Coles Car Insurance - Does Anyone Use It?

[Deactivated] on 05/05/2015 - 09:51
Last edited 05/05/2015 - 10:28

Hi Guys,

I am shopping for car insurance and would like to get your thoughts on how Coles are?

For my car, I got a quote of 785 dollar with 625 access from RACV. Coles gave me a quote of 489 with 800 excess. On talking to the consultant, he reduced it to 444 with 800 excesss.

Also tried AAMI online and it gave me 532 with 625 excess.

I know AAMI and RACV are big companies and I have vehicles insured with AAMI/RACV in the past. Never made a claim though. How good/bad are Coles? Anything in particular to look out for?

BTW, reading the reviews here… http://www.productreview.com.au/p/coles-car-insurance.html does not give me much confidence in them.

PS : My laptop the 4 and 6 key only work on the numeric keypad, so I can't type dollar sign

Automotive

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Coles Financial Services
Coles Financial Services

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 05/05/2015 - 10:10
    +2

    I've stayed with RACV for my car insurance even though Coles have given me a cheaper quote. Insurance isn't just about the price of the premium. I know that RACV have a huge network of repairers and very strict quality control procedures regarding what their authorised repairers can and can't do. They also inspect the work that has been done before you can pick up the car and have specific guarantees and waranties on the work that has been done. I would research the claim process and repairer network that Coles have before signing up with them.

  • AlexD on 05/05/2015 - 10:11
    +2

    It took me a weirdly long time to work out you meant 'excess', rather than 'access'.

    My experience with Coles wasn't fantastic - I got rear ended while I was with them, and the other guy was difficult to chase up. While it's the only accident I've ever been in, when I called them up, I was told they could do nothing about it unless I admitted I was at fault. Three phone calls later, they actually had me down as 'at fault', and sent me a bill for my excess, plus other charges for little to no reason - all before I had got quotes for the repair, and my premium went up the next year because of it.

    My girlfriend has a cheapish car, still insured under their CTP insurance. When I called them up to ask for a better price upon renewal, it turns out they'd had the wrong numberplate for a while, after they'd erroneously changed it at some point after signing up, and if I'd tried to make a claim, it would not have been allowed due to discrepancies.

    I am now with AAMI and, as a young driver, they even gave me a free safer driving course, which saved me 10% on my insurance. As a young(ish) driver, the difference between Coles and AAMI was about $500/year, and I still went with AAMI. When the difference is $43, with a significantly lower excess, definitely go AAMI. You can increase the excess whenever you want, and the price may even work out to be about the same if you set it to $800.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/05/2015 - 10:33

      It took me a weirdly long time to work out you meant 'excess', rather than 'access'.

      Thanks. Fixed it.

  • shoppertrina on 05/05/2015 - 10:50

    For that price difference I'd go with AAMI. We found them to be very easy to deal with after an accident.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/05/2015 - 10:52

      Thanks. I am also leaning towards AAMI.

    • npc on 05/05/2015 - 12:17

      Had recent positive experience with AAMI. Would do with them against Coles.

  • Richardc on 05/05/2015 - 11:52

    try 800 excess with aami and see how much.

  • Mad Max on 05/05/2015 - 19:26
    +1

    Coles is only a reseller. The insurer is actually Westfarmers Insurance. And they have been in the insurance market for a long time. Claims … not bad but you have to put in some effort…not an easy no worries dealing.
    But they are normally cheaper, so up to you if you are prepared to "fight" them for your rights or if you prefer smooth sailing with a more expensive one.

    • Gotchas on 05/05/2015 - 21:59

      Actually IAG not Wesfarmers.

  • Mad Max on 05/05/2015 - 22:24

    You are right. I did not know…
    I have done a bit of research:
    Coles has been purchased by AIG the brand now falls under the CGU etc banner, which has a far better customer service (and located in Australia).
    Previous reviews on Product Review are really bad.
    So it may actually have improved.
    It would be interesting to have feedback from someone that had to make a claim recently.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/05/2015 - 22:28

      Many of the negative reviews on Product Review were actually quite recent so it doesn't look like things have improved.

    • SydneySwan on 06/05/2015 - 08:04

      My wife made a claim in January. Coles make you deal with one of their preferred repairers. The repairer was pretty good but it was a small operation and it took a few weeks before he could do the repair. Luckily my wife's car was still driveable. My wife has also been insured with AAMI in the past and I prefer their system where you take the car to one of thier centres and they manage the repair. The only time she had to do this the repair was done really quickly. In recent years we have found Coles premiums a lot cheaper than AAMI (around 30-50%).

