Insurance dilemma

[gravelrash 0]

Just after a bit of advice, basically my wife has just renewed her car insurance 2 weeks ago. She did not get a renewal notice from her previous insurers and just went online to get a quote finding one she liked she paid the premium and that was that.
Yesterday an insurance certificate came through the post from her previous insurers with a letter saying they had tried to remove funds on the debit card from the previous year but it had expired so could we forward the funds. she phoned them immediately to say she didn't even know she was covered with them and had renewed elsewhere they now want £60 cancellation fee for the 2 weeks they say she was insured
So basically am I right to say they can go whistle for this fee or could she get some bad mark against her for refusing.
She has sent the companies insurance certificate back and a copy of her new policy to prove it was a rolling renewal and hasn't just decided to cancel
I know its a bit long winded and thanks for reading any advice appreciated.

[Davehutch-hutchs 0]

tell them to they have no right to jus renew it

[madsod 0]

yep tell them to right of

[gravelrash 0]

@Davehutch wrote:

tell them to they have no right to jus renew it

thanks Dave thats what I told her but shes bothered about getting a bad rating against her name but how can they try to take funds out of our account without our knowledge,she has phoned them today but they say they want the money i'm just glad the card info they had on her expired 5 months ago

[pugeyed 0]

did you get any paperwork to say "here is your new premium" as now they just renew it for you if they dont hear from you in a certain date, but if you havent had a letter then they can go whistle.......

[gravelrash 0]

@madsod wrote:

yep tell them to right of

right thats two I'm gonna show my wife your replies and hopefully she wont do out daft like pay

[gravelrash 0]

@pugeyed wrote:

did you get any paperwork to say "here is your new premium" as now they just renew it for you if they dont hear from you in a certain date, but if you havent had a letter then they can go whistle.......

Nope nothing, the first we knew was the certificate arriving yesterday which would have been 2 weeks after renewal anyway!

[pugeyed 0]

tell em to poke it then , even if you had recieved paperwork they cant prove it anyway.
good luck let us know how u get on.

[dick65 0]

tell em to off m8,shes not obliged to stay with them but as been said they automatically renew make sure you get your no claims back as well

[gravelrash 0]

Personally I usually phone my insurers for the bike when they send the renewal through and try and play them off other quotes but she just went online and did a comparison site quotation.

[gravelrash 0]

@dick65 wrote:

tell em to off m8,shes not obliged to stay with them but as been said they automatically renew make sure you get your no claims back as well

thanks Dick I hadn't even thought about that but the renewal company she went with haven't asked for proof YET!

[Chadatious 0]

says automatic renual then your bit stuck, dad had that problem his renews. however one year they stopped and he was uninsured for a little wheil not knowing till docments didnt conme through.

if it doesnt say automatic nothing areed threaten with onbusman

[stantheman 0]

my mate used his brothers credit card to pay his insurance with carole nash and they took the money off the same card the next year without telling him it nearly caused world war 3 so apparently some insurance companies do this automatically you have to tell them 2 weeks in advance if you dont want them to take the funds carole nash are robbing b;;tards anyway and im going elsewhere this year ;rant over and another thing mike make sure she is insured to go to work in her car cos my mrs got insured with diamond and when i checked the policy she wasnt insured to go to work so it cost us another £20

[Stue11 0]

As most have said above...you should have recieved a renewel quote in the post at least a couple of weeks b4 your renewel was due...if you didnt get one then they can go a swivel mate

[dick65 0]

you'll get a cancellation fee as well

[Grumpyowl 0]

for my two penneth,
I would not just Ignore this,

I'd phone C A B or even your wifes new Insurance company explain whats happened and ask their advice.

There could be something in the smallprint of her old policy.

You wouldn't want a CCJ through just Ignoring It

[stantheman 0]

@gravelrash wrote:

@dick65 wrote:

tell em to off m8,shes not obliged to stay with them but as been said they automatically renew make sure you get your no claims back as well

thanks Dick I hadn't even thought about that but the renewal company she went with haven't asked for proof YET!

they will mike

[Stue11 0]

@Grumpyowl wrote:

for my two penneth,
I would not just Ignore this,

I'd phone C A B or even your wifes new Insurance company explain whats happened and ask their advice.

There could be something in the smallprint of her old policy.

You wouldn't want a CCJ through just Ignoring It

Valid point Jim, never thought of that

[bladerunner 0]

The majority of financial products have a 14 day cooling off period so you can just send the documents back and cancel without having to pay anything.if they get snooty just report it to the FSA or even just threaten to, they'll soon back down.

[Macie_UK 0]

As far as I'm aware, they can try and grab the money without sending you a renewal notice, provided that it was in the original Ts&Cs that it will auto-renew with a recurring annual payment - AA are buggers for this with their breakdown cover.

Had similar happen in the past, and told them to whistle for the week or whatever cover they were claiming and they eventually go away, but can be a bit y with supplying you with proof of NCB. Tends to be quite common with the brokers that aim at the cheaper end of the market, but not exclusively so.

As for getting a black mark, well if it's a one off payment then it doesn't qualify as a credit agreement, thus no account default information would be lodged the credit reference agencies. The only other way that it can go against your better half is if they went down the County Court route to recover the outstanding amount - which will cost them £35 to instigate so chances are they won't pursue that option either (especially if during your conversation you mention that you are "unemployed, having just got outta nick and I got a dog onna string" [1] and even if they do secure a CCJ the court will order you to repay it at £1 per month.

Tell her to chill mate, it'll be fine.



[1] Or insert chosen financial hardship pointer here...

[BanditMike 0]

As far as I'm aware, they can try and grab the money without sending you a renewal notice, provided that it was in the original Ts&Cs that it will auto-renew with a recurring annual payment - AA are buggers for this with their breakdown cover.

with the above. The eldest son had the same problem with an insurance company. Check the original T&Cs and see what it says. If it's in there about an "auto-renew" you'll have to play it by ear and see how it goes. Given it's only £60, I can't see them pursuing it too far, especially if you use Macie advice above

[Kenb 0]

This is a broker not direct with the insurance company? Without a renewal quotation they can charge you anytthing they want so its another rip off. Don't pay.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/motor-insurance.html

[Pixiejnr 0]

FSA law states that even with auto renewal they have to send you the documents stating price and terms etc and allow you a cool off period of 14 days, however, the insurance company will have the right to say you as a policyholder should know the policy renewal date and therefore it was in your interests to check. but the fact that no renewal docs were received..may be in your favour, the company will have to prove they were sent to be covered their end. good luck.

[gravelrash 0]

Firstly thank you for all your advice I don't know anywhere where I could get such a response like this so a big THANK YOU .
My wife phoned her previous insurers today and asked to speak to someone with authority, calmly stating the problem and our reluctance to pay any fee. After reviewing the file notes she agreed on a recorded phone that they had omitted to send out the renewal notice and they had received a copy of her new insurance sent by us by recorded delivery (to prove she hadn't just cancelled), they stated as the mistake was theirs the fee would be wiped and we would have no further issues.
RESULT!
and everyone!

[dick65 0]

thats a great result mate

[Pixiejnr 0]

What excellent news.....

[Grumpyowl 0]

[stantheman 0]