Car Insurance: renewal can only be stopped by Policy Holder?
Discussion
I have managed my wife's car insurance for 15-20 years, across numerous different insurers. She has always been the Policy Holder and I have been a named driver. This year the renewal came through but I was able to find a cheaper policy. So I bought the cheaper policy and then called the current insurer to tell them that I would not be renewing the policy.
The insurer refused to accept my instruction and said that the Policy Holder was the only person that could instruct them to not renew the policy. I told them that they would not be able to speak to my wife & that I would block any attempt to withdraw the premium from my Credit Card. They told me that the policy would renew automatically and if the premium could not be taken, I would be charged with a cancellation fee. This message came from the Customer Services Team and later repeated by the Customer Disputes Team.
I suggested that they could confirm the policy lapse to the Policy Holder by post. But they would not accept this. I am about to confirm in writing that the policy won't be renewed and that I will block any attempt to withdraw the premium from my credit card. Thoughts anyone?
I'm thinking that my contract with this company expires when the policy expires, thereafter they have no claim against me.
The insurer refused to accept my instruction and said that the Policy Holder was the only person that could instruct them to not renew the policy. I told them that they would not be able to speak to my wife & that I would block any attempt to withdraw the premium from my Credit Card. They told me that the policy would renew automatically and if the premium could not be taken, I would be charged with a cancellation fee. This message came from the Customer Services Team and later repeated by the Customer Disputes Team.
I suggested that they could confirm the policy lapse to the Policy Holder by post. But they would not accept this. I am about to confirm in writing that the policy won't be renewed and that I will block any attempt to withdraw the premium from my credit card. Thoughts anyone?
I'm thinking that my contract with this company expires when the policy expires, thereafter they have no claim against me.
You can block the payment but that’ll just result in the policy renewing with an outstanding premium.
You have no contract with them but your wife does.
Granted all insurers are different but I’ve been in the industry over 10 years and in both business and personal aspects it has always needed to be the Policyholder to completely cancel or stop a renewal.
Just send an email from the email account connected to the insurance policy if your wife really is too busy to call.
You have no contract with them but your wife does.
Granted all insurers are different but I’ve been in the industry over 10 years and in both business and personal aspects it has always needed to be the Policyholder to completely cancel or stop a renewal.
Just send an email from the email account connected to the insurance policy if your wife really is too busy to call.
The policy is with M&S Insurance, operated by Budget Insurance Services Limited.
For certain types of insurance I can understand why they will only deal with the Policy Holder (i.e. Life Assurance).
With car insurancee, surely a letter to the Policy Holder is sufficient? As witnessed above, it varies by provider - but this is the first time I've come across it.
But the winner is:
The wife isn't too busy to call them to cancel the renewal. But my point is that they didn't insist on her personal attention when I bought the policy - I suspect her involvement when they were taking money wouldn't benefit them.
For certain types of insurance I can understand why they will only deal with the Policy Holder (i.e. Life Assurance).
With car insurancee, surely a letter to the Policy Holder is sufficient? As witnessed above, it varies by provider - but this is the first time I've come across it.
But the winner is:
essayer said:
Just call back and say you’re the wife, in 2017 nobody will dare call you out on it 
Since I paid for the policy & completed the forms, they only know what I have told them about the good lady. So the security questions wouldn't be a problem. Any challenge to my claim to be Mrs. 308GTB would be entertaining. In future I will simply claim to be the policy holder from the get go.The wife isn't too busy to call them to cancel the renewal. But my point is that they didn't insist on her personal attention when I bought the policy - I suspect her involvement when they were taking money wouldn't benefit them.
Surely the Insurer is doing absolutely the right thing: they have no idea if your wife has given you permission to deal with her policy - for all they know you could have recently split up. Many companies will add a second person to the record who can deal with the policy, but that would require your wife to give them permission for you to deal.
As an aside, if you set up a policy in your wife's name, and she is not involved, are you effectively impersonating her? In the old days of pen and paper, she would have to sign a proposal form, but these days it is all done online and the questions are all aimed at the policyholder, so are you pretending to be her by filling them in? If you have no power of attorney, then can you legally do that?
As an aside, if you set up a policy in your wife's name, and she is not involved, are you effectively impersonating her? In the old days of pen and paper, she would have to sign a proposal form, but these days it is all done online and the questions are all aimed at the policyholder, so are you pretending to be her by filling them in? If you have no power of attorney, then can you legally do that?