  • pinnacle on 06/05/2015 - 08:12

    I am with Coles. Got rear ended and was able to get the details of the other driver. The process was hassle free. The contact centre gave details of the repairer. I left the car and got it back after few days (I think it was about a week). I was also able to get a replacement car through Compass Claims without paying any money (since Coles did not offer any replacement car). Overall a very happy customer of Coles…

  • The tiger on 06/05/2015 - 08:53

    I am with Coles too. Their premium is far cheaper than AAMI. That is why I go with them . Weeks ago someone dented my car' front bumper in my absence in a public parking place. Well, the other party left his details in my windscreen . He admitted his fault. I contacted Coles , and it worked out well except their consultant asked too much of details from me though I emphasized the other party would admit his fault . After more than 45 minutes on the phone, issue completed and I got a very certain email from Coles . I chose his repairer without wanting hassle , and he got me one very near us. Next met the repairer who welcomed me with a smiling face as he already got all details from Coles to go ahead, and assured me nothing to be worried . He told me the repair would take 5 days and he proposed that I could have my car done the following week if I did I not want a loan car ( free) . But I waited around two weeks, and now my car is with them and I got a loan car ( almost new) .So far I am happy with Coles.

  • rigby75 on 06/05/2015 - 09:43
    +1

    I was with them and had hail damage repaired with them a few years later the paint went bad and they said it was from earlier repair but the repairer had shutdown and it wasn't their problem. Since taken everything back to aami.

  • [Deactivated] on 06/05/2015 - 09:50
    +1

    Thanks all for your input. I have decided to go with aami.

  • StuffnStuff on 06/05/2015 - 10:39

    I never got past actually getting a quote from Coles, yes they were cheaper but I got hassled by sales calls for weeks after from an overseas call centre until I put in a formal complaint to get them to leave me alone. You also need to read the policy in detail as some of these cheaper companies do not cover some items such as flood/water damage or have limits on certain items. At the end of the day you want piece of mind you are covered, not thinking you are and then find you are not.

  • backpaqer on 06/05/2015 - 10:49

    We've only got the Third Party, Fire and Theft…so they're no use when the other party is at fault…unless they are uninsured and then they offer $3000 cover. Wife got hit by an insured 3rd party so they reviewed our statement and said 100% their fault and would do nothing beyond that - which is fair enough as we haven't paid for the gorilla group that comes with comprehensive to go beat cash out of bad people.

    But we found a repair place in Moorabbin who assess the car and then chase the 3rd party for the costs and then provide a free hire car while your car gets repaired…though this accident was quite a few weeks ago and we're still waiting to hear any update so I'm glad that the car wasn't overly damaged and still roadworthy/driveable after the accident. So we're not inconvenienced. We hardly drive that car much anyway…it's more for our daughter for when she gets her P-plates.

  • neil aus on 09/05/2015 - 22:27

    A friend of mine has had a 50% 50% at fault accident, the other guy was only CTP, my friend describes Coles insurance as the worst insurance company in the world.

  • The tiger on 10/05/2015 - 09:50

    We'll,Neil, I had the same experience as your friend's with AAMI while I was with them covered with CTP only. They said yes it was the other party!'s fault ( my rear car bumper was hit badly) . They said since I was only covered with CTP they won't do anything for me. My advice to myself and others is : one must always take comprehensive cover with the maximum excess to lower down the premium charge especially if your car is an old bump.

  • backpaqer on 11/05/2015 - 20:24

    Well…the other party says it's not their fault so their insurance company wants us to pay up…Coles says, no, it is their fault…but there is no offer on their part to come to the party. I spent 40 minutes on the phone to Coles trying to figure out the way forward and they continually kept coming back to the line "we wont pay for your car repairs"…they didn't get the point about the argument over who is at fault here.

    So I had a look in their PDS and the Third Party Property insurance does cover legal costs for an APPROVED claim. So due to their inaction, they will find a $10,000 claim headed their way. So they can either pay up the big $$$…or fight it for us and get a ruling that the other party is at fault. I assume that if Coles end up winning and not having to pay that we can pursue then 3rd party for our damages.

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