Motor insurance, who do these companies think they are?

[Isabelle]

I'm thinking of changing my insurance company when the renewal comes up.

I've just cancelled the policy on my car because I sold it and I am not replacing it. Three times I phoned them and they told me I would get X pounds back as a refund because the policy had 7 months left on it. This amount was after taking off a £17.50 admin fee and second car discount. Then I get a letter telling me I was getting £60 less back. So I rang them and sorted it out. Its not the first time they've done something like this either. When I renewed the policy last year, the gave me a price, I said I would call back and pay on my credit card, when I called back 3 days later it had gone up by £50. They listened back to the original phone call and I paid the first price in the end!

Its stupid when you phone up and people tell you different things on different days.

[OOmpa]

I agree its ridiculous I wanted to take a named driver off my Insurance and the Insurance company said it would be £55.00 for admin fee! Oh yeah it really costs that much to tap a couple of keys on the computer:confused:

[maxofe]

Its common practice for policies to be “rolling / continuous” with the emphasis being on you to cancel it.

 

sorry but do they now expect when we take the policy out it's for LIFE??

 

unreal.

 

:hihi::hihi:

[Grandad.Malky]

(they have no instructions from you to maintain/restart the policy after the renewal date).

 

Its common practice for policies to be “rolling / continuous” with the emphasis being on you to cancel it.

[Grandad.Malky]

sorry but do they now expect when we take the policy out it's for LIFE??

 

unreal.

 

:hihi::hihi:

 

Why laugh its all there on your policy just like the fee for paying monthly that you seem to have missed and hence the difference between the initial policy quote and the figure you worked out.

 

Instead of laughing at people that are trying to point you in the right direction do a bit of homework first.

[truman]

I agree its ridiculous I wanted to take a named driver off my Insurance and the Insurance company said it would be £55.00 for admin fee! Oh yeah it really costs that much to tap a couple of keys on the computer:confused:

 

Why not just leave them on...

[L00b]

Its common practice for policies to be “rolling / continuous” with the emphasis being on you to cancel it.

Such clauses are unenforceable. Been-there-done-that several times over

 

i am going to send them the unsigned credit agreement back today with a letter telling them exactly what i think of them :/

Don't.

 

Look, it's simple:

(i) you took an annual policy with iecowotsits.

(ii) you paid the premium by DD (12 months, right? per original credit agreement, right?).

(iii) if you paid 12 DDs to iecowotsits, then you have paid your due for the annual policy.

(iv) at renewal time, you told iecowotsits that you were not renewing the policy, and they have admitted about as much with stating that they have a record of your call in their system.

 

Even if there was a contractual clause per Malky's earlier post, that you had the burden of explicitly cancelling the policy/renewal of the policy, then (unenforceability notwithstaning) you have done so and have discharged that burden.

 

So iecowotsits had no grounds to renew your policy, and now have no grounds to demand a cancellation fee for a service you did not instruct.

 

Just send the credit agreement back, with a cover letter summarising the above (if that's how it really is, of course), considering your relationship has duly terminated per the terms of the contract, and demanding that they cease writing to you forthwith, or you will refer them to the Financial Ombudsman Service and file complaints for harassment and extortion attempt. Demand that they acknowledge and write back to you confirming the matter is closed.

 

Don't be rude/name calling, be 'professional', send that recorded delivery (then go to Royal Mail webiste and print the proof of delivery with the signature a couple of days later).

 

My $0.02 is that will be the last you hear from them ('they' rarely if ever do the "acknowledgement/writing back to confirm the matter is closed" bit).

 

For some letter templates, have a look at an old thread of mine on another Forum, relating my dealings with DHL Ireland (demanding undue VAT and Import Duty) and their debt collection agency.

[chem1st]

You hope …………. You hope my son was at A&E last night and there wasn’t a wheelchair in sight to get him from the car to the reception where he had to wait 2 ½ hours in excruciating pain.

 

2.5 hours wait and he was seen to for free.

 

It's not perfect, but it is very bloody good.

 

If the hospital is lacking wheelchairs perhaps a few wheelbarrows could be bought and used for emergencies.

[chem1st]

I'm not sure what your point is..could you clarify please?

 

People can not afford to drive due to the cost of insurance.

 

Increasingly people are giving up their cars.

 

The cars and the petrol are cheap in comparison to the insurance.

 

The insurance makes up the majority of the cost of buying, maintaining and running a car.

 

The insurance is insanely expensive. I cannot see how any risk can be priced as high as that.

[truman]

People can not afford to drive due to the cost of insurance.

 

Increasingly people are giving up their cars.

 

The cars and the petrol are cheap in comparison to the insurance.

 

The insurance makes up the majority of the cost of buying, maintaining and running a car.

 

The insurance is insanely expensive. I cannot see how any risk can be priced as high as that.

 

My insurance is less than £200..seems pretty good value to me...fully comp,protected NCB etc..small part of the cost of running a car..the VED is more expensive..