Insurance companies watch what addresses you 'try' on compare sites

Soldato
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Quote manipulation has really come into focus for a number of big Motor players over the last couple of years. I've attended a couple of really good presentations on it, and the methods of tracking it are only becoming more advanced.

In cases like the one in the OP where it was a completely innocent 'what if' check you'll get a phone call to discuss to make sure you're not deliberately misleading the insurer for a cheaper price, the advisor will be satisfied and that will be the end of it.

I updated the OP about the extras I had to pay. Do you know anything about this 'out of the UK for 6 months+ counts as not being a resident for that time?
 
Soldato
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Its the first time I've heard of it, I'm not saying its not a common policy but its not something I've heard of previously.

In some ways it makes sense, if you've done a 6 month stint abroad you've not really lived at the same address for an uninterrupted period of xxx years, ideally you'd declare your address like:

18 years - 123 Street
6 Months - Abroad
8 Years - 123 Street

If the 6 months had been at an different residential address in the UK you wouldn't have excluded that. However even with my industry hat on, in your position I'd probably have done the same as you and thought nothing of it.

That doesn't feel like something that has been picked up from a quote manipulation check. I think they were just checking that the address you put in was the one the vehicle was going to kept at, and then when confirming your time at the address this came to light.

From a personal stand point, it seems harsh to me, I'd certainly not be happy, but tough one as its probably wrapped up in the documentation somewhere when you performed the quote about what you should / should not disclose.

Out of interest who were the insurer? From the fees it doesn't look like my place.
 
Soldato
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Fairly dangerous them doing this imo, if you don't like someone all you need to do is do loads of quotes in their name & reg number but with drink driving convictions, high risk mods. Could cause them a nightmare.

They have to cover themselves. If someone is dishonest about points what else could they be dishonest about. But yeah, you could possibly stitch someone up.
 
Soldato
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Its the first time I've heard of it, I'm not saying its not a common policy but its not something I've heard of previously.

In some ways it makes sense, if you've done a 6 month stint abroad you've not really lived at the same address for an uninterrupted period of xxx years, ideally you'd declare your address like:

18 years - 123 Street
6 Months - Abroad
8 Years - 123 Street

If the 6 months had been at an different residential address in the UK you wouldn't have excluded that. However even with my industry hat on, in your position I'd probably have done the same as you and thought nothing of it.

That doesn't feel like something that has been picked up from a quote manipulation check. I think they were just checking that the address you put in was the one the vehicle was going to kept at, and then when confirming your time at the address this came to light.

From a personal stand point, it seems harsh to me, I'd certainly not be happy, but tough one as its probably wrapped up in the documentation somewhere when you performed the quote about what you should / should not disclose.

Out of interest who were the insurer? From the fees it doesn't look like my place.

It was a year in the US and two in Oz.

The company is Hastings.
 
Soldato
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But don't they check all of this before paying out for a claim anyway, because they always try to not pay out if they can help it.

Obviously an insurer will perform a myriad of checks before paying out a claim to a customer, just to ensure that the event was insured and the correct premium had been collected in regards to the risk. The challenging part is third party losses, if you're covered by a particular insurer and plough into the back of somebody that insurer is then liable to settle that third party claim no matter what (as long as fault can be proven, and despite many horror stories to the contrary, the vast majority of cases fault is uncontested), and with somewhere between 70% and 80% of claims costs being third party settlements you can see why this sort of checking at point of quote is so important.
 
Soldato
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......and now they've asked for pictures of my driving license :p

The funny thing is this is a policy I'm talking out for a car I drive maybe once a year. I took it because I have 9 years NCB but have not had a car for almost 2 years. So rather fork out £330 for a year which will then give me 3 years cover (with regards to keeping the NCB - one year in use then another two years of grace where they are idle) than lose them.
 
Soldato
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Obviously an insurer will perform a myriad of checks before paying out a claim to a customer, just to ensure that the event was insured and the correct premium had been collected in regards to the risk. The challenging part is third party losses, if you're covered by a particular insurer and plough into the back of somebody that insurer is then liable to settle that third party claim no matter what (as long as fault can be proven, and despite many horror stories to the contrary, the vast majority of cases fault is uncontested), and with somewhere between 70% and 80% of claims costs being third party settlements you can see why this sort of checking at point of quote is so important.

Oh yeah, fair enough, makes sense!
Well, I think there's got to be a better way of ensuring correct information then say making it uninsurable or cancelling policies because of a search result!

Would this only be possibe through a direct quote with the company or can they still track searches through a comparison website?

I definitely went through many quotes a few years ago adding/removing family members to see which was cheapest! Glad I didn't get a phone call! :D
 
Soldato
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As mentioned earlier, I use fake details to test quotes. I've noticed this years ago, after a few tests with real details the prices started going up.

I use a VPN as well so even my IP cant be linked.

Another trick is if your profession is one which hikes premiums, register a LTD company and then you can legally be almost anything you like :D
 
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Soldato
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In some ways it makes sense, if you've done a 6 month stint abroad you've not really lived at the same address for an uninterrupted period of xxx years, ideally you'd declare your address like:

in that case you can't say you have lived uninterrupted in the UK strictly (red flag question)- I've faced that dilema, after a few years back doesn't seem to make a premium difference.


With the recent buy out of one of the comparison sites, I assume margins are falling, anyway personally don't use them, just go direct on the regular suspects, where you can often get combined break-down+insurance and play with excess/legal-options easily ... then type all the details in again to go through cashback.
 
Associate
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Suppose it would work, but still pointless?

I check prices with all my details then buy the best around deal, what's the point in messaging about? What gains are there?

It's not a gain, its just to check without having the issue the OP described. E.g. if I think the mileage could be tight based on the estimate I will see how much extra a small increase is. Or if I want to modify further down the line, what's the rough cost for window tints as an example.

I don't want the insurance ringing up like the OP asking to prove I haven't got tints already etc.
 
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Also if you don't want to take chances, i suggest you always use a vpn to protect your self from man in the middle network attacks, not just being anonymous though.

For me man in the middle attacks have been a nightmare, so with vpn they cannot manipulate the connection anymore well mostly i mean gives you far better security though.
 
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Man of Honour
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Also if you don't want to take chances, i suggest you always use a vpn to protect your self from man in the middle network attacks, not just being anonymous though.

For me man in the middle attacks have been a nightmare, so with vpn they cannot manipulate the connection anymore well mostly i mean gives you far better security though.
Safer. But still not 100% safe.

https://www.bluevoyant.com/blog/the-nordvpn-breach
 
Soldato
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Nord isn't the best one around. I found some things could detect and block it which Cyberghost and AirVPN went right though.
 
Soldato
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I do this with performance mods, running through quotes with and without certain mods to see how much they load the premium by, it's an influencing factor on what mods I'll fit.

At a brokers I used to work at, some insurers asked for photos of the engine if customers had run through certain quote options, after the policy had been arranged.
 
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