Monday, 9 April 2001

Eagle Star Screw Me For Car Insurance

Eagle Star Insurance used to insure both my car and my partner's car, right up until last month.

That's when they issued a renewal notice as it was due to run out, and whacked it up by 35% over the previous year - a huge £246!!

And all because I'd made my third claim within a five year period.

Ah well, I hear you say, you're a crap driver and therefore must pay the penalty. If only that were the case. The incidents were;

  • Aug 1999 - I ran into the back of a truck on a roundabout (I didn't expect him to stop to let a car cross in front of him, but that was clearly my fault.)

  • Nov 2000 - whilst pursuing a criminal, a marked police patrol car backed into the side of the car whilst I was stationary outside my house, with my lights on, and after I'd sounded the horn to let him know where I was. Pretty much NOT my fault!

  • Jan 2001 - a greedy fox with a mouthful of pheasant ran out in front of me on a long, straight country road at midnight. Oops! Two dead animals for the price of one smashed bumper.

So, even taking into consideration that only 1 out of 3 of these was really anything to do with my bad driving, I was penalised. Apparently that's the rule - 3 incidents in 5 years and your premium leaps upwards.

It's An Outrage!!

There seems to be no flexibility or adaptability in the way insurance is calculated by Eagle Star.

Still, I did what every consumer should, and took my business to a competitor.

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