Hastings cancelled my car insurance without warning and didn't tell me for 7 days
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hankkosovo
Posts: 101 Forumite
I don't know if this has happened with anyone else but a few days ago I received an email from my car insurance telling me that they cancelled my insurance 7 days prior. That email was the FIRST and only time they informed me of this, no warning before hand, nothing.
When I rang them they said they sent me a letter giving me 5 days to send them a document or they would cancel my insurance. I never received this letter, they then went on to say that that 1 letter was the only warning they have given (no email like they normally correspond via).
So no phone calls, emails or anything saying that they are planning to cancel, just 1 single letter (which I didn't get) giving me 5 days warning. They then resume their normal methods of communication and let me know 7 days after they have already done it.
They said there was nothing they could do other than offer me a new policy.
I've been driving without insurance without even knowing it for a week, when I found out I was stranded while I arranged insurance with another company.
I'm wondering what my best course of action should be?
When I rang them they said they sent me a letter giving me 5 days to send them a document or they would cancel my insurance. I never received this letter, they then went on to say that that 1 letter was the only warning they have given (no email like they normally correspond via).
So no phone calls, emails or anything saying that they are planning to cancel, just 1 single letter (which I didn't get) giving me 5 days warning. They then resume their normal methods of communication and let me know 7 days after they have already done it.
They said there was nothing they could do other than offer me a new policy.
I've been driving without insurance without even knowing it for a week, when I found out I was stranded while I arranged insurance with another company.
I'm wondering what my best course of action should be?
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Comments
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Check their wording, it'll tell you the cancellation procedure.
Companies have to send written notice to cancel, Hastings claim to have, we send ours Recorded Delivery to ensure they are sent and received.
Whilst you say they normally deal via email, I've got a feeling they will say the notice to cancel has to be sent to the last known address. As in postal address.
If they haven't followed their own procedure then write to them with a formal complaint, if you want.
However, if you haven't suffered a tangible loss, I suspect all they will do is say "sorry".
Ultimately I think you should be thankful you weren't stopped for no insurance! What else are you hoping to achieve from your course of action?0 -
The op will suffer a tangible loss over this! ( Increased premiums and difficulties getting cover with this on his record)
OP, It's worth you trying to get this cancellation reversed, as you now have a cancelled policy on your record which is bad news - you must inform all other insurers of the cancellation when applying for quotes/cover. Most off the peg insurers refuse to quote once you have a cancelled policy on your record.
Assuming you could supply the document requested had you got the letter they say they sent you then you should complain you have been treated unfairly and ask them to rescind the cancellation and confirm that it's been removed from your record.
If you are unhappy with their reply or they ignore you for 8 weeks you can then escalate to the FOS for their adjudication at no cost to you.0 -
And another reason not to use trigger happy Hastings.0
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The op will suffer a tangible loss over this! ( Increased premiums and difficulties getting cover with this on his record)
OP, It's worth you trying to get this cancellation reversed, as you now have a cancelled policy on your record which is bad news - you must inform all other insurers of the cancellation when applying for quotes/cover. Most off the peg insurers refuse to quote once you have a cancelled policy on your record.
Assuming you could supply the document requested had you got the letter they say they sent you then you should complain you have been treated unfairly and ask them to rescind the cancellation and confirm that it's been removed from your record.
If you are unhappy with their reply or they ignore you for 8 weeks you can then escalate to the FOS for their adjudication at no cost to you.
Sorry Quentin, not sure I agree with either point above.
Yes he should disclose the cancellation, but I'm yet to turn a case away where the reason for previous cancellation they didn't send in the documents they didn't know they had to send in. And I work for one of the largest car insurers in the U.K.
Try using a good Broker, I know Grove & Dean can help out with this!
I also disagree hat Hastings should remove the cancellation from the records, if they've followed the cancellation procedure correctly. Why should they?0 -
paddyandstumpy wrote: »Sorry Quentin, not sure I agree with either point above.
1) Off the peg online companies in the main refuse to quote once you input "yes" to the question over previous cancellation by an insurer)
2) If you cannot get quotes online you cannot qualify for cash back from the usual providers.
