Confused.com: Which? comparison site investigation

Once again, Which? has not produced anything that is particularly useful for consumers - and in fact, has chosen to play down the enormous benefits that comparison sites can provide. The key finding is actually quite clear; the Which? researchers were able to save money when using comparison sites.

The fact is that, in 2008, via the Confused.com website customers saved on average £206 on motor insurance and £183 on home insurance .

Insurance companies have become more and more creative, with their use of compulsory excesses in order to reduce premiums; we are sympathetic to the fact that this can be confusing for consumers. Unless explained, compulsory excesses can seem like a hidden extra that can prove difficult to pay in the event of a claim. For this reason we have made significant improvements to the Confused.com site to provide the information required for customers to make an informed decision, in as simple a way as possible.
Simon Lamble, product director at Confused.com says: "Which? has simply made sweeping statements about ‘most' comparison sites and has not highlighted that Confused.com has addressed the issues that the research criticises.

"There are no hidden excess costs on our site; we display the excess as simply as possible, breaking the total down into voluntary and compulsory on the results page for each motor policy. For car insurance, we have introduced the highlighter tool which allows the customer to select the total excess that is affordable for them. In addition they can easily adjust the level of voluntary excess to allow them to see the effect of this on the premium. Customers can then choose whether they would prefer to take the risk of paying a higher excess for a cheaper policy. Put simply, Confused.com customers do not end up with hidden shocks, and our highlighter allows them to find the best quote for them at the right price".

Comparison sites exist because they offer a quick way to search the market for a better deal. The confused.com website offers an easy to use service to make buying competitive insurance as simple as possible.