[Wetekemieluth]

Just for information:

Comparison websites are owned by insurance companies and will give poor results for any company not "under the umbrella" of their specific group of companies. You're better off doing the leg work and going to each company direct.

Example last time I renewed:

Confused.com E-Sure Quote: £600
E-Sure Direct Quote: £350

I asked E-Sure why the difference and their rep said "Yeah, Confused are owned by Admiral, so they don't quote properly for anyone who doesn't belong to their group".

Confused.com owned by Admiral. Yes, that Admiral. They also own elephant.co.uk, Bell Direct and Diamond, the womens car insurance specialist.

GoCompare are "independent" but have received a £30m loan from esure. If they can't pay esure back in cash, esure become a major shareholder. That's according to the Insurance Times.

Compare the Market is owned by Budget. This one is a bit naughty, as all of the brands quoted are Budget group companies - but they don't make that obvious. They also own Dial Direct, "Local Broker", ibuyeco, Quote Mart, and Junction who run the insurance arms of the Post Office, Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, Bradford & Bingley, Homebase and yesinsurance.com.

MoneySupermarket have just floated (in what was described as an "unfortunate" stock market debut, they failed to raise as much cash as had been hoped for, partly due to a recent Google penalty for link spamming which saw their web traffic shrink alarmingly!). As such they are independent.

So much for the main price comparison sites, what about some of the other big insurance brands?

HBOS Group owns Halifax Insurance, esure, Sheilas Wheels and First Alternative.
Royal & SunAlliance owns More Than
GroupAMA owns Carole Nash, Choice Quote, Bollington & Lark
AXA owns Swiftcover and has a share in Venture Preference. It also offers quotes as Lloyds TSB Insurance and insurance.co.uk
AON owns Firebond & Footman James
MMA owns Swinton, its4me & bullseye
Zurich owns Endsleigh
Fortis owns RIAS
Kwik-Fit Insurance Services owns Express Insurance
BDML Connect owns Lancaster
Fresh Insurance owns Ladybird and First Insurance
IAG owns Hastings Direct, People's Choice, Advantage, Open & Direct and Equity

RBS Group - the Royal Bank of Scotland Group includes our old friends Direct Line, plus Churchill, Privilege, NIG as well as insurance sold branded as Tesco Insurance, Natwest, Virgin Money, MBNA, BMW Insurance, MINI Insurance, Mint, Egg, Nationwide, Age Concern, Vauxhall Insurance and several others!