recommendations for car insurance svp

[mint]

Have been with Macif for a few years and indeed they were good when we had to claim for 2 minor accidents (coachwork type damage)

Now I am trying to get a repayment for the car I have sold.  After weeks of delay, emailing, writing letters, etc, I got a reply giving me the amount of repayment to expect and suggesting that I use that as a credit against the new car I shall be buying.

I wrote back to say I did not need a new car and would they either send a check or make a virement and here is my RIB enclosed.  Nearly a month later, not a dicky bird so I have emailed again to complain about the delay.

Really think I'd now like to look at insuring with someone else.  So LOTS of suggestions, svp.  PLEASE persevere and reply with your suggestions and comments (I understand fully the annoyance of the Privacy Message that makes for such difficult reading and posting).  You would be helping a poor, ill, angry lady........well, I've got to play ALL the cards I have available![:D]

[nomoss]

Worth getting a quotation from your local Groupama agency.

[mint]

Thank you, nomoss.  Will definitely do that.  In fact, I was thinking that, even if it costs a bit more, it would be worth having a bureau that I could physically go to easily and raise merry hell if needs be...............and me, an eminently peaceable type, LOL!

[nomoss]

Since we moved 6 years ago our Groupama office is directly across the road from our house, which certainly makes everything convenient, especially if I need temporary cover for something.

[YCCMB]

Like so much in France, it seems really personal and dependent on factors I can't fathom. Mind you, it's the same in UK. Theres no one insurance company that's better/cheaper across the board...one person may get a great quote and service, another may have exactly the opposite experience.

With that caveat, and FWIW, I shopped around before renewing with our current insurer (Mutuelle de Poitiers) last year, and found nobody cheaper. The local agency is a bit away, but the head honcho-ess lives in our village. If we have an issue or need a discussion, she'll pop round and visit us at home.

One standout thing:a few years ago I had a major problem when, after calling in to pay the premiums, I subsequently got a series of letters back in the UK saying they had no record of my payment, culminating in a threat of huissiers and cancellation of my policy. I called and wrote, and it's probably the only time in my experience where I got a grovelling, written apology accepting full responsibility for the error.

Make of that what you will...

[woolybanana]

Mutuelle de Poitiers has been good to me since I first went with them nearly 20 years ago.

[mint]

Betty and Wooly, mille mercis

[suein56]

A few years ago I did the 'right' thing and looked aroundv for a new insurer .. with the end result of us changing to Groupama .. with an agent (local) who was prepared to spend time answering all my myriad of questions and also discuss the premiums.

But I have heard excellent things of M de Poitiers .. regretfully no local agent for them here .. though there is one in Vannes - perhaps I might look at that later on this year ☺

[YCCMB]

Mint...did you know (I've just looked it up) that if your insurer doesn't repay you the remainder of the overpaid premium for the car you've sold, then:

Bon à savoir : Si l'assureur ne rembourse pas dans le délai de trente jours, les sommes qui vous seront dues produisent de plein droit des intérêts au taux légal.

This is from lecomparateurassurance.com

Whole article here:

https://www.lecomparateurassurance.com/103366-reponses-experts/107670-resiliation-obliger-assureur-verser-cotisations-versees-avance

[mint]

Betty, you are a star!  I have copied down that loi and I have to go to "the big town" next week for a medical appt so I will call in Macif's office and show it to them.

Also going to email via my "messagerie" today, quoting your link.

THANK YOU [kiss]

[YCCMB]

Welcome. I hope that bears fruit for you!

[Victoria]

Mint, what have you decided? Which company is worth trying?

I am not happy with French insurance companies. I used to live in the UK and here I would use Start Rescue.

They were problem-free. I wish it was possible to use their service here in France.

[mint]

Alas, Victoria, I haven't had a chance to go to either Groupama or Mutuelle de Poitiers, as recommended on this thread by others.  But it's on my to-do list for next week and I will wait to see how I get on.

Betty, your advice yielded results.  I gave them a chance by messagerie, quoting your link, but I still got the automatic reply to say they were "studying" my request.  So yesterday, I went to their premises, gave them the letter their client services dept had sent me, the little chappie looked up my details, checked my RIB and said the money will be in my bank account early next week.  All done and dusted in about 3 minutes PLUS he even apologised!!!

Actually Macif was OK when we had to make 2 claims last year, even gave us a choice of selling the damaged car or having it repaired.  We only had to pay the excess and Macif settled the rest directly with the garage.  Perhaps, Victoria, you could consider them.  It wasn't so much that I had any quarrel with them, just didn't like them thinking they could keep my money for a whole year as a credit against insurance for my "new" car.  I mean, what new car and how can they presume I was going to buy another car?

Also not thrilled with having to chase them to their door, as it were, in order to get my refund 

[YCCMB]

Well done, mint. I hope they pay you interest as per the law!