Insurance World

After so many experts have warned us that the cost of car insurance is on the rise, what’s happened? It’s fallen! It’s mostly down to the growing impact of shopping online.

In the second half of 2005 the average car insurance premium fell from Ј470.17 to Ј462.15. But it’s the silver surfers who’ve benefited most. During the last six months of last year, drivers over the age of 65 have seen their average premium fall by 4.5% from Ј342 to Ј347. What is most surprising are the huge differences in premiums between providers. Differences of 40% between the most expensive and the cheapest are common.

It seems that most motorists are not aware of this as every year, half of them automatically renew their insurance with their existing insurer. A further 19% only bother to get one competitive quotation.

And readers will be surprised who sells the expensive policies. A recent survey in “Which”, the consumer magazine, shows that Norwich Union - the UK’s biggest insurer - failed to come top in any of the 36 driver categories surveyed. Direct Line, another well-known name, only managed one top spot.

This is down to the marketing strategies of the big brand names. They have been building up their client base with low prices and heavy advertising and then gradually increase prices. They are clearly relying on apathy and brand loyalty to keep their clients. And with 50% automatically renewing, it works!

But if you decide to shop around, be careful. A low price isn’t everything. Some policies have mouth-wateringly low prices but skimp elsewhere.

For example, when your car is being repaired, do you want a courtesy car? Some policies only pay Ј100 or so for stolen audio equipment. Is that enough? Do you want to insure your personal belongings whilst they’re in your car? And crucially, some comprehensive policies won’t provide third party cover if you to drive another person’s car - even with their permission!

Before you decide, it’s wise to consider all these aspects.

But going back to price, if you think prices are cheapest on the Internet, you’re right! Internet quotations are normally 5% - 10% cheaper than telephone quotes.

When Internet shopping, most people look for the cheapest quote and then read the details about the cheapest policy to check out that they provide the cover that’s needed. You can hunt for the best deals by searching under “car insurance” but some of the discount insurance sites are more easily found if you type in “discount car insurance” or “cheap car insurance”.

But please remember, when renewal time comes around go shopping again. Don’t automatically renew! It’s so easy on the Internet as I found this year. My previous insurer quoted me Ј945 and I eventually bought it for Ј702. A saving of Ј243 for 30 minutes work.

According to a survey published by Mintel, one in three pets needs an unexpected visit to the vet each year. This means that you are more likely to claim on your pet insurance than on a home & contents policy or even your car insurance.

The word “unexpected” is important here. If you are looking for pet insurance to provide cover for routine treatments such as vaccinations or worming, forget it – policies that do that are as rare as hens’ teeth! And you won’t find cover for elective treatments, such as neutering, either. This means that the most common reasons for visiting the vet are uninsurable.

But don’t forget it’s those unexpected visits that tend to be the expensive ones! Developments in animal care mean that more conditions can be effectively treated and costs of emergency care can be horrendous. A cat that argues with a car could cost Ј700, even more, to treat. After all, a series of X-rays could cost Ј400 and a MRI scan will put you back Ј1,000. If Buster the Bulldog tore a ligament that too can be treated – but the cost? Don’t expect change from Ј1,500! This is serious money!

Having appreciated that most reasons for a visit to the vet are uninsurable, what do we get for our money?

Well, insurance plans largely fall into three types. The first restricts the value of the claim for each condition or event; the second limits the total annual payout and the third and cheapest option, limits the payout per condition and ceases cover after 12 months of treatment. Most will make a payout if you pet dies. And with all policies you will have to pay an excess on any claim, usually between Ј50 and Ј100.

And the cost? That depends on which type of policy you want, the excess you want to pay, the sort of pet you have, its breed, its age and even your post-code (vets charge more in Chelsea). But as a guide, an industry estimate suggests costs between Ј30 and Ј200 per year for a cat and between Ј50 to Ј500 for Buster.

The best advice is start the insurance when your pet is young. Most pets can be insured after they’re 8 weeks old and you can then maintain the insurance over the course of its life. If your pet is in it’s middle age when you want to start the insurance, say eight or nine for a dog, then it may be difficult to get worthwhile cover. This is because treatments for existing health conditions will be excluded from the cover and in any case, a new policy at that age gets expensive.

So how can you lower the premiums? Sometime insurers will give you a discount if you pet has been identity chipped and quantity discounts do prevail! Discounts are widely available for your second and subsequent insured pet.

Then there’s always the Internet. The Internet is taking an increasing share of the insurance market and no wonder – its simple, quick and easy. What’s more it’s probably the cheapest avenue for all your insurance whether it be for your home, your car or pet.