A MARTIN Lewis fan has revealed how they shaved £268 off an essential bill using handy tips.
In the latest MSE newsletter, one reader called Sharon revealed how she slashed her home insurance bill.
Sharon explained how she has been automatically renewing her policy with the same insurer every year for 23 years.
But this year she decided to do something a bit different.
She wrote into MSE and said: “I’ve been with the same insurer for 23 years and renewed out of habit.
“But not this year – I looked at your home insurance cost-cutting info and have saved a wonderful £268.”
It comes as MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) recently published a guide on how to cut home insurance costs.
The team warned home insurance costs are up 26% compared with last year, and “there’s no sign that this is the peak”.
The article shared tips and tricks on the best ways to get money off your bill.
It reads: “So, everyone should check now if they can lock in a cheap quote – even if not at renewal – to see if you can save £100s, or at least forestall rises for another year.”
Sharon followed some of this handy advice and even managed to get a better deal.
She added: “The cover is better, and we’ll get a car insurance discount too.”
She also thanked Martin and his team for their help.
According to MSE if your policy is up for renewal is to establish what cover you need.
If you’re renting you typically won’t have home insurance and the building will be insured under the landlord’s policy.
Instead, you’ll have what’s called renters insurance.
Tenants’ Contents Insurance covers your personal possessions in case of fire, theft, accidental damage or other insured risk.
It’s important to compare the best prices using a few different comparison sites – for example, Compare the Market, MoneySupermarket and Confused.com.
Direct Line doesn’t appear on comparison sites and can be competitive, so is often worth checking as well.
You can get hundreds of quotes within minutes and the sites will break down the insurers and brokers for you.
MSE also says using a cashback site like Quidco and Topcashback will give you up to £34 back if you compare through them.
If you’re keen to stick with your current firm then why not haggle using the other prices you find?
Another piece of advice from MSE is: “Check to see if you can find prices cheaper.
“If you can make a substantial saving, provided you haven’t claimed this year, you can cancel your policy and usually get a pro-rata refund if you paid upfront, minus a £35ish admin fee – and you don’t earn this year’s no-claims discounts.
“Plus you forestall rises for another year.”
Lastly, make sure the policy you settle on is right for you and read the terms and conditions closely.
It’s vital also to check your firm is regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and if your claim is unfairly rejected then escalate any complaints to the Financial Ombudsman.
Meanwhile, Martin Lewis has warned seven million households to “ditch and switch” a major household bill on Black Friday.
Plus, the consumer champion has revealed that millions of workers will bag a £1,800 pay rise next year due to an increase in the National Living Wage.
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
