VAN INSURANCE NEWS ROUNDUP: 7 DAYS ENDING 1 AUG 2014:
So car and van insurance companies are saying their rates have been dropping like mad lately, but how much can you trust these insurers in the long run, really?
Well honestly you really can’t. I know, I’m not shocking anyone with this bit of intelligence but it’s true – van and car insurance providers might be slashing their rates left and right but they’re still getting their money’s worth out of you by using underhanded means. It’s a bit of a bait and switch if you think about it, especially now that research findings have been published how a large number of insurance providers are instituting hidden fees and charges to line their pockets with the cash they’re not pulling in from their customers directly any more.
Whether you want to ring up your insurer to inform them of a change to your personal details such as getting married or you’ve decided to cancel your policy early you’re likely to be subject to fines and fees now. In fact, there are more than a few insurance providers who will charge you for the high privilege of initially taking out cover with them – or even renewing your annual cover as well. Can you bloody believe it?
Of course insurers haven’t stopped there. Beware if you decide to ring up your insurer just to ask a question about your car or commercial van insurance cover, as you could end up making your premium prices go up completely inadvertently. Let’s say hail damage dents your bonnet a bit and you ask your insurer if your excess will be more than it would cost you to repair the bonnet out of pocket; even if you end up paying for the damage yourself there’s a chance insurers will decide to hike your rates just for the enquiry.
So yes, these are not exactly the kinds of activities that will endear your customers to you. Of course insurers really don’t care about that all that much, as evidenced by their behaviour. Well, forewarned is forearmed I suppose – don’t ring up your insurer unless you’re bloody well on fire and in a ditch somewhere in the middle of the Welsh countryside. And even then, you’re going to be lucky if you don’t end up with hiked insurance rates.