In its first report of 2009, the AA British Insurance Premium Index found that the average buildings insurance premium stood at £218.04, while the average contents insurance premium was £122.98.
However, it also issued a “shop around” index – showing the average quoted premiums among customers that compare at least three quotes. In this case average buildings insurance premiums dropped to £122.77, while contents insurance premiums also nearly halved to £67.14. These significant falls were achieved because customers shopped around online for home insurance.
Generally home insurers offer their best deals online because they save money on overheads such as call centre staff and paperwork. Many providers offer 10 per cent discounts just for taking out their policies online rather than over the phone. In addition, the best deals are available to new customers because insurers compete for new business – it is those that stick with the same insurer year in, year out, that are generally penalised with expensive rates.
To find cheap home insurance online you don’t have to look far. Chances are that visiting just a handful of providers’ websites will help you find more affordable deals. However, repeatedly filling out online forms can be a time consuming process – but there is a way around this.
Comparison websites allow you to compare home insurance policies under one roof from dozens of providers – the leading websites compare more than 40 home insurance quotes. You only have to enter your details once, as well as details about the standard of cover you require, and they will return policies with the cheapest listed first.