I find the discussion on insurance fascinating.
The UK car insurance market is hopelessly opaque and out of date, but other markets surely face the same increases in repair/third-party costs, and similar general inflationary pressures, yet don't seem to all be hiking premiums in the same way.
Insurance is crazy expensive here (seriously, it's far more than anyone has posted in this thread!) but I looked at the change in premiums since I bought the car.
2022 baseline
2023 renewal -2.5%
2024 renewal +2.3%
So, in three years I'm basically paying the same € amount, with the erosion caused by inflation probably about 6-8% less in real terms. I would say all the bleating about increased costs might be more accurately expressed as 'we want to make more money and this is a convenient cover'.
It may be eye-wateringly expensive here (although insurance here is 'any driver' by default, and I have a lot of policy options) but at least the premium is transparently compiled, the bonus/malus system showing exactly what discounts you get on the various components that make up the total.
None of this nebulous 'no-claims discount' throw-a-six-to-start nonsense that you can't challenge or compare between providers, and which can be arbitrarily modified as someone in this thread experienced.