Help needed from my UK friends/Car Insurance

[mini_cooper4]

Hi guys,
I'm willing to lease an el cheapo car for me and my people to use in the UK when we leave the other cars in Germany and Bulgaria.
If it's a brand new car it will most probably be the Dacia Sandero Stepway Ambiance with less than 900cc and 90HP. I got quoted for 3.000GBP/year for a comprehensive insurance which I'm NOT willing to pay since the car itself costs 8.350GBP...
The car will be insured with a Bulgarian driver's license and will be leased.
My questions are:
1st. Is there any way to get my insurance down(like A LOT cheaper) and how?
2nd. Should I look at a second hand car or that won't change much?

PS: Anything else you'd like to suggest that has to do with car buying/leasing and insuring in the UK will be more than welcome.

PS2: Mind that it's more like buying a Golf Cart than a real car and it has to be ultra cheap and something my pocket won't even notice since I'm not sure if the car will be used much at all. It's more like a transport that has to be there when/if needed.

Thanks in advance
Adrian

 

[Amat46]

Check with clements

https://www.clements.com/

 

[Kilcrohane]

^ try Amat46's suggestion, and perhaps the likes of Adrian Flux, adrianflux.co.uk, but basically I think they'll all try to rip you off, with nonsense like the £3k.

Most UK car insurance works on the basis of a 'no claims bonus'(NCB) racket, where after 5 or more years of no claims - that is, not using the damn thing - 50, 60, 70 or even 80% of the original ridiculous premium quote is lopped off, giving the impression they're doing you a massive favour, making £3k more like £600 comprehensive for your typical punter.

Best thing to do is scratch all that garbage and try to get insurance included in a new car purchase. Car makers know insurance is prohibitively expensive for the average broke Brit, especially young ones, in their early 20s, with no history of 'NCB'. So they have to include insurance if they are going to shift i20s, Up!s, Fiestas etc, to the key first-time, young buyer.

So, go to the well-known 'insurance package' ones, like VW and Citroen, and probably all of them now, who include the first year of insurance on the new car buying package. The only snag will be the non-UK thing, but as of course Bulgaria is in EU, and it's the Single Market, I can't see why a VW dealer or Dacia dealer for instance can refuse it. Bear in mind in Germany last year they were offering a 'purchase' of a VW Up! for just €99/month, with €0 downpayment, and crucially insurance included. The UK must be not far behind now in such things.

See how it goes; don't let the insurance vermin screw you; let us know how it goes.

 

[mini_cooper4]

^ try Amat46's suggestion, and perhaps the likes of Adrian Flux, adrianflux.co.uk, but basically I think they'll all try to rip you off, with nonsense like the £3k.

Most UK car insurance works on the basis of a 'no claims bonus'(NCB) racket, where after 5 or more years of no claims - that is, not using the damn thing - 50, 60, 70 or even 80% of the original ridiculous premium quote is lopped off, giving the impression they're doing you a massive favour, making £3k more like £600 comprehensive for your typical punter.

Best thing to do is scratch all that garbage and try to get insurance included in a new car purchase. Car makers know insurance is prohibitively expensive for the average broke Brit, especially young ones, in their early 20s, with no history of 'NCB'. So they have to include insurance if they are going to shift i20s, Up!s, Fiestas etc, to the key first-time, young buyer.

So, go to the well-known 'insurance package' ones, like VW and Citroen, and probably all of them now, who include the first year of insurance on the new car buying package. The only snag will be the non-UK thing, but as of course Bulgaria is in EU, and it's the Single Market, I can't see why a VW dealer or Dacia dealer for instance can refuse it. Bear in mind in Germany last year they were offering a 'purchase' of a VW Up! for just €99/month, with €0 downpayment, and crucially insurance included. The UK must be not far behind now in such things.

See how it goes; don't let the insurance vermin screw you; let us know how it goes.

After spending a lot of time answering questions and trying to find who manufactures Sandero's Alarm system(WTF!?) in the end I was told by Clements that I don't meet their criteria...

Another two questions:
Can you buy a new car with insurance included for more than just the first year?
Again: What about a second hand cheaper car?

 

[ACE]

If you are not going to use the car much and you drive it like a granny then you'll save a fortune on UK insurance by getting a "black box" that monitors your driving style. A guy in the article below was quoted up to £11k per year but paid only £500 in the end with a black box.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...ance-500-How-blackbox-help-young-drivers.html

If I had one of these my insurance would probably go from £500 to £11k

 

[ACE]

You can get a black box quote here, this will check (almost) every insurer on the market too.

http://www.confused.com/car-insurance/black-box

Don't forget to tell me how much I saved you!

 

[mini_cooper4]

If you are not going to use the car much and you drive it like a granny then you'll save a fortune on UK insurance by getting a "black box" that monitors your driving style. A guy in the article below was quoted up to £11k per year but paid only £500 in the end with a black box.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...ance-500-How-blackbox-help-young-drivers.html

If I had one of these my insurance would probably go from £500 to £11k

Knowing myself mine would probably hit 30k in one day but I'll check it out and see how restricted I'll actually be.
I don't like restrictions... at all. Especially in my own car. It really doesn't matter if I drive it once in a million years.

PS: Thanks to all three of you guys! The information you gave me is really helpful.
Please add anything that might cross your mind.

 

[ACE]

Knowing myself mine would probably hit 30k in one day but I'll check it out and see how restricted I'll actually be.
I don't like restrictions... at all. Especially in my own car. It really doesn't matter if I drive it once in a million years.

PS: Thanks to all three of you guys! The information you gave me is really helpful.
Please add anything that might come to your mind.

