A frugal life is an easy life!

Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11516195

Car insurance premiums have risen by a new record amount say the AA.
Really? Thanks for stating the bleeding obvious!

The reason the AA say, is because of another surge in injury claims - utter rubbish!

My insurance more than doubled with direct line, when I rang then to ask why, they didn't have a clue, even their own advisors stated, "There must be something wrong with your quote!"

Pricing by discrimination for vehicle insurance is plain wrong.

The price of your car insurance used to be based upon your vehicle engine size, modifications, crime in the area where you live, where your car is kept and your individual past record.
Today, your car insurance price is based upon demographics, your job description, if you purchase on the internet or by phone, statistics that you cannot influence like if you are male or female, how much more "likely" you are to have an accident and on other people's past record/claims. This is discrimination and it should be stopped!

"Young men are twice as likely to be involved in incidents than young women." - say the AA - could that be because there are more men than women driving?
"The AA blames lawyers for exacerbating the problem by taking a 40% cut of personal injury claims." - so why aren't the courts rejecting claims for costs then?

When I asked around as to why insurance premiums had doubled, despite never having a single accident in 14 years, I was told, "It's because we had a bad winter and had to pay out lots of claims!" - a fact lost on them all, was that other people's claims are nothing to do with me, they shouldn't be allowed to base my price on someone elses actions - I asked them to name one other single business that is allowed to base their prices (for a legal requirement) on the actions of others - they could not.

To reduce the cost of car insurance, the AA has some (non) handy tips:

They are about as helpful as a nest of wasps!

One self proclaimed "expert" who runs an internet business, via his "helping people forums" and is all over the TV and radio promoting the information that people visiting his website post, claiming it to be his own, even suggested that people lie about their job to get their price down - whilst at the same time receiving at least £60 per policy taken out using his website links!

The price comparison websites have to take part of the blame for the increases in insurance premiums - for every policy taken out online they receive £60 and upwards, from the insurance companies.
The customer may pay no different a price when visiting these websites, but their premiums are increased to pay for the huge commissions price comparison websites make - plus the individual's details are analysed and sold on to other companies for profit - there's a reason why they are all over the television with adverts in a recession, they are making big money from links to insurance companies!
One highly advertised price comparison website was even set up, using a loan from esure!
When asked just how "independant" price comparison websites are, they tell us that they are stand alone companies, if you believe that you'll believe anything!

Another rip off from car insurance companies is the two car policy - they will double your premiums and tell you that "your no claims bonus cannot be used on another vehicle"
Ask them why not, you can't drive two cars at the same time, so the risk remains exactly the same, they'll tell you no claims discount can only be used on one vehicle - point out that any no claims discount, is applicable to the person, NOT the vehicle!
I know of not one single car/van that has it's own no claims discount, if they did, insurance companies would go bust over night, as most vehicles don't have a single claim in their lifetime.

Every year at renewal time, the industry come with yet another cock and bull story to part us from our hard earned cash, explaining it away with bluster and waffle.
When the facts of individual circumstances are pointed out, they don't have an answer.
They just give us the age old fob off, "I'm sorry it's the system!"

Car insurance is a legal requirement, the government of the day takes huge tax revenues from us on every policy, I wonder why the powers that be are not that keen to address the issue and stop the blatent ripping off of the British people?