Car Insurance Comparison Websites

Car insurance comparison websites – are they all that?

A few years old now but the question remains – are car insurance comparison websites delivering cheap car insurance quotes to UK motorists?

In the light of the recent news from the AA Index which shows that average car insurance costs (between September and December 2009) have risen above £1,000. The index shows average quoted comprehensive car insurance premium rose by 7.2% between September and December last year (2009).

One might assume that The AA’s findings underline the importance of shopping around when you get your annual motor policy renewal notice. However many consumers are quietly questioning the value delivered by many of the leading car insurance comparison web sites i.e. Confused.com; Gocompare (Seen the adverts….. Remember the adverts!!!).

Direct Line, you might have noticed have actually begun to use the fact that they do not feature on any of the main comparison insurer rosters in their marketing. They are proud of the fact that you can only buy a Direct Line Car Insurance policy from them, and only them!

Another factor which could further drive up the cost of car insurance over the next 12 months is the recent bad weather which has probably doubled the number of claims normally reported at this time of year.

In addition, UK inflation is starting to creep up especially since VAT is now back to 17.5, this will mean claims costs will rise by at least 2.5% for insurers.

If your car insurance policy is up for renewal or you are purchasing your first policy as a new driver, in our opinion it continues to make sense to utilise the time savings provided by comparison sites.

However, always make sure you cannot get your chosen policy cheaper if you buy direct from your chosen insurer and that the features and benefits of your chosen policy match up for the level of cover you really need. Buying on the lowest possible price is not always the most desirable option!

Aviva Car Insurance Update and….

This post is predominantly about the curent offers and latest information relating to Aviva car insurance.  However……

Having one of our staff members just driven back on the A281 Guildford to Horsham road we are soon going to be posting a rant (no less) about potholes and the state of the roads in the South East.

It’s a total disgrace and we will be debating the possibilities of legal action against those responsible for the upkeep of our roads, should you damage your tyres, suspension, alloys etc..

Aviva Car Insurance
Firstly, for those of you not already familiar with the change, Aviva is the new name for Norwich Union. I guess the marketing men finally had their say and have successfully reduced the brand to a single word – think ‘Amazon’, ‘Google’, ‘Yahoo’ etc..

More importantly there seems to be a battle out there in UK motor insurance land in respect of offering 12 months cover for the price of 10 or even for the price of nine months?! This trend seems to be being fought out by two of the biggest players – Aviva and Direct Line.

Get the Aviva deal…
Currently offering great deals on car insurance without compromising on quality (their words, not ours). If you’re a new customer with 4 or more years’ no claims discount, you could make a big saving with their 12 months’ car insurance for the price of 10 offer*. And that’s on top of an online discount of up to 15%.

ASDA Car Insurance – 100% Online!

We visited the Asda car insurance online web site yesterday and discovered a product which we are sure will appeal to a whole raft of drivers in the UK.

If you (like us!) spend a lot of time on the internet and value the savings it can deliver both in terms of money and time then this car insurance policy from ASDA could be right up your street. You can in effect manage your entire ASDA motor policy from initial quote to renewal completely online – and No Paperwork!

ASDA Online Exclusive is 100% online, which means you can manage your policy any time, day or night. However, when you need to make a claim you can call their 24/7 helpline.

1. Guaranteed No Claims Discount for life – If you have a 5 years No Claims Discount it’s automatically protected for as long as you have an ASDA Online Exclusive policy.
2. Breakdown cover  – included FREE if your car is 8 years old or less.
3. 365 days European cover – If you decide to take your car to Europe, you’re covered!
4. Cover all your family’s cars and SAVE – Cover up to 4 cars and 4 named drivers on one policy. Find out more
5. Legal expenses – Up to £100,000 is included as standard to pay for the services of a solicitor to help you claim for personal injury or get your excess back.

Also there are other great benefits and options you can choose to include. Don’t forget ASDA utilises 20 insurers to deliver great value for money quotes for all drivers!

How to Drive in Icy Weather and Snow

A rushed post this morning as a new wave of snow has covered most of West Sussex! Whilst surfing the net we found this article on the BBC website.

After having spent years building up your precious No Claims Discount it would be foolish to increase your UK car insurance premiums by driving around in dangerous conditions. If however your journey is literally unavoidable and you simply must travel then below are some tips and advice on how to be as safe as possible:

Before leaving home or setting out on your journey
Tyres: Ensure your tyres are inflated correctly and that you have a minimum of 3mm of tread on your tyres to cope with wet and slippery conditions.

Battery: In winter, the battery will run down quicker than in warmer weather. Make sure you do a regular long journey to top it up or trickle-charge the battery.

