UK Insurance Premiums

[Mike Fishwick]

I am thinking seriously about returning to the UK next year, due to the attractions of public transport and supermarket deliveries (for when I get old and feeble!) but keep hearing horrific tales of astronomic insurance premiums.

I appreciate that the media like to exaggerate everything, and wonder what the average cost would be for a 1998 2.8 Z3 roadster driven by an 81 year old who has driven for 40 years of NCB in the UK, followed by 20 years NCB in France, for fully comp, garaged, and living in the PL19 (Tavistock) area of Devon?

Are premiums in the UK really as high as claimed, or is it the usual sign of click bait?

All replies are welcome!

 

[bombur]

I would seriously reconsider coming back to the UK. We are considering leaving at any cost

 

[Duncodin]

I am thinking seriously about returning to the UK next year, due to the attractions of public transport and supermarket deliveries (for when I get old and feeble!) but keep hearing horrific tales of astronomic insurance premiums.

I appreciate that the media like to exaggerate everything, and wonder what the average cost would be for a 1998 2.8 Z3 roadster driven by an 81 year old who has driven for 40 years of NCB in the UK, followed by 20 years NCB in France, for fully comp, garaged, and living in the PL19 (Tavistock) area of Devon?

Are premiums in the UK really as high as claimed, or is it the usual sign of click bait?

All replies are welcome!

Go to gocompare.com and make up a name and address, maybe also a gmail email account too and it'll show you quotes from many different companies. You can change things such as occupation, address etc and run it again to see how much more or less it quotes.

 

[Grumps]

And we are intending to leaving as the UK has completely gone to the dogs! I am sat in France as I type but we are looking into Spain due to Climate and financials.

When you turn 80 in the UK insurance premiums are heavily loaded, I know this as I used to sell cars and regularly set up insurance for customers. I'd stay where ypu are enjoy all France has to offer!

 

[TriumphZ3]

I would seriously reconsider coming back to the UK. We are considering leaving at any cost

The cost is the reason we're considering leaving.

 

[Mike Fishwick]

I reckon the cost of living in France is about £2k more than the UK, mainly due to insurance premiums particularly healthcare and Z3 insurance, at about £1500 each - about the same as UK council tax. Some frieds recently oved from France to Spain, and found that a UK citizen cannot buy a house, but as the wife held an Irish passport she was able to buy their house. I do not think that France has such a discrimiatory rule.

 

[Pond]

I agree with the sentiments about the UK not being the best place to move back to. Unless you have never worked and have a made-up ongoing health condition, then our new Labour government will throw money at you. If you have any kind of savings, have worked hard and want a comfortable retirement, forget it. They are coming after you.

Rant aside....in my household our car insurance is dirt cheap, so is our home insurance TBH. Even my 19 year old daughter pays very little for her car insurance (relatively). Don't know how it would work with an 'ex-pat' with no recent experience in the UK.

Our council tax is our single biggest outlay each year. Nearly £4,000 a year. We live in a cheap area, housing-cost wise and it ain't exactly a mansion! I don't see a lot of 'services' for the money we pay TBH.

 

[Duncodin]

My dog insurance costs more than 2 cars and the house together.

 

[Pond]

My dog insurance costs more than 2 cars and the house together.

I'm not surprised. Dogs driving cars must be a high risk for the insurance industry. Just interested, does it have a full licence, or provisional?

 

[Duncodin]

I'm not surprised. Dogs driving cars must be a high risk for the insurance industry. Just interested, does it have a full licence, or provisional?

Must be his previous conviction.

 

[Grumps]

I reckon the cost of living in France is about £2k more than the UK, mainly due to insurance premiums particularly healthcare and Z3 insurance, at about £1500 each - about the same as UK council tax. Some frieds recently oved from France to Spain, and found that a UK citizen cannot buy a house, but as the wife held an Irish passport she was able to buy their house. I do not think that France has such a discrimiatory rule.

It's very noticable on the road the difference in costs from France to Spain, subsided diesel in Spain is around €1.45 on the motorway, €1.95 in France, food is hugely different in restaurants, we were paying €35-40 in Spain for a meal for 2, in France €50-60. Add these up over a year, you have a huge difference.
That's correct, I have Polish ancestors so I am going to be applying for my EU passport so we can buy in Spain. We always wanted to live in France but financials have moved our thoughts to Spain, plus obviously a much nicer climate which I crave so much.

 

[Stevo7682]

Insurance once you get to certain age is not expensive.
My silver 2.8 auto new policy so
0 years ncd
8k a year
Fully comp social and commute
Parked on road.

Payed monthly £178 a year last year
£151.99 this year with 1 yr ncd

Stephen.

 

[elevensies]

I would seriously reconsider coming back to the UK. We are considering leaving at any cost

i agree, the UK is not the country i remember, we are looking to leave and head to Poland, my wife is polish so its a tad simpler for us.

 

[Grumps]

Insurance once you get to certain age is not expensive.
My silver 2.8 auto new policy so
0 years ncd
8k a year
Fully comp social and commute
Parked on road.

Payed monthly £178 a year last year
£151.99 this year with 1 yr ncd

Stephen.

Hit 80 Stephen it's a different story, Jues Grandad paid £1000 for a Nissan Micra when he hit 80, he stopped not long after that as he couldn't afford it.

 

[Grumps]

i agree, the UK is not the country i remember, we are looking to leave and head to Poland, my wife is polish so its a tad simpler for us.

Go for it! I have Polish decent so intend to use it.

 

[Stevo7682]

Hit 80 Stephen it's a different story, Jues Grandad paid £1000 for a Nissan Micra when he hit 80, he stopped not long after that as he couldn't afford it.

Didn't know that Dave
Bummer thats not so good.
Stephen.

 

[mwpe]

Hit 80 Stephen it's a different story, Jues Grandad paid £1000 for a Nissan Micra when he hit 80, he stopped not long after that as he couldn't afford it.

It does go up a bit but if you shop around it's still not too bad. I was 80, 2 and a half years ago and I got it last year for about £400 including breakdown and legal for 7,000 miles, agreed value 5,000.

 

[Pond]

Hit 80 Stephen it's a different story, Jues Grandad paid £1000 for a Nissan Micra when he hit 80, he stopped not long after that as he couldn't afford it.

Car insurance in the UK has changed beyond all recognition.
There is no 'one size fits all' anymore. Insurance premiums are calculated by massive computers and algorithms, not by "Trevor down at the brokers".
I am convinced, due to the premiums my household pay, that the all-knowing "insurance database" is fed a multitude of information of every single 'customer' by lots of places, including loyalty cards, dashcams, smartphones, every thing we use every day. This gives a 'profile' of the insured that has little to do with driving but is more useful to the computer algorithms to spit out a price.

I use very very little 'tech' and yet my insurance premiums are very very low, compared to my direct peers. Why? I don't know but I have my suspicions on the above.

 

[Grumps]

It does go up a bit but if you shop around it's still not too bad. I was 80, 2 and a half years ago and I got it last year for about £400 including breakdown and legal for 7,000 miles, agreed value 5,000.

That's really good Mike

 

[mwpe]

That's really good Mike

I have just realised that I wad wrong there, That was for Claires' Fiat 500. The Z was £235, My renewal arrived today and this year is £275, still not bad.
The Z is with Classic line.