Aviva Insurance rip off!

cojomo2 · 15-03-2012 01:17PM #1

I'm with these guys at the moment. If I go online and enter my details it then asks ''who is your current insurer'' ..if I tick 'Aviva' it gives me a quote of 710.46 for fully comp.

If I go back and change the answer to the 'current insurer' question to 'other' or 'AIG' etc the quote changes to 528.21.

so much for loyalty ...

Avns1s · 15-03-2012 01:26PM

It's not just Aviva. I'm with Allianz (online). When they send out the renewal, it is invariably for a couple of hundred more than I can buy the same policy online even filling in my correct details and telling them I am a current customer.

I end up buying the new policy online nad then get a correspondence from Allianz to say they are renewing on the new terms. WHY NOT OFFER ME THOSE TERMS IN THE FIRST PLACE!!???

flyingsnail · 15-03-2012 01:50PM

When my renewal came from Aviva this year it was 200 more than last year. I was able to get a cheaper quote from them online but they still refused to budge on price. It didn’t matter that I was with them for the last 4 years, it was like they didn’t want my business any more. Got a much better deal with better extras from AXA.

Henry Ford III · 15-03-2012 02:04PM

You need to both shop around, and be prepared to move every year if needs be.

Cunning Alias · 15-03-2012 02:12PM

Mine also jumped by around 200. Found a much cheaper quote and they wouldn't budge. The didn't even try to meet me half way.

Really got the impression that they just didn't want the business.

Pdfile · 15-03-2012 03:30PM

mine was never realy a problem in fairness and for a geek i should se the internet alot more but generally speaking ive 2 brokers, whoever gets me the cheapest gets my moneys; everyones happy.

justsomebloke · 15-03-2012 03:35PM

Henry Ford III wrote: »

You need to both shop around, and be prepared to move every year if needs be.

Ye it's just like mobile phone companies, they will give better deals to people to get them to join them then to stay with them, they just bank on you being to lazy to change

TOMP · 15-03-2012 03:41PM

I am firmly of the opinion that the best value in insurance in Ireland is obtained by changing your insurance provider regularly, every year or every second year. If you show loyalty to the same insurer year after year, they will screw you with higher premiums.

pcardin · 15-03-2012 03:43PM

it's not only AVIVA. Other insurance companies do the same, and not only them. Phone operators, internet providers and a lot more have this practice where new customer is more vauable than existing. Kind of "so excited to gain a new customer so don't care about existing walking away" attitude.

CJhaughey · 15-03-2012 04:26PM

Have a think about how many punters just get a renewal in the post and renew with the same company?
I bet its a lot,thats how insurers make money by charging the unwary and lazy more money.
I get my broker to do the legwork and they invariably get me a good quote from a range of companies.
I don't begrudge them the 30 euro fee either.

15-03-2012 04:27PM

On my last two renewals the price was xx amount (the last was €454), and because I procrastinate on everything, I usually only call two days before it's about to expire to give them my cc details. So a week before the expiry, withouth even trying, I get new quotations saying they have had a look to ensure that I am getting the best value, and dropped it by €55!

On the other hand, Zurich won't give me a quote online at all and other insurers come out much dearer.

Justin10 · 15-03-2012 04:29PM

Take down the two reference numbers ring them, and I'm sure they will give you the cheaper quote.

clappyhappy · 15-03-2012 04:37PM

I was with AXA last year,they sent through a renewal for e278 more than last year,(no claims). A few days later 123.ie phoned me and came in at e139 cheaper than last years cost. That was a saving of e417, if I had just renewed with AXA. I always shop around usually change every year,do the same with home insurance.

coylemj · 15-03-2012 04:51PM

I'm reading the posts on this thread and one thing is obvious: People don't seem to realise that 'shopping around' should include your current insurer. Do not accept the number in the renewal notice, that's for people too lazy or thick to shop around.

