House Insurance - Cancelled Policy
House Insurance - Cancelled Policy
Author
Discussion

tighnamara

Original Poster:

2,423 posts

169 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
Will be calling them tomorrow but just looking for any knowledge on PH

Have been insured (house & contents) with Company A (>) for a number of years, this year they are ceasing providing home insurance with Company B (High Ranking Naval) taking over their existing clients.

Quote received from Company B, advised them that I would not be continuing as price 3 x what I was paying.

Last day of insurance was yesterday, arranged new insurance with Company C and new policy started.

Received a mail today fro Company B saying that insurance has been cancelled, surely this wording is incorrect and should be policy has not been renewed.

The insurance run it’s period and I did not renew, worried they have now put in record policy is cancelled. Surely they can’t say they have cancelled a policy at he is not in place.

No claims in 30 plus years of house insurance.

MajorMantra

1,585 posts

128 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
No, you're fine. There's a lot of ambiguity with language but that would never be classed as a 'cancellation' of the kind that's declarable on quote forms. I wish companies would be more mindful of this as it creates needless stress.

TUS373

4,949 posts

297 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
Insurance companies can be so casual with language like this but then pedantic when it comes to making a claim.

You could drop them an email to clarify what is meant so at the very least, you have evidence of raising this should the eventuality ever arise and you have something to show the ombudsman.


Sheepshanks

37,633 posts

135 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
I suppose, also being pedantic, that typically you renew each year and it’s the same policy number. So when it ends, for whatever reason, the policy has to be cancelled so that it ceases to exist.

alscar

6,684 posts

229 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
As has already been said your policy has not been cancelled it’s simply not been renewed.
If you concerned at all just email their complaints dept and ask for confirmation of this.
If you are asked in future has a policy ever been cancelled you can quite rightly say no.

tighnamara

Original Poster:

2,423 posts

169 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
Thanks all, will be calling tomorrow, just want to be clear on what they have put on any records as nothing was in place to cancel. Paid yearly but not on any auto renewal.

“ We are writing to confirm that your policy has been cancelled with effect from 24/11/2024. All cover has ceased from this date for the following: Address”

Think they could use better wording…..

alscar

6,684 posts

229 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
Yes they could definitely use a better wording which doesn’t contain the word cancellation !
It seems a fairly common fault and cannot be too difficult for every company to have a choice of templates.

Dingu

4,893 posts

46 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
I have no idea how you make it through the day worrying about trivial stuff OP. Talk about over reacting.

It is cancelled in that there is no cover any more. Issue is you could reword it but then you’ll have people whinging that it isn’t clear enough cover has ended. Average reading age is about 11 in the UK.

tighnamara

Original Poster:

2,423 posts

169 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
Dingu said:
I have no idea how you make it through the day worrying about trivial stuff OP. Talk about over reacting.

It is cancelled in that there is no cover any more. Issue is you could reword it but then you’ll have people whinging that it isn’t clear enough cover has ended. Average reading age is about 11 in the UK.
smile
Thanks, you have made my day.

Mr Trivial

anonymous-user

70 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
tighnamara said:
smile
Thanks, you have made my day.

Mr Trivial
If it's any consolation, you're not alone on this. I asked the same question a couple of months back about pet insurance.

I think because we expect insurance companies to wriggle out of paying out for just about any reason they can think of, people are understandably paranoid about dealing with them.

The whole concept of paying more FOR LIFE because of a cancelled policy, which in some cases can be down to little more than an admin error, is scandalous imo.

Actual

1,329 posts

122 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
Dingu said:
I have no idea how you make it through the day worrying about trivial stuff OP. Talk about over reacting.

It is cancelled in that there is no cover any more. Issue is you could reword it but then you’ll have people whinging that it isn’t clear enough cover has ended. Average reading age is about 11 in the UK.
All is fine until a future claim is denied because previously the insurance was cancelled.

Griffith4ever

5,723 posts

51 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
Actual said:
Dingu said:
I have no idea how you make it through the day worrying about trivial stuff OP. Talk about over reacting.

It is cancelled in that there is no cover any more. Issue is you could reword it but then you’ll have people whinging that it isn’t clear enough cover has ended. Average reading age is about 11 in the UK.
All is fine until a future claim is denied because previously the insurance was cancelled.
Another member for the "worry about every possibility club" :-)

Sciurus

751 posts

161 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
tighnamara said:
Will be calling them tomorrow but just looking for any knowledge on PH

Have been insured (house & contents) with Company A (>) for a number of years, this year they are ceasing providing home insurance with Company B (High Ranking Naval) taking over their existing clients.

Quote received from Company B, advised them that I would not be continuing as price 3 x what I was paying.

Last day of insurance was yesterday, arranged new insurance with Company C and new policy started.

Received a mail today fro Company B saying that insurance has been cancelled, surely this wording is incorrect and should be policy has not been renewed.

The insurance run it’s period and I did not renew, worried they have now put in record policy is cancelled. Surely they can’t say they have cancelled a policy at he is not in place.

No claims in 30 plus years of house insurance.
I had this with the exact same insurance company when I went to put an item on their policy. They said they couldn't cover it due to the value. I told them I would get a separate policy to cover that item and they told me they would allow me a week to cancel the policy as their risk assessors had determined it was outside of their risk appetite even if I had taken out a separate policy for that item (which I did anyway). A complete nonsense excuse as I have cars insured with different companies. I was specifically told it wouldn't be a cancellation from their end - it would be me ending the policy.

