Car insurance quotes all same!

Information and questions about driving in Andalucia, buying or importing cars and motorbikes plus legal issues surrounding taxes and licenses.
olive
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Car insurance quotes all same!

Postby olive » Fri Mar 07, 2008 12:00 pm

My car insurance is up for renewal.

Tried the following:-
AXA
Alliance
Linea Directa
Helvetia

The first three were EXACTLY the same. (Helvetia was nearly 500 euros more for the same cover!) Coincidence, I don't think so.

olive

PS got 5 quotes for house ins renewal including Intasure and the above. Helvetia were the best by far and they were all quite different for the same base data.

scarlet
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Postby scarlet » Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:38 pm

we go with bmi insurance they seem good. everything written in english also.

lojaman
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Postby lojaman » Fri Mar 07, 2008 3:26 pm

try easycover.net I have my car insurance with them.Saved over 150 euros

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hybridanglo
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Re: Car insurance quotes all same!

Postby hybridanglo » Fri Mar 07, 2008 11:21 pm

Now, I'm not sure about the Spanish set-up, and in this case, I don't think there's anything going on behind the scenes, but a point to remember is the number of insurance companies who belong to the same parent company.
I worked for RBS and they were the underwriters for, among others, Direct Line, Privilege, Churchill, Tesco, NatWest, Amex, Virgin, Mint, MBNA, as well as doing the "free" insurance offered with new cars by Peugeot, Citroen, Renault, BMW, Subaru, Nissan and Vauxhall.
I remember speaking with people who worked in the quote department and they would change their voice on the phone when the same customer got back through to them, 10 seconds after having rejected the quote from a "different" company.
As an aside, you can imagine the reaction when the customers were telling the same operator a completely different price when asked if they'd had any other quotes. "Oh no, that's a great quote, we couldn't beat that. I'd be tempted to go with them."
Oops. That's me banned from the Insurers' Masked Ball.

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ICCSL
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Car Insurance

Postby ICCSL » Sat Mar 08, 2008 12:52 pm

I changed my car insurance for one of the cars to Linea Directa and they chopped 200 euros off what I had been paying previously. I think it really does depend on where you live though.
Tina

olive
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Postby olive » Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:53 pm

Thanks to those who contributed to the insurance debate. It hadn't occurred to me that there might only be a limited number of underwriters.

olive

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spanish_lad
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Postby spanish_lad » Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:01 pm

as far as i know, there are not really that many, like 5 main ones?
Alhaurin el Grande since 99, working at the airport since 2011.

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Sat Mar 08, 2008 8:28 pm

maddy-in reply to your answer-I find it most helpful for the insurance policy to be both in english and spanish.My spanish is very basic and its always nice to know that you can refer to the english version when ever it suits. :D

hedonist
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Postby hedonist » Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:54 am

Hi..

Re the insurance - Have we decided who is the best taking service and price into account?

Retro... I have asked about taking my bike licence in English. I guess you are right and I need to hold my hands up to that. It does sound a little strange and rude etc asking for everything to be done in English. If there is a choice I would like to get the job done quickly and simply. Though as I said.. I wouldn't mind the challenge of increasing my grasp of Spanish. I have lived in several countries and speak several languages and I am really enjoying learning Spanish which is coming on nicely. I think the purpose of responding is that people on here are so quick to judge.

Generally though.. Each time I go on here and ask for help.. tis given readily and is extremely helpful. So thanks all.

Now... where were we?
Do or do not... there is no try. Yoda

scarlet
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Postby scarlet » Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:35 am

HEDONIST. It is not at all rude to ask to do it in english, many driving schools offer lessons in english, german, french etc, we pay good money to learn, and money from any nationality is good when in business, my son has just completed his written exam for driving, it has taken 4 weeks of going to the school every day, studying loads of stuff, and today is waiting for his result, you can only get three wrong to pass, when he took his test in malaga, there was an english person doing his test in english.
and a chinese man who got kicked out for cheating. he had to do a medical, which was at a local private clinic, took 5 minutes. not sure about motorbike licenses, but dont feel guilty, to pass you need to understand all the questions.

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ICCSL
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Car insurance

Postby ICCSL » Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:32 pm

One thing is fairly clear as far as learning a language is concerned - the older you are the harder it is and for the vast majority of pensioners it is practically impossible.

If your Spanish is not good enough at any age to understand insurance documents and other fairly important paperwork then I think it is a good idea that some companies and banks are providing the documents translated into English. As Scarlet says, if you have to take a test then it is very important that you understand the questions and even I have to admit that when I had to go on a health and hygiene course to get the necessary certificates for the bar it was with a sense of trepidation. Luckily I have a Spanish partner so if I had not understood the questions he would have been able to explain them to me.

However, I don't think that we can EXPECT them to provide everything in English and if it means paying for a translation service then we should. As far as your rights are concerned there is a poster in every hospital, social security office and court stating that you have the right to have everything explained to you in your own language and courts, particularly, provide official translators free of charge.

Despite the fact that I pay my taxes and social security in Spain and contribute quite a lot to the system I still consider myself a guest in this country which was something that Spanish Lad said earlier. If it is possible everyone who comes here should try to learn the language.
Tina

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hybridanglo
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Postby hybridanglo » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:34 pm

As I stated previously. I've worked in insurance and would offer one caveat to Tina's last post.
There are a good many people who misunderstand the terms and conditions of their insurance policy in English, due to the specific legalese of the industry. It's vague for a reason.
I can only assume (we have it still to look forward to) that the Spanish insurance industry is as (in)famous for its use of incomprehensible language in its policy booklets and documents.
While my Spanish is passable already and I can hold my own in many circumstances, I wouldn't like to have to translate the minutiae of such binding contracts.
But, as an outsider, were the documents not available in English, I'd be willing to pay for a translation, just to be on the safe side.

scarlet
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Postby scarlet » Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:57 pm

I also speak good spanish, so dont have a problem,
and many expats like the policy in english that is why there are so many agents around. everyone is different and everyone has a choice, paying a translator is silly, when you dont have to.

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ICCSL
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Insurance

Postby ICCSL » Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:22 am

We pay public liability insurance for our bar. Last year I changed from one insurance company to another because the new one cut my premium by over 200 euros. The cover is the same. I know this because my Spanish is good enough to understand the policy. If it wasn't it would probably cost me around 60 euros to get someone to translate it for me, in which case I would still have saved money.

So if you are limited to using insurance companies which supply everything in English you might (although not necessarily) pay a higher premium than you need to.
Tina

Niki Harrison
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Car Insurance

Postby Niki Harrison » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:31 pm

You could always try www.secinsure.com They sorted out my insurance a few years ago for a really competitive price and I´ve stayed with them ever since. My premium also tends to go down each year and not up unlike other insurers (Linea Directa for one!!!) They speak English, offer a reliable service and cheap rates.

Good luck.

Niki


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