Phone your current insurer, tell them you have a competitive quote from xxxx and just watch them drop the price, happens me every year but don't leave it too late, if you're too close to the renewal date they may call your bluff.

tate76 · 15-03-2012 05:01PM

I got my quotation from Axa. Phoned them and told them I can get it elsewhere for €200 less. They dropped it instantly. They just chance it because some will just renew without shopping around.

Anan1 · 15-03-2012 05:21PM

TOMP wrote: »

I am firmly of the opinion that the best value in insurance in Ireland is obtained by changing your insurance provider regularly, every year or every second year. If you show loyalty to the same insurer year after year, they will screw you with higher premiums.

It depends. Aviva has been cheapest for me for the past three years, but they always send me a renewal for €1000ish, I ring them and we finally settle at around €560-580. Kind of makes me wonder what protecting my NCB is really worth..

coylemj · 15-03-2012 05:46PM

TOMP wrote: »

I am firmly of the opinion that the best value in insurance in Ireland is obtained by changing your insurance provider regularly, every year or every second year. If you show loyalty to the same insurer year after year, they will screw you with higher premiums.

It cuts both ways, Axa extends fully comp. cover to driving other cars if you have a clean record and have been with them for a while - constantly changing insurance companies might mean that you get the lowest price, it doesn't mean you get the best deal.

Of course that doesn't mean that you should roll over and pay the number in the renewal......

Anan1 wrote: »

...... Aviva has been cheapest for me for the past three years, but they always send me a renewal for €1000ish, I ring them and we finally settle at around €560-580. Kind of makes me wonder what protecting my NCB is really worth..

Ditto for Axa.

si_guru · 16-03-2012 09:10AM

I also shop around... but this means your NCB stays at 5 years as often this is all the insurance companies recognise for new business. I have not made a claim in 26 years!

This year, last minute, I swapped to Aviva and insured both cars for their minimum (€280 each) with protected NCB. If I stayed with 123.ie I would have moved to 7 years NCB... still they wanted €370 + €440 for the two cars though. I noticed 123.ie also sent out the NCB proof letter with the renewal - I guess they half expect people to move... even the guy who chased the renewal over the phone wasn't surprised I had moved.

16-03-2012 11:17AM

TOMP wrote: »

I am firmly of the opinion that the best value in insurance in Ireland is obtained by changing your insurance provider regularly, every year or every second year. If you show loyalty to the same insurer year after year, they will screw you with higher premiums.

I try every year to get a better quote, up until I had my full no claims some companies wouldn't even give me a quote! I don't even drive a particularly high risk car

I can't ever get a quote that's better than my own renewal. I've been with Zurich since I started driving (named for the first while) and they appear to reward loyalty. I paid €399 euro on my last renewal (actually that has gone up from €380 the previous year and €364 the year before that but all premiums are on the increase). I just did an online quote there on Zurich and it came back at €565. (I've tried doing quotes online with zurich before and they have come back saying they could not provide a quote)

These are the quotes I got with Chill (don't know if the link will work)
So it's definitely better for me to stick with my own insurer.

29 YO Female, 7 + years no claims, full driving license 8 years. No points. No convictions. Drive an Automatic Saab 9-3 Arc Sport 1.9 TID (only have that a wee while, previous car was an Auto Volvo S60 SE 2.0T so the same grouping really)

keithclancy · 16-03-2012 11:25AM

One other point is that a good few people seem to go for Fully Comprehensive even though they'll never use it.

If your car is over 5 years old, unless you completely write it off then its unlikely it would be worth your while claiming on insurance due to loss of your NCB.

If theres a big difference ask yourself, " Would I ever make a claim on my own car ?"

16-03-2012 11:29AM

keithclancy wrote: »

If theres a big difference ask yourself, " Would I ever make a claim on my own car ?"

I suppose for me the question is "could I afford to replace my car myself if it is written off?". And the answer to that is probably not. So I'd rather pay the extra few bob a year to have that security.

keithclancy · 16-03-2012 11:34AM

Deleted User wrote: »

I suppose for me the question is "could I afford to replace my car myself if it is written off?". And the answer to that is probably not. So I'd rather pay the extra few bob a year to have that security.

