The Lemon Fool

I really was bouleversee (still don't know how to add accents) when I opened the renewal docs. for my car insurance yesterday. The premium had increased by nearly 700% though I had not made any claims, still had a protected 9 years n.c.b., and the only change during the year was that I had turned 85 last October, which my daughter suggested might be the reason, though this was not referred to in the l6 page document. No explanation was given but it was made clear that the quote was non-negotiable. I rang up to check there had not been a mistake (no, there hadn't) and asked for an explanation which was not forthcoming; underwriters don't have to give reasons. I doubt if the car is worth more than the premium. How does one get a current value?

How does this compare with other people's renewals recently? It seems to me that if it is considered, without any evidence, that my driving skills have deteriorated to such an extent because I am a year older, my licence should be forfeited rather than upping the premium to that extent. I suppose I shall have to compare the market, something I have not done before. I did try another company (whose internet advert suggested they were less biased against older people) which was cheaper but still a lot more than last year. I do a low mileage but in this location, not on a bus route, and with all my garden rubbish to take to the dump, I do need a car.

Bouleversee wrote: I doubt if the car is worth more than the premium. How does one get a current value?

The risk is not in the value of your vehicle but rather the risk to third parties that could be harmed by your vehicle. I would guess that is the basis of the underwriters' assessment.

Now turning a particular age signifies nothing in and of itself. But if the collective claims experience of this company shows a marked decrease in profitability at some random age, then that random age will be a trigger for rates. It is not necessarily anything to do with you or your vehicle. (I'm assuming here you don't drive a badass American muscle car like a bat out of hell)

I am afraid it may be time to ask the meerkat.

MoneySupermarket.com

https://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/over-80/

https://www.comparethemarket.com/car-in ... /over-80s/

"Although car-insurance premiums usually decrease as you age, once you hit 80, you may find them beginning to rise again. This is because insurance providers generally consider drivers in this age group more of a risk.

Statistics do show that the rate of involvement in collisions increases markedly for 81 to 85-year-olds, and even more so for drivers aged 86 and over.

However, drivers over 80 are the most experienced on the road, plus older drivers tend to take more care, use the road less than younger motorists and are more likely to avoid driving during busy times."

Some alternatives

https://www.ageco.co.uk/insurance/car-i ... /over-80s/

https://www.esure.com/car-insurance/over-80s

feel free to copy and paste bouleversée.

I have always tested the whole market when I come to renew and I have hardly ever stayed with the same supplier y-o-y and I think my premoum is always lower. I have never seen even a 50% hike mind so not sure if your circumstances aren't specific. I did see that over 80s pay more for insurance
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/over-80/

kempiejon wrote:feel free to copy and paste bouleversée.

I have always tested the whole market when I come to renew and I have hardly ever stayed with the same supplier y-o-y and I think my premoum is always lower. I have never seen even a 50% hike mind so not sure if your circumstances aren't specific. I did see that over 80s pay more for insurance
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/over-80/

Jinx!
( when 2 people say the same thing at the same time!)

Definitely time to shop around, the insurance for MrsF's shopping trolly was up about 15% (or £20), but the meerkat provided many options at the previous year's price.

As you have reached An Age, it might be worth looking at your cover. Presumably you no longer have commuting, but is your annual mileage realistic, should you add daughter as a named driver, do you really need to protect your NCD, or have legal insurance, EU cover, etc. Lastly you could look at changing the cover level between TPFT and Fully Comp, but usually the difference is minimal.

Paul

Many thanks to all. My premium quote was for £1042.39 whereas I only paid £150.98 plus fee for the current year. My car is a Honda Civic first registered when my late husband bought it in Nov. 2004. Low mileage and a good, solid car in pretty good condition. I find the difference in one year difficult to make sense of. I'll start getting quotes from the comparison sites a.s.a.p. Which one has the Meerkats?

Bouleversee.

Bouleversee wrote: My car is a Honda Civic first registered when my late husband bought it in Nov. 2004. Low mileage and a good, solid car in pretty good condition.

I had a Honda Civic when I lived in the UK until 2006, and although my one was not a boy racer version, it seems many Civics were, and the only options with the online sites were for engine Ccs higher than mine.

torata

Bouleversee wrote:Many thanks to all. My premium quote was for £1042.39 whereas I only paid £150.98 plus fee for the current year. My car is a Honda Civic first registered when my late husband bought it in Nov. 2004. Low mileage and a good, solid car in pretty good condition. I find the difference in one year difficult to make sense of. I'll start getting quotes from the comparison sites a.s.a.p. Which one has the Meerkats?

Bouleversee.

The premium up until now seems to have been extraordinarily cheap but even so, the quoted premium for renewal seems just the opposite, especially if nothing has changed except that you are a year older. Definitely check around.

