I received my renewal for van insurance today and was gobsmacked at the extra $305 price increase on last year's premium. The van is insured for 51k and I'm now paying $1324. After phoning them to complain they did reduce the price a little. Yes, I know you only get what you pay for etc but I don't know how they can justify that sort of increase. We are on the road full-time now and they also informed me that every year I have to phone them before my policy is due and request the renewal is sent by email as they can't do it automatically. So I think it's time for a change of insurers. Any recommendations?
I received my renewal for van insurance today and was gobsmacked at the extra $305 price increase on last year's premium. The van is insured for 51k and I'm now paying $1324. After phoning them to complain they did reduce the price a little. Yes, I know you only get what you pay for etc but I don't know how they can justify that sort of increase. We are on the road full-time now and they also informed me that every year I have to phone them before my policy is due and request the renewal is sent by email as they can't do it automatically. So I think it's time for a change of insurers. Any recommendations?
Cheers,
Di
Gday...
Me too ... and with CIL. I had the same experience yesterday, a phone call and they lowered the premium - to an acceptable one. Their excuse was they have been having some "trouble with the automatic calculator". No mention of needing to phone and organise an email renewal. Might check that bit out. Thanks.
Not sure of this, but I believe it is a legal requirement that insurers etc must provide advice of when renewal is due - at a minimum of two weeks prior. Perhaps they might have a field in their system they can tick the 'email renewal advice' for me .... will ask.
One thing to be very clear about when researching other insurance companies. Make sure you tell them you travel full-time and live in the van.
Many (most?) do not cover the van for that ... they assume the van is 80% in the driveway and only on the road periodically. Some even state they will not cover a van lived in, and travelled in, full-time. [EDIT: OOPS - forgot to mention, I travel full-time - for eight years now]
The problem could easily arise that if you make a claim it may influence their willingness to pay out. I believe they consider a van on the road 'full-time' is more prone to accident/theft and therefore a higher risk than one sitting in a driveway 80% of the time.
There may now be more than I know of, but when I took out CIL they had the best policy ... particularly for a full-time travelling van ... and hardly any of the others were interested in a full-time travelling van.
I have had to make two claims over the eight years I have been with CIL and their service has been excellent and fuss-free.
Cheers - John
-- Edited by rockylizard on Tuesday 28th of November 2017 12:46:29 PM
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
I thought I would put this as a 'new' reply rather than have it lost in my usual wordy ramble above.
CIL automatically send a papercopy renewal advice four weeks before the due date. They stated they are legally required to provide an automatic renewal advice four weeks prior to the due date. Their system is not configured to do an automatic email renewal advice.
If I, or anyone else, want an 'emailed' renewal advice, then one needs to contact them by phone, either when one receives the paper copy in the post, or when one knows it about due, and ask for a renewal advice to be emailed. They do not provide an 'automatic email' advice of pending renewal.
Doesn't bother me, as I have a 'reminder' in my digital calendar that pops up a reminder for all my "recurring due dates" ... so I am always ready for the paper copy to arrive. I guess now I might just ring them and ask for an emailed copy to save my 'home address' mail being on-forwarded to me.
I have almost all my 'recurring bills' emailed to me ... so this will help a bit. It is now only insurances for vehicle and van and rego for vehicle and van that I seem to not get automatic email advices .... time will change eventually.
Cheers - John
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2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto - 2008 23ft Golden Eagle Hunter Some people feel the rain - the others just get wet - Bob Dylan
Discussed with CIL this morning that we were in the van full-time but that wasnt an issue as long as we also have a home address which we do. My problem is that the house is tenanted and we do not have anyone collecting mail. Yes, they can tick the email box as long as you phone them every year when your policy is due.
I get all my other bills emailed including house and car insurance, rates, water bills etc. I really dont see how in this day and age only CIL arent able to do this rather than post a paper copy.
In my experience all insurers do this as a "try on" to see if you will just automatically go with the renewal.
I have over the last few years used several insurers for the van so I get a good rate by changing insurers.
Fact of life nowadays it seems.......
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"life is too short to spend it with people who suck the happiness out of you"
Yep, they all try it on. It's amazing how quickly they'll cave when you call. Not sure of the percentages, but insurers count on the fact that many people don't even look at the numbers and just pay the renewal.
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Cheers,
Tony
"Opinion is the medium between ignorance and knowledge" - Plato
I had the same issue with CIL, renewal doubled so I rang and got no real explanation but got a reviewed premium of 25% less than the previous year.
Insurance companies will always 'try it on', they rely on people's apathy. Every year I ring around for quotes and then choose if I'll stay with the current insurer. I owe them no loyalty because they give none
No mention of needing to phone and organise an email renewal. Might check that bit out. Thanks.