Anyway, I managed to get a far better policy elsewhere, at a cheaper price, and when I contacted them to officially say I was taking my business elsewhere, they put me through to retentions (Yes, I know...) who then apologised and told me that their new overlords were cancelling everyone's policy on a certain date and it would've happened anyway even if I hadn't contacted them to add the particular item to the policy.

It's just very poor wording on their part. You would like to think that there's More Than poor wording in policies to be concerned about nowadays with the imminent threat of WW3.

alscar

6,684 posts

229 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
Sciurus said:
I had this with the exact same insurance company when I went to put an item on their policy. They said they couldn't cover it due to the value. I told them I would get a separate policy to cover that item and they told me they would allow me a week to cancel the policy as their risk assessors had determined it was outside of their risk appetite even if I had taken out a separate policy for that item (which I did anyway). A complete nonsense excuse as I have cars insured with different companies. I was specifically told it wouldn't be a cancellation from their end - it would be me ending the policy.

Anyway, I managed to get a far better policy elsewhere, at a cheaper price, and when I contacted them to officially say I was taking my business elsewhere, they put me through to retentions (Yes, I know...) who then apologised and told me that their new overlords were cancelling everyone's policy on a certain date and it would've happened anyway even if I hadn't contacted them to add the particular item to the policy.

It's just very poor wording on their part. You would like to think that there's More Than poor wording in policies to be concerned about nowadays with the imminent threat of WW3.
I would guess that any employee suggesting the company is blanket cancelling “ everyone’s policy “ might have got it slightly wrong especially on Personal Lines insurance.
If a company decides to withdraw from a certain class then existing policies would lapse at their natural expiry date and no new quotes would obviously be given out but they wouldn’t be able to cancel existing policies.



Sciurus

751 posts

161 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
alscar said:
I would guess that any employee suggesting the company is blanket cancelling “ everyone’s policy “ might have got it slightly wrong especially on Personal Lines insurance.
If a company decides to withdraw from a certain class then existing policies would lapse at their natural expiry date and no new quotes would obviously be given out but they wouldn’t be able to cancel existing policies.
I'm only going off what they said to me and I'll take what they say with a pinch of salt but their customer service was 'not great'. I had been with them 5 years with zero claims too.

tighnamara

Original Poster:

2,423 posts

169 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
Griffith4ever said:
Another member for the "worry about every possibility club" :-)
Not a worry as such, more a clarification on their use of the word “cancelled”.

All good and well posting the above, but for me it is better being clear now rather than any time in the future due to poor wording and reference in their system.




guitarcarfanatic

1,886 posts

151 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
quotequote all
tighnamara said:
Will be calling them tomorrow but just looking for any knowledge on PH

Have been insured (house & contents) with Company A (>) for a number of years, this year they are ceasing providing home insurance with Company B (High Ranking Naval) taking over their existing clients.

Quote received from Company B, advised them that I would not be continuing as price 3 x what I was paying.

Last day of insurance was yesterday, arranged new insurance with Company C and new policy started.

Received a mail today fro Company B saying that insurance has been cancelled, surely this wording is incorrect and should be policy has not been renewed.

The insurance run it’s period and I did not renew, worried they have now put in record policy is cancelled. Surely they can’t say they have cancelled a policy at he is not in place.

No claims in 30 plus years of house insurance.
I presume RSA or one of their brands - Admiral have bought their home book. All the other types of scheme RSA did via other brands are moving to various places.

TwigtheWonderkid

46,667 posts

166 months

Monday 25th November 2024
quotequote all
Actual said:
Dingu said:
I have no idea how you make it through the day worrying about trivial stuff OP. Talk about over reacting.

It is cancelled in that there is no cover any more. Issue is you could reword it but then you’ll have people whinging that it isn’t clear enough cover has ended. Average reading age is about 11 in the UK.
All is fine until a future claim is denied because previously the insurance was cancelled.
Do you actually realise how difficult it is for an insurance to refuse to pay a claim? The regulations they are bound by? If you think an insurance co can refuse a claim because you didn't renew with the previous insurer and they happen to call it a cancellation, then I have a bridge to sell you, and some magic beans.

Whenever you take out a new policy, unless you've never held insurance before, then they know you didn't renew your last policy. What your previous insurer calls it is irrelevant.

Griffith4ever

5,723 posts

51 months

Monday 25th November 2024
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Do you actually realise how difficult it is for an insurance to refuse to pay a claim? The regulations they are bound by? If you think an insurance co can refuse a claim because you didn't renew with the previous insurer and they happen to call it a cancellation, then I have a bridge to sell you, and some magic beans.

Whenever you take out a new policy, unless you've never held insurance before, then they know you didn't renew your last policy. What your previous insurer calls it is irrelevant.
If it wasn't for this forum (or other simialr ones) people would not think twice about their insurance being "cancelled" on the day of expiration, but, read enough other people sweating over details like this and people then become unreasonably bogged down in the minutia of it all.

Griffith4ever

5,723 posts

51 months

Monday 25th November 2024
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Do you actually realise how difficult it is for an insurance to refuse to pay a claim? The regulations they are bound by? If you think an insurance co can refuse a claim because you didn't renew with the previous insurer and they happen to call it a cancellation, then I have a bridge to sell you, and some magic beans.

Whenever you take out a new policy, unless you've never held insurance before, then they know you didn't renew your last policy. What your previous insurer calls it is irrelevant.
If it wasn't for this forum (or other simialr ones) people would not think twice about their insurance being "cancelled" on the day of expiration, but, read enough other people sweating over details like this and people then become unreasonably bogged down in the minutia of it all.