Auto Express – July 30, 2019

62 SpecialIssue http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

THEINSURERS

ULTIMATE GUIDETO

BUYINGACAR

FOUNDEDinthesixtiesbytheNationalUnion

ofStudentsandnowownedbySwissgiant

Zurich,Endsleighspecialisesincoverfor

studentsandeducationprofessionals,

beingsomethingofadefaultproviderfor

thoseheadingtouniversity.Itofferspretty

decentvalueformoney,yousay, whileits

telephoneagentsarehighlyeffectiveand

friendly,shouldyouhavetomakeaclaim.

ButreaderssayEndsleighneedstokeep

customersbetterinformedduringthe

claimsprocess,andcouldmakeitsbuying

processeasiertomanage.ThefactEndsleigh

policyholdersareamongtheleastlikelyto

renewtheircovermaybeareflectionthat

somanyofthemhavegraduated,however.

NOWpartofthegiantAvivaGroup,General

Accidenttargetsvalue-savvycustomers

usingprice-comparisonsites.Thefirmposts

significantlybetterresultsthanitsparent

company, withthethird-bestratingfor

speedtosettleclaimsofanyofthe50

companiesyoureportedbackon.Added

tothatspeedarestaffwhoarehelpfuland

friendlyduringtheclaimsprocess,while

buyingcoverisrelativelystraightforward.

Butdespitethefirmbeingsofriendlyand

quicktopayup,you’renotthatimpressed

withtheoverallclaimsprocessoffered

byGeneralAccident,anexperiencethat

mightbebestsummedupbythecomment

youcanseefromonereaderbelow.

AGECo isthecommercialarmofcharityAge

UK,andoffersinsuranceandotherfinancial

servicestotheover-50s.Withtheinsurance

businessadministeredbyAgeas,AgeCo

saysthatwhileit“mightnotalwaysbethe

cheapest”,itsfocusonahigh-qualityservice

justifiesthis.Curiously, ourrespondents

actuallyrateAgeCo’scar-insurancepolicies

asofferingprettystrongvalue,whileonlytwo

otherfirmswerejudgedtokeepyoubetter

informedasclaimswerebeingassessed.

Butotherareascouldbeimprovedupon,

particularlywhenitcomestothetelephone

experienceonofferduringtheearlystages

oftheclaimsprocess,andintheinitial

purchasingprocessonlineoronthephone.

ONEoftheUK’sbest-knowninsurancefirms,

whichlaunchedbackwhentelephoneswith

cradlesandseparatehandsetswerethe

norm,DirectLinewastheUK’sfirstinsurerto

selldirectlytocustomers,ratherthanthrough

abroker.Ironically,forafirmwithaphone

mascot(althoughthishasbeenjoinedby

acomputermouseinrecentyears),itposts

reasonableratherthanexceptionalscoresfor

thephoneexperienceduringclaims.There’s

noarguingwithimpressiveresultsforthe

valueformoneyofferedbythefirm,norhow

gooditisatkeepingcustomersinformed.

That,togetherwithahighlevelofsatisfaction

withtheoverallclaimsprocess,morethan

justifiesDirectLine’splaceinthetop10.

86.20%

86.31%

86.35%

86.37%

13. Endsleigh


14. General Accident


15. AgeCo


16. DirectLine

RATINGS

RATINGS

RATINGS

RATINGS

CATEGORIES

CATEGORIES

CATEGORIES

CATEGORIES

“Makinganon-faultclaimwashassle-free.Igotacourtesycarthe

samedayandtheinsurerwasalwaysavailabletodiscussmyclaim.”

“GeneralAccidentquicklydecidedmycarwasawrite-offandmade

thepayment.Thelegalsideoftheclaimisprovingslower,though.”

“Callhandlerswerehelpfulwhendealingwithmyclaim.The

processwasgoodoverall,butdidtakequitealongtime.”

“Thepersonwasverycalmingandtooktheirtime.Ican’tfaultthe

serviceIreceived,fromwhenIcalledtotheclaimbeingcompleted.”

50 1

50 1

50 1

50 1

OWNER’S

VIEW

OWNER’S

VIEW

OWNER’S

VIEW

OWNER’S

VIEW

Ease of purchase

(web &phone)

Telephone experiencewhen

making claim

Keeping youinformed when

claim is being assessed

Speed to settle claim

Friendlinessand helpfulness

during claim

Value formoney

Overall satisfaction with

claim process

Ease of purchase

(web &phone)

Telephone experiencewhen

making claim

Keeping youinformed when

claim is being assessed

Speed to settle claim

Friendlinessand helpfulness

during claim

Value formoney

Overall satisfaction with

claim process

Ease of purchase

(web &phone)

Telephone experiencewhen

making claim

Keeping youinformed when

claim is being assessed

Speed to settle claim

Friendlinessand helpfulness

during claim

Value formoney

Overall satisfaction with

claim process

Ease of purchase

(web &phone)

Telephone experiencewhen

making claim

Keeping youinformed when

claim is being assessed

Speed to settle claim

Friendlinessand helpfulness

during claim

Value formoney

Overall satisfaction with

claim process

Would yourenew

your current policy?

YES 58% NO 42%

Would yourenew

your current policy?

YES 77%NO23%

Would yourenew

your current policy?

YES 77%NO23%

Would yourenew

your current policy?

YES 83% NO 17%