The pre-quote car insurance checklist

Have this in front of you

Nothing here goes to us. It is what an insurer will ask for, so having it ready saves the call.

1. The car: make, model, year, engine size and registration.
2. Roughly what the car is worth, and where you got that figure from.
3. Any modifications, imports or non-standard parts.
4. Where the car is parked overnight.
5. Everyone who drives it regularly, with their age and how long they have been licensed.
6. Any claims, losses or driving convictions in the last few years.
7. Whether there is finance over the car, and what the loan agreement says about insurance.

Decide the level first

Compare like with like. A third party quote and a comprehensive quote are not two prices for the same thing.

8. Which level am I quoting: third party only, third party fire and theft, or comprehensive?Get all your quotes at the same level, then compare.
9. Does this insurer sell the level I want?Seven of the eight insurers listed on our site sell all three levels. One sells comprehensive only.

The ten things to ask each insurer

10. What is my standard excess, in dollars?Seven of the eight insurers we checked publish no standard excess anywhere public. You can only get it on your own quote.
11. Which additional excesses could apply to me, and what is each one?One wording we read names six kinds of additional excess that can sit on top of the standard one.
12. Is this agreed value or market value? If agreed value, what is the figure and who set it?It decides what gets paid if the car is written off. Both bases are sold in New Zealand.
13. What happens to that value at renewal, and will the renewal notice show it?Agreed values are commonly reviewed at renewal and usually fall as the car depreciates.
14. Who is covered to drive it — anyone with my permission, or only named drivers?Consumer Protection warns that if you name drivers and someone else drives, the insurer is unlikely to honour the claim.
15. What happens when a driver under 25 is at the wheel: a higher excess, an exclusion, or no cover at all?All three answers exist among the insurers we checked, and only two of the eight publish a figure.
16. Is windscreen and glass cover included or an extra? Is there a separate glass excess?One insurer publishes a $500 excess for a glass replacement as standard, with a repair carrying none.
17. Is a hire car included after a claim, for how long or up to how much?The published limits we found range from 21 days to 30 days, and some are expressed in dollars rather than days.
18. Is roadside assistance included or an extra, and what does it cost?Two of the insurers we checked publish an annual price for it; others include it at some levels.
19. Which dispute resolution scheme do you belong to?Only one of the eight names its scheme in its own wording. Consumer Protection's advice is to ask.

Before you say yes

20. Ask for the policy wording, and read the exclusions section.The wording is the contract. The quote is not.
21. Tell them, in writing, about any work, delivery or ride-share use — and get written confirmation it is covered.Private car policies commonly exclude carrying goods or passengers for hire or reward.
22. Check the schedule when it arrives matches what you were told: level, value basis, sum insured, excesses, drivers.
23. Put a note in your calendar a month before renewal to check the value and the excess again.