Finding insurance can mean comparing prices, cover levels, excesses and optional extras from several different providers. It is not always easy to know where to start or which details matter most.
That is where an insurance broker can help.
At One Call Insurance, we compare options from a large panel of insurance providers, help you understand what is available and arrange your chosen policy. We may also be able to access competitive prices and offer benefits that add more value to your cover.
What is an insurance broker?
An insurance broker acts as a link between you and an insurance provider.
The broker helps you search for and arrange insurance, while the insurance provider, also known as the insurer or underwriter, provides the policy itself.
Rather than visiting several insurers and entering the same details each time, you can give your information to a broker. The broker can then use it to check the options available from its panel.
This can make searching for insurance quicker and much more straightforward.
Can a broker help you find a better deal?
In some cases, yes.
Insurance brokers build relationships with the providers on their panel. This can give them the ability to negotiate prices or access rates that may differ from those offered when buying directly.
At One Call Insurance, we negotiate prices with the insurance providers on our panel. This means you may be able to find a more competitive price than you would by approaching the same provider directly. However, prices will always depend on your personal circumstances and a cheaper quote cannot be guaranteed.
Our insurance glossary also explains that brokers may sometimes negotiate premiums directly with insurance companies, which could lead to a lower price.
However, a good deal is about more than finding the cheapest insurance.
A lower price may look appealing, but it is important to check the level of cover, excesses, exclusions and included benefits. A policy that includes useful extras could offer better overall value, even if it is not the lowest-priced option.
What else does an insurance broker do?
A broker can support you throughout several stages of arranging and managing your insurance.
Compares available policies
A broker can check prices and cover from its panel of insurance providers, saving you from visiting each provider separately.
Not every broker searches the whole insurance market, so you should always check the range of providers they work with.
Helps narrow down your options
Your broker will ask questions about you and what you need to insure.
For car insurance, this may include your vehicle, driving history, annual mileage and how you use the car. For home insurance, it may include the size, age, location and security of your property.
Your answers help the broker narrow down the policies available to you.
Provides clear policy information
A broker can give you details about:
- The price of the policy
- The level of cover
- Compulsory and voluntary excesses
- Important exclusions
- Optional upgrades
- Included benefits
- Payment options
- Policy fees and charges
This allows you to compare more than the headline price before making your choice.
Arranges your cover
Once you have selected a policy, the broker can arrange it with the insurance provider.
You will receive documents explaining your cover, including the name of your insurance provider, your policy schedule and the full policy wording.
Helps you manage your policy
Depending on the broker and policy, you may also be able to contact them to:
- Update your personal details
- Change your vehicle or address
- Access policy documents
- Make a payment
- Discuss your renewal
- Find out how to report a claim
One Call Insurance have a customer portal where you can manage your insurance without the need contact. Having one place to manage your insurance can make the process feel much simpler.
Brokers can offer more than insurance alone
One of the benefits of using a broker is that your policy may come with useful extras.
These added benefits can give you more value and may save you from arranging certain services separately.
For example, eligible One Call motor insurance policies currently include benefits such as:
- Basic breakdown membership
- Motor legal cover
- Access to a 24-hour claims service
- UK-based customer support
- Discounts on selected additional policies
Eligible One Call home insurance policies can also include:
- Basic home emergency cover
- Family legal cover
- Access to UK-based customer support
- Discounts on selected additional policies
Benefits, limits and exclusions can vary between products and providers. Additional fees may also apply in some circumstances, such as home emergency call-out charges. Always check the policy documents to confirm what is included.
You can find current details on our car insurance and home insurance pages.
Why choose One Call Insurance?
One Call Insurance has been helping customers arrange their cover for more than 30 years.
We started as a local insurance broker in Doncaster in 1995. Since then, we have grown to serve customers across the UK, while keeping our head office in Doncaster and using UK-based contact centres.
Today, we provide access to a wide range of products, including:
- Car insurance
- Van insurance
- Motorbike insurance
- Home insurance
- Pet insurance
- Travel insurance
- Business insurance
- Specialist and temporary cover
A large panel of providers
We work with a large panel of insurance providers, giving customers access to a broad selection of prices and cover options.
This allows us to do more of the searching for you, so you can spend less time visiting different insurance websites.
Competitive prices and added value
Our relationships with insurance providers can help us negotiate competitive prices. We can also include valuable benefits with eligible policies, helping customers get more from their cover.
Support when you need it
Our UK-based teams are available to help with questions about your insurance. Customers can also use our online portal to view documents, make payments, request changes and manage many parts of their policy 24 hours a day.
You stay in control
One Call offers a non-advised service.
This means we ask questions to narrow down the available products and provide enough information for you to make an informed decision. We do not tell you which policy to choose, so you remain in control of your cover.
Authorised and Regulated
One Call Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for general insurance business.
Our firm reference number is 302961, which you can check on the FCA Register.
What should you check before buying?
Before choosing any insurance policy, make sure you understand:
- Who your insurance provider is
- What the policy covers
- What is excluded
- The compulsory and voluntary excess
- Which benefits are included
- Whether optional extras have been added
- The full price, including fees
- How to make changes or report a claim
Checking these details will help you understand the true value of the policy, rather than judging it on price alone.
See what One Call could offer you
Using an insurance broker can save you time, give you access to competitive prices and provide valuable benefits alongside your cover.
Ready to explore your options? Get a quote with One Call Insurance and see what is available from our panel of insurance providers.
