Quinn Direct insurance for Opel astra XE

SchrodingersCat

Hi,
I was hoping someone might be able to help me out here.

For the last year, I have been insured by Quinn direct. I am driving a 2001 Opel Astra 1.4 XE Comfort. Now, my policy was up for renewal last month for €740. I rang them up last week and asked could i get it any cheaper. They told me that they would ring me back, but never did. The renewal policy ended yesterday. I rang them today, and they told me that I would get a 5% discount if i renewed it online.

So i went online, and got a ridiculous quote of nearly a grand. I was told by a mate that the insurance had gone up nationwide this year. So I rang them up again today and asked could i renew it on the phone. She said that I would have to begin a new policy. She did that, and said that they got a new "vehicle model from vehicle registration" computerised system. From this, she said that my number plate *did not* match a "Opel Astra Comfort" (which was down on my policy from last year), but instead must be a "Opel Astra Elegance". Thus my quoted premium had jumped up to €970 euro. She said that since i was only a day off my renewal, she would talk to her supervisor to bring the premium down.

She rang me back 30min later to tell me that there was nothing she could do, that because of the different model, the quoted premium was still €970 euro. During this time, i had found my Vehicle Registration Cert which stated that my car was a "Opel Astra 1.4 XE Comfort". I told her this. She went away for a bit and told me that the "XE Comfort" was a different model from the "Comfort" model and thus gave me a quote for the XE Comfort that was.... surprise surprise... €970 euro.
Needless to say, I asked for the supervisor, and was told that because it was a different model, the premium was indeed over €220 more.

I feel like im been given the run-around here. Have I lost my €740 euro premium quote? Will I have to pay the €970? Is there really a difference between the "Opel Astra Comfort 1389cc" (as specified on my insurance renewal form) and the "Opel Astra 1.4 XE Comfort 1389cc" (as specified on my vehicle registration cert)?

TestTransmission

Have you at least tried any other insurance companies?

AXA quoted me 1349 last week for my insurance renewal,every other company was cheaper.I eventually got it for 650.

Anan1

I presume you've shopped around with other insurance companies/brokers? Also, I hope i've got this wrong, but you're not driving uninsured at the moment?

SchrodingersCat

Thanks for the replies, any recommendations of who might be cheaper? No, I am not driving around at the moment, thats one of the reasons that I wasnt to get this sorted as soon as possible as I am heading on a road trip on Thursday.

Anan1

SchrodingersCat wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, any recommendations of who might be cheaper?

Take out the Golden Pages and ring every insurance company and a good selection of brokers - it's the only way to find out who's cheapest for you.

BrokenArrows

have a look at www.mywheels.ie and put in your registration plate just to make sure that its registered correctly.

Then use another insurance company. Quinn are relaly over pricing their quotes.

I put a quote through on 123.ie and on quinn.

Quinn was nearly €700 more expensive.

Delta Kilo

BrokenArrows wrote: »

have a look at www.mywheels.ie and put in your registration plate just to make sure that its registered correctly.

Then use another insurance company. Quinn are relaly over pricing their quotes.

I put a quote through on 123.ie and on quinn.

Quinn was nearly €700 more expensive.

Just what I was about to mention, check and see what model mywheels says, then go back and rape them or just switch insurance company.

PirateShampoo

Personnally i think you should tell QD to go **** them selves. They dont deserve anybodys business.

They quoted me €800 for a 1997 1.2 opel corsa third party, The quote was more then the car is worth. The poxy thing doesnt go over 120kph.

I went to NoNonsense.ie and got TP insurance for €400, il never use QD again.

johndaman66

Have highlighted how Quinn Direct are lousy money grabbing swines on a number of threads on the in the Consumer Issues forum. Last time my insurance was due for renewal with them they bumped it by about 20 quid in the renewal notice as they had also don the previous year even though there wer no claims made at any stage or change in particulars. Fact of the matter it should have being going down as I was still building up my own no claims bonus. Got on the phone to them asked what the story was an was told insurance was going up in general.

So got on the phone and internet and into town and tried a few bricks and mortar insurance brokers. In the end got covered for over E100 less from AXA through an independent broker. Also was for a higher level of cover to cover step back bonus protection, windscreen cover and breakdown assist, none of which Quinn Direct were providing. Only thing was I was insured as a named driver with Quinn before going out under my own name and this experience was standing to me with new quote. So rang Quinn Direct and asked them firstly if they could do anything for me on renewal quote and answer was a point blank no before I even had a chance to mention any figure. So then I asked them to send me on proff of my prior named driving experience with them and was told it was the origional policy holder that would need to request this...What a load of B*lls*!t. What if god forebid my father was since deceased? However, got my father on the phone to them and they said they would send it out. Two weeks later no sign of it. So as it was coming close to renewal time had to make the trip up to Dublin branch to get it.

A couple of days before renewal they had the cheek to ring me and ask me was I renewing with them. I said no as I got cover much more competitively elsewhere and then...is there anything we can do for you. Incompetenet chancers of swines I thought to myself.

OP if you have even a few years clean driving experience you should be in a good position to seek cover elsewhere and I would strongly advise you to do so. Sean Quinn should be looking elsewhere to make up his investment losses in Anglo Irish bank than already hared pressed motorists.

Do let us know how you get/got on.