thecomparisons.com News & Press Blog

Brits Compare Car Insurance on Price

2008-06-13T16:37:00.000+01:00

Only 19% Say Level of Cover Is Important

The results of new research indicate that most Brits are bargain hunters when they compare car insurance deals.

The study conduced by the Fair Investment Company found 57 per cent of those UK motorists quizzed named price as the most important element of securing car insurance cover on their vehicle.

The level of cover was considered much less important in car insurance comparisons; only 19 per cent viewed this as a crucial aspect in selecting a policy.

However, "motorists should be careful choosing their car insurance by price alone, the cheapest car insurance is not always the best and there are other aspects to be taken into consideration” says James Caldwell, Fairinvestment.co.uk’s director. "I would advise anybody shopping for car insurance to compare deals not just on price but also policy features, some of which may be outlined in the small print."

Breakdown cover and a no claims bonus were named by around two per cent of participants in the survey as an important factor when they compare car insurance.

Changes to the UK Car Insurance Grouping System

2008-06-06T16:37:00.000+01:00

20 Groups to Change to 50

Due to the increasing amount of makes, models and types of vehicles on Britain’s roads today, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has announced a change to the way car insurance is calculated. t

Over the past 10 years, car insurance has been allotted to 20 groups dependant on the possible risks for each vehicle. The new car insurance classification system will split cars into 50 groups which will be determined by the amount of damage one car will make on another, should an accident occur, as well as the cost of repairs to a vehicle.

Presently, when inputting your details to compare car insurance online, you will be asked about information concerning your vehicle including car make and model, age of vehicle, and location of where the car is kept. With the new classifications, car insurance quotes will take into account many other attributes about your car including weight and size of the vehicle, top speed and whether components such as air conditioning and a catalytic converter are present.

With this information, car insurers can calculate the amount of damage a vehicle is likely to make on another vehicle should a collision occur.

A Chicken Chaser Called Ben Dover?

2008-05-14T16:19:00.000+01:00

‘Fakes’ Could Be Compromising Insurance Cover

A list of the most bizarre and suspected-fake details that Brits use when filling in online forms is today released by price comparison website thecomparisons.com. It is warning that Brits tempted to use fake names or occupations could be unknowingly compromising their insurance policies.

Using a data resource of more than eight million people across the UK, thecomparisons.com has revealed the top ‘suspected fakes’ people enter when completing online forms, such as car insurance quotes or mailing list applications.

Of the thousands of potentially dodgy details that are flagged up each month, among the most common and strangest jobs were chicken chaser, chicken sexer and artificial limb fitter! A ‘pearl stringer’ even made an appearance!

While a proportion of the jobs listed are likely to be genuine, some are thought to be fictionalised.

The UK’s Top 15 Suspected Fake or Bizarre Jobs¹
1. Dog Beautician (17%)
2. Chicken Chaser (15%)
3. Parachute Packer (15%)
4. Artificial Limb Fitter (13.5%)
5. Chicken Sexer (12%)
6. Balloonist (5.5%)
7. Sheriffs (4%)
8. Clairvoyant (4%)
9. Palmistry Expert (4%)
10. Pig Manager (2%)
11. Kissagram (1.5%)
12. Dendochronologist (someone who studies tree rings – 1%)
13. Ventriloquist (1%)
14. Ocultist (0.5%)
15. Pearl Stringer (0.5%)
¹Percentages based on only most bizarre/suspected fakes taken from data resource

Entering any false details when applying for an insurance quote online can result in consumers unknowingly compromising their insurance cover by not properly registering details.

thecomparisons.com data also revealed there’s a ‘plague’ of fake names being used in online application forms - ranging from famous faces to fictional characters.

Top Famous Names
1) David Beckham
2) Elvis Presley
3) Frank Sinatra
4) Jimi Hendrix
5) Marilyn Monroe

Top Fictional Names
1) Barney Rubble
2) Bart Simpson
3) Indiana Jones
4) Scooby Doo
5) James Bond

Top Comedy Names
1) Anette Curtain
2) Banana Man
3) Ben Dover
4) Hugh Jarse
5) Justin Credible

The findings are based on data available to thecomparisons.com, where the suspected fake details are automatically filtered out of more than 700,000 entries per month.

