powerdesal Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Having just ordered a new car in France I searched the forum regarding car insurance recommendations. The name Astral came up with somewhat glowing recommendations. I spoke at length to Nick, nice chap, very helpful. Came back with a quote that was a bit of a shock expense-wise but he explained that car insurance was quite expensive in France.SWMBO had a chit-chat with her friends who quoted their own experience / costs and, as a result, visited the local branch of AXA in Villedieu les Poeles. Result was a quote of approx 60% of the one by Nick (even after full ncd). Perhaps the reputation of Astral in respect of car insurance , as outlined on the forum, is not really that well deserved.I suppose the moral is........shop around and don't be to reliant on forum recommendations (good though they may be most of the time). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Not . . . AXA [:'(] did you just want to look at it or drive it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Try Ineas, a Dutch web based company, I have just changed to them as part of my economy drive and am now paying €112 inc breakdown cover.It was the only French web based site that actually gave a quote and behaved generally in a reasonable way if you get my drift. The communication from them by E-mail has been very good, I wrote in French but they must have realised I was English probably by my sentence construction and they replied in faultless English which rather shocked me.So far I am very pleased and hope that I wont be claiming to put them to the test, overall they are very unlike a French insurer, everything sems quite familar (to a UK person) and I would compare them to the likes of Direct Line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 It may be informative and make your point a little more strongly if you said what was being covered at 112 €. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Steve, It sounds as if you're sorted out with insurance, but if you haven't yet signed up, try Groupama in Villedieu. They are really, really helpful and the premiums are pretty low. They have an English speaker (M. Benoit) in the office if required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nectarine Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 re. Astral, we have gone with them for the reason that it was the only company I could find that would take our extensive UK no-claims into account. All the other companies wanted written confirmations of accident-free years ... OK if you have been with one company for eight years but if, like us, you shop around each year and chop and change then it would be a nightmare going back through six different companies and asking for proof of no-claims in 2001!Astra accepted our no-claims and, while they are more expensive than our UK insurance, they are extensively cheaper than all the French quotes which would start us on 'year 1'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 [quote user="nectarine"]re. Astral, we have gone with them for the reason that it was the only company I could find that would take our extensive UK no-claims into account. All the other companies wanted written confirmations of accident-free years ... OK if you have been with one company for eight years but if, like us, you shop around each year and chop and change then it would be a nightmare going back through six different companies and asking for proof of no-claims in 2001! Astra accepted our no-claims and, while they are more expensive than our UK insurance, they are extensively cheaper than all the French quotes which would start us on 'year 1'.[/quote]Totally different to our experience. Astra (Nick Chubb) quoted a GAN policy for us, as being the cheapest, but.......we had to supply proof of NCD in the form of a letter from Churchill stating that we had "Maximum discount" (not a percentage) or we would have to start at the bottom.AXA (I am not too keen on the Company) in Villedieu did not seem to want such a letter and quoted a premium giving full NCD (I assume). The difference was E521 from Astra and E320 from AXA. Full comp, new car, no roadside assistance (3 years of such comes with the car). I think a quote from the Dutch Co may be in the offing plus Groupama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 We all know why Nick Chubb gets used you only have to look at his name. Things have moved on a lot since the 13 years of accident free - not claim free driving - used to have to be proven to get any sort of discount, competition had started to arrive in France!! Now most insurers take a UK NCB letter as proof of some sort of safe driving and are happy to give the 50% discount. But before you go swanning off to Dutch firms without knowing what they even cover (15 year old Skodas IIRC) and if the premium quoted is even fully comp, there are other things to consider. One is how easy is it to claim. Does the company have local offices to assist with claims or is it a nationwide organisation with a call centre in Paris/ Clermont-Ferrand. How are claims processed? Can you really get a replacement vehicle whilst yours is being assessed or repaired if you didn't phone their emergency number first. The other key question is if you do have an accident, how long will you pay elevated premiums. Few insurers in France do protected NCBs ( I think MAAF might do one now) and some take a lot longer than others to get premiums back to the pre accident level, forget staged % reductions in NCB, you will pay the cost of any blameworthy accident, the test is over what period. That was one of the reasons I moved to Pacifica, (through Credit Agricole), downside is that its a call centre and over the phone all the time although you do now get a dedicated person who deals with your call and a direct line. Must say through recent storm losses of car and part of barn roof, very efficient and prompt in payments. But of course you pay your money and take your chance, but your choice is really reduced if you don't speak French. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 To be fair to the brokers, some of them do provide a bespoke service to people who don't speak French very well and who would have difficulty interpreting a relatively important document like a French insurance policy. On that basis, they are entitled to charge for this service and rather than make this a separate fee, they may well be recovering their costs through the additional commission they receive from selling a higher premium. It doesn't do their bonus targets any harm either....If you don't have the need for such a service, then you are free to shop around for a cheaper quote and to do your own translation of the policy terms and conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudding Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 A bit naughty, but before we moved to France we had an unsolicited quote from Saga giving us a 50% discount because of our age. (We'd never owned or insured a car ourselves as we'd only ever driven company vehicles) We presented this to a French insurance company who immediatley gave us the same 50% discount on our new car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted March 31, 2009 Author Share Posted March 31, 2009 [quote user="Sunday Driver"]To be fair to the brokers, some of them do provide a bespoke service to people who don't speak French very well and who would have difficulty interpreting a relatively important document like a French insurance policy. On that basis, they are entitled to charge for this service and rather than make this a separate fee, they may well be recovering their costs through the additional commission they receive from selling a higher premium. It doesn't do their bonus targets any harm either....If you don't have the need for such a service, then you are free to shop around for a cheaper quote and to do your own translation of the policy terms and conditions. [/quote]Following the comments on this thread, SWMBO got a quote from the Dutch Co, E1100 + !!!!!! It was rejected Local contacts would indicate that Groupama vs AXA (in Villedieu area) show a win for AXA. Hence AXA is it for the moment.New car due next week. Time will tell (or hopefully not-if you see what I mean !!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Crikey!For me they were just over one 3rd of the cheapest French insurer (AXA), someone asked what cover it was for, - respnsibiilté tiers and nothing else except of course the pan european breakdown cover.The French companies were only about €30 cheaper for tiers than multi-risques.Someone on the forum recommended them to me and its worked out well for me I am genuinely surprised at the quote of €1100 seems a lot of dosh to me even if it were brut although I dont know what vehicle you have bought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted April 1, 2009 Author Share Posted April 1, 2009 Crikey!For me they were just over one 3rd of the cheapest French insurer (AXA), someone asked what cover it was for, - respnsibiilté tiers and nothing else except of course the pan european breakdown cover.The French companies were only about €30 cheaper for tiers than multi-risques.Someone on the forum recommended them to me and its worked out well for me I am genuinely surprised at the quote of €1100 seems a lot of dosh to me even if it were brut although I dont know what vehicle you have bought. Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 I just phoned my broker to get him to sharpen his pencil on the car, motorcycles and house insurance.According to him I have a .50 NCB (50% no claim bonus) on the car and motorcycles.I said the car is now four and a half years old blah blah - I do low miles - I want to save money...Bizarely he said don't worry you will pay less this year I have changed your insurance without telling you???It will be 40 euros less. Big deal I said.I said I need a cheaper price and he said your Toyota is a Linea Sol an expensive model - I said it isn't and he said well it's the same??As the bike insurance comes up for renewal first I have sent him off to see what he can do with them.I reckon everyone must be chasing them to get better deals but I think I am just getting some confusion tactics thrown at me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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