Mutual insurance companies

[allanb]

I'm in the process of changing banks, and as part of the process I also want to change my homeowner and motor insurance, which are currently with an affiliate of the bank I'm moving away from.

The only other insurance company I've had any dealings with is the mutual company that provides my top-up medical cover (Mutuelle de Poitiers).  They proclaim that they do all other kinds of insurance as well.

Does anyone have any experience of using a mutual company for non-medical insurance, as opposed to one of the "ordinary" insurers?  Does it make any difference? 

I don't mean the cost - I'll obviously get quotations to find that out.  I mean the quality of service, emergency help, dealing with claims, etc.

Any opinions will be read with interest.

[Sunday Driver]

Basically, there's no difference between mutuelles and commercial insurers in terms of the areas you mentioned - they're all regulated by the code d'assurance.  I understand that some mutuelles can charge you a one-off membership fee, but this is usually offset by a cheaper premium.  I believe that in some cases, you receive annual paybacks too  - a bit like the old Co-op divvie...[;-)]