Chris McDonald, Director of thecomparisons.com, said: “While some of the names and job titles are bound to be genuine, the frequency that some of them occur would indicate people are making some of them up. Though it may be tempting to enter false details as a bit of fun when researching a quote, it’s worth remembering that you should never enter any fabricated details when actually applying for a policy.”

“There’s every chance you’ll have to fill the form in and re-apply, wasting all the time you could have saved by using a price comparison website. And worse still, there’s a risk that the fake details could cause problems if you do need to make a claim.”

The Comparisons in Pole Position with New Sponsorship Deal

2008-04-16T07:56:00.000+01:00

thecomparisons.com, the Leeds-based price comparison website, is announcing a winning new sponsorship deal, with Wakefield’s Tequila motor racing team.

The team compete in the prestigious national VW Cup Championship, which is organised by Volkswagen Motorsport, and is a support race to the British GT Championship, featured on Sky TV.

Tequila Racing is made up of Nick Dunn, who races a 2.8 litre Beetle RSi, and his team mate, Jamie Perry, who drives a turbo charged Mark 5 Golf GTI. The team is currently 12th in the driver’s championship and 4th overall in the team championship. The next round is due to take place on 24th/25th May at Rockingham, Europe’s fastest banked oval racing circuit.

Directors at The Comparisons Limited agreed to sponsor the team because it had a good synergy with the business, which currently specialises in comparing prices for domestic car insurance. thecomparisons.com logo will now appear on Nick’s car throughout the season.

Chris McDonald, Director of thecomparisons.com, said: “We’re excited to be supporting a local racing team and we’ll be watching their progress keenly. It’s just a shame we couldn’t give them a quote for their racing insurance, as we only compare car insurance prices for domestic customers!”

Thousands Set to ‘Spring Clean’ Car Insurance Policies

2008-04-04T07:51:00.000+01:00

Thursday 1st May is ‘D Day’ for insurers
Record number to switch providers

According to new data from price comparison website, thecomparisons.com, the yearly peak for car insurance renewals is almost upon us. With the credit crunch looming, more consumers than ever will be looking to switch providers, meaning D-Day for insurers.

Using its data resource of more than eight million people across the UK¹, thecomparisons.com has found that Thursday 1st May will be this year’s peak for driver’s insurance policies coming to an end and up to 270,000 people² - more than ever before - will be affected.

Crucially, according to industry figures, drivers will spend the final three weeks of April researching the best deals available. thecomparisons.com is predicting that with the credit crunch looming, savvy consumers will spend more time than ever searching online for the best price and are also more likely than ever to switch car insurance providers in favour of a better deal.

In response, thecomparisons.com is preparing for record traffic on its website from bargain-hunting consumers.

Chris McDonald, Director of thecomparisons.com, said: “Traditionally, the peak for car insurance renewals is thought to be earlier in the year. However, this data certainly challenges that.”

“The rise of price comparison websites, which allow consumers to compare prices from hundreds of different providers in seconds, mean that the market has never been more competitive.”

“Many ‘direct’ insurers are having trouble retaining customers, and some insurers are refusing to be listed on price comparison sites. This means that there has never been more of a bargain to be had and there are potentially hundreds of pounds to be saved if you take a few moments to visit a price comparison site like thecomparisons.com.”

The least common month for renewals:
November

The most common months for renewals:
December, June, April

¹Based on a representative sample of data on car insurance renewals from data pool company, The Trading Floor Limited, strategic partner of thecomparisons.com.
² Based on MINTEL figures of 27 million car insurance policy holders in the UK.

New Marketing Manager for the Comparisons

2008-03-15T09:37:00.000Z

Daniel Tangen is recruited as thecomparisons.com expands

Following a successful launch and first five months of business, thecomparisons.com, the Leeds-based price comparison website, has recruited a dedicated marketing manager, Daniel Tangen.

