When you need a new insurance quote you’re probably likely to visit one of the many price comparison websites that we see advertised on our TV screens.
They promise to compare a wide range of financial services products for us, anything from home utility providers to pet insurance providers.
Use price comparison sites carefully to get the best deal. Image the dalogs via creative commons
These comparison sites have become a very useful and popular way for consumers to shop for financial products conveniently.
However, the respected consumer body, Which?, has recently published its concerns about whether consumers are in fact getting the best dealwhen using these comparison sites.
Which? highlighted the concern that these comparison sites imply that consumers don’t have to go elsewhere for a quote, but the sites don’t cover the whole market. It found that the none of the most popular comparison sites covered more than a third of the market for home or travel insurance. Therefore consumers could be missing out on products from other financial service providers not featured on the comparison sites.
Another concern which was highlighted in the study was that some car insurance searches featured pre-selected boxes. This could make a quote look cheaper. When the user clicked through to the insurer to personalise the quote, it would increase.
Something else that people had to be aware of was that the websites featured some pre-selected options which could result in an invalid insurance policy. For instance, a box showing that the customer has no prior motoring convictions could lead to the policy being invalidated, if they actually do have some.
Shop around…
It seems there is no easy or quick way to saving money. If you want to ensure you get the best and most suitable deal then you should still consult various sources.
When using price comparison sites you should always pay attention to pre-selected boxes and review your product at the end to ensure that you have the correct cover. Some insurers do not appear on price comparison sites so make sure you still shop around for the best quote. Price comparison sites only quote for single-car policies, if you are looking for a multi car insurance quote then you will need to approach specialist multicar insurance providers to get a special discounted quote.
Check out more of our top tips for using price comparison sites and make sure you get the best deal.
Do you agree with the findings of the Which? survey? Leave a comment about your experiences using price comparison sites.
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April 10, 2023
insurance