An insurance conundrum

[Simpo Two]

Unusually for me I can't see a way out of this dilemma.

A few months ago I was on the phone to my car insurance brokers and they happened to mention that next year my premium would be £6,000. I said 'WTF?' and they said it was due to an 'undisclosed claim'. That was news to me so I asked for more details. It turned out that, according to the database, I'd been in Surbiton in November 2023 and had an accident involving a transit van. They even had the registration number, claim number and the other party's insurer. We shall call them 'H'. I don't have a transit van, have never been to Surbiton and my reg number is completely different.

My broker said that only H could remove the error. I wrote to H and they said 'We have reviewed the file in full and will not be able to take any action at this time. Given you are not listed on the file as an involved party, and you were not involved in the index incident, we will now be closing our file as we are not able to take any action. We will have to refer you back to your own insurer to raise this issue with them or with the Financial Ombudsman Service.'

Therefore I took H to the FOS hoping they could persuade them to correct the error. However today the FOS said: 'Thank you for contacting us regarding you complain. We are unable to look into any complaint for third party insurance.'

And so currently it seems that at the next renewal date I'll be facing a £6,000 premium. How can I sort this out - because I've run out of ideas...


Mods - feel free to move to a more appropriate forum if required.

[Nicetobenice]

You have to escalate via your broker and insurer.

Strong words via your broker first, followed by a complaint if they don't resolve

Your broker will know how resolved, if they can be arsed.

[Simpo Two]

Thanks. My broker told me 'The claim you reference is currently showing on our validation system. It would be for H to remove the claim from the database; however, I have noted your file to confirm that there is no claim in your name.'

Are they simply lying?

I was able to get it over-ridden with them specifically, but if I want to change to a new broker/insurer next time will they just take my word for it?

[Nicetobenice]

Ask them what the renewal premium will be and you will know if they have removed the claim or not

Edit

Yes only H can remove the claim but your broker and insurer can make it happen.

Edited by Nicetobenice on Monday 22 June 11:05

[Simpo Two]

It annoys me that they CAN actually remove the claim but told me they couldn't. Why are they so bloody awkward and frankly dishonest?

I'll get a quote from a completely different company and see what happens.

[Nicetobenice]

Simpo Two said:

It annoys me that they CAN actually remove the claim but told me they couldn't. Why are they so bloody awkward and frankly dishonest?

I'll get a quote from a completely different company and see what happens.

My interpretation would be that they have removed the claim from their records but are relying on Company H to remove it from the central database.

I had similar last year when I had a car written off.
My insurer wrote it off and put a marker on it when I'd actually agreed to be paid direct from the Third Party for considerably more.

The TP insurer wouldn't pay out until the marker was removed when they then put their own (identical) marker on it

I've been in the game for years and stuff like this drives me round the bend.

[Mandat]

Can you do a Subject Access Request from the insurance CUE database to see what information they hold on you.

Once you have that, you can ask them to correct any wrong / incorrect information.

Edit to add MIB link:

https://www.mib.org.uk/about-mib/your-data-and-pri...

[Simpo Two]

Nicetobenice said:

My interpretation would be that they have removed the claim from their records but are relying on Company H to remove it from the central database.

I think you're right. Which means H are the only people who can do it, but will not, because I'm not their customer.

Mandat said:

Can you do a Subject Access Request from the insurance CUE database to see what information they hold on you.

Once you have that, you can ask them to correct any wrong / incorrect information.

Edit to add MIB link:

https://www.mib.org.uk/about-mib/your-data-and-pri...

Thanks very much, I'll explore that if my attempt to get a fresh quote goes wrong.


Final question - is it true that the FOS can't do anything to force H to correct the central database? It's a bit surprising,as they're FCA registered and it was their fault. I've asked FOS what I'm supposed to do about it and await their reply. Also I noted that H's final response letter didn't have their FCA number, which I think is an offence.

[Nicetobenice]

Simpo Two said:

Thanks very much, I'll explore that if my attempt to get a fresh quote goes wrong.


Final question - is it true that the FOS can't do anything to force H to correct the central database? It's a bit surprising,as they're FCA registered and it was their fault. I've asked FOS what I'm supposed to do about it and await their reply. Also I noted that H's final response letter didn't have their FCA number, which I think is an offence.

The complaint would be against your broker as they. They should be able to sort it out along with your current insurer.

