oberon Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I insured my car five months ago - shortly after arriving - with a broker in Brittany who speaks English. A friend we have made locally says that he is insured with Aviva in Cherbourg and we have almost identical cars, the same cover but I am paying 660 euros a year and he's paying 400 (and we have max no claims). Can I change insurers halfway through the year? Do I have to give them 3 months notice like my house insureance?Any help appreciated.Oberon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrym Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 You can only change at the end of the year, or if you change circumstances such that they need to give you a different policy (eg move to a more risky area). And even then you must send a recorded delivery letter two months before the end of the year. I've just changed after 8 years with AGF - it took 5 years to change because I kept forgetting to cancel 2 months before the end of the contract! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Yes, you do have to give notice.Check that your 'no claims' alloawance is the same as your friend's. Maximum no claims discount is attained in fewer years in the UK than in France. Therefore, though you might have full no claims in the UK, you may only have been awarded a percentage of that maximum in France, thus making your premium more expensive.Different insurance companies (possibly brokers too) interpret UK max no claims bonus differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 An insurance broker earns his living from commision paid by the insurance company to whom he introduces his client. There would have been more commision payable on a 660 euro policy than on a 400 euro policy.Mark up the renewal date on your calendar and go direct to the cheapest insurer next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Couldn't oberon just give two months notice to his existing insurer and say that he's selling his car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Scarlett, when selling one's car one doesn't have to 'give notice'. One just gives the date one is no longer the owner of the vehicule. However, if they found out that a person said that they were selling and then went to a new insurer then I think that the insurance company could well take action against the person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Oops! Bit different to England then. But there again, is there any reason the old insurer would find out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I actually think that the new one might tell the old one or even refuse to insure. The new one would after all have to have all the details of the last contract to give you the no claims and they would see that it was cancelled before the date and that the same car was being reinsured. I must say that this is all guess work, but experience tells me that the insurance trade looks after it's own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgina Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 [quote user="Scarlett"]Oops! Bit different to England then. But there again, is there any reason the old insurer would find out?[/quote] I insured with AGF and I am sure that they said you just needed to give two months notice. Nothing was said about the end of the year. They could of course have neglected to say that, conveniently. Anyhow I thought contacts were changing in France to this effect. Does not the insurer have to tell you it's due for renewal?Georgina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I think most insurers will want to see a bill of sale if you're cancelling because you've sold your vehicle. If you haven't sold but you "produce" a b of s then you've committed forgery. Basically they've got you every which way.Benjamin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisb Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 Yes, when I sold my car, my insurance company asked to see the bill of sale, and photocopied it for their records.As regards giving notice, I am just in the process of changing several of my insurances to a different insurer - what will happen is that the new insurance company will print out standard letters of cancellation which I will sign, these will then go in my file, and 2 months before the renewal date (September), the computer will flag up a reminder and the company will send the pre-signed letters on my behalf.......saves having to remember yourself!!![:)]Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 I thought the law had changed from this year--why not ask your insurer and another one to see if you get the same sory-I believe auto-plus car mgazine had article on changes last year but my french and memory is rusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Well would you adam and eve it!!! We got our car insurance renewal through yesterday and I'd totally forgotten about it. I emailed Oberon for his guy's details at Cherbourg, phoned him up and he's coming to see me this afternoon. He's going to give us a quote for the house for when it's due for renewal in August but he says that as our car insurance isn't due for renewal til 9th April, even though we have the new certifcat d'assurance, because we haven't paid the first prelevement yet he can still quote and cancel our old insurers if he does it within the next 14 days! We are currently paying a similar amount to Oberton so if we can save a wadge of money I will be well happy [:D]LoveScarlett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 [quote user="Ab"]I thought the law had changed from this year--why not ask your insurer and another one to see if you get the same sory-I believe auto-plus car mgazine had article on changes last year but my french and memory is rusty.[/quote]For information, if anyone's interested: The bloke from Cherbourg came to see me this evening - I only live down the road - and he said that the law changed this year. It's called Le Chatel law and means that your insurers must now send you a reminder AT LEAST 20 days before renewal is due an you then only have to give them 20 days notice. Well the letter I got was dated 5th March but only arrived yesterday. Apparently this is the way they are trying to get around it, by dating the letter with the right amount of notice but then not sending them out til it's too late and then you have to prove that you didn't get it til the later date. Luckily it was still in the envelope, and this bloke says the date stamp is proof enough - so fingers crossed, if his quote is OK we should be able to change, even though our insurance is due in only 11 days.It's the same for house policies too apparently! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Hi Scarlett, If you have worked out what buttons to press yet, go onto the main forum page and click on private messages. I have sent you one of these regarding this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I can't remember getting anything from our insurers other than the usual stuff at the usual time. Maybe I wasn't paying attention as we have no intention of changing anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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