Engine: Modern engines are more robust than older ones. All the same, depress the clutch when starting as this will reduce drag on the engine when starting, and preserve the battery.

Screenwash: Keep this topped up and use a proper additive at the right concentration to prevent it freezing. 

Fuel: Keep your tank topped up – that way if you are caught out, you’ll have enough fuel to make it home or run the engine to keep warm. However, it’s essential to keep snow from blocking the exhaust as noxious fumes can leak into the vehicle.

Windows: Clear all snow and ice from the windscreen before driving. Do not use water to de-ice windscreens. Hot water can crack the glass, and the water will only freeze again on the screen or on the ground where you are standing.

Locks: A squirt of WD-40 will prevent your door locks freezing up.

Warm clothing: Your car may be as warm as toast on the inside but if you have to step outside, you could be in trouble if you have not got any warm clothing with you.

Always pack the following: warm coat, hat, gloves, sturdy boots, a blanket to keep you warm if you get stuck. Take some food, chocolate, biscuits, water and a hot drink if you can. Always carry a fully charged mobile, and some old bits of carpet, or cat litter, to put under the tyres when stuck and a shovel to clear snow.

DRIVING IN SNOW AND ICE
This is what the Institute of Advanced Motorists recommends.

When driving in snow, get your speed right – not too fast so that you risk losing control, but not so slow that you risk losing momentum when you need it – and brake, steer and accelerate as smoothly as possible.

Start gently from stationary, avoiding high revs. If you get yourself into a skid the main thing to remember is to take your foot off the pedals and steer.

Only use the brake if you cannot steer out of trouble.

Double or even triple your normal stopping distance from the vehicle in front. Drive so that you do not rely on your brakes to be able to stop – on an icy surface they simply may not do that for you!

If your vehicle has ABS in very slippery conditions it will not give you the same control it would in others. Do not rely on it. 

Advice for driving in snow and ice
Plan your journey around busier roads as they are more likely to have been gritted. Avoid using shortcuts on minor roads – they are less likely to be cleared or treated with salt, especially country lanes.

On motorways stay in the clearest lane where possible, away from slush and ice. Keep within the clear tyre tracks if you can.

Stay in a higher gear for better control, and if it is slippery, in a manual car move off in a higher gear, rather than just using first.

On a downhill slope get your speed low before you start the descent, and do not let it build up – it is much easier to keep it low than to try to slow down once things get slippery

In falling snow use dipped headlights or foglights to make yourself visible to others (especially pedestrians) – but as conditions improve make sure your foglights are only on if necessary as they can dazzle other drivers

If you are following another vehicle at night, using their lights to see ahead can cause you to drive dangerously close – keep well back from other traffic.

What to do if you get stuck in the snow
First of all, make sure you have packed your emergency snow kit. This should include warm clothing, some food, water and a mobile phone. 

If you are trapped in your car, you can stay warm by running the engine. However, it is vital that the exhaust pipe is not blocked by snow. If the engine fumes cannot escape, you could be overwhelmed by carbon monoxide gas, which is highly toxic.

If there is any risk the fumes can come into the car, do not run the engine. Even if it is safe, do not run the engine for more than 10 or 15 minutes in each hour.

Stay in or close to your car. In heavy snow it is easy to get disorientated and lost or separated from your vehicle. If necessary you can always hang a piece of brightly coloured cloth on your car to let others know you are there.

Quoteline Direct Car Insurance

Welcome back to all our readers, and a Happy New Year to each every one of you and best wishes for 2010!

We’re excited here at Homeapproved by the arrival of our new online partner Quoteline Direct Car Insurance. 

The company provides quick and easy online motor insurance quotations for nearly all driver and vehicle types.  Their online quote system will provide you with an immediate quotation without obligation, which is typically valid for up to 21 days.

Quoteline direct will also automatically inform you of changes to the value of the car insurance quotation should your starting date be more than 21 days away and subsequently on each anniversary of your start date.

AXA Car Insurance iPhone App

An iPhone app which records all the information drivers must collect if they have an accident has been unveiled by AXA.The new App aims to provide support in the event of a car accident. The iPhone app, which prompts the user to record all the information connected to an incident, also offers the ability to take photos.

The insurer conducted research which found that a worryingly high 66 per cent of drivers are unsure about what action to take if they are involved in a collision with another vehicle. According to the study, 27 per cent would not attempt to swap names, addresses and phone numbers with the other party, or to make a note of their registration plate.

Although AXA found that 84 per cent would look to exchange auto insurance details, this appears to be rendered meaningless by the discovery that just 15 per cent carry their policies in their cars.

Where Can I Get the AXA App?
The application is currently available from the Apple iTunes app store. The new App is one of the first of its kind in the UK and is available free to both AXA customers and non-customers.