Daniel will play a key role in building the company’s profile and strengthening its point of difference against its competitors. He previously worked in the online department of Redcats UK, as well as for insurance company, Equity Group in a similar role. He specialises in customer recruitment and retention, as well as online search and affiliate marketing strategies.

Daniel was born and raised in Aukra, Norway and has lived in Leeds since 2004. He gained a degree in International Marketing and Management from the Norwegian School of Management and an MSc in Marketing from Leeds Metropolitan University.

Daniel said: “I’m very excited to be joining the company and look forward to helping develop and grow the brand. Online marketing is such an innovative and creative area to be involved with at the moment and, combined with such a young, fast moving company as thecomparisons.com, my new role will be extremely exciting and varied.”

Chris McDonald, Director of thecomparisons.com, said: “Our team is expanding fast, allowing us to continually build the business and strengthen our position in the market. Daniel is the perfect addition to our team, and with his depth of experience in marketing online businesses, we are ready to launch a series of new offerings and services for our customers throughout 2008.”

The Real Cost of Go-Faster Stripes!

2008-02-07T22:08:00.000Z

New Study Reveals How Car Accessories Could ‘Drive up’ Your Premiums

Boy racers beware, because according to new research from price comparison website, thecomparisons.com, even the simplest of car accessories can drive up your premiums by as much as 50%.

Using information gathered from its panel of hundreds of different car insurers, thecomparisons.com has produced a ‘risk list’ of the car accessories and modifications that could end up burning a hole in your pocket.

Topping the list were ‘engine chip’ and ‘dump valve’. While both can dramatically improve a cars performance, they can also cost you a lot of money, and can increase car insurance premiums by up to 50% and 25% respectively.

Also making the list was car body kit, spoilers and even go-faster stripes, while a number of modifications – including turbo charging and nitro drives – could mean some car insurance providers would not consider insuring you at all.

Top ten costly car modifications (potential increase to annual premiums)
1) Engine Chip* – 50%
2) Dump Valve – 25%
3) Pick up/Caborlet conversion* – 25%
4) Body kit – 15%
5) Racing seats – 10%
6) Back Box* (exhaust modification) -10%
7) Lowered suspension* – 10%
8) Alloy/wider Wheels – 10%
9) Go-faster stripes – 5%
10) Rear spoiler – 5%
Turbo charging, Nitrous Oxide drive – normally unacceptable.
*some providers will not consider insuring at all

Data provided by thecomparisons.com panel members, including Express Insurance. Figures are intended as an approximate guide only.

Chris MacDonald, Director of thecomparisons.com, said: “Insurers will look at a diverse range of factors when providing a quote for a customer and even the most innocuous of accessories can drive up your premiums quite dramatically. It is important to remember, you should always register the correct specifications of your car when applying for a quote, or you could risk causing complications and delays if you do need to make a claim.”

“This really demonstrates the importance of getting a wide range of quotes, and what better way to do this than through a price comparison website?”

The Cost of Love This Valentines Day? It’s £9.99

2008-02-05T21:58:00.000Z

New Research Reveals We’re a Nation of Tightwads

New findings from price comparison website, thecomparisons.com, have revealed the true cost of love and it’s nowhere near as high as you’d think! A staggering 55% of people said they are planning to spend less than £10 on their partners, or even buy no present at all, this Valentine’s Day.

thecomparisons.com questioned 1,005 people across the UK in January 2008 to help it understand consumer behaviour when it comes to spending money on gifts and presents.

The findings paint Brits as a nation of romantic tightwads; just 2% said they’d spend more than £100 on a Valentine’s gift for their partner this February 14th, while only three of the 1,005 people questioned said they’d spend more than £500. A third (35%) of people said they’d spend between £10 and £50.

Surprisingly, women emerged as the tightest gender and were 20% more likely than men to spend less than £10, or buy no gift at all for their other half. Blokes, on the other hand, were twice as likely as women to spend between £50 and £100 on a romantic gift.

The South East emerged as the tightest region, being more likely (60%) than anywhere else in the UK to spend less than £10 or buy no present at all for their partners. Close behind was Scotland with 58% and the South West with 55%. At the other end of the scale was the Republic of Ireland, where a quarter of people planned to spend between £50 and £100 on their partners – the highest out of any region.

