Cancelled insurance
Discussion
A couple of weeks ago I had to do the get new car insurance dance. I went onto the meerkat and got a few better prices than my existing insurer, so I went down the list until I got to someone reputable and went with them. All my details were 100% correct as they were asked and I checked them on the insurance brokers site when I was directed to them. Clicked buy, got my new certificate and saw them take the money from my account.
A week later I get a letter from them saying they are cancelling my insurance as I hadn't declared two claims with them. The thing is, I had declared them. The two claims made by my wife (she is a named driver on my policy) were down there twice. One pair of them declared by me, one pair of them as undeclared but on the CUE database. The only difference is, the ones I declared were down as the first of the month, the ones they say were undeclared were given as the correct day of the claim.
Now, meerkat doesn't let you give a date for the claims, just month and year, and so did the brokers site that I was directed onto.
So, I call them a week ago, explain to them that I haven't not declared the two claims, they are clearly a mismatched pair of the two that I had declared. They agreed with this and said give us a week to sort it out and we shall get back to you. I explained to them this would see me past the insurance cancellation date so they extended cover until the 28th.
As of today I hadn't had any response so I called them up again. This time the guy see's the problem straight away but tells me the insurgent will now no longer cover me. they can't give me an explanation as to why, they think its just they won't allow for any changes, even though I'm not making a change, just a correction. I get a refund minus my payment for the period of cover but nothing for my wasted time and the money I will be out of pocket getting cover elsewhere.
I've now got cover elsewhere that has cost me an extra £30 (so no great problem) but I'm really unimpressed that they could do this. As si see it, I fulfilled my end of the contract, they took my money and now refuse to fulfil their end of it. I just can't see how a change of date for two claims by about 5 days each makes any fundamental change to the policy that was agreed. Obviously I'll not use them again (either broker, nor insurer) but I was wondering what recourse I have to give them some hassle. I've left them to open a formal complaint and should be hearing from their complaints department tomorrow but what should I push them into doing?
Finally, does this mean I now have to say yes to the question of 'have you ever had insurance cancelled?' that you often see on quotation forms? If so, how is it right that I get financially penalised for ever more because of their mistake?
Anyone had any experience of anything like this?
A week later I get a letter from them saying they are cancelling my insurance as I hadn't declared two claims with them. The thing is, I had declared them. The two claims made by my wife (she is a named driver on my policy) were down there twice. One pair of them declared by me, one pair of them as undeclared but on the CUE database. The only difference is, the ones I declared were down as the first of the month, the ones they say were undeclared were given as the correct day of the claim.
Now, meerkat doesn't let you give a date for the claims, just month and year, and so did the brokers site that I was directed onto.
So, I call them a week ago, explain to them that I haven't not declared the two claims, they are clearly a mismatched pair of the two that I had declared. They agreed with this and said give us a week to sort it out and we shall get back to you. I explained to them this would see me past the insurance cancellation date so they extended cover until the 28th.
As of today I hadn't had any response so I called them up again. This time the guy see's the problem straight away but tells me the insurgent will now no longer cover me. they can't give me an explanation as to why, they think its just they won't allow for any changes, even though I'm not making a change, just a correction. I get a refund minus my payment for the period of cover but nothing for my wasted time and the money I will be out of pocket getting cover elsewhere.
I've now got cover elsewhere that has cost me an extra £30 (so no great problem) but I'm really unimpressed that they could do this. As si see it, I fulfilled my end of the contract, they took my money and now refuse to fulfil their end of it. I just can't see how a change of date for two claims by about 5 days each makes any fundamental change to the policy that was agreed. Obviously I'll not use them again (either broker, nor insurer) but I was wondering what recourse I have to give them some hassle. I've left them to open a formal complaint and should be hearing from their complaints department tomorrow but what should I push them into doing?
Finally, does this mean I now have to say yes to the question of 'have you ever had insurance cancelled?' that you often see on quotation forms? If so, how is it right that I get financially penalised for ever more because of their mistake?
Anyone had any experience of anything like this?
raise a complaint, insist they acknowledge it was thier error and provide you a letter indemnifying you against the need to declare the cancellation on further insurance quotes, you may also be entitled to financial compensation for being left out of pocket and also for the inconvenience, the compensation is up to you if you feel it worth pursuing, but requesting the letter indemnifying you is something you absolutely should do.
Don't mince your words
Q Have you ever had insurance cancelled?
A Yes, due to the incompetence of an insurance company not accepting declarations... (etc)
I have to make a declaration, "in the mid 80s due to the incompetence of a broker accepting a policy when the insurer had a stated policy of not covering employees of that employer"
As far I know, never cost me a bean and I'm pretty rude about the broker.
Q Have you ever had insurance cancelled?
A Yes, due to the incompetence of an insurance company not accepting declarations... (etc)
I have to make a declaration, "in the mid 80s due to the incompetence of a broker accepting a policy when the insurer had a stated policy of not covering employees of that employer"
As far I know, never cost me a bean and I'm pretty rude about the broker.
ging84 said:
raise a complaint, insist they acknowledge it was thier error and provide you a letter indemnifying you against the need to declare the cancellation on further insurance quotes, you may also be entitled to financial compensation for being left out of pocket and also for the inconvenience, the compensation is up to you if you feel it worth pursuing, but requesting the letter indemnifying you is something you absolutely should do.
Completely agree, just to add that if you are not happy with the outcome of your complaint you can escalate it to the Financial Ombudsman http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/com...Fish said:
The biggest issue is having to say yes to insurance cancelled in the future...
yes as soon as you add this on comparison website the list drops to a few.I had a similar issue with an insurance company, other a complete claim still being outstanding. took me a week to fight it out and me running about for something they could have solved. insurance companies are a law unto themselves.
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