Car Insurance Recommendation

Message

Edgar · #1 Post by **Edgar** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:33 am

Hi guys

I need some recommendations please. I currently have two cars insured with SGIC since the day both cars were purchased and left the dealership, so I have been a really loyal customer to them. I've never really paid that much attention to the premiums I've been paying until recently when me and my mate was just talking about insurance in general.

So when I looked back at the most recent policy which they've billed me which is due in a couple of weeks, I notice that the agreed value for the car to be covered has gone down from last year, no big deal, this is normal as per any car depreciation, but along with that, the premium itself hasn't! I haven't had any claims whatsoever! So I decided to look back at the previous cover and realised that I am paying more and more incremental each year while the agreed value car cover goes down.

Before I ring them to suss out why, I thought I'll ask around here to see if anyone has a better experience with any car insurance out there which you would really recommend, the review I googled last night is very much useless and none of them (the ones that had more reviews) were rated more than 2.8 stars out of five.

#2 Post by **monotonehell** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 9:16 am

Ring them, tell them what you just told us and say that you're looking at other offers. Refuse to mention the other offers. See what they say.

rev · #3 Post by **rev** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 10:00 am

Insurance companies are crooks.
They'll gladly take your money, and increase what you pay them, but then if you make a claim you'll have to jump through flaming hoops.

I think SGIC are among the more expensive insurers. So ring around. I'm with the RAA, they are great. Had an issue with one of their approved repairers being a dick head trying to scam me for "extras" that he wanted me to pay for out of my own pocket to him, which should have been covered by the claim.
He wasn't happy when the RAA sent out an assessor to meet me at the repairer one morning, and he basically got told he will fix everything the assessor told him needed to be fixed under the claim, and that his status as an approved RAA repairer would be reviewed.

He's no longer an RAA approved repairer.
So in that sense, they look after their clients. But premiums do go up in general.

Ring around and get some quotes. You aren't obligated to join up with any of them.
Or try comparing online..
http://www.iselect.com.au

I think most of the insurers sites will generate a quote for you these days as well.

neoballmon · #4 Post by **neoballmon** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 10:36 am

I was with Coles Insurance with my old car, (enticed by staff discount), and I never had a problem with premiums rising or my value dropping. And even when they removed the staff discount benefit after the first year, my premiums stayed exactly the same.

I was in an accident last year though and the costs were greater than the covered cost (despite being completely driveable, and only minimal changes made for roadworthyness), but they promptly paid me out, as well as letting me keep the car for a small amount of the payout.

Unfortunately since I took out that policy, their premiums have skyrocketed for under 30's, (but for 30+ they claim to beat any other quote) so I no longer use them. I haven't had a renewal of my new provider yet (just car) to say anything about them yet. Cheap initial premium, but Their excess for under 25's is ridiculous though, I just went with them on the hope that I wouldn't need to claim before this August. So far so good

Dog · #5 Post by **Dog** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:06 pm

From my experience they all tend to offer a good deal to get your business in the first year and creep up fees over the next couple. I use to swap back and forward from RAA to SGIC every three years, but now appear to get a better deal via my credit union by having all my insurances through them.

Edgar · #6 Post by **Edgar** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 12:44 pm

I've done a lot of quotes with other providers and there are much cheaper ones out there, but I think what I'm after specifically is if anyone here has any specific claims process which you felt really happy with?

I can tell you right now from personal experience that I've had really good experience with SGIC with claims (on a different policies previously) so I have no issues with them.

The issues I have with them right now is my premium has gone up, while the agreed payout value has come down, and that I have not made any claims at all.

So I called them up and spoke to the lady on the phone and gave her the examples above, and she just gave me the normal excuses that the cost has gone up, government fees impact, etc etc. Told her it still didn't make sense cause I will be paying them more to get paid back less if something happens to the car.

Also I've got good quotes from Youi and Budget Direct, even Real Insurance was pretty competitive, but then all the reviews I read online tells of how much hardship they have to go through when it comes to claims, which is my biggest worry because buying insurance should be giving you that peace of mind.

Dog · #7 Post by **Dog** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 1:18 pm

Before going through my credit union for insurance I did use Allianz, in conjunction with CW Robinson crash in Halfax street, I hit a Kangaroo, they were fantastic, Robinsons found more internal damage after they started the work and they organised another insurance inspection, all was fixed including the optional "true coat" paint protection stuff I was dumb enough to get talked into when I brought the car. I used both Allianz and Robinson's only because the company I worked for had been using them for our fleet for years
Ps they loaned me a pretty old corolla for the week but it got me by.

Ronald-G · #8 Post by **Ronald-G** » Mon May 17, 2021 2:49 pm

rev wrote: ↑
Tue Jun 03, 2014 10:00 am
Insurance companies are crooks.
They'll gladly take your money, and increase what you pay them, but then if you make a claim you'll have to jump through flaming hoops.

I think SGIC are among the more expensive insurers. So ring around. I'm with the RAA, they are great. Had an issue with one of their approved repairers being a dick head trying to scam me for "extras" that he wanted me to pay for out of my own pocket to him, which should have been covered by the claim.
He wasn't happy when the RAA sent out an assessor to meet me at the repairer one morning, and he basically got told he will fix everything the assessor told him needed to be fixed under the claim, and that his status as an approved RAA repairer would be reviewed.

He's no longer an RAA approved repairer.
So in that sense, they look after their clients. But premiums do go up in general.

Ring around and get some quotes. You aren't obligated to join up with any of them.
Or try comparing online..
http://www.iselect.com.au

I think most of the insurer's sites will generate a quote for you these days as well.

Haha, I cracked up when I read this. I had an issue with those guys also when I made a claim. Wonder if it was the same repairers lol