Shocked by cost of Avensis insurance

[mrfixer]

Due to taking early retirement I am selling my 2017 Ford Fiesta ST3 (200bhp turbo) and replacing it with a 2008 Avensis 1.8 auto.

The Ford is listed as a Group 30 car and the Avensis as a Group 16. The Fiesta ST is very popular with car thieves.....

Imagine my surprise when my insurers demanded £75 to switch to the Avensis (I was expecting a refund!).  Running quotes on comparison sites has the Avensis coming up with premiums about 20-30% higher than the Fiesta ST3.  I am astonished!  Why is the Avensis so expensive to insure?  FYI I am retired and will drive no more than 4000 miles a year - social use only. No claims for many many years. Car kept in a secure car park with electronic security gates and CCTV. 

[Heidfirst]

Don't know why it is expensive for you - my 2017 1.8 estate costs me under £200 p.a. fully comp. incl. legal assistance, protected ncd etc. etc.with the car parked on the street in Glasgow (& not a posh neighbourhood either). The £75 to switch may just be an admin fee?

[FROSTYBALLS]

With car insurance so much depends on other factors including postcode, type of driving, driving experience, etc, that one cannot assume that changing cars will result in a reduced premium. Part or all of the £75 will almost certainly be an admin charge for change of vehicle.

[mrfixer]

45 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

With car insurance so much depends on other factors including postcode, type of driving, driving experience, etc, that one cannot assume that changing cars will result in a reduced premium. Part or all of the £75 will almost certainly be an admin charge for change of vehicle.

The £75 is the increase in premium for the remaining 8 months of the policy. There is a separate £25 admin fee for change of vehicle.

Whilst you are correct about many factors making up the premium, if I request quotes from comparison websites for the Fiesta ST3 and the Avensis 1.8 then the quotes for the Avensis come back about 30% higher. The only variable is the vehicle - all other details the same. Obviously they consider the Avensis a high-risk vehicle.

FYI the ST3 was costing about £450. The Avensis is coming in at about £600. Very expensive for a retired, claim-free policy holder in a relatively crime-free area.

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Avensis could well be a car that your insurer or underwriters don't target, so they price the premium accordingly.

A few years ago when we changed my wife's three year old Nissan for a new Honda, the existing insurer, Direct Line, were expensive at renewal, and referred us to Privilege, one of their subsidiaries who were noticeably cheaper for similar cover.  

[mrfixer]

11 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

The Avensis could well be a car that your insurer or underwriters don't target, so they price the premium accordingly.

A few years ago when we changed my wife's three year old Nissan for a new Honda, the existing insurer, Direct Line, were expensive at renewal, and referred us to Privilege, one of their subsidiaries who were noticeably cheaper for similar cover.  

Yes, but it is more expensive than an ST3 for ALL insurance companies quoting on gocompare and compare the market. I've tried changing postcode, occupation etc and the premiums remain high.

Anyway, I'll call Flux's tomorrow and see what they come up with.

[FROSTYBALLS]

That must be the way it is for you. Try TOC insurance provided by Adrian Flux - 

 

[Garth-1]

Yesterday I insured my wife's 2004 Avensis T3-X, 1.8 petrol manual, for £147.95 with the Co-op.  No guarantee you'll get yours as cheaply, of course.

[Garth-1]

I should add that in December (which Which? say is the most expensive month to insure a car) I insured my wife's MX5 (1.8 petrol) for £100.  Yes, it's not a typo: £100 (=£150 less £50 vouchers for being a new customer).  Fully comp, protected NCD, 4K miles/year, rural Cheshire postcode, both retired.  Her Avensis does up to 8K miles per year but otherwise all details the same, cost was £147.95 as stated above.

[Mike169]

Hi.

I was with Toyota insurance, been with them for about 7 years and this year they almost doubled my insurance. Full NCB etc. Anyway Adrian Flux were over £300 cheaper so may I suggest you get a quote from Dan@Adrian Flux already on this thread, saved me serious money.

Regards Mike.

[mrfixer]

3 hours ago, Mike169 said:

Hi.

I was with Toyota insurance, been with them for about 7 years and this year they almost doubled my insurance. Full NCB etc. Anyway Adrian Flux were over £300 cheaper so may I suggest you get a quote from Dan@Adrian Flux already on this thread, saved me serious money.

Regards Mike.

Ok. So I called Adrian Flux TOC insurance this morning. They did indeed deliver a lower quote than my present insurer and all of the comparison sites. Cancelling with my current insurer and going with Flux's....

[DAN@ADRIAN FLUX]

On 4/17/2019 at 11:19 AM, mrfixer said:

Ok. So I called Adrian Flux TOC insurance this morning. They did indeed deliver a lower quote than my present insurer and all of the comparison sites. Cancelling with my current insurer and going with Flux's....

Hi.

Glad we could help out with your insurance.

Regards,

Dan.

[Noah'sArk]

I was charged £66 to change from my Mitusbishi 1.6 auto to Aygo 1l. I've put it down to admin fees. Damn you Churchill!

[Skiny]

My GT turbo starlet is 200 quid on a modified policy with Greenlight,  but my ****box daily quarry road beater is 400 🙂

Caldina is 500 and I was shocked at that, but it's due to it being rare as rocking horse !Removed! 😎

[Pippalump]

On 4/16/2019 at 6:33 PM, mrfixer said:

Due to taking early retirement I am selling my 2017 Ford Fiesta ST3 (200bhp turbo) and replacing it with a 2008 Avensis 1.8 auto.

The Ford is listed as a Group 30 car and the Avensis as a Group 16. The Fiesta ST is very popular with car thieves.....

Imagine my surprise when my insurers demanded £75 to switch to the Avensis (I was expecting a refund!).  Running quotes on comparison sites has the Avensis coming up with premiums about 20-30% higher than the Fiesta ST3.  I am astonished!  Why is the Avensis so expensive to insure?  FYI I am retired and will drive no more than 4000 miles a year - social use only. No claims for many many years. Car kept in a secure car park with electronic security gates and CCTV. 

I think its an idea to do what I going to do with a Belingo...

My Avensis is group 16 and the green one was 243 a year, the one that replaced her is slightly less.  Mines with Saga and has been for years really.

My green girl failed mot's badly so I got a little 106 to get me out of trouble while she was off road being repaired. His insurance was under 90.... Kinda a shock lol.

I decided to change the 106   for something more useful as having a smaller cheaper car actually can be good if your broke or just going into town. I got a Belingo so it can work and the Avensis can have a break from hay and straw bales....

I transferred the 106 insurance and it was 75 more...  BUT it would have been far cheaper to start a new policy though with the cancellation fee it actually wasn't. When this cones up for renewal I am going to get some quotes rather than do auto renewal. 

It might be an idea for you to look at doing the same?  The cheapest quote for one car can be so much more with another sadly.

Cancellation fee's can mean you have to wait but I will be getting new quotes for the Belingo for sure before renewing the one its got.