Directline: now cheaper to renew than new!!

[Goldfish11]

I use DirectLine for our 3 vehicles. An other trick is to ask to go through to the loyalty team on the telephone (as if you were going to close the policy) They then always seem to find some discounts to help you out.

I always find that if you go online you can only get a quote on a standard vehicle with standard options. It does not seem to allow you to put in all options you may have on the car and then says telephone them!

However I have not tried online for a couple of years. Have they sorted this issue to allow you to list options in getting the quote?

 

[whitenemesis]

Just renewed with DirectLine, been with them 12yrs. Even with my suspension mod declared this year (plus all my other upgrades declared over the last 5yrs) premium is £70 cheaper than last year!?

I'm not complaining

 

[tasn1]

EXCUSE ME!?!? Where the hell do you guys live??? Getting insurance quotes for 600 or some case just over 300 quid!!! I live in Croydon (yes...Riot Croydon), my Mrs is a 2nd driver (with her main car - BMW 1 series company car), I have 8 yrs NCB, parked in a garage over night, parked secure in office car park, 1000 quid excess, I`m 35 yrs old, NO CONVICTIONS...Admiral cheapest...1250!!!!!!

 

[Wizeng]

Cambridgeshire, 9 years NCB, 50 years driving experience, £220 Fully Comp.

Doesn't it make you feel sick.

 

[Rayny]

Not Direct Line, but my renewal quote was £521.
A new quote from the same company at the same terms was £613.
A quick call to the renewals team and it is now going to be £481 with no amendments.

Includes all the bells and whistles with full European breakdown cover.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

LAST YEAR...

Twelve months later I've renewed with Directline. Renewals are still cheaper than online, and they're still prepared to do a deal albeit they're giving less away.

ML270 CDi - Comprehensive with protected NCB
Renewal: £379.05 with interest at 23.3% if I want to pay monthly
Online: £385.35 with interest at 23.3% if I want to pay monthly
Negotiated: £345.45 with interest at 23.3% if I want to pay monthly

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB
Renewal: £456.75 with interest at 23.3% if I want to pay monthly
Online: £502.95 with interest at 23.3% if I want to pay monthly
Negotiated: £438.90 with interest at 23.3% if I want to pay monthly

Not as chuffed as I was last year but Directline were still by far the cheapest of all those I tried.

THIS YEAR...

Twelve months later I've renewed with Aviva.

I've been with Directline for close to 10 years, and during that time they've been leagues ahead of the rest on price. Renewals are still cheaper than online - significantly so too - but this time they weren't prepared to do a deal to retain my custom.

Strange as I have four cars and two houses insured with with, and of course this makes it easier to take the other two cars and houses elsewhere.

So in the interests of consistency here are the scores on the doors for 2011 - I find it quite a useful reference:

DIRECTLINE

ML270 CDi - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: £443.08 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Online: £489.72 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not prepared to negotiate

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: £467.46 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Online: £542.72 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not prepared to negotiate

AVIVA

ML270 CDi - Comprehensive with protected NCB and SD&P/Commuting
Renewal: Not applicable
Online: £389.99 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Online multicar: £347.98 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not required

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: Not applicable
Online: £376.00 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Online multicar: £333.99 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not required

So that's a saving of £95.10 on the ML270 CDi and £133.47 on the C32 AMG, or £228.57 in total.

The only apparent differences for what I get for my money are:

1. Aviva do not provided policy documents by post as standard - £3 extra, which I did not opt for.

2. Aviva charge a 1.5% premium if using a credit card and do not accept AmEx - I opted to pay by debit card (no premium).

3. Mrs D does not have business use any more - it would have cost about £10 extra, but we don't need it. There's communiting cover should I need to use her car in exceptional circumstances, eg inclement weather, etc.

4. Our voluntary excess is reduced by £100, which costs about £4 per car. I was playing with it to see what happened to premiums, and forgot to reset to £350.


All in all, chuffed to bits!! :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Directline's promotions finish in the next few days so I've already taken out 2 house policies tonight, and next it's the cars. The house insurance is cheaper this year than last with the 50% off current promotion - it's not half the cost but cheaper than last year all the same.

Only got a quote for the C32 AMG so far, but that's gone up to £516.22 in 2011, compared to £438.90 in 2010, and £348.60 2009 - all criteria are identical. I read premiums are going up but I wasn't expecting another such significant rise.

The deal on car insurance above was extended through until Sunday. The prices had still gone up in during the intervening month or two though as the online quote I got on Sunday was £26.50 than the one I got at the end of September.

