does anyone understand how insurance companies work?
Discussion
Ok, I posted this elsewhere, so sorry if you already read it. But then again it's probably more appropriate here since this forum's about law and stuff...
Hi guys!
Here's a question. Insured my car a while back, and had a crash. Made a claim, got some money.
Now it's renewal time. They sent the documents through, and I notice that the reg. no is wrong. Looked again. Most of it is right, but the second and third numbers in the reg no on the paperwork are the wrong way round eg
a213 aaa instead of a123 aaa.
So I get the original certificate out and have a look, and sure enough it's wrong on that as well.
I can't believe I never noticed it, but does it mean that the insurance company will ask for the money back?
Everything else on the documents are correct, make, model, engine, mileage etc. But are they likely to ask for the money back and / or refuse renewal because of this?
Whenever I phoned them I read the reg no off their documents so it wasn't picked up by them then. Their engineer did a report, and he got the reg no right because he read it off the vehicle and neither the insurer or me noticed the difference at the time.
I had to present the insurance certificate at the post office when I taxed the car and they didn't notice either.
Nor did the policeman who examined the certificate when I had the accident that lead to the claim.
I never kept a photocopy of my original application, so I don't know if the original mistake was theirs or mine.
Any help / advice from you guys would be much appreciated!!!
Hi guys!
Here's a question. Insured my car a while back, and had a crash. Made a claim, got some money.
Now it's renewal time. They sent the documents through, and I notice that the reg. no is wrong. Looked again. Most of it is right, but the second and third numbers in the reg no on the paperwork are the wrong way round eg
a213 aaa instead of a123 aaa.
So I get the original certificate out and have a look, and sure enough it's wrong on that as well.
I can't believe I never noticed it, but does it mean that the insurance company will ask for the money back?
Everything else on the documents are correct, make, model, engine, mileage etc. But are they likely to ask for the money back and / or refuse renewal because of this?
Whenever I phoned them I read the reg no off their documents so it wasn't picked up by them then. Their engineer did a report, and he got the reg no right because he read it off the vehicle and neither the insurer or me noticed the difference at the time.
I had to present the insurance certificate at the post office when I taxed the car and they didn't notice either.
Nor did the policeman who examined the certificate when I had the accident that lead to the claim.
I never kept a photocopy of my original application, so I don't know if the original mistake was theirs or mine.
Any help / advice from you guys would be much appreciated!!!
You are already getting replies in the original post?
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They are most certainly not entitled to their money back.
The error in reg mark was in no way material to them as a prudent insurer in assessing the risk or determining the premium.
Phone them, tell them the reg is wrong on the docs, and ask for a new set. They should oblige with no fuss.
The error in reg mark was in no way material to them as a prudent insurer in assessing the risk or determining the premium.
Phone them, tell them the reg is wrong on the docs, and ask for a new set. They should oblige with no fuss.
Firstly, run a vehicle check on the DVLA website to make sure the proper plate matches the car on their records.
Then you really need to check urgently that the ANPR base has your car as insured - right now this is your biggest concern.
I think the link is www.askmid.com or .co.uk??? This needs to show the proper plate as insured, or you are at risk of the car being clamped, towed and crushed when parked on public roads.
Then simply call the insurers and point out the problem. They should send you new docs without any worry.
BUT...something may be wrong here. Have you ever taxed the car online? What reg did the DVLA come back with? What reg did the post office write??? And what about MOTs? What reg do they have???
You see, when the PO hand back the documents, I think ( think ) the computer still runs a check on the above link and the MOT base, to make sure all is well. After all, the insurance certificate you hand over could ( easily ) be fake.
Then you really need to check urgently that the ANPR base has your car as insured - right now this is your biggest concern.
I think the link is www.askmid.com or .co.uk??? This needs to show the proper plate as insured, or you are at risk of the car being clamped, towed and crushed when parked on public roads.
Then simply call the insurers and point out the problem. They should send you new docs without any worry.
BUT...something may be wrong here. Have you ever taxed the car online? What reg did the DVLA come back with? What reg did the post office write??? And what about MOTs? What reg do they have???
You see, when the PO hand back the documents, I think ( think ) the computer still runs a check on the above link and the MOT base, to make sure all is well. After all, the insurance certificate you hand over could ( easily ) be fake.
However, please do make sure you are certain that you have just made an "honest mistake".
I wouldn't be surprised if this would trigger an investigation (MID, MIAFTR, HPI checks) so the insurer can make sure this isn't a cloned car or whatever.
You don't want them crawling all over the vehicle history if there are any skeletons you know about. If there aren't then no worries.
I wouldn't be surprised if this would trigger an investigation (MID, MIAFTR, HPI checks) so the insurer can make sure this isn't a cloned car or whatever.
You don't want them crawling all over the vehicle history if there are any skeletons you know about. If there aren't then no worries.
I very much doubt it.
In 2002 I wrote off a £40,000 Elise. The ins co eventually paid me £40k but also told me the broker had insured it as something completely different with them!
Not your problem, they said, here's your £40k. Spend it on booze and women and waste the rest.
So I doubt a typo on the cert will worry anyone, except yourself.
In 2002 I wrote off a £40,000 Elise. The ins co eventually paid me £40k but also told me the broker had insured it as something completely different with them!
Not your problem, they said, here's your £40k. Spend it on booze and women and waste the rest.
So I doubt a typo on the cert will worry anyone, except yourself.
I don't think the car shows as insured...
When the policeman stopped at the accident, one of the first things he said was that the car was showing as no insurance and I would have to produce documents. All the documents insurance cert, MOT, V5C, etc are kept in one folder which I had in the boot of the car that day because I had been to the dealer the day before to discuss extending the warranty. I gave him the folder, he read through the insurance certificate and said he was satisfied car was insured. This is how I know he didn't see the discrepency otherwise he would have mentioned it.
When the car was purchased, It was insured with a different company - that certificate had correct reg no on it and I had to send a photocopy of that with my other paperwork when I changed to this new insurer as proof of no claims.
Tax disc had correct reg no on it, but car is currently sorn as there was no point keeping it taxed when repairs took seven months.
MOT issued upon completion of repairs has correct reg no on it. V5C has correct reg no on it.
Aaaargh!!!
When the policeman stopped at the accident, one of the first things he said was that the car was showing as no insurance and I would have to produce documents. All the documents insurance cert, MOT, V5C, etc are kept in one folder which I had in the boot of the car that day because I had been to the dealer the day before to discuss extending the warranty. I gave him the folder, he read through the insurance certificate and said he was satisfied car was insured. This is how I know he didn't see the discrepency otherwise he would have mentioned it.
When the car was purchased, It was insured with a different company - that certificate had correct reg no on it and I had to send a photocopy of that with my other paperwork when I changed to this new insurer as proof of no claims.
Tax disc had correct reg no on it, but car is currently sorn as there was no point keeping it taxed when repairs took seven months.
MOT issued upon completion of repairs has correct reg no on it. V5C has correct reg no on it.
Aaaargh!!!
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