Young people also emerged as more romantic than older age groups; three quarters (75%) of those in the 55-64 age group were planning to spend less than £10, or nothing at all on their partners, compared with only 41% of 18-24 year olds.

Chris McDonald, Director of thecomparisons.com, said: “As the research shows, at £9.99, the price of love is not very high! People are either planning to shop around and get a great bargain this Valentine’s Day, or are actively shunning it. Of course, if you are after the best deal, and want your money to work hardest for you, then a price comparison website is a great place to start.”

1,005 people were surveyed in this study across the UK. Your Say Pays is a research panel operated by The Leadership Factor, the UK’s leading source of (customer) satisfaction data. For further details www.leadershipfactor.com or tel 01484 467004 for further details

Expansion Set for the Comparisons

2008-01-29T21:54:00.000Z

Successful launch drives new appointments

Following strong business growth, thecomparisons.com, the new Leeds-based price comparison website which launched at the end of last year, has recruited two new team members.

The new additions will be Dianne Hough, who joins as Business Development Manager, and Simon-John Roberts, who has been appointed as Web Development Manager. Both are set to play a key role in the ambitious growth plans of the business over the next year.

Dianne Hough previously worked with Yorkshire digital agency, Leap Frog. In her new role as Business Development Manager, she will be responsible for building relationships with the company’s extensive panel of partners and will work to implement and develop new and existing services and products for the website.

Dianne said: “I am looking forward to the challenges of working with such an ambitious and focused team. It is an exciting time to joining the business, which has already made its mark in the industry, despite its relative infancy.”

Simon-John Roberts joins thecomparisons.com from Idesta, where he was involved in developing 3D emergent technology. As Web Development Manager, he will be responsible for driving the technical aspects of the site and maintaining a unique customer experience. He is currently focused on bringing in new channels and services as well as overseeing technical development.

Simon said: “I am passionate about working with emergent technologies and am very excited about The Comparisons as a brand, which is unique and has immense potential.”

Chris McDonald, Director of thecomparisons.com, said: “Our first two months have been incredibly positive and we are pleased with the rate at which our team is expanding. With the right people in place we can continue to build and grow the business.”

Students Could Be at Risk

2008-01-15T22:13:00.000Z

A large proportion of students running cars in the UK could be unknowingly compromising their insurance cover by not properly registering details, warns new price comparison website, thecomparisons.com.

With students returning to university this month and many receiving cars for Christmas, the temptation to register insurance details using a home address, where premiums may be lower, can be too great. It is also thought that a large number may simply be unaware that they need to act and update their policies.

Chris McDonald, Director of thecomparisons.com, said: “Students often live in inner city areas where crime rates can be high, and criminals specifically target student neighbourhoods. While it might be tempting to register insurance details for a car using a home address where premiums can be lower due to off-road parking, private garages or rural locations, it is important not to.”

“If a claim does need to be made and an insurer has not been told about the change of address and circumstances, this could risk causing complications and delays in a claim, or worse still, result in a non payment from an insurer.”

“More than anything, it’s pointless to pay an insurance premium if you’re not going to be correctly covered and it really is a false economy. Students should get in touch with their insurers and make sure that their policy is up to date or spend a few minutes researching a sufficiently flexible and good value policy.”

The Nation’s Favourite ‘Fakes’ Revealed

2008-01-07T21:40:00.000Z

‘Ben Dover’, ‘James Bond’ and ‘Al Coholic’ all make list

According to new research from price comparison website thecomparisons.com, the famous faces most likely to be applying for online car insurance quotes are Bob Marley, David Beckham and Marilyn Monroe – despite only one of them being alive!

Using a data resource of more than eight million people across the UK, thecomparisons.com has produced a definitive chart of the fake names Brits use when filling in online forms – such as car insurance quotes or mailing list applications – to help it better understand customer behaviour.

