Richard Hawley

Just spent an hour trying to sort my daughters car insurance, she's at uni. Did those compare things, as her renewal came back £400 more than it was last year!

Does anyone understand how car insurance works? How can one company say £1200 and another £535 for the same cover. Ive checked and rechecked, I keep thinking I must have done something wrong on the form.

Do they deliberately make it completely maddening so you just give up and pay? Or when you go for the cheaper version say, only joking? Doesn't make any sense at all.

I've just had all this, this very week with my eldest daughter, 18 years old and just passed her test. Bought a little Nissan Micra 1.2l for £1800 and the best insurance I could get for her (without the tracking box) is well over £2000.
I know you have to "let them go" but what I want to know is how the hell do you stop worrying when they go off in the car on their own The stress is killing me

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Be careful what you wish for...

Phone the existing company. Last few years the renewal notice they've sent me has always been higher than what i paid the previous year. Somehow they always manage to amend the price downwards when you speak to them. Funny that. Think they just rely on people being too lazy to question it or shop around and hope they pay up (no doubt plenty do).

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http://www.wagonwheelmedia.co.uk
http://www.last.fm/user/TheWagonMaster

"you ain't afraid of no alleyway when you are the thing in the dark"

Rung the company, they said they could get it down to £958 from over £1200. Still no where near the £535 the comparison places can do. Its mad, there doesn't seem to be any logic to it.

As for letting go. I've given up. I can't do it. My eldest is 24 this year, with her own house and mortgage etc. I've mentioned on here before, she had some trouble with her very nasty neighbour. I was round there like a shot, wanting to rip his throat out. But it works both ways. She rang me for help, mum will sort it.

It's almost impossible to let go, especially when they have a car for the first time. We played Aussie rules. I read years ago that in Australia, new drivers had to abide by some great rules. Don't know if they still do. But, there is no drinking, nothing. If they have a drink they can't drive for 24 hours. (Back to being a taxi again) Only one other person allowed in the car with them. Back home by 10 or don't take the car, their choice. Obviously you have no idea whether some of the rules are adhered to or not. We relented after about 6 months. But as with kids in general, just have to hope you have instilled some sort of sense at some point in their upbringing. I still lay in bed waiting for her to get in though. Even my eldest texts me when she gets in from work, she works 12 hour shifts. I don't think she resents it, at least I hope not.

I'm still required to do three rings on the phone to my mum, when I get back from visiting her - 15 miles away. I'm 50 And don't get me started on when I go on holiday

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.

Oh dear, Im with your mum, Lofty sorry. I don't have to ring when I get home any more, but my brother does. Don't know when I slipped down the ladder of importance. I tell my kids, its a normal thing to worry, it means you care. I like the sound of your mum. I hope she's a little eccentric as well. Not as bad as my mum though. We found out yesterday, she has broken a vertebra. She climbed over a 4 foot wall on Christmas eve! Thought it would be easier than walking round. Apparently, its been a bit painful. Goodness, who would have thought that.

Oh crikey, that's not good Lynne I hope she's getting that looked at.
Yes, my mum is delightfully eccentric. Only last Saturday, when I went down for the day, she asked me to fetch something from upstairs. Whilst looking for it I discovered that she is the proud owner of 47 toilet rolls, in several packs, each opened & with only one taken out! And I've probably told the tale before, of when we had a flash storm one night whilst at work & the car park flooded. I had to wade into several inches of water to get into the car. Mum's comment ''What a pity you didn't have some wellies in the boot''.

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.

Make a list - comedy gold!

What a wonderful woman your mum is, Lofty. Very sensible advise. Hope your always have wellies to hand now, and toilet rolls don't have a shelf life. Maybe they were a bargain.
I may have mentioned I met an old lady in Ramsgate, 7 o clock in the morning. She was round by the harbour, wearing an evening dress, hand knitted poncho, beige short socks and sandals, and a swimming hat! She was looking up at the sky, we could hear a big plane going into Manston. I got off my bike and pointed it out. She said, 'Thank you, dear. So aggravating when you can hear them and not see them" I'm basing my later years on becoming like her. My kids say I'm already much worse. Job done.

Oh she's very good with advice, most of it sensible. However, had my wellies actually been in the boot, during the flood, I'd still have had to wade over to the car to get them out

I met a nice lady once, when I was on my way to the Lakes on the bike. I'd stopped by some shops to check the route & have a Mars bar. She was admiring a baby being wheeled the other way & remarked to me, quite out of the blue, ''When you look at babies don't you find it amazing. I mean they're so tiny & then the next minute there's you on a motorbike''. Bless her, she made the holiday.

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.

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http://www.wagonwheelmedia.co.uk
http://www.last.fm/user/TheWagonMaster

"you ain't afraid of no alleyway when you are the thing in the dark"

We are going to centre parcs at the end of June. Mum's not sure but doesn't think she will be able to ride a bike! We had been looking at getting her a mobility scooter. When I told her she was furious, said she wouldn't have anything to do with that sort of thing. She will walk if she has to, we will just have to wait. Hopefully when we go to the fracture clinic, they might be able to talk her into being a bit more sensible. At least she's a bit sheepish when they ask how it happened. She was taking a short cut over a 4 foot wall on Christmas eve after 1 too many sherries.

Lynne, I like the sound of your mum, too! Reminds me of my late great-aunt, who was quite partial to Gold Label. But always swore she'd only had 'just the one'.
However, Craig, I find that biking baby rather unsettling

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.

The baby on the bike is a bit spooky, but I like the concentration on her face.
I've got an aunt like that now! When I go and see her, I can't keep up. My nan was a lovely lady. I used to walk down to see her a couple of times a week, she would fill me up with sherry before I walked home, to keep the chill away from my kidneys!

I sometimes go to 'knit and natter' at a home for Alzheimers suffers. One lady there can tell you every one of her brothers and sisters names and birthdays she had 15. She's so lovely. Most of them can't remember their partners but they remember how to knit. Sylvia is a proper cockney. I was so chuffed, she sings some of the songs my nan sang. I taught her one she didn't know. My nan said it was sung by one of her great aunts in a local music hall. One of the lines is 'Lottie Collins, got no drawers, can she borrow some of yours' She really laughed, she I was a very naughty girl. She remembers doodle bugs, sleeping in the underground tunnels, VE day, all sorts of stories. Wish I could record what she says, but I think it would be frowned upon by the home. There is a Lancaster pilot in there as well. Bless him, sadly hes completely deaf. What a hero. Wish I could hear some of his stories.

Yeah, i think it's disgusting too they've been let out without a helmet.

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http://www.wagonwheelmedia.co.uk
http://www.last.fm/user/TheWagonMaster

"you ain't afraid of no alleyway when you are the thing in the dark"