Well I would add that it would have to be written off by you.
But yeah, thats essentially the question "Would I make a claim"

But in my experience when people look at how much their insurance costs will rise, they realise its much cheaper to get a loan than pay it back via your Insurance premium anyway.

16-03-2012 11:37AM

keithclancy wrote: »

Well I would add that it would have to be written off by you.
But yeah, thats essentially the question "Would I make a claim"

But in my experience when people look at how much their insurance costs will rise, they realise its much cheaper to get a loan than pay it back via your Insurance premium anyway.

Oh I wasn't disagreeing with you. Quite the opposite.
Our other car is a 99 E200 which could easily be replaced. So it's only got 3rd Party F&T.

Anan1 · 16-03-2012 11:38AM

keithclancy wrote: »

One other point is that a good few people seem to go for Fully Comprehensive even though they'll never use it.

If your car is over 5 years old, unless you completely write it off then its unlikely it would be worth your while claiming on insurance due to loss of your NCB.

If theres a big difference ask yourself, " Would I ever make a claim on my own car ?"

True, but there are two buts:

In the event of a TP claim your NCB is gone anyway, so there's no additional cost to claiming for the car.

If you've a fully protected NCB.

flyingsnail · 16-03-2012 11:42AM

Question is if I wrote off my car in the morning could I afford to replace it without making a claim, simple answer is no. There are also some other extras like driving of other vehicles that are not often included in TPFT policy’s.

keithclancy · 16-03-2012 12:24PM

Anan1 wrote: »

True, but there are two buts:

In the event of a TP claim your NCB is gone anyway, so there's no additional cost to claiming for the car.

If you've a fully protected NCB.

Yes, but even with a fully protected NCB the NCB is only protected with the company you are currently with.

Or has it changed ? I could be completely wrong but I do remember a guy on the phone at Hibernian stating this.

Anan1 · 16-03-2012 12:26PM

keithclancy wrote: »

Yes, but even with a fully protected NCB the NCB is only protected with the company you are currently with.

Or has it changed ? I could be completely wrong but I do remember a guy on the phone at Hibernian stating this.

It's still like that, which does make one wonder how much a protected NCB is really worth.

CJhaughey · 16-03-2012 12:43PM

Some companies only give windscreen cover with Comprehensive.
If you break a windscreen the price is probably the difference between the two policies.
I usually go for FC as its not that much more than TPFT.

keithclancy · 16-03-2012 01:23PM

CJhaughey wrote: »

Some companies only give windscreen cover with Comprehensive.
If you break a windscreen the price is probably the difference between the two policies.
I usually go for FC as its not that much more than TPFT.

True,

But is there a comparison site like moneysupermarket for Ireland ?
Here in NL I used a crowd called Independer, I could check the options I wanted and then get a comparison based on Policy details rather than Fully Comp, TPO or TPO F&T.

cadaliac · 16-03-2012 01:46PM

Just got off the blower with Axa who inform me that they cannot match a Quote from 123.IE because their minimum charge per policy is €310.

I got my policy in the post from Top Quote Direct for €418 - TPFT
123.ie are coming back with €269 TPFT minus the Windscreen cover. I called Top Quote and gave them the "news" and they are getting back to me later today.
It was on the tip of my tongue to say "well, why didn't you just give me a lower quote in the first place?" but I could tell my the awkward breathing and groaning, broken sentences and general unease at the other end of the phone that this gut was expecting a shouting match, so i left him off. After all, it wasn't him that decides the amount on the policy.
Anyway, unless Top Quote come back to me with an offer ~ €100 or more down from the original quote, I will be using 123.ie, well it looks that way so far anyway.

ZENER · 16-03-2012 02:13PM

I've just received my renewal quote from Aviva this morning, who I've been with for over 15 years. 567 euro for TPF&T !! Decided to try FBD online and I get a quote of 280 euro !! Called Aviva and the best they can do is 515 euro !! Needless to say I'll not be their customer for much longer. Loyalty counts for nothing these days imo.

Ken

Aviva Insurance rip off!

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