Car insurance auto-renewal

[TROOPER88]

Hi Guys
I was sent an e-mail by my insurer a couple of weeks ago reminding me that my policy was due to expire soon and that it would automatically renew unless I cancelled.

It slipped my mind and today I have received an e-mail stating that effective from today my policy has renewed.

I just logged into the site and the payment is not due to be collected from my account for another couple of days.

I would like to cancel the policy.

Does the 14 day cool off period apply to auto-renewals?

What would be the advice now, call them and cancel on Monday or am I likely to be fined one months premium or the like?

Many thanks

[Initforthemoney]

Can you not call them now?

[TROOPER88]

Initforthemoney said:

Can you not call them now?

Just did online help.

£30 fee if I within 14 days, £50 thereafter plus payment for any time on the policy

Cheers

[Bigends]

Dont mess around online - ring and speak with someone

[TROOPER88]

Bigends said:

Dont mess around online - ring and speak with someone

Closed now

Monday morn I will be on the phone

Cheers

[Heartworm]

I did this, phoned them say day and they didn’t charge me. I imagine they will charge you the 30 quid as they will have provided cover over the weekend, only way to know is to phone them.

[anonymous-user]

Heartworm said:

I did this, phoned them say day and they didn’t charge me. I imagine they will charge you the 30 quid as they will have provided cover over the weekend, only way to know is to phone them.

In the third post, he said he's gonna get charged 30 quid fee so I guess that's "admin" charges.

[Matt_E_Mulsion]

I rang up a couple of days before my policy ended to renegotiate and or cancel the auto renewal. They couldn't compete so I said to cancel the auto renewal. They turned round and told me they'd already taken the money and it would take two weeks or so to process the refund!!!

[Sheepshanks]

TROOPER88 said:

It slipped my mind and today I have received an e-mail stating that effective from today my policy has renewed.

That's better than it slipping your mind and forgetting to renew your insurance.

Or have you already got cover elsewhere? Unless the car is SORN'd you might find they're reluctant to cancel if you don't have other cover in place.

[TROOPER88]

Sheepshanks said:

That's better than it slipping your mind and forgetting to renew your insurance.

Or have you already got cover elsewhere? Unless the car is SORN'd you might find they're reluctant to cancel if you don't have other cover in place.

I am contemplating going onto a trade policy.

I had one years ago when I was trading part time and may start again.

[PorkInsider]

TROOPER88 said:

Does the 14 day cool off period apply to auto-renewals?

I would have thought not because you authorised them to auto-renew a year ago?

[LosingGrip]

Sheepshanks said:

That's better than it slipping your mind and forgetting to renew your insurance.

Or have you already got cover elsewhere? Unless the car is SORN'd you might find they're reluctant to cancel if you don't have other cover in place.

Insurance company won't care if there isn't another policy in place already.

[faa77]

PorkInsider said:

I would have thought not because you authorised them to auto-renew a year ago?

You don't authorise them to auto-renew the previous year. They only mention this 4 weeks before the expiry.

Also, technically it is a new service (different dates), so the cool-off period should apply.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

faa77 said:

PorkInsider said:

I would have thought not because you authorised them to auto-renew a year ago?

You don't authorise them to auto-renew the previous year. They only mention this 4 weeks before the expiry.

Nope, it's always mentioned within the documentation at inception of the policy, and you can opt out. By not bothering to read the stuff and opting out, your are authorising it.

[Sheepshanks]

LosingGrip said:

Insurance company won't care if there isn't another policy in place already.

This is only anecdotal but I've read of companies refusing to allow cancellation unless you show there's another policy in place. It's a bit iffy for the insurance company as they are potentially at risk.

And if you have got another policy in place it's proof that you didn't intend to auto-renew.

[ElectricPics]

Sheepshanks said:

This is only anecdotal but I've read of companies refusing to allow cancellation unless you show there's another policy in place. It's a bit iffy for the insurance company as they are potentially at risk.

And if you have got another policy in place it's proof that you didn't intend to auto-renew.

It's got nothing whatsoever to do with your current insurer what you do after your auto-renewal is cancelled. For all they know you might be selling the vehicle, moving abroad, sorning, etc. I cancelled my auto renewal this year as soon as the letter arrived, two weeks before I got another policy in place.

[martinbiz]

You’re right it’s anecdotal

[TwigtheWonderkid]

ElectricPics said:

Sheepshanks said:

This is only anecdotal but I've read of companies refusing to allow cancellation unless you show there's another policy in place. It's a bit iffy for the insurance company as they are potentially at risk.

And if you have got another policy in place it's proof that you didn't intend to auto-renew.

It's got nothing whatsoever to do with your current insurer what you do after your auto-renewal is cancelled. For all they know you might be selling the vehicle, moving abroad, sorning, etc. I cancelled my auto renewal this year as soon as the letter arrived, two weeks before I got another policy in place.

I think Sheepshanks means if you've forgotten to cancel your auto renewal having made alternative arrangements with a new insurer, so the car is covered twice from renewal. Some insurers will allow a full refund upon proof of alternative insurance having been arranged. Whereas without proof, they will charge for the time they've been on cover since renewal.

[ElectricPics]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

ElectricPics said:

Sheepshanks said:

This is only anecdotal but I've read of companies refusing to allow cancellation unless you show there's another policy in place. It's a bit iffy for the insurance company as they are potentially at risk.

And if you have got another policy in place it's proof that you didn't intend to auto-renew.

It's got nothing whatsoever to do with your current insurer what you do after your auto-renewal is cancelled. For all they know you might be selling the vehicle, moving abroad, sorning, etc. I cancelled my auto renewal this year as soon as the letter arrived, two weeks before I got another policy in place.

I think Sheepshanks means if you've forgotten to cancel your auto renewal having made alternative arrangements with a new insurer, so the car is covered twice from renewal. Some insurers will allow a full refund upon proof of alternative insurance having been arranged. Whereas without proof, they will charge for the time they've been on cover since renewal.

Got you.

[Sheepshanks]

ElectricPics said:

It's got nothing whatsoever to do with your current insurer what you do after your auto-renewal is cancelled. For all they know you might be selling the vehicle, moving abroad, sorning, etc. I cancelled my auto renewal this year as soon as the letter arrived, two weeks before I got another policy in place.

Right, but try doing what the OP has done - let the policy auto-renew, and then try and cancel the live policy when there's no other cover in place.

I'm not saying this will always happen, but I've seen posts from people saying their insurance company wouldn't let them cancel until they proved other insurance was in place. Of course this may just be call centre staff being stupid, but they're working in an environment where the MIB will look to pin a claim on any insurance company it can and the last known insurer might be a good place to start.