Automatic renewals

[DavidB]

I had an email today to renew my car breakdown cover The rise was staggering, about 45%. I have a loyalty discount which gives me free national relay but still, it was b**** expensive. Similar things happen with car insurance.

I now ALWAYS phone them up and challenge the price, and evey time I get the price reduced. Today, I got a discount (which included the relay) of £197.50 which meant I paid £19 less than last year. My car insurance was £77 less than the renewal they sent and cheaper than last year and I am over 70, at which age they usually jack up the price. Last year, my wife's car insurance (she is also over 70) was £132, more than £100 less than the renewal figure.

I encourage you never to have automatic renewal of premiums. Always to phone them up and be difficult, and pay over the phone. It may take time but you can save a lot of money. These companies must be making millions from people who just pay, well over the odds when they have no need to do so.

(Have you also noticed LV are advertising car insurance 'from £315'. I have never, ever, paid anything like that much. It does depend on where you live but . . . )

 

[Eastsidepilot]

I'm with LV for the motor, it's less than their advert. Insurance companies like everything else in this country is always a big rip off, they're all from the school of Dick Turpin. I always challenge renewal cost.
My breakdown cover last year with the RAC trebled on renewal so I phoned them and told them I would not renew and went with the AA, the RAC tried to make a reduced offer and I had an interesting conversation with them about rip off merchants etc. stating that if they really wanted to keep their customers then don't take the piss out of them when it's time to renew, I don't doubt I'll have the same problem with the AA when the time comes !.
Col.

 

[oldravendale]

Col.

You will!!!

Brian

 

[James Spooner]

I had automatic RAC renewal, but a glitch at the bank caused the renewal to fail. The RAC immediately emailed me and offered a £200 discount to renew…

Nigel

 

[James]

(Have you also noticed LV are advertising car insurance 'from £315'. I have never, ever, paid anything like that much. It does depend on where you live but . . . )

And what car you drive!

I've never paid less than £320 for my daily.

 

[Tim Birch]

My renewal with the RAC was around £700 for all the services they offer. As I also can get basic roadside call cover from the AA though my bank, I asked the AA 'how much to get the service additions to match the RAC'. £95 was the answer , so I took up that policy. When I rang the RAC to cancel my policy with them, they offered to match the AA, and so my 40 years of RAC cover continues with a reduction from £700 to £95 (and a full refund from the AA).

 

[DavidB]

My renewal with the RAC was around £700 for all the services they offer. As I also can get basic roadside call cover from the AA though my bank, I asked the AA 'how much to get the service additions to match the RAC'. £95 was the answer , so I took up that policy. When I rang the RAC to cancel my policy with them, they offered to match the AA, and so my 40 years of RAC cover continues with a reduction from £700 to £95 (and a full refund from the AA).

Yes. I noticed the AA had a much cheaper offer for new business, so I told them I would let my membership lapse and take out a new one, at which point they matched the price. That was just before Covid when I muttered about loyalty and now get the relay added, complimentary, every year which I have had occasion to use once.