Is it coming round to the time to renew your car insurance? Do you, like 23% of car owners, just accept the quote and stay with your insurer? Does it matter that the premium is 5 or 10 per cent more expensive than last years? Maybe it’s just not worth the hassle of all those phone calls to goodness knows where, thumbing through the yellow pages or wearing out your shoe-leather down town. In addition to this, Insurance companies offer the best rates to new customers, in order to gain their custom. Existing clients generally stay with them anyway.What about the internet? It really is worth giving it a try. Do you know that, if you shop around you could, on average, save around £55, plus the extra online discount? It is estimated that more than 2.25 million car owners purchase their car insurance on line now. The internet is speedy and simple to use and internet sales are generally growing amazingly fast.
Car insurers really want your business; they will be extremely competitive with pricing in order to win you over. There are around 100 of them in the UK and due to the strong competition in the industry; prices have held level for the past year or so. You can go to the individual insurers websites, comparison websites or use one that recommends specific insurers for different types of driver, whether they be the in the young, higher risk category or the experienced old driver with years of proven safe driving behind them. You will receive instant results and an unbelievable amount of advice and information. You’ll be asked to fill in your relevant details, for example the number of years you’ve been driving, whether there are any convictions, number of years of “no claims” for your discount. All easily answered and your no claims details should be on your renewal notice.
Apart from the straightforward individual car insurance, new categories of insurance are coming on to the market. There are pay as you go options and multi-car policies. These used to be difficult to obtain unless you were in the car-trade. It certainly seems to be time to re-assess what’s available in the car insurance line and get yourself up to date on what’s on offer. A short time browsing the internet will get you thinking along the right lines.
A word of warning though; The AA’s Ian Crowder says “If we don’t start to see modest price increases, then there could well be an unpleasant and sudden price hike. This will not be good for the industry’s reputation or out customers.” Insurers are beginning to show signs that they may not be able to continue to hold down prices for very much longer. Claims are accelerating. The average cost of accidental damage repair has risen, costing an additional 5% per year, despite the fact that there are fewer accidents. Claims for personal injury are rising fast and the cost of settling these is rising at around 12% per annum.
Don’t give your insurer the chance to use this as an excuse for a rising premium, get on line and get sorted!
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