Topping the list was the pseudonym ‘Joe Bloggs’, which accounted for 48% of identifiable fake entries monitored by thecomparisons.com during a one month period. Coming second was ‘James Bond’ with 11% of entries and in third place came ‘Fred Bloggs’ with 10%. In joint fourth place came ‘Bob Marley’ and ‘Ben Dover’ with 7% each.

The most popular fake female name emerged as ‘Marilyn Monroe’, accounting for 1% of all fake names entered during the month.

Just outside of the top ten were the suspect-sounding ‘Al Coholic’, ‘Jock Strap’, various members of the Simpsons family and several Star Wars characters including ‘Darth Vader’ and ‘Jabba the Hut’.

The top ten fake names
1) Joe Bloggs – 48%
2) James Bond – 11%
3) Fred Bloggs – 10%
4) Bob Marley – 7%
5) Ben Dover – 7%
6) Jo Bloggs – 6%
7) Bob Builder – 4%
8) Fred Flintstone – 3%
9) David Beckham – 2%
10) Marylyn Monroe – 2%

The findings are based on data provided by thecomparisons.com, monitored during November 2007, with the suspected fake names are automatically filtered out of more than 700,000 entries.

Chris McDonald, director of thecomparisons.com, said: “It’s fascinating to see the false names people use online, and it’s something a few of us have been guilty of at some stage. However, it’s worth remembering, price comparison websites are all about giving the customer added value and saving them huge amounts of time, and using false names will only make this process take longer than it needs to.”

On The Spot – Yorkshire Post

2007-12-19T22:18:00.000Z

Luke Slowen is General Manager of thecomparisons.com, the major new Leeds-based price comparison website which launched in November.

What was your first job?
Like most kids, I had a paper round. I hated Sundays with a passion, but it certainly taught me to appreciate the value of money from a young age.

If you weren't in your current position, what would you be doing?
I’d be on stage, touring with a world famous band.

What was your worst mistake?
Not being in a world famous band!

What's your ideal day away from the office?
Out walking in the fresh air with my family, preferably somewhere with fantastic scenery.

Name one person you would like to have dinner with and why.
Douglas Adams (RIP) would be a fascinating dinner guest – an extremely witty & thoughtful man.

What was your best subject at school?
I really enjoyed Mathematics and Physics – they fed my logical, analytical mind!

What are your hobbies?
Writing and playing music is my main passion, but also a (fair weather) mountain biker.

What would you do if you won the lottery?
Ensure my family & friends were looked after, then I’d probably take a well-earned round the world trip with my wife & daughter.

What's your top time-saving tip?
Get the difficult jobs out of the way first. And delegate effectively.

What's your favourite item of clothing?
A really comfortable pair of slippers

What's your favourite time of day?
Mid-morning – it’s when all the sparks start to fly and the ideas come thick & fast!

What's the best thing about Yorkshire?
It’s got to be the people – friendly, down-to-earth, soulful – I should know, I’m one of them!

What would you like your epitaph to be?
A good dad & husband, a trustworthy & jovial friend.

The Comparisons on the small screen

2007-12-07T13:09:00.000Z

Check out the Comparisons in their very own movie trailer - either in the Comparisons own virtual Cinema or up on YouTube...

We hope you enjoy it and maybe even tell a friend or two about it? We certainly had a lot of fun making it. Francesco, the Director, was your typical prima donna throughout, but even he raised a smile!

Forget the Joneses and the Beckhams, These Days Brits Want to Keep Up With Their Friends

2007-11-15T22:25:00.000Z

New research reveals our jealousies, lies and aspirations

Research by a new price comparison website launched this week, thecomparisons.com, has revealed that it is no longer the Joneses we’re trying to keep up with, or even celebrities, but in fact, our FRIENDS!

The research carried out by ‘Your Say Pays’ was commissioned by thecomparisons.com to help it understand how people benchmark and judge themselves against others in the build up to its UK launch.

The majority of people (39%) said they compared their own success and social standing most against that of their friends. Just 4% said they used their neighbours and, despite the continuous media hype on their influence on society, only 2% of Brits use celebrities as a barometer of status.

Making up lies to impress others featured highly, with a third of all people saying they regularly did this. The most common fib was to spice up social or love lives (35%), closely followed by ‘bumping up’ salary or qualifications (32%).

