Your car insurance company has told you that they are going to increase the insurance amount you have to pay for your car each month. You are not happy about this. Write a letter to the insurance company. In your letter explain: - why you are writing to them - why you think the insurance amount should not be increased - what you want them to do
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing in response to a letter that I received recently stating that my insurance premium would increase from July 2020. I do not believe the increase is rational and hence would like you to reconsider it. I have been managing my car insurance with your company for the last 8 years and my insurance policy number is 8101023457-115-2. My monthly premium is already higher than that of some of my colleagues and relatives. The 20% increase in monthly insurance payment is not acceptable because I am already paying higher and no other notable insurance company has raised their premium recently. Inflating the premium, especially at a time of recession, goes against the insurance holders' interest. I would really appreciate it if you could write me back with an explanation of why such an increase is needed when others have not done so. I would request you to reconsider the decision, otherwise, I am afraid I will have to move my car insurance policy to another company. I am looking forward to receiving your reply as soon as possible. Yours faithfully, Sonia Vincent
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use precise wording Original: rational Suggested revision: justified Why it matters: "Justified" is the more natural word for questioning whether the increase has a valid basis.
- 2. Correct the collocation Original: managing my car insurance Suggested revision: holding my car insurance policy Why it matters: A customer holds an insurance policy rather than manages insurance with a company.
- 3. Use formal phrasing Original: last 8 years Suggested revision: past eight years Why it matters: This wording is more natural and appropriately formal in a business letter.
- 4. Name the payment precisely Original: 20% increase in monthly insurance payment Suggested revision: 20% increase in my monthly insurance premium Why it matters: "Insurance premium" is the precise term, and "my" identifies the payment clearly.
- 5. Complete the comparison Original: already paying higher Suggested revision: already paying a higher premium Why it matters: "Higher" needs a noun here to complete the comparative expression.
- 6. Use plural agreement Original: premium Suggested revision: premiums Why it matters: The plural companies referred to by "their" require the plural noun "premiums" in this context.
- 7. Use standard insurance terms Original: insurance holders' interest Suggested revision: policyholders' interests Why it matters: "Policyholders" is the standard term, and the plural possessive matches the general group being discussed.
- 8. Fix the comma splice Original: decision, otherwise, Suggested revision: decision; otherwise, Why it matters: A semicolon correctly separates the two independent clauses linked by "otherwise".
- 9. Choose a formal verb Original: move Suggested revision: transfer Why it matters: "Transfer" is the more precise verb for moving a policy to another insurer.
- 10. Use a smoother connector Original: and hence would like Suggested revision: and would therefore like Why it matters: "Therefore" links the judgement to the request more naturally in this formal context.
- 11. Clarify the comparison Original: higher than that of some of my colleagues and relatives Suggested revision: higher than the premiums paid by some of my colleagues and relatives Why it matters: The explicit noun phrase makes the comparison immediately clear.
- 12. Choose a natural adjective Original: notable Suggested revision: major Why it matters: "Major" is a more natural adjective for a large or prominent insurer.
Suggested Rewrites
- rational justified
- managing my car insurance holding my car insurance policy
- last 8 years past eight years
- 20% increase in monthly insurance payment 20% increase in my monthly insurance premium
- already paying higher already paying a higher premium
- premium premiums
Why this response received Band 7.5
The letter fully addresses the insurer, explains the objection with relevant supporting details, and makes the desired outcome unmistakably clear in an appropriately formal tone. Its main weakness is presentation: all ideas are compressed into one paragraph, while several collocations sound slightly unnatural. Dividing the response into focused paragraphs and refining phrases such as ‘paying higher’ would make the message more polished and easier to follow.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is immediately clear, all three bullet points are fully addressed, and the formal tone is consistently appropriate.
Make the objection even more persuasive by explaining briefly how the writer's claim history supports reconsideration.
Coherence and Cohesion
The reasoning progresses logically and linking is clear, but presenting the entire letter as one paragraph weakens organisation.
Separate the opening, reasons, and requested action into distinct paragraphs so each communicative stage is easy to locate.
Lexical Resource
A good range of topic-specific vocabulary conveys the complaint precisely, though a few collocations such as ‘paying higher’ are unnatural.
Use more idiomatic combinations, for example ‘paying a higher premium’ and ‘policyholders’ interests’.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Varied complex structures are handled accurately overall, with only occasional minor errors in punctuation and agreement.
Check clause boundaries and number agreement, particularly around ‘otherwise’ and references to companies and premiums.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
Your car insurance company has told you that they are going to increase the insurance amount you have to pay for your car each month. You are not happy about this. Write a letter to the insurance company. In your letter explain:
- why you are writing to them
- why you think the insurance amount should not be increased
- what you want them to do
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.