Reduced annual mileages in 2020 / 2021. Is it worth notifying the insurance company?

[MikeInWimbledon]

Strangely I don't seem to be getting out much. My annual mileage halved in 2020 and looks to be the same low level in 2021.

Is it "worth" telling the insurance company? Does it make much of a difference? Can we get much back ?

Would appreciate any "actual" experience. (Fleet of three: family car, convertible, and runabout)

Despite "theories," or "common sense," there are a number of "experts" people around who say that those driving fewer miles (like 5,000) actually pay MORE than those (of the same age and background) driving 10,000 or 20,000 a year. (Maybe because higher mileage drivers shop around more carefully?)

.

 

[Deleted member 159894]

I think that higher mileage drivers might be considered more experienced.

 

[whitenemesis]

"Let sleeping dogs lie "...

 

[bob6600]

Last year Admiral and some other insurance companies gave money back to their customers due to reduced mileage as a result of Covid. If you mileage is going to remain at this new low level you can advise them on renewal

 

[MrGreedy]

12k miles is often the cheapest quote, but depends on insurer.

2019/2020 my quote as I was moving from 12k miles a year to 18k miles was £350 vs £600.

This year, the same quote across a range of insurers to go from 18k miles to 12k miles was £650 vs £600. No change in circumstance or claims.

Something odd going on with insurance pricing at the moment in my view, and personally not worth the change back to 12k as Direct Line do 2% rebate at the end of the year for each 1000 mile you do less than stated, up to a maximum of 10,000 miles (so max achievable 20% rebate). I sent photo of odometer at renewal.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I've gone from actual of 20k (declared / expected of "up to 30k"), across the 3 vehicles.

to 10k this last year.

 

[MCFastybloke]

We did this last year,normally on our family wagon its 25k a year. Knocking it down to 12k save £35 quid with our provider.

 

[markjay]

Over the years I have been driving less and less, with my annual mileage gradually going down from 10,000 to 6,000.

On each renewal date, I requested the annual mileage to be reduced, and indeed the renewal quote came down.

That said, my insurer (Aviva) told me that the minimum is 4,000 miles, so if my annual mileage drops below that, there's no point in declaring it because it won't affect the renewal price.

My other car only does around 1,500 miles annually, so I just had it declared as 4,000 miles for the past 10 years.

However, I did not try reducing the annual mileage half-way through the life of the policy, I.e. I have only done that at renewal time.

 

[baxlin]

Admittedly it’s kit car insurance, but the JZR is on a 3000 miles per year policy, however I have to produce evidence of the mileage at renewal.

Interestingly, in the last lockdown, I received £25 from Admiral for each of the other two cars, because of enforced non-use. I doubt if they will repeat it this year, judging by how busy the roads are.........

 

[DavE400]

To be fair to Churchill they refunded just over £100 (approx 10 %) on my son's insurance in 2020 due to reduced milage and we have lowered the 2021 estimate due to ongoing restrictions. My AA 2020 insurance refunded £0

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

So, I did contact Aviva, and told them that my mileage expectation had halved.

They've refunded 10% pro-rata, which is enough for dinner down at the Pub.

Worth doing, maybe, but I've got a lovely CL500 going to waste here.

.

 

[Deleted member 159894]

So, I did contact Aviva, and told them that my mileage expectation had halved.

They've refunded 10% pro-rata, which is enough for dinner down at the Pub.

Worth doing, maybe, but I've got a lovely CL500 going to waste here.

.

Dinner down the pub, ah, great memories.

 

[Will]

So, I did contact Aviva, and told them that my mileage expectation had halved.

They've refunded 10% pro-rata, which is enough for dinner down at the Pub.

Worth doing, maybe, but I've got a lovely CL500 going to waste here.

.

Think of all the fuel you’re not using as well Mike - you could afford another car with the savings!

DVLA doing alright though - same charge for road tax/VED despite millions less cars being driven daily.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Think of all the fuel you’re not using as well Mike - you could afford another car with the savings!
DVLA doing alright though - same charge for road tax/VED despite millions less cars being driven daily.

Aviva's doing OK, as it's taking 90% of my normal premium to cover half of my normal mileage.

Have to say, we've saved a couple of grand every month these last 10 months "what with this and that."

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I insure all of the everyday cars on a multi car policy, and apparently last year the insurer refunded £25 per car. They’re all insured for the same 10,000 miles per annum, with commuting and business use (2,500 business miles).

Ahead of renewal I changed the annual mileage from 10,000 miles and removed business use for all cars. It took 5% off the total premium of the multi car policy, so I changed them all back again. The much reduced flexibility wasn’t worth 5%.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I insure all of the everyday cars on a multi car policy, and apparently last year the insurer refunded £25 per car. They’re all insured for the same 10,000 miles per annum, with commuting and business use (2,500 business miles).

Ahead of renewal I changed the annual mileage from 10,000 miles and removed business use for all cars. It took 5% off the total premium of the multi car policy, so I changed them all back again. The much reduced flexibility wasn’t worth 5%.

Key piece of information missing from my post!!

I changed the annual mileage from 10,000 miles (with 2,500 mile business allowance) to to 2,000 miles (with no business use) and the price reduced by 5%.

 

[Doodle]

I phoned VWFS about lowering the mileage on the leased Cupra. The amount saved by going from 15k a year to 5k? £15 a month, and you pay £60 admin fee to do so.

Yeah...no thanks.

 

[MrGreedy]

Yep, the whole coronavirus thing has been a real chance for car insurance companies to do a number.

The giving back a few quid by some has only been a fraction of what the lower mileage policy would have been the year before. High mileage policies (e.g. 18k miles) have increased a little bit, say 10%. Lower mileage policies, and I'm even talking about 12k miles here, have in my personal case doubled in price since the previous year and are almost no different in cost to the high mileage policies.

 

[John]

Admiral told me they consider higher mileage equating to being out on the road more and more likely to have an incident involving a claim.

I would assume the higher risk of having an accident from driving less (i.e. less experience) is far outweighed by a higher mileage.

Our premiums were less but I can't remember how much but not masses.

We got their auto-refund and I just waited for renewal to alter the mileage which was November.