[Sheepshanks]

Simpo Two said:

.....
It turned out that, according to the database, I'd been in Surbiton in November 2023 and had an accident involving a transit van. They even had the registration number, claim number and the other party's insurer. We shall call them 'H'. I don't have a transit van, have never been to Surbiton and my reg number is completely different.

My broker said that only H could remove the error. I wrote to H and they said 'We have reviewed the file in full and will not be able to take any action at this time. Given you are not listed on the file as an involved party, and you were not involved in the index incident, we will now be closing our file as we are not able to take any action....

I'm a bit lost here - your broker is saying there's a claim against you by H, but H say there isn't.

If all the info is different, what is linking the claim to you?

[Simpo Two]

Nicetobenice said:

The complaint would be against your broker as they. They should be able to sort it out along with your current insurer.

OK, well, I'll tell them I've 'taken advice' and will ask them again to fix it.

Thanks all for helping to make sense of this nonsensical situation!

[Simpo Two]

Sheepshanks said:

I'm a bit lost here - your broker is saying there's a claim against you by H, but H say there isn't.

If all the info is different, what is linking the claim to you?

H don't deny it - I rang them and gave them the claim number, all the details my broker had given me and my own name/address/reg no. The chap laughed and said 'Nothing matches!'. I said 'Precisely!'. He said they would go and have an investigation.

The only thing linking me to the claim is a database error...

[Wacky Racer]

Nothing to add, other than good luck.

Stress you can do without.

[Sheepshanks]

Simpo Two said:

H don't deny it - I rang them and gave them the claim number, all the details my broker had given me and my own name/address/reg no. The chap laughed and said 'Nothing matches!'. I said 'Precisely!'. He said they would go and have an investigation.

The only thing linking me to the claim is a database error...

Bonkers. Your broker doesn't seem to be earning their keep.

[addey]

I had something similar happen to me recently. Took out a new policy and received a message from the new insurer saying we needed to make an additional payment as I apparently hadn't disclosed a claim from 2022. I definitely didn't make any claims at that time so was very confused. Did an online chat with the insurer and it suddenly twigged that I'd had a fraudulent claim in my name around that time, which is the flagged incident. It was all resolved back in 2022 but was evidently left on the database. New insurer said we can't do anything, speak to LV to remove the marker. After several phonecalls I eventually spoke to a very helpful lady who got it sorted and removed the marker - her job title was "claims crime prevention consultant" so perhaps you need to speak to someone different at 'H'? The marker will be on the Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE) database so I don't know if it is possible to contact them directly to see if they can help?

Obviously the most bizarre part of my situation was that this was the first insurer to flag the undisclosed claim despite taking out several new insurance policies in the intervening 4 years!!

[Simpo Two]

addey said:

New insurer said we can't do anything, speak to LV to remove the marker. After several phonecalls I eventually spoke to a very helpful lady who got it sorted and removed the marker - her job title was "claims crime prevention consultant" so perhaps you need to speak to someone different at 'H'? The marker will be on the Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE) database so I don't know if it is possible to contact them directly to see if they can help?

Thanks; in fact I was discussing this case with another insurer today and they said the database was the MID. How does that differ from the CUE?

They've gone off to get some quotes; it will be interesting to see if it comes back at £600 or £6,000!

[Magic919]

MIB (Motor Insurance Bureau) is the umbrella that MID and CUE databases sit under.

You can do a SAR and get the data held. That should point to the party that needs to get the record deleted.

[Simpo Two]

Magic919 said:

MIB (Motor Insurance Bureau) is the umbrella that MID and CUE databases sit under.

You can do a SAR and get the data held. That should point to the party that needs to get the record deleted.

MIB, OK. Do I have to do an SAR (which I believe is a formal process) or can I just ask for the data?

[addey]

I think you need to press 'H' to sort this out. They should be able to see the CUE database entry, and exactly what it says, and therefore get it amended so that it does not link to you. Although I'm still struggling to work out exactly what is on the database entry to incriminate you! Especially if 'H' are saying you aren't listed on the file - what exactly is your broker seeing?

[alscar]

I’m curious how your broker can at this stage even suggest what your premium may or may not be next year given not even your actual Insurer will know !
I’d certainly be asking the broker to assist or actually deal with the situation as regards speaking to any Insurer.
This is why you have engaged their services even if directly you aren’t actually paying them anything per se.