Arranging insurance online has many advantages, but some complications.

Make sure you have all the details you will be asked to provide, and make sure you get them right. Your insurance policy is based on the details you provide, and if they are wrong your insurer may not pay up.

Amongst other details the insurer will need your driving licence number, details of convictions in the last five years, your insurance claims history, and an understanding of how the vehicle is to be used.

When you buy online be sure you know how the policy is to be delivered to you. So often the email confirming a policy does not reach you. If you are in a hurry, and we all leave things to the last minute, make sure you read the small print so you know what to expect.

Check your email account to see if your security has stopped the insurer’s email. Is it in spam or junk. A useful tip is to search your email account using the registration number of the vehicle you insured. That usually does the trick. If you are to be sent a certificate by post, it may not arrive next day.  Five working days is not unreasonable.

If you need to raise questions with the insurer you should not rely on email. Your details are often sent to you by an unmanned computer sending emails from a “noreply” address. Replying to such an address will not receive an answer. Use the phone or write a letter, and keep a record.

Insuring online can be good value, but it needs time, organisation, and patience. You also need to understand the advantages to the insurer. They save by computerising their systems, they use less staff and office facilities, so they save money.

Let us know about your experience.

Mark for Your Key

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Comments

1. Aleksandr Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:19 am

   Good luck to all YourKey members.and remember to use comparethemeerkat.com for fun, and comparethemarket.com for serious insurance comparisons.

   Yours gratefuls,
   Aleksandr

2. Kris Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm

   E-Bike offer a very good service, everything thru Internet with a Customer Service number as backup. They do 3 policies, standard, pay as you go and classic. Try them for price, and suprisingly the Pay as you go (which is a 8 month policy which gives a years no claims bonus after 8 months) can be cheaper than a standard 12 month policy, it was for me. I saved £6 a month on PAYG and the closest any other insurer could come was an extra £18 a month…and they didnt throw in breakdown cover either. As a biker who rides around 30k a year and drives a truck another 100k I can say I am impressed by E-Bike and recomend them

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