MrBen1 said:
Surely the Insurer is doing absolutely the right thing: they have no idea if your wife has given you permission to deal with her policy - for all they know you could have recently split up. Many companies will add a second person to the record who can deal with the policy, but that would require your wife to give them permission for you to deal.
As an aside, if you set up a policy in your wife's name, and she is not involved, are you effectively impersonating her? In the old days of pen and paper, she would have to sign a proposal form, but these days it is all done online and the questions are all aimed at the policyholder, so you are you pretending to be her by filling them in? If you have no power of attorney, then can you legally do that?
All good points. But their insistence on only dealing with the Policy Holder wasn't applied when they took the premium on a Credit Card in my name. As an aside, if you set up a policy in your wife's name, and she is not involved, are you effectively impersonating her? In the old days of pen and paper, she would have to sign a proposal form, but these days it is all done online and the questions are all aimed at the policyholder, so you are you pretending to be her by filling them in? If you have no power of attorney, then can you legally do that?
As for the scenario regarding a recent split - surely this would be covered by sending a letter to the Policy Holder confirming that the policy hasn't been renewed? On the other hand, what if my wife was incapacitated in some way that meant she couldn't use or have use of a phone for a week or two? I'm sure there are plenty of hypothetical situations.
Edited by Andy 308GTB on Wednesday 22 November 10:01
Jockman said:
Andy 308GTB said:
....what if my wife was incapacitated in some way that meant she couldn't use or have use of a phone for a week or two?
Can this ever happen in real life?
It would have to be very extreme. In which case speaking to an insurance company about cancelling a renewal wouldn't probably be the #1 priority.
Andy 308GTB said:
Jockman said:
Andy 308GTB said:
....what if my wife was incapacitated in some way that meant she couldn't use or have use of a phone for a week or two?
Can this ever happen in real life?
It would have to be very extreme. In which case speaking to an insurance company about cancelling a renewal wouldn't probably be the #1 priority.
Jockman said:
Andy 308GTB said:
Jockman said:
Andy 308GTB said:
....what if my wife was incapacitated in some way that meant she couldn't use or have use of a phone for a week or two?
Can this ever happen in real life?
It would have to be very extreme. In which case speaking to an insurance company about cancelling a renewal wouldn't probably be the #1 priority.
I did get that at the first time of reading but then my enormous sense of indignation about the whole matter took over & I wasn't going to reveal any holes in my argument. I really need to get this in perspective!
Lol. I feel your pain. I run multiple pension funds / bank accounts in other people's names - grandkids etc.
I've had the odd run in but over the years I've started to choose the battles I fight rather than get worked up about these things.
I would caution against any misinformation to any Insurer.
Other than that, let your steam off here and close the matter as soon as you can
I've had the odd run in but over the years I've started to choose the battles I fight rather than get worked up about these things.
I would caution against any misinformation to any Insurer.
Other than that, let your steam off here and close the matter as soon as you can
Andy 308GTB said:
I have managed my wife's car insurance for 15-20 years, across numerous different insurers. She has always been the Policy Holder and I have been a named driver. This year the renewal came through but I was able to find a cheaper policy. So I bought the cheaper policy and then called the current insurer to tell them that I would not be renewing the policy.
The insurer refused to accept my instruction and said that the Policy Holder was the only person that could instruct them to not renew the policy. I told them that they would not be able to speak to my wife & that I would block any attempt to withdraw the premium from my Credit Card. They told me that the policy would renew automatically and if the premium could not be taken, I would be charged with a cancellation fee. This message came from the Customer Services Team and later repeated by the Customer Disputes Team.
I suggested that they could confirm the policy lapse to the Policy Holder by post. But they would not accept this. I am about to confirm in writing that the policy won't be renewed and that I will block any attempt to withdraw the premium from my credit card. Thoughts anyone?
I'm thinking that my contract with this company expires when the policy expires, thereafter they have no claim against me.
THE insurance company is absolutely correct.The insurer refused to accept my instruction and said that the Policy Holder was the only person that could instruct them to not renew the policy. I told them that they would not be able to speak to my wife & that I would block any attempt to withdraw the premium from my Credit Card. They told me that the policy would renew automatically and if the premium could not be taken, I would be charged with a cancellation fee. This message came from the Customer Services Team and later repeated by the Customer Disputes Team.
I suggested that they could confirm the policy lapse to the Policy Holder by post. But they would not accept this. I am about to confirm in writing that the policy won't be renewed and that I will block any attempt to withdraw the premium from my credit card. Thoughts anyone?
I'm thinking that my contract with this company expires when the policy expires, thereafter they have no claim against me.
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