Car Insurance Just Ruined My Day!

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Nicensleazy

Active Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
66
Location
Sheffield, South Yorks
Car
1998 CLK230
I've been the owner of a w208 230 CLK Elegance for about 18 months now and I've been very pleased with it but let's face it you get the wanderlust now and again and consider other cars.

Well to cut to the chase, I've seen a W208 320 CLK Elegance, FSH,very low miles, exactly the same colour as mine (quartz blue), same interior but it's got the bigger engine which I know is a lot smoother than the raucous 2.3, so I've become very tempted to change.

However I thought it best just to check what the insurance would be, anticipating a small change, so I called in my brokers that do my present insurance. I have paid for this year £375 on the 230K, if I was to change to a 320 it would more than DOUBLE! I thought he was having a laugh but when he checked the insurance grouping on my present CLK is 22, the 320's grouping is 42.

Now you can argue it is a more powerful car; 218 bhp I believe, compared to 193 bhp on my current car, a top speed of 150, 5 mph more than mine and a second quicker to 60, but I'm sorry how can that justify such a premium difference?

Anyway the long and short is that my parade has been well and truly rained on because they're not having 800 of my hard earned quid, so I'm sticking with what I've got. Bloody spoilsports:mad::mad:
 
Have you not tried shopping around? I always check at renewal time, I have my S204 with Saga (and the S203 before it), and they always price match the lowest 2like for like" quote I find. Try the comparison sites (I normally find confused is the better of the main ones) and a few direct sites like saga, you miaght get rid of the rain on your parade!!
 
The insurance grouping is only one of many factors that determine the insurance price and different insurance companies give different weightings to these factors.
So, in short, shop around and you may do better. Having said that, car insurance has literally become extortion these days.
 
Why dont you get a quote from a different insurance company?

Or you could get a quote as a new customer from your existing insurance company, IMO taking out a new policy with your existing insurer has always worked out cheaper than just changing the vehicle on your existing policy.
 
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The broker has got that one well and truly wrong, the 230k CLK is group 31 and the 320 is Group 33, in reality there is very little difference in premium when insuring these cars.

see HERE

I'd go back and ask them to have another go :thumb:
 
The broker has got that one well and truly wrong, the 230k CLK is group 31 and the 320 is Group 33, in reality there is very little difference in premium when insuring these cars.

see HERE

I'd go back and ask them to have another go :thumb:

Thanks for the link.
I'll revisit tomorrow morning and pass this on. I used Swintons in Woodseats this year because they were quite a lot cheaper with a cashback offer than even the price comparison sites. I'm just wondering that if you come to change a vehicle they lose perhaops lose their competitiveness?
 
The broker has got that one well and truly wrong, the 230k CLK is group 31 and the 320 is Group 33, in reality there is very little difference in premium when insuring these cars.

see HERE

I'd go back and ask them to have another go :thumb:

Thanks for the link.
I'll revisit tomorrow morning and pass this on. I used Swintons in Woodseats this year because they were quite a lot cheaper with a cashback offer than even the price comparison sites. I'm just wondering that if you come to change a vehicle they lose perhaps lose their competitiveness?
 
Thanks for the link.
I'll revisit tomorrow morning and pass this on. I used Swintons in Woodseats this year because they were quite a lot cheaper with a cashback offer than even the price comparison sites. I'm just wondering that if you come to change a vehicle they lose perhaops lose their competitiveness?

I was with Swinton last year and mine was £296 for the same car as yours although I'm an old git now at 49 :eek: Now got all the cars on one admiral multi car policy and saved a fortune. Good luck :thumb:
 
Insurance for you guys isn't that extortionate afterall.

If you're staying with the same insurance company then, although they were the cheapest for your last car, doesn't necessarily make them the cheapest for your next so it's always wise just to get a few quotes from elsewhere for a new car.
 
Mine for my W209 350 sport cabroilet is £465 with protected NCB, Legal expenses, included with wife on as named driver. My excess is £250 + £100 voluntary.

it is with LV

Gh3382
 
I just insured my C43 for £317 with Footman James.
They have some promotion on at the moment, for premiums quoted over £400. That's a 'classic car' policy with limited mileage.
 
I was with Swinton last year and mine was £296 for the same car as yours although I'm an old git now at 49 :eek: Now got all the cars on one admiral multi car policy and saved a fortune. Good luck :thumb:

I don't think that yours and my premiums are too different. I'm 51 but I think living in S8 on a terraced street (lots of motor theft apparently) doesn't help and also I have no voluntary excess and my NCB protected. The other thing they include is key cover which with Merc keys being £230 a pop I thought was quite a good idea. Buying the key cover separately is around £15-£20 per year, in fact I'm glad I had this last year because I lost my keys watching a match at Hillsborough and they paid out for a new one thankfully.

Anyway I will revisit tomorrow and see if I can make them come down some perhaps.
 
Just used Flania's Insurance Group lister and found that my Diesel E320 Sport is only 6 groups lower (42) than the E63AMG at 48!

Having said that it only costs Wifey (whose 30) £420 Fully Comp 5 years NCB no convictions etc etc with me as a named driver at 44 so not a lot really?

Direct Line BTW
 
My insurance was £1100 with a £1200 excess with my wife added who passed her test 2 months prior to taking out the policy. I ran a mock quote to see what it would be like after 1 year using go compare and it went down to £550.

Just did the same thing 6 months into the policy and it went up to £1150, thats a £600 hike over 6 months!

Do they just make it up at?
Does it depend on the time of year?
 

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