SAVE pounds 200 ON YOUR CAR INSURANCE BY HAGGLING

Sunday Mirror, Sep 14, 2003 by STEPHEN HAYWARD

MOTORISTS could save an average pounds 200 a year on car insurance by haggling and shopping around.

And if you try even harder you could save an amazing pounds 428, as we found when we contacted 10 insurers.

Consumer watchdogs say Britain's 20 million drivers should never accept the first quote they are given but hunt around for a cheaper offer and insist their insurer matches it.

A new survey by the Consumers' Association found a huge difference in quotes.

A spokesman said: "The average premium for comprehensive cover is about pounds 679, but this can be reduced to around pounds 477, so it's well worth comparing premiums."

We followed up the advice. Posing as a 40-year-old London man who drives an X-reg Ford Focus Ghia 1.6, a Sunday Mirror reporter called 10 leading insurers, including Eagle Star and Cornhill Direct.

The quotes ranged from pounds 898.99 with Lloyds TSB to pounds 485 from Direct Line. When our man went back to Direct Line to ask if they could improve on their first quote they agreed to shave a further pounds 15 off the premium - making it pounds 428.99 cheaper than Lloyds TSB.

Malcolm Tarling, of the Association of British Insurers said: "It is a very competitive market. People should vote with their feet."