Dod

Bouleversee wrote:Many thanks to all. My premium quote was for £1042.39 whereas I only paid £150.98 plus fee for the current year. My car is a Honda Civic first registered when my late husband bought it in Nov. 2004. Low mileage and a good, solid car in pretty good condition. I find the difference in one year difficult to make sense of. I'll start getting quotes from the comparison sites a.s.a.p. Which one has the Meerkats?

Bouleversee.

"Compare ze Meerkats" at https://www.comparethemarket.com/?AFFCL ... rl=1251650

Or Go Compare at https://www.gocompare.com/ps/car-insura ... lsrc=aw.ds

On "Go Compare", If you create an account and enter your details it will remember them for next year, you then just have to check that nothing has changed since last year ( probably the same on the Meerkats site but I've not used that). After the initial set up of entering name, address, car, driving history etc. It does make it easier and quicker to carry out a comparison next time.

Did you ask the broker whether last year's policy and this year's renewal were with the same underwriter?

It could simply be that last year's doesn't insure anyone over 85 and the broker had to use a different underwriter for this year.

Don't forget Direct Line (they are not on comparison sites)
and for me in May 2022 Aviva's renewal was cheaper than anything a comparison site could offer

AF62 wrote:Did you ask the broker whether last year's policy and this year's renewal were with the same underwriter?

It could simply be that last year's doesn't insure anyone over 85 and the broker had to use a different underwriter for this year.

That's an interesting point. No, that didn't occur to me. I'll see if I can find out though maybe I should first press on with getting alternative quotes.

Bouleversee wrote:

Good luck... do let us know how you get on - that price increase was a joke

pje16 wrote:Good luck... do let us know how you get on - that price increase was a joke

It's not a joke. It's a request to please go elsewhere for your insurance. Insurers will very rarely refuse to give you a quote. If they don't want your custom, they will just give you a ridiculously high quote to encourage you to look elsewhere. The fact that they're not prepared to negotiate just makes this clearer.

SteelCamel wrote:It's not a joke. It's a request to please go elsewhere for your insurance. Insurers will very rarely refuse to give you a quote. If they don't want your custom, they will just give you a ridiculously high quote to encourage you to look elsewhere. The fact that they're not prepared to negotiate just makes this clearer.

It's probably best that they take this approach. An outright refusal to quote would have to be declared on your next insurance. There is usually a question along the lines of "have you ever been refused insurance". This way you can honestly say - No.

Maroochydore wrote:

SteelCamel wrote:It's not a joke. It's a request to please go elsewhere for your insurance. Insurers will very rarely refuse to give you a quote. If they don't want your custom, they will just give you a ridiculously high quote to encourage you to look elsewhere. The fact that they're not prepared to negotiate just makes this clearer.

It's probably best that they take this approach. An outright refusal to quote would have to be declared on your next insurance. There is usually a question along the lines of "have you ever been refused insurance". This way you can honestly say - No.

That point had not occurred to me but seems the most likely I must say. Approaching my dotage that is a point worth bearing in mind. Thanks.

Dod

SteelCamel wrote:

pje16 wrote:Good luck... do let us know how you get on - that price increase was a joke

It's not a joke. It's a request to please go elsewhere for your insurance. Insurers will very rarely refuse to give you a quote. If they don't want your custom, they will just give you a ridiculously high quote to encourage you to look elsewhere. The fact that they're not prepared to negotiate just makes this clearer.

Yes, I had come to that conclusion myself but wanted to know why. My fear is that none of them will want me. I plan to start the comparisons this afternoon. Mornings are reserved for gardening when I have a young helper here.

Bouleversee wrote:My fear is that none of them will want me. I plan to start the comparisons this afternoon.

Try Adrian Flux.
They are good with non-standard risks.
https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/

V8

88V8 wrote:Try Adrian Flux.
They are good with non-standard risks.
https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/

V8

I have heard that, however it has not been my experience

Apart from premiums 2-3 times the mainstream insurers for performance cars worth £20-30k, about 40 min after I got my quote someone rang the landline, asked for me by name, and tried to sign me up for a compensation claim for the non-fault accident I'd disclosed (despite the fact I'd told them I wasn't in the car at the time). I did contact AF about the latter, they never replied.

But in the OP's case it isn't really that specialist, just an age thing.

Actually, MrsF's renewal is next month, so I just played with her age... bear in mind this is for a 350hP sports car rather than a Jazz, so it is probably skewed by the low number of elderly drivers claiming on them.

Making her 70 made no difference, nor did 72.
At age 75 the premium went from £114 to £145.
At age 80 it was £158 from Privelege, or £162 from Churchill,
At 82 it was £185
and at 85 it was £230, but still a choice of providers.

However, that was with me as a named driver. Changing my age to 80 and MrsF at 85 made the premium drop to £174.

Paul