Just for the petrol heads

[JeffH]

My wife used to work for a motoring organisation agency -road service and insurance matters mostly. Some years ago they closed many country agencies, including here. Wife, as a staff member, had a substantial discount on insurance.
Recently the underwriting company sent a letter saying discount will no longer be available but they would not invoice for discounts given after she "retired". It took them just about seven years to wake up!

My car insurance is soon due and renewal notice arrived yesterday, three times the cost of last year. Part of that is that they have nominated an agreed value way in excess of actual worth of car and that bumps up the premium. So I checked what prices are being asked for a comparable vehicle. When I bought it, three years ago it cost me $20,000 and same insurance company refused to put it at more than $14,500 -now they say $23,300. $18,000 or $19,000 will buy a virtually identical replacement now.
So I went online and adjusted the value, fiddled with the excess and carefully checked any inclusion and options. That gave a slightly more reasonable looking premium.

Then I made up a short list of possible alternate insurance providers using my revised renewal figure as a benchmark. First one I looked at was cheaper even though they don't transfer our full no claim bonus rate (65%) and no 25% loyalty (33 years and currently eight policies) as we are new customers. They will give us a $50 discount if we get our green slip with them and, if we transfer some of our other policies over, when they become due, then 10% discount on all policies and extra discount the longer we stay with them. Looking good.

Cut to the chase Jeff! Checked a few more and ended up with one, same underwriter as the first alternate, that was happy to transfer our 'no claim bonus for life' classification and also offers deals for combining policies with them.
All up a 34% saving compared to just paying the renewal notice.

It does pay to do some research.

If you want to do similar sometime, here is a good place to start;
Choice car insurance comparison

[gweidion]

Not cars but had a similar experience with house insurance quotes, three houses and one lot of contents. No cover for coins unfortunately. Just impossible to insure because of the cost and specifics. Saved over $600 with an insurance company that used to be one of the dearest.
Upshot, don't be loyal to insurers, they will charge you for the effort.

[JeffH]

I have just had similar with house and contents insurance as well as travel insurance.

[JeffH]

Dual purpose nuber plate, identifies the car and the driver! I checked, it is genuine.

[Unicorn]

:laugh2:

[Triggersmob]

I'll have to keep my eye out for that one.

[Basilstate]

I'll have to keep my eye out for that one.

Yes,clever.

[JeffH]

I checked it out and it is a genuine number plate for that vehicle.
I wonder if someone has done the same thing for a BMW.

[Triggersmob]

Yeah, I checked it on our Repco website too.

[gweidion]

That is called Truth in advertising.

[JeffH]

Instant karma!

Driver causes accident, threatens dash cam owner and tries to flee

[Triggersmob]

Ok look, a cop when you need one. LOL

[Pedro]

Perhaps the number plate was a hint?

Pedro

[JeffH]

So the angry man's name is Richard?
I wonder what his surname would be then.

[Pedro]

:winkextra:

Pedro