Car Insurance - Best/Worst? any stories?

[bizzylizzy]

Hi everyone, it's that time of year again when I have to do battle with the car insurance companies. Hubby and I have clean licences, no claims that goes back forever and we drive a boring mid range car. But sifting through quotes is a pain in the wottsit. You see a cheap price and then find out it doesn't include this and that. So I thought I might base my choice this year on how well people rate their current insurers. Let's face it, if you have an accident you want a sympathetic and efficient insurer to sort out your claim don't you. So any recommendations for good service, or don't touch with a barge pole warnings for other insurers would be appreciated? I have to say that having completed the various, compare the... money supermarket etc outfits. The good old Co-op seems to have a very straightforward application form. We shall see. Thanks everybody.

[mrs_overall]

I've just taken out my car insurance with Tesco. I got club points on my card AND because I took it out through their own website, I get a �100 pressure washer.
They weren't the cheapest quote - Direct Line were �2 cheaper, but if was worth it for the freebie.
Please note ithe offer runs out on 22.7.09 and you must buy their insurance through Tesco.com or TescoCompare to qualify.

[suf1234]

I know everyone wants their insurance to be cheap, the best thing to do is check out price comparison sites. Try www.theycompare.co.uk to compare your car insurance.

[gouldc]

The problem you will find is that everyone will have a different experience of the same company - it's the same with us. Dependent who you get through to, you may have the most competent employee who is fantastic, or you may get through to the shaved monkey who is here to make up numbers.

[kira000]

I've stuck with Virgin for the 3rd year running. Not the absolute cheapest price i could get, but they were near the cheaper end.
However, i had an accident in Jan, and i have to say, they were very very good at sorting it all out. They arranged courtesy car, repairs, physio treatment and the accident injury claim very quickly and without hassle. (i did have the legal/uninsured losses extra cover). was kept updtaed throughout.
Compared to LV who i was with before, who handled a previous claim extremely poorly, i would rate Virgin very highly.

(and that is saying something as i abhor the bearded scruffy one, and would prefer not to give him my cash if i could!)

[Ellipsis]

I use Be Wiser (www.bewiser.co.uk), who advertise here on AB! I called them because I liked the owls, but their phone service was excellent and really explained the differences in the quality of cover and how you get what you pay for.

I've recommended them to a few friends and, as long as you're over 25, they seem to give very good prices and extras like free RAC and legal cover.

[craft1948]

Years ago I was lodging with a colleague and my car insurance came up for renewal. Her husband, a director of a brokerage company, took my details to work and came back with a printout of the top 20 cheapest insurers. He advised me not to pick any of the top 4 as although they were the cheapest I may have problems with any claims.