Car insurance

[Beanee3]

Big shock yesterday when received an email from my insurance company. My renewal is due in September.
The email simply said "Sorry we will not be renewing your policy this year, go to your account and look at messages. So I did it gave no reason but had added NCB certificate for new insurers.
I have no convictions, never claimed except for windscreen repair in all the years I was with them.
Must be because I am 80 next year.
So I did a comparison site run and found a policy with all the same features for £60 less from a reputable company.
Anyone else had this happen.

[BusybeasC5A]

Huge increase happened to me last year ( I am mid 60's )
went up about 30% ,even with no claims.. max protected no-claims.
They blamed energy prices, increased number of claims, repairs more expensive and taking longer.. cost of living, parts cost increased, labour costs etc..
Anything and everything to justify it..

This year ( this month) due for renewal... they used all the same claims.. and increased it by around 80% !
A Massive increase, almost doubling my monthly payments.... erm no thanks.. Cancelled the auto renewal.

I shopped around and got it for a couple hundred less...actually better cover too and lower excess again reputable company.
Using those comparison sites, the result show even more horrific cover costs ! Erm... no thanks..

It's still a big increase on what it was only 2 years ago.. but you got to have insurance, so had to suck it up!
Given that car insurance is compulsory , I do feel ( like so many other things in UK) we are being ripped off...

I have read reports about some insurance companies not insuring older drivers.. ridiculous when you witness young uns hammering around the street.. ( yes I know not all them).
We have one next door... with a tiny car, old 2008 reg... 172+ hp with a V6 engine , a proper performance car.. and sounds like it.. he does like to show off.
He drives like a maniac, never puts seat belt on, always a fag in one hand and mobile in the other... but never see any police around...

Sorry... just having an old timer rant ;o)

[Beanee3]

Cheers shame about the neighbour though

[Juan Sheet]

You'll find that insurance starts high for youngsters and gradually decreases, but once you start getting to advanced years prices go full circle and start increasing again - due risk and I can see why. The number of 'dawdlers' on the roads that shouldn't be on them. Just yesterday, 4 lanes coming onto a large roundabout, lanes 1&2 for the dual carriageway on the left and the third for the carriageway straight ahead and the 4th for the right dual carriageway. Some old dodderer in his merc was in the 2nd lane to go left. I was in the third to go straight ahead, lights changed green and away I went, road ahead clear and I just had a feeling that he was going to pull out in front of me which he did to change lanes (he was in the wrong lane and stuck in traffic). No indication, he just tottered out and was a second away from a collision. He got such a honk! People like this and others that do 14 mph in a 20 mph - I mean it's bad enough having the wretched 20 on main roads unnecessarily - but these people should hang up their keys.

I'm not blaming the majority of elderly drivers, but there are those where it really is time to give it up.

The other thing is all the stolen land and range rovers - they must have a serious impact on raising the prices for the rest of us - utterly criminal. They complain their insurance is doubling, trebling - well if the police spent more time on the beat and patrolling neighbourhoods instead of becoming thought-police..... say no more, it's a sad state today.

[BusybeasC5A]

I would agree with much that has been said ( young and old).
Often, I wonder how people even survive the journey, the way they dawdle and hold up traffic behind, getting increasingly frustrated.
At the very least they need to be going at the prevailing traffic speed...

Like you Juan, I regularly see ( and cuss) dodders ( much older than I) who tootle away as if they are in a funeral procession and their positioning on the road is just dreadful.
Worse tho, are the younger ( not all) who have a point and go mentally.. s*d the signs / road markings/ chevrons.. that's where they want to go and aim for it...
More than often, with no indication whatsoever, or at most 1 or 2 winks on the indicator if they bother.

Motorway lane abuse these days is horrific.. so many near misses I have witnessed.. when they change from lane 3 across to the off ramp, across all 3 lanes AND chevrons at last second.
Then those that insist on sitting in lane 2.. even though there is plenty of space in lane 1 .

Then the 'undertakers' who cannot be bothered to sit behind in moving traffic, but try to get to their lifes end (aka undertakers) asap..

Have to say, I love driving, but hate the traffic and the increasing number of plebs that drive too.. I treat almost all others as morons.. and always expect the unexpected.
I genuinely believe the standard of driving today ( and poor maintenance of their vehicles) is appalling.
I have never seen so many with defective lights on the roads.
There are many, many, drivers who really shouldn't be allowed out on the road...

So called 'pro' drivers... in HGV's are getting worse too.. I am amazed how close they tailgate and intimidate the vehicles in front of them..

We almost got wiped out a few weeks ago.. he clearly didn't look in his mirror as we started to overtake on a dual c/way..
Luckily I keep my wits about me when doing so.. and saw him starting to move out to overtake at the same time, indicating AFTER he initiated the move..
Had to slap the anchors on to slow down and give him a blast, which he did acknowledge ( with a thumbs up)..
A there go I moment, for sure.

hmm... I wonder why I keep on driving... ;o)

[Cranium4]

Just had my car(s) insurance renewal through. They "kindly" sent an email the day before to explain why car insurance has gone up so much. The renewal quote is up 50% on last year. I have made no claims or had any accidents for > 30 years. I have turned 70 in the past 12 months so the increase was not entirely unexpected. What's interesting is that my Ford Puma is up 33% and my Citroen PHEV 71%. I firmly believe this is due to the EV element since I experienced even greater increases during the 2 years I owned a full EV Fiat.
On phoning the recommended 3 weeks before it was due I got the overall increase down to 35% just by claiming I had better offers elsewhere.
Despite turning 70 I can assure you I am not one who dawdles or is a middle lane hogger but I do see plenty of them and they can be very frustrating. The standard of driving for all age groups I believe has deteriorated significantly over my 50+ years of driving - all age groups and especially HGVs.

[Beanee3]

Further to my original post.
As I said I found another company who took me on with no restrictions and cheaper that my original company.
On Wednesday I received an email from the original company which reads
"We have reviewed your policy and realised there was an error in our part. We are therefore informing You that we will insure you from the day after your end date. Please see your online acct."
No explanation as to the error.
So I go online and there is the renewal in all its glory.
Underneath is the contact numbers etc.
The renewal price was £155.55 more than the new company charged.
So I contacted them and via a chat line told them what I thought and cancelled the policy from renewal date.
The reply was thanks for being loyal customer and please feel that you can come back next year.

To me this is shocking treatment by them and the fact there is no reason for the error given compounds that in my view.

[Juan Sheet]

Don't be afraid to name and shame them!

[Beanee3]

They are Direct Line.