'Essentials' car insurance policies.

Which? has recently published an article on insurance companies offering cheaper, pared down policies , sometimes called 'Essentials', which may be attractive to customers wishing to reduce their insurance costs. For example, Direct Line (via their subsidiary Churchill), AXA, Hastings Direct, More Than, RAC, Saga and Aviva (Quote me happy) offer these streamlined policies.

Which? looked at what cover has been affected by three of these policies:

Churchill Essentials; cover removed - driving other cars, new car replacement, personal belongings cover, hotel expenses, mis-fuelling, loss of keys, in car entertainment fitted after the car was built, and removable electronic equipment.

Quote Me Happy - Essentials: cover removed - new car replacement, personal belongings, windscreen/glass cover, and European cover. Personal cover reduced from £2,500 to £1,000.

AXA: cover removed - mis-fuelling, key cover, onward travel/overnight accommodation costs if involved in an accident which prevents you reaching your destination, and courtesy car cover (though you can pay extra to upgrade).

As always if you're considering one of these streamlined policies, make sure the cover provided suits your needs.

2 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Churchill Essentials; cover removed - driving other cars, new car replacement, personal belongings cover, hotel expenses, mis-fuelling, loss of keys, in car entertainment fitted after the car was built, and removable electronic equipment.

To look at just one:

Don't drive other cars, belongings insured elsewhere, loss of keys ditto, ICE not applicable, lastly valued at less than excess. 

When I did have a misfuelling incident Green Flag delete with it and provided 5l of fuel too. 

If you have a car older than  a year new car cover is not applicable and hotel cover by Green Flag, so excellent cover. 

2 hours ago, Roy124 said:

To look at just one:

Don't drive other cars, belongings insured elsewhere, loss of keys ditto, ICE not applicable, lastly valued at less than excess. 

When I did have a misfuelling incident Green Flag delete with it and provided 5l of fuel too. 

If you have a car older than  a year new car cover is not applicable and hotel cover by Green Flag, so excellent cover. 

Which is fine for you, but others may be affected by the more limited cover - e.g. the windscreen/glass cover being removed on the Aviva policy. 

As I said, just looking at one. Clearly I would not see Aviva as attractive.  I would not go for Churchill until September (or May 24).

Ref insurance I receive a motorhome news letter. Guy posted that he has his wife insured to drive the motorhome it saves him £75/80 a year with her on she has a licence but won't drive the motorhome. Fast forward holiday France the motorhome driver takes ill  unable to drive rings Insurance to get someone to drive the motorhome back under holiday insurance cover no your wife's insured she will after drive it back . So as said early check what your getting 

Open and shut case.  They got exactly the insurance you bought. 

However is that Apple and pears?  It was the car insurance that got them the discount.  It was the holiday insurance that refused to pay.  Perhaps the holiday insurance company asked if there was another driver and they admitted there was. 

A lot of the 'essential' ones let you put stuff back on if you want them but don't want the other stuff. Just have to tick/ask.

That's one annoyance I had with Adrian Flux as they offer a lot of add-ons but don't tell you about them so my current policy with them is missing stuff I expected it to have like being able to drive another car!

On 2/27/2023 at 10:06 PM, Cyker said:

A lot of the 'essential' ones let you put stuff back on if you want them but don't want the other stuff. Just have to tick/ask.

That's one annoyance I had with Adrian Flux as they offer a lot of add-ons but don't tell you about them so my current policy with them is missing stuff I expected it to have like being able to drive another car!

 

 

Hi.

I'm sorry if you feel that we did offer your all the options when you took out the policy. Most of our extra benefit additional policies can also be added mid term if needed.

Unfortunately "driving other cars" isn't an extra benefit I'm afraid. It is just an enhancement to a policy that you either get or you don't. If you wanted to message me your details I'd be happy to check to see why you don't have it.

Regards,

Dan.