If you don't want to be restricted still check the comparison website above. There are huge price differences between insurers. You will pay a big premium with no insurance history and not wanting a black box, insurers don't like unknown risks like that.

 

[mini_cooper4]

If you don't want to be restricted still check the comparison website above. There are huge price differences between insurers. You will pay a big premium with no insurance history and not wanting a black box, insurers don't like unknown risks like that.

It't strange since in Bulgaria I pay 2.000GBP for a brand new expensive BMW(6-7 times the price of the Dacia) and they didn't ask for any insurance history when I was a new driver... insurance companies still make tons of money without charging us like crazy.

PS: What about cheap used cars? Does insurance get cheaper there?

 

[ACE]

It't strange since in Bulgaria I pay 2.000GBP for a brand new expensive BMW(6-7 times the price of the Dacia) and they didn't ask for any insurance history when I was a new driver... insurance companies still make tons of money without charging us like crazy.

PS: What about cheap used cars? Does insurance get cheaper there?

There is probably a lot more insurance fraud in the UK than Bulgaria.

No, cheap cars don't reduce insurance costs by much, most of the cost is the 3rd party liability, i.e. damage to other peoples cars, property and (most expensive of all) injury to other people.

 

[mini_cooper4]

There is probably a lot more insurance fraud in the UK than Bulgaria.

No, cheap cars don't reduce insurance costs by much, most of the cost is the 3rd party liability, i.e. damage to other peoples cars, property and (most expensive of all) injury to other people.

I did check the site you gave me and this time I tried with 3rd party fire and theft only. 2081GBP single payment and 337 a month. That's the cheapest NO black box option.
I'm also under 25. Is that a problem? I could buy the car for someone else who's older.

Thanks a lot mate! You help me BIG TIME!!!!

PS: Insurance fraud is one of the most common "businesses" in my sweat Mafia country. I know people that do it and there are plenty more

 

[ACE]

Under 25 is a problem and possibly the address where the car is kept is too. Sometimes comprehensive is actually cheaper than 3rd party. Just run a comprehensive black box quote to see what it would cost, I want to know! Sometimes adding another driver makes it cheaper too.

 

[mini_cooper4]

Under 25 is a problem and possibly the address where the car is kept is too. Sometimes comprehensive is actually cheaper than 3rd party. Just run a comprehensive black box quote to see what it would cost, I want to know! Sometimes adding another driver makes it cheaper too.

I did run a comprehensive and it quotes the same prices. Black box is 1834GBP single payment and 281GBP a month. Not much of a difference.
I'll try with someone that's over 25 but there might be a problem since I'll most probably be the owner of the car because I'm the one with good credit history in the UK. The car will be parked on public roads and community parking lots but what if I lie? They won't cover a theft if the car is parked elsewhere?

 

[mini_cooper4]

Under 25 is a problem and possibly the address where the car is kept is too. Sometimes comprehensive is actually cheaper than 3rd party. Just run a comprehensive black box quote to see what it would cost, I want to know! Sometimes adding another driver makes it cheaper too.

I now tried with excess of 1000 instead of 500 and it dropped to 1443 for black box and 1618 without one.
I'll try with a different person later and let you know. My question about giving false information still stands

 

[ACE]

If you lie your insurance will be "cheaper" but the insurance company won't pay out if they find out. The bigger the claim the more investigating they will do before they will pay. You would effectively be getting much less cover for the lower "liar" premiums. When it comes to insurance it's the large amounts I am most interested in covering so I wouldn't recommend lying.

 

[mini_cooper4]

If you lie your insurance will be "cheaper" but the insurance company won't pay out if they find out. The bigger the claim the more investigating they will do before they will pay. You would effectively be getting much less cover for the lower "liar" premiums. When it comes to insurance it's the large amounts I am most interested in covering so I wouldn't recommend lying.

Yap, I agree with that. I read about it already. I got my insurance down to 980GBP with box and 1090 without by adding a second driver. I'm happy with it. I just doubt the purchase of the Dacia now I'm checking some second hand Ibiza's now. Would you suggest an HP barrier I shouldn't pass to keep my insurance low?

 

[ACE]

Yap, I agree with that. I read about it already. I got my insurance down to 980GBP with box and 1090 without by adding a second driver. I'm happy with it. I just doubt the purchase of the Dacia now I'm checking some second hand Ibiza's now. Would you suggest an HP barrier I shouldn't pass to keep my insurance low?

It's not just hp that determines insurance group categories, it's the make and model too. There are UK car brokers that can get you over 25% discount on a brand new Seat Ibiza. You could get a new one for under £8,500.

I thought you liked pissing away money on expensive cars, what's with all the penny-pinching on this particular car purchase?

 

[mini_cooper4]

It's not just hp that determines insurance group categories, it's the make and model too. There are UK car brokers that can get you over 25% discount on a brand new Seat Ibiza. You could get a new one for under £8,500.

I thought you liked pissing away money on expensive cars, what's with all the penny-pinching on this particular car purchase?

I never liked pissing money on cars. All the cars I ever bought were bargains for what they were and price was the main deal maker. Otherwise I wouldn't have bought a Lambo but a Ferrari and not an AT R8 but a manual one(It's all described in their own threads). Price is the main decision maker for me. As I mentioned in my first post I'm more like buying a golf cart than a real car and I won't feel OK paying half the price of a cheap car for just an year of insurance.
I got the insurance to where I like it to be now - a little over 1000GBP which I find more reasonable and would gladly pay.

PS: Can you please direct me to the brokers you are talking about. I'm looking at the Ibiza too.
I'm also thinking of buying a higher class of car with RHD to register and insure in Bulgaria.
I know that I'm only allowed to keep the car for six months in the UK but that won't be a big deal as we can travel with it across EU every now and then if we had to.