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Home insurance

KiliKili Posts: 1,104
edited August 2019 in The potting shed
Hi all, hope your enjoying the rain  :).

A bit off topic but, as its the potting shed I assume its okay.

My home insurance is due for renewal in Spetember. I've looked around and can get a better deal with Aviva saving £200 for a years home insurance with better terms and conditions and unlimited buildings cover.
So I do the online form filling, select the premium option to cover almost everything and get to the payment option but lo and behold I cant make a one off payment for the years policy.

The only option is to make 12 monthly payments via my credit card (cc) which will automatically renew at the end of 12 months.

Why oh why cant I make a simple one of payment for the year?

My reasons for not wanting to make monthly payments as reading the T&Conditions states that missed payments may invalidate any claim. In effect if there's a glitch one month with the CC your insurance effectively is invalid i.e you don't have any. With my luck recently this would happen and the house would burn down right at that point  :'(

I know the chances of this happening are rather slim but, I've always been a cautious individual and try to mitigate risk where I can. I spoke to a very helpful lady at Aviva who was very kind but, she said she cant help me to make a one off payment.

I've sent an email asking if I can make a simple one off payment.

Do you think I'm over thinking this and being to cautious and  that I should just make the monthly payment via my CC?

Anyone been in the insurance business know why Aviva force you to make monthly payments?

Regard
Kili

'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

George Bernard Shaw'

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Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888
    Get their phone number and speak to a real live human being and tell them your concerns and the only way you'll bur with them is a one off payment.

    I'd also go back to your existing insurer, call them and tell them , honestly, that you've found the same cover for less and you're thinking of leaving them unless they can give you a better price then they're asking for now
    Devon.
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    edited August 2019
    Hi Hosta, thanks for the input. I did phone them but no joy. I could take out buildings cover, contents cover etc..individually and then I can make a two one off payments but what a faff to get a simple home insurance policy.

    My existing insurer wont come down by more than £30 which is £170 more than Aviva so, Aviva would obviously be the better deal.

    It just seems bonkers to me. Who comes up with these stupid ideas. I understand some people may find it easier to pay monthly with a limited budget but, for those of us who can pay in full upfront why not.
    It does not even make sense for Aviva to do this from a commercial perspective because their losing out on money upfront which would increase their cash-flow balance on their books.

    Kili

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Blimey - you're saving 200 quid? Do you live in a mansion?  :D

    Mine is around 125 for the year - buildings and contents with a reasonable excess [ 50 or 100] and it also covers extras in the car although I don't carry expensive stuff like laptops etc. regularly.
    Have you shopped around a bit more? I would tell them you're going elsewhere as it doesn't suit you to pay a premium for monthly payments. See if they back down. I find it odd that they don't have that facility.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888
    I've been online this morning sorting out electricity for next year. SSE tell me I might be able to find a cheaper deal online then they've offered me ,and they're right, WITH SSE. 
    I called and asked why they couldn't offer me that deal direct and I got just waffle.

    You just couldn't make this stuff up could you?
    Devon.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I was thinking the same as @Fairygirl mine’s only about £130 for the year, that’s for a 4/5 bed large bungalow,  I don’t think Aviva is the one to choose. 
    Every company gives a choice of monthly or one off, I’d certainly ditch Aviva, why pay extra? 
    I usually go through compare the market.com, so I can get the free cinema and restaurant vouchers so looked in there for my car insurance,  £165.00 cheapest one, that was with the AA, thought I’d try AA direct, £139.00. I’ll forgo the cinema tickets this year.😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    I agree, shop a round. We're paying less now than we were paying years ago, it's more competitive out there


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    edited August 2019
    Fairygirl said:
    Blimey - you're saving 200 quid? Do you live in a mansion?  :D

    Mine is around 125 for the year - buildings and contents with a reasonable excess [ 50 or 100] and it also covers extras in the car although I don't carry expensive stuff like laptops etc. regularly.
    Have you shopped around a bit more? I would tell them you're going elsewhere as it doesn't suit you to pay a premium for monthly payments. See if they back down. I find it odd that they don't have that facility.
    Lol.. no I live in Jersey where everything from groceries to doctors fee's ( Yes we have to pay to see a Doctor £42 to be exact) is hiked up for the captive audience, everything here is about 40% more expensive.
    Your average 3 bed roomed house starts at half a million quid. I'm getting quotes online rather than use a local insurance broker. The local quote is brokered from NFU Mutal and is £381 (up £30 from last year) so I want to start saving on this sort of thing as I'm heading for retirement in the next 15 months as I wont have the income I had when working obviously.

    Kili

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    I've just done compare the market .com quote and got 19 quotes. One from "Quote me Happy" for £150. Who the heck are they? I've never heard of most of those quoting to me. Anyone using this company?

    Kili

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    edited August 2019
    "Every company gives a choice of monthly or one off, I’d certainly ditch Aviva, why pay extra?"

    Hi Lynn, Aviva don't charge any extra for paying by CC . Its just that you have to pay by card monthly.

    I've since found that I can pay for a year in one go now by selecting contents or buildings separately. When you do this it pops up with "do you want to add buildings or contents insurance " when you pick them separately. Bonkers but, at least this way I can pay for a whole year in one go.

    I have a week or two to decide. Thanks for your input guys.

    Kili

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Quote me happy is actually Aviva!
    It's online only but you can ring and I have had car insurance with them for 2 years as their renewal price couldn't be beaten. 
    But as with all companies you don't know how good they are until you have to make a claim.
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