*******Motors Chat - Round 7*******

As ye may be aware, I cancelled my FBD policy 11 months into it. Chap on the phone never mentioned that I'd lose my No Claims for that year, and it never entered my head.

So I rang them back today, to see would they re-activate my policy, or acknowledge the two years on a new quote. They said they can't/won't re-open an old policy, but they would offer to honour 2 years NCB (even though I will only have 1 year with any other company). So I say okay, and proceed with the quote.

They quote me for the 01 Focus i just bought. An exceptionally competitive €1,527. Needless to say I actually laughed and said thanks, but no thanks.

Rang 123.ie and got a quote... of €2,500! :eek: At this point I feel like getting on my knees and grovelling back to FBD and hoping they'll take me back.


Then I ring Chill, who come in at €888. Now ye're talkin'. I'm told this price only applies if I sign up now, and I have a 14 day cooling off period to cancel, and that admin fees etc wont be charged on a change of mind until 14 days after the policy starts. Fine says, I, and I sign up. They take the deposit and we all breathe a sigh of relief.


Then the phone rings, and Campion ring me back after I filled in an online quotation earlier in the day, but it didn't work for some reason (got stuck in an infinite loading loop, so I X'ed out and forgot all about it). They say the best they can do is around €1,500. I tell them that Chill have me at €888. They say they don't understand how Chill can do that, as they (Campion) deal with more insurers than Chill do.

He asks me to hold on a minute and he'll ring me back, he just has to make a call. He rings me back 5 minutes later with a quote of €715!

I tell him to give me a reference number, that cancelling with Chill won't cost me anything (except the pain of waiting for the refund) and that I'd definitely sign up when I get my deposit back from Chill.

Ring back Chill who say they're gonna charge a €100 admin fee. I shoot them down fairly quickly and tell them I want a full refund, all calls are recorded and they can verify amongst themselves that they told me I'd have no fees if I cancel within 14 days. They tell me to email them telling them I want to cancel and they'll issue me a refund and they'll 'find out about the admin fee amongst themselves' (so I don't know if that means they're gonna charge me the fee or not!?).

Even if they do, I'm still better off switching to Campion who offered a cheaper price and, strangely enough, more comprehensive package (breakdown assist, etc.). That said, I'm not gonna let them take the €100 cancellation fee. I'll fight them tooth and nail on that if they try to act the bollocks.



So yeah... from €2,500 to €715... Goes to show the value of shopping around, alright!

GvidoR wrote: »

The €715 is with 1 or 2 years NCB? What engine is in the Focus?

€715 is with 1 year NCB. It's a 1.6 petrol.

It's also Third party fire and theft. Last policy i had was ~€850 and was Third party only.