of the 'specialist' companies

HIC (Herts Insurance) have been good for a couple of people I know with minis

[corrado vr6]

How about continuing with the purchase but changing the engine to a lower cc?
Then when insurance quotes allow swap it back

[MiniGrin]

I did think that, but in short i just dont have the money, but a solid 60s mini for under 5k isnt bad going XD 

You have no idea how much I wanted to buy it anyway, but I know ill royally screw my self so i cant, but i really want to!

Edited by MiniGrin, 31 October 2014 - 11:43 PM.

[joewb]

Buy it, sorn it for a while until you sort it.

[old original]

Comparison sites are useful but I tend to be selective and pick a better known brand from the quotes supplied. I'll also go to specific companies directly because sometimes they will offer something if you buy directly from them. A couple of years ago I got a quote from Tesco Insurance which was the same price via the comparison site but if I bought directly from them I got £50 in clubcard vouchers. 

 

I'll very rarely go for the cheapest quote on a comparison site for a similar reason as quoted by the OP above, some companies I suspect, will quote anything just to capture your details. In the past, I've selected one of the cheapest quotes then gone through to the pay point where I get a message telling me I have to 'phone to make the payment. At this point I start smelling a rat and sure enough, I'm then told "they" can't / won't offer me the quoted insurance or even a reason why not.

[jamesmpi]

Have you tried HIC?
I'm with them and have always used them. They are a broker who provide you with the cheapest insurance based upon your details and car spec etc. (Liked all brokers lol)
They have always been very polite and helpful. I recently moved house and normally they charge you £25 to change your details, but the waivered it as I've been a long standing customer...it's service like that which I like.

My mpi is a 1380 and yes it's not a daily and on limited mileage but I only pay £25 a month

Edited by jamesmpi, 01 November 2014 - 08:56 AM.

[Steve220]

This is why you should never use comparison sites for modified cars. There are plenty of similar threads all over car forums. I only use them for standard cars as there's little wiggle room.

Get onto a specialist, not a broker, and chat to them about your exact requirements, you might be surprised!