Feb
18
Comparison Websites - Latest Findings
Filed Under Insurance Articles |
The following article was published in the February 2009 edition of ‘Insurance Age’ magazine; we thought it may be of interest to our customers!
‘Comparison sites have come under fire yet again for the way in which they present quotations to users.
Which.co.uk researched six of the most popular comparison sites and concluded they often “adjusted or didn’t clearly display excess charges, making it difficult for customers to make like-for-like comparisons and find the best policy to suit their needs”.
According to the website, while searching for car insurance with a voluntary excess of £250, the cheapest quote on Gocompare’s results page came with a £470 excess.
Furthermore, it was found that Comparethemarket did not show any compulsory excess charges at all on its home insurance results pages. Jess Ross, editor of which.co.uk, said:’Comparison sites sell themselves on having all the information in one place and being easy to use, but we found the way they display excess charges means it’s difficult for people to make informed decisions.”
However, these comments drew a stinging rebuke from Gocompare’s chief exective Hayley Parsons.
“I think Which.co.uk has shot itself in the foot here. If this represents their level of understanding about insurance and comparison sites, then I’d suggest they stick to reviewing washing machines in future.
“The subject of excess is an industry-wide issue and we are currently working with insurance companies to provide us with the information we need.
“Our experience shows that customers can very quickly decide which combination of cover, excess and premium is right for them once they have been shown all the options available,” she claimed.
A spokeswoman for Comparethemarket said: “We are currently working on an enhanced version of the quote page that will give customers complete clarity of the excess and greater detail on each price presented. This is due to go live within the next few weeks.”
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