Women were found to be more career-conscious than men, and were twice as likely to lie to impress their boss, while men unsurprisingly are more likely to lie to impress their neighbours or friends. Women were also found to be more jealous than men and were 10% more likely to secretly resent their close friends because of what they had or who they were.

Originally featured in a comic book strip by Arthur R. Momand, the term ‘Keeping Up with the Joneses’ dates back to 1913 and refers to the desire to be seen as good as your neighbour, using comparative benchmarks. And with ‘Jones’ remaining as the second most popular surname in Britain, behind ‘Smith’, understanding the profile of the Joneses and their influence on society is surprising.

Using a data resourse of more than eight million people, thecomparisons.com has looked into who the typical ‘Jones’ is today.

He is most likely to be male, and unsurprisingly lives in Wales. Mr Jones favours singledom and drives a hatchback, he holidays in the Med or Spain and enjoys golfing, going to the cinema and food and drink. His favourite newspaper is The Daily Mail and he lives in a semi detached house.

The research also reveals the criteria against which people judge their own social standing, along with the perceptions towards different professions.

Criteria used to gauge other’s success
1) Job or profession – 36%
2) Nice house/neighbourhood – 30%
3) Peer group/social standing – 16%
4) Flashy Car – 3%
5) Designer gear – 3%

The most and least impressive jobs
1) Entrepreneur – 43%
2) Doctor – 16%
3) Lawyer –14%
4) Teacher – 4%
5) Accountant – 3.5%

Benchmarking is a daily occurrence for all of us and with more than a third of people in the UK said to have used a price comparison site to make a financial decision in the past year ¹. Industry growth predicted at annual rate of 30 – 50%, the demand for services such as thecomparisons.com is very high.

It has been reported that up to a third of new online business for car insurance can be attributed to comparison sites with the volume of traffic growing twice as quickly as online retail². Whilst thecomparisons.com will initially play to consumer demand and focus on a series of insurance based products, the brand will quickly broaden its offering to other areas, such as e-retail, money, travel and supermarket shopping.

Many of the UK’s leading insurers are already signed up, including Norwich Union, RAC, KwikFit, Swiftcover, Endsleigh and Lancaster. Customers will not only receive breadth of choice, but will receive fantastic value for money.

Chris McDonald, director of thecomparisons.com, said: “We compare ourselves to other people on a daily basis whether it’s what job we have, where we live or indeed something as simple as how much we’ve paid for our car insurance. It’s only natural therefore to want to be able to compare products easily and quickly and that’s why we’ve launched thecomparisons.com.”

Over 1,100 people were surveyed in this study across the UK. Your Say Pays is a research panel operated by The Leadership Factor, the UK’s leading source of (customer) satisfaction data. For further details www.leadershipfactor.com or tel 01484 467004 for further details
Source reference¹: You Gov
Source reference²: ComScore Media Metrix

thecomparisons.com has launched

2007-11-14T20:00:00.000Z

thecomparisons.com is a new price comparison website that will eventually offer price and product comparisons for the whole family. Whilst the site will initially play to consumer demand and focus on a series of insurance based products, the brand will quickly broaden its offering to other areas, such as e-retail, money, travel and supermarket shopping.

Many of the UK’s leading insurers are already signed up, including KwikFit, Lancaster, SwiftCover, More Than and Endsleigh. Customers will not only receive breadth of choice, but will receive fantastic value for money.

The site also hosts Comparisonville - a fully featured and building community of people, which allows customers to interact, engage and access a variety of ‘extras’, such as time-saving auto-fill quotes, renewal reminder services, relevant branded e-broadcasts, site personalisation. Comparisonville will be expanded over time to include integration with established online social networks, such as Facebook and Bebo.

Chris McDonald, director of thecomparisons.com, said: “We compare ourselves to other people on a daily basis whether it’s what job we have, where we live or indeed something as simple as how much we’ve paid for our car insurance. It’s only natural therefore to want to be able to compare products easily and quickly and that’s why we’ve launched thecomparisons.com.”