Insurance auto renewing before its due.

[Frane Selak]

This car and van insurance is getting more and more of a piss take every year, not only are they taking the piss by upping the amount drastically at every renewal now they are starting to renew it weeks before its even due.

Had an email on the 26th October saying our van insurance is due for renewal on the 14th November (which I knew about anyway) and it was nearly £300 more expensive than last year. I thought right I'll get some quotes at the weekend. Got another email at 6AM this morning (29th Oct) saying thanks for renewing, and got the welcome to the finance agreement as well.

They have obviously started doing this as lots of people have started taking the time to search out better quotes at renewal time so they are trying to throw another spanner in the works to make it even more complicated to not take the auto renewal route. This doesn't happen with any other sort of contract, it just renews on the day, you used to be able to tick a box that stopped auto renewals in the past but I've not seen that option for ages now.

[kambites]

I've never had a policy where there's no option to not auto-renew. They do tend to default to auto-renew these days, but I've always had the option to turn it off.

[Road2Ruin]

You have 14 days to cancel. As it is early, they should refund the full amount.

[Frane Selak]

Road2Ruin said:

You have 14 days to cancel. As it is early, they should refund the full amount.

I don't think they have taken any money yet but that's not the point and I know I can cancel up to the day its due to renew (and up to 14 days later with a time on cover deduction), its just the presumption that you will renew with them and them setting it all up in advance. A lot of people will be put off cancelling as they may wrongly think that now its already set up they might end up with a cancelled insurance marker. Luckily I can ring them and tell them to F.O. no problem.

Imagine you go looking for a new kitchen, you get a quote from a shop and go away to think about it, then 3 days later you are getting letters saying thankyou for buying a kitchen from us, it will be delivered in 14 days and your payments start then.

[sixor8]

I usually log in and change cover to NOT auto renew, it's a default form all the providers otherwise. It's because of continuous insurance enforcement, they say. I have had a message saying I need to cancel with least 3 days before renewal due to processing time.

[bergclimber34]

I had a Hastings policy where there was no option to cancel auto renew, I did ask and was told it was removed.

Treat them with utter contempt, as that is exactly how they treat you

[alscar]

Frane Selak said:

This car and van insurance is getting more and more of a piss take every year, not only are they taking the piss by upping the amount drastically at every renewal now they are starting to renew it weeks before its even due.

Had an email on the 26th October saying our van insurance is due for renewal on the 14th November (which I knew about anyway) and it was nearly £300 more expensive than last year. I thought right I'll get some quotes at the weekend. Got another email at 6AM this morning (29th Oct) saying thanks for renewing, and got the welcome to the finance agreement as well.

They have obviously started doing this as lots of people have started taking the time to search out better quotes at renewal time so they are trying to throw another spanner in the works to make it even more complicated to not take the auto renewal route. This doesn't happen with any other sort of contract, it just renews on the day, you used to be able to tick a box that stopped auto renewals in the past but I've not seen that option for ages now.

It’s not a new thing and easy enough to turn off yourself via the portal or speak to them and ask them to turn off the auto renewal.
It doesn’t throw any more spanner’s in the works and simply acts as a reminder for you to shop around if you want to.
Lots of other things renew automatically if you have auto renew not just your Insurance.
You’re financing so paying monthly presumably so also pay an interest charge ?

[Opapayer]

Cue a thread in a few days where someone has been done for no insurance because they thought it auto renewed. Followed by a load of people agreeing it should and berating the insurer for failing to auto renew it

[Pica-Pica]

Frane Selak said:

I don't think they have taken any money yet but that's not the point and I know I can cancel up to the day its due to renew (and up to 14 days later with a time on cover deduction), its just the presumption that you will renew with them and them setting it all up in advance. A lot of people will be put off cancelling as they may wrongly think that now its already set up they might end up with a cancelled insurance marker. Luckily I can ring them and tell them to F.O. no problem.

Imagine you go looking for a new kitchen, you get a quote from a shop and go away to think about it, then 3 days later you are getting letters saying thankyou for buying a kitchen from us, it will be delivered in 14 days and your payments start then.

It IS the point. The auto renew is to avoid lack of insurance. You are not obliged to go with them and it is so simple to cancel. I don't know any who 'think they might end up with a cancelled insurance marker'. Cripes!

[Zilla]

Both mine and my daughter policy required us to phone the insurer before they will give you the option to turn off auto-renew.

Admiral, Esure - I'm looking at you!

[Frane Selak]

Pica-Pica said:

It IS the point. The auto renew is to avoid lack of insurance. You are not obliged to go with them and it is so simple to cancel. I don't know any who 'think they might end up with a cancelled insurance marker'. Cripes!

I think you are missing the point, the insurance doesn't start until the 14th November, the current policy still has over two weeks to run.

This is the email I got this morning from them.

"Thanks for renewing with VanCompare Direct and for trusting us with your insurance requirements for the next 12 months

Your renewal documents are available to view and download, they can be found under your policy in the My Portal app."

So even though it doesn't auto renew for 2+weeks all the documents like the new certificate and policy book have already been produced and its game set and match according to the insurer. This isn't just a rant about auto renew.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Opapayer said:

Cue a thread in a few days where someone has been done for no insurance because they thought it auto renewed. Followed by a load of people agreeing it should and berating the insurer for failing to auto renew it

100% right.

