House Insurance

[tooj]

For years I have been using RIAS as it is highly recommended by Age Concern so I assume it is the best . value for money for us oldies and they must know.
Now I wonder as there are so many comparison sites, whether it may be a good idea to ask around.
Any advice please?

[Hymie]

Radio 4’s Money Box program recently exposed horror stories of those who have for years been with their insurer, without shopping around each year for the best deal. As a result, many were found to be paying over £1,000 for cover that could be purchased for less than £200 elsewhere. You could find that you are one of these loyal customers being ripped off.

[Maydup]

It probably was recommended by Age Concern at the time tooj, but so is shopping round, you must do it at least every other year for all of your insurances.

[EDDIE51]

House insurance is now just as bad or worse than car insurance. NEVER just take the renewal quote , shop around every time.

[gness]

Oh do shop around. I did this year for the first time for both house and car. I was amazed at what I saved for the same cover. My car insurance was more than half that quoted by the company I had been loyal to for years. Give it a try. x

[Canary42]

I stuck with RIAS for years based on same assumption - then I started shopping around - have changed twice since with much benefit.

[tonyav]

I shop about on the comparison sites every year for our building and contents cover ( and car ) , I always seem to get a pretty good deal. Staying with the same insurer every year will cost you money.

[SlackAlice]

I always re-assess my house insurance every year. Customer loyalty doesn't pay.

[woofgang]

yes, another vote for shopping around. Don't try comparison sites, go drect, try M and S, NFU, John Lewis

[losgigs]

As slackalice says, there is no such thing as customer loyalty - the exact opposite in fact. Particularly with RAC renewal - they always have great offers for new customers. For this reason for the past few years OH and I have alternated as to whose name is on policy - always get a cheaper deal.

[tooj]

You all favour shopping around....so I will..... thanks all.

[SpikeyBush]

One thing that makes me laugh about home insurance is that whoever I have bought it from have excluded accidental damage caused by pets or children. Now in my experience a good 90% if not more of accidental damage is caused by pets and children. I don't go playing football in the drawing room or chasing my tail in an ornament cabinet. So I may as well go for a dirt cheap quote that excludes accidental damage, lock the heirlooms away in storage and nail the 42" plasma to the wall. After telling my son he is not getting another cat and he's moving out when he hits 18.

[Bingo99]

Use a good insurance broker! Will a meerkat or opera singer be there to help you with a claim?? Its not all about price...

[askyourgran]

We shopped around, our usual insurer quoted a higher figure this year. They rang to see if we were going to renew MrAsk told him we'd had a lower quote from RIAS, so they came back with a figure £70 lower than theirs, so we accepted. It's amazing what they will do to keep you.