Unless you have specific requirements go direct as you would with car insurance.

Some companies seem to have this admin fee, others probably hide it in the premium. Ultimately it's the all-in price that matters. I would see if you can get a better deal elsewhere, if so they use this as a bargaining tool to try and get the £50 cancelled or at least reduced.

During the last year the broker we use for house insurance was taken over. Our real amount is virtually the same as last year but we're we're now being asked to pay an admin fee of £50 extra. Is this usual nowadays? And can back room members recommend an insurance company that doesn't levy an admin fee just for renewal?

Many thanks.

A recent home contents policy with a well-known insurer had this, but it was added to the quoted premium (ironically it was significatntly more than the base premium [only contents because I live in a flat, which has buildings cover as part of the service charge]) they sent me.

They used to have a 'cashback' deal, but that had to be claimed and was only paid about 3 months after the policy started.

This sort of thing stinks - rather like my combined landline phone and internet service, whose overall cost per month is mainly (about 80%) made up of by the line rental. The same goes for buying inkjet printers and the cost of replacement ink cartridges.

Rarely do 'charges' for a product reflect what it actually cost to provide them.