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: £467.46 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Online: £542.72 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not prepared to negotiate

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

AVIVA

ML270 CDi - Comprehensive with protected NCB and SD&P/Commuting
Renewal: Not applicable
Online: £389.99 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Online multicar: £347.98 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not required

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: Not applicable
Online: £376.00 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Online multicar: £333.99 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not required

Curiously my C32 AMG costs £13.99 LESS per year to insure now, compared with Mrs D's ML270 CDi. Same driving record, same claim history, same address, same parking arrangements, etc. Only difference is that Mrs D has SD&P + Commuting whereas I have Business Use - the gap would be even bigger if it was like for like!!

 

[steve333]

Curiously my C32 AMG costs £13.99 LESS per year to insure now, compared with Mrs D's ML270 CDi. Same driving record, same claim history, same address, same parking arrangements, etc. Only difference is that Mrs D has SD&P + Commuting whereas I have Business Use - the gap would be even bigger if it was like for like!!

You forgot to add the one defining fact that makes the difference-your wife is a female driver!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Walton-on-Thames is not a big enough place to hide. She will find you.

 

[steve333]

Walton-on-Thames is not a big enough place to hide. She will find you.

Best i avoid the local supermarket car parks then!

 

[John]

Just renewed with DirectLine, been with them 12yrs. Even with my suspension mod declared this year (plus all my other upgrades declared over the last 5yrs)

I knew the bloke from Direct Line was bull****ting me when he said "we cannot insure you with a modified exhaust - we don't insure cars with modifications".


Their loss I suppose as where my car goes, my other half's goes too.

 

[Hi-Ho Silver]

eSure: CLK230 Komp , X reg, £328. Fully Comp. 4 yrs NCD. No claims etc. Full license 26yrs.

eSure: C220CDi, 2011, Additional £52.82p! = £380.82p

Policy expires Oct 2012.

I won't even bother with the other nonsense quotes from other insurers!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

LAST YEAR...




THIS YEAR...

Twelve months later I've renewed with Aviva.

I've been with Directline for close to 10 years, and during that time they've been leagues ahead of the rest on price. Renewals are still cheaper than online - significantly so too - but this time they weren't prepared to do a deal to retain my custom.

Strange as I have four cars and two houses insured with with, and of course this makes it easier to take the other two cars and houses elsewhere.

So in the interests of consistency here are the scores on the doors for 2011 - I find it quite a useful reference:

DIRECTLINE

ML270 CDi - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: £443.08 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Online: £489.72 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not prepared to negotiate

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: £467.46 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Online: £542.72 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not prepared to negotiate

AVIVA

ML270 CDi - Comprehensive with protected NCB and SD&P/Commuting
Renewal: Not applicable
Online: £389.99 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Online multicar: £347.98 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not required

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: Not applicable
Online: £376.00 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Online multicar: £333.99 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not required

So that's a saving of £95.10 on the ML270 CDi and £133.47 on the C32 AMG, or £228.57 in total.

The only apparent differences for what I get for my money are:

1. Aviva do not provided policy documents by post as standard - £3 extra, which I did not opt for.

2. Aviva charge a 1.5% premium if using a credit card and do not accept AmEx - I opted to pay by debit card (no premium).

3. Mrs D does not have business use any more - it would have cost about £10 extra, but we don't need it. There's communiting cover should I need to use her car in exceptional circumstances, eg inclement weather, etc.

4. Our voluntary excess is reduced by £100, which costs about £4 per car. I was playing with it to see what happened to premiums, and forgot to reset to £350.


All in all, chuffed to bits!! :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

Twelve months later I've renewed again with Aviva.

Like Directline, renewals with Aviva are cheaper than online - significantly so too.

So in the interests of consistency here are the scores on the doors for 2012 - I find it quite a useful reference:

DIRECTLINE

ML63 AMG (replaces ML270 CDi) - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: N/A
Online: £577.70 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Note: Mandatory Tracker required

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: N/A
Online: £383.72 single payment with £350 voluntary excess

AVIVA

ML63 AMG (replaces ML270 CDi) - Comprehensive with protected NCB and SD&P/Commuting
Renewal: £526.00
Online (multicar): £577.70 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Negotiated: N/A

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: £392.99 with £500 total excess
Online: £416.00 single payment with £75 total excess
Online multicar: £333.99 single payment with £250 voluntary excess
Negotiated: N/A

So the combined insurance bill has gone up by £130 per annum but is now based on an ML63 AMG rather than the ML270 CDi (now insured separately)! And they were really cool when I enquired about replacing my AMG springs with H&R when one broke, without charging extra.