[Nicetobenice]

If you find a better quote just tell them you don't want to renew at least a day before renewal is due.

If you don't get a better quote then no need to do anything.

Pretty straightforward really.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Frane Selak said:

Pica-Pica said:

It IS the point. The auto renew is to avoid lack of insurance. You are not obliged to go with them and it is so simple to cancel. I don't know any who 'think they might end up with a cancelled insurance marker'. Cripes!

I think you are missing the point, the insurance doesn't start until the 14th November, the current policy still has over two weeks to run.

This is the email I got this morning from them.

"Thanks for renewing with VanCompare Direct and for trusting us with your insurance requirements for the next 12 months

Your renewal documents are available to view and download, they can be found under your policy in the My Portal app."

So even though it doesn't auto renew for 2+weeks all the documents like the new certificate and policy book have already been produced and its game set and match according to the insurer. This isn't just a rant about auto renew.

The certificate will start from when the old one runs out, they've just sorted it all in advance. You can contact them at any point before the renewal date to say you don't want to renew, and it won't be an issue. You're making a mountain out of a molehill, It isn't game set an match at all. You have no less power to refuse to renew than at any point before they produced the docs. Just tell them.

[CaptainScarlet1967]

kambites said:

I've never had a policy where there's no option to not auto-renew. They do tend to default to auto-renew these days, but I've always had the option to turn it off.

My first policy with a visible auto-renew opt-out was this year. In previous years, it's always been auto-renew by default or opting out when speaking with customer services to take out a new policy.

Insurance renewal comes up a lot on here.

IME the policy renewal search should commence at least a month before expiry, with or without the auto-renew. I save the cheapest quotes and references as they tend to (conveniently) be erased after X amount of days on Moneysupermarket. By saving the quote references, I can always revisit them directly with the insurers when Moneysupermarket says they aren't available or should cost a bit more.

The closer you get to expiry or beyond expiry - and therefore needing a policy, especially one to start ASAP - the more of a Desperation Tax you'll very likely have to pay. This year I caught myself out and was in that position.

Moja (no, I'd never heard of them before either) came up cheapest - still about 50 quid per annum more than had I bought in advance - but the opt-out was/is there on the portal, both before and after taking purchasing the policy. I hadn't had that before.

They also gave me 'insured to drive other vehicles' as standard, with which I have so far test driven a hybrid for the first time - someone's Omoda Jaecoo.

Edited by CaptainScarlet1967 on Thursday 29th October 17:11

[Frane Selak]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

The certificate will start from when the old one runs out, they've just sorted it all in advance. You can contact them at any point before the renewal date to say you don't want to renew, and it won't be an issue. You're making a mountain out of a molehill, It isn't game set an match at all. You have no less power to refuse to renew than at any point before they produced the docs. Just tell them.

I know that but how many people think oh no, I'm too late to cancel now its already up and running. I've had plenty of extortionate renewal quote's through in the past 2 or 3 weeks before renewal but I've never had a new policy set up on my behalf 3 days after the quote and 2+weeks before it was even due before. This is obviously a new tactic to try to get as many as they can to auto renew without a fuss.

Just for context last years price was £450, their renewal quote was £680 and I can actually get it this year for £380 from a few different providers, you can see why they want to trap you, delightful customer service.

[NDA]

Frane Selak said:

Just for context last years price was £450, their renewal quote was £680 and I can actually get it this year for £380 from a few different providers, you can see why they want to trap you, delightful customer service.

Ouch.

A good reminder to keep an eye on mine which renews in December (two cars).

[Doesitdrive]

They tried this bks with the other half, AFTER INFORMING THEM SHE WOULD NOT BE RENEWING.

Fortunately she had listened to me and cancelled the direct debit after the final payment, they tried to take the renewal premium straight after being informed of non renewal, then emailed saying there is a 30 quid charge for not being able to get the money.

[alscar]

Frane Selak said:

I know that but how many people think oh no, I'm too late to cancel now its already up and running. I've had plenty of extortionate renewal quote's through in the past 2 or 3 weeks before renewal but I've never had a new policy set up on my behalf 3 days after the quote and 2+weeks before it was even due before. This is obviously a new tactic to try to get as many as they can to auto renew without a fuss.

Just for context last years price was £450, their renewal quote was £680 and I can actually get it this year for £380 from a few different providers, you can see why they want to trap you, delightful customer service.

I wouldn’t worry about the Insurers own costs in setting up a new policy only to then cancel it in the event of non renewal.
It’s literally a couple of clicks.
I’ve just received 2 hard copies packs of PMI renewals for us ( auto renewal ) but after discussion and a revised premium they will simply reissue.
If all done digitally it would be even easier for them.
Ultimately your Insurer has done you a favour of reminding you in plenty of time to in effect get a cheaper deal which you’ve done.
You should be thanking them !

[Cold]

"Just log in"
"Just use the portal"
"Do it via the app"

Laughs somewhat despondently in nautical themed insurer. Had to use the phone like a damn caveman the other day just to update the reg number. Only took most of the morning to get through.