All in all, chuffed to bits!! :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:[/QUOTE]

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Oops, forgot to add that when we bought the ML63 we had the 7 days free insurance so the dealer could transfers the personalised registration numbers. The catch is that MB quote for you, albeit it's actually Aviva who operate the service.

Same cover from Aviva under the MB Insurance banner was £1250 for the ML63 on it's own (compared to £526)!!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Twelve months later I've gone back too Directline.

Here are the scores on the doors for 2013 - I find it quite a useful reference:

DIRECTLINE

ML63 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: N/A
Online: £451.56 single payment with £ZERO voluntary excess
Note: Tracker NOT required. If I had £350 voluntary excess then premium would have been £420 which is ~£155 less than they quoted last year!

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: N/A
Online: £284.08 single payment with £ZERO voluntary excess
Note: Tracker NOT required. If I had £350 voluntary excess then premium would have been £250 which is ~£130 less than they quoted last year!

TOTAL £735

AVIVA

ML63 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and SD&P/Commuting
Renewal: £598.00
Online (multicar): £598

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: £412.00 with £350 voluntary excess
Online (multicar): £412.00

LESS Multicar discount £92

TOTAL £918

So the combined insurance bill has gone down by £180 per annum but is now based on removing the £350 voluntary excess altogether, and having business cover on both cars (M63 was SDP & Commuting with Aviva). Had I left it at £350 then it would have been £235 cheaper than last year!!

I couldn't believe it when the C32 came up at £251 with the voluntary excess - that includes business cover!

All in all, chuffed to bits!!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

November 2011

DIRECTLINE

ML270 CDi - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: £443.08 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Online: £489.72 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not prepared to negotiate

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: £467.46 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Online: £542.72 single payment with £350 voluntary excess
Negotiated: Not prepared to negotiate

TOTAL £1033

November 2013

DIRECTLINE[/B]

ML63 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: N/A
Online: £451.56 single payment with £ZERO voluntary excess
Note: Tracker NOT required. If I had £350 voluntary excess then premium would have been £420 which is ~£155 less than they quoted last year!

C32 AMG - Comprehensive with protected NCB and business use
Renewal: N/A
Online: £284.08 single payment with £ZERO voluntary excess
Note: Tracker NOT required. If I had £350 voluntary excess then premium would have been £250 which is ~£130 less than they quoted last year!

TOTAL £735

C32 AMG: Directline premium has gone down from £543 in 2011 to £250 in 2013, on a like for like basis, with online quote and £350 voluntary access.

ML63 AMG: Likewise the premium has reduced from £490 (ML270 CDIi) in 2011 to £420 (ML63 AMG) in 2013, again like for like and £350 voluntary excess.

So the C32 AMG is now 55% cheaper to insure in real terms, and the ML63 AMG is 15% cheaper to insure than an older ML270 CDi

 

[developer]

My 63 insurance is due in 10 days - thanks for that BD.

 

[st13phil]

I've just been through the annual pantomime of the Direct Line renewal process.

Last year's premium for me on my W212 was (in round numbers) £278. This year's renewal invitation: £351

Now, in previous years when Direct Line have refused to negotiate, I've insured with Aviva so I filled in their online quotation and received a quote of £295. Better, but still more than I paid last year and the Aviva policy has a compulsory £400 excess based on the vehicle type (I have a total excess of £150 on the Direct Line policy). I then filled in Direct Line's online quotation to see what that came up with. Answer: £251 - fully £100 cheaper than their renewal offer.

So, phone up Direct Line. Follow the telephone menu system and select the "I'm considering leaving Direct Line" option. Speak to a polite, affable sort of chap and explain that I think there's something wrong with their renewal offer because it's £70 or so more than last year's premium, and I've been reading in the press that this year's motor premiums are lower than last year's, not higher.

I'll see what I can do, he says. Short pause and he offers a "best he can do" price of £335. Nope, says I, still too dear. How about if I throw in free breakdown cover? he asks. Nope, says I, as I get it free with the car.

I then tell him that Direct Line's own quotation system has come up with a price of £251 for the same drivers, cover and voluntary excess. Short pause and he says "I should be able to price match that". WTF? Should be able to price match their own quote? That's a good one!

Anyway, deal done at £251. What a farce

 

[skyline pete]

Swift cover my renewal was £1011.

I thought that was steep so price comparison site'd it.

£1300odd was swift cover and they were the cheaper company by £200.

I promptly logged in to swiftcover and renewed. Thats 3 years been with them now, where they have been the significantly cheapest insurer.

I havent yet claimed on any of the policies with them, but arrange euro cover, holiday cover through their site was very easy

Swift cover for me to...miles cheaper than anyone else...just did all on line print off own certificate....