3):If you are forced to use a broker then you can expect higher fees (eg brokers usually charge their own fees for cancellations on top of any charges imposed by the insurer)
Hastings should deal fairly with the customer. He didn't receive their letter - had he done so he would have complied with the request. Additionally it seems they didn't give adequate notice of the cancellation
That's why the Op should fight the cancellation!0 -
1) Off the peg online companies in the main refuse to quote once you input "yes" to the question over previous cancellation by an insurer)
2) If you cannot get quotes online you cannot qualify for cash back from the usual providers.
3):If you are forced to use a broker then you can expect higher fees (eg brokers usually charge their own fees for cancellations on top of any charges imposed by the insurer)
Hastings should deal fairly with the customer. He didn't receive their letter - had he done so he would have complied with the request. Additionally it seems they didn't give adequate notice of the cancellation
That's why the Op should fight the cancellation!
The OP's complaint wasn't about getting cash back on a future quote (but it's a semi-valid point).
I disagree 'main stream providers' will all decline when you disclose the cancellation. As I've previously said, disclosing you've had a policy cancelled because you didn't send in docs you didn't know you had to send in, isn't considered a "bad risk" and I'd be surprised if any insurer would turn this business away if they were given the opportunity.
The OP might need to put a bit more effort in to getting a policy, either via a Broker or calling the direct writers and asking them to refer the risk to an UW, but he will still be able to get competitive rates.
The point about cancellation fees, of course this is only a point if the OP will need to cancel the policy in the year.
And Broker insurer cancellation fees are far lower (or non existent if it's a white labelled product) as most of the admin is done by the broker. Overall the fees are comparable.
Most brokers dont charge fees at NB.
I agree Hastings should deal with the OP fairly. His complaint should be that he didn't get the letter. This is why they should get sent rec/del as this removes the occasional inefficiency by Royal Mail.
Ask Hastings if they sent the letter this way, and if not why not, given the potential repercussions of being caught short and not getting the letter.
How can you say its not adequate notice if it's in their wording they only give 5 days? The OP signed up to this wording when he gave the company his money.
As I stated in my first post, check the Hastings wording's cancellation wording, and ensure that they've followed their own procedure.0 -
Thanks for all the info, I'll check through their policy for the wording and no they didn't send it recorded delivery.0
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Their wording is irrelevant if its unfair!paddyandstumpy wrote: »How can you say its not adequate notice if it's in their wording they only give 5 days? The OP signed up to this wording when he gave the company his money.
As I stated in my first post, check the Hastings wording's cancellation wording, and ensure that they've followed their own procedure.
You tell us you work in insurance yet come out with this!
It's just an urban myth you are perpetuating by saying if it says it in the "wording" then we must accept it. Insurers try it on by using wording that is unfair - apart from this example many "reputable" companies put in their wording that no MOT will mean the insurance is invalid - also unenforceable,
The FOS have already stated that the minimum notice for cancellation is 7 days!0 -
Their wording is irrelevant if its unfair!
You tell us you work in insurance yet come out with this!
It's just an urban myth you are perpetuating by saying if it says it in the "wording" then we must accept it. Insurers try it on by using wording that is unfair - apart from this example many "reputable" companies put in their wording that no MOT will mean the insurance is invalid - also unenforceable,
The FOS have already stated that the minimum notice for cancellation is 7 days!
I've just checked the Hastings wording to put an end to this. They state they give 7 days notice in writing. Therefore their wording isn't unfair in this respect.
To reiterate, the OP needs to contact Hastings and ask them why they didn't follow their own cancellation procedure (based on the OP's first post, they gave 5 days notice). On this basis he does have grounds for complaint.
However I do stand by my stance they shouldn't be expected to rescind the cancellation if the OP didn't comply with their request.
I also stand by my comment this shouldn't have a tangible effect on the OP going forward, other than he might not be able to complete insurance online and get some cash back. I've given him a direct steer to a Broker who I know can help, and who can provide competitive insurance.
I do work in insurance. Hence the advice I have been able to offer on this post.
Name one "reputable" insurer that has the MOT exclusion...?0 -
You miss the whole point.paddyandstumpy wrote: »...I do stand by my stance they shouldn't be expected to rescind the cancellation if the OP didn't comply with their request......
The OP had no chance to comply with their request! He never got the request till after they had cancelled his policy! Where is the fairness there?
Why are you arguing this point? (Marks & Spencer)paddyandstumpy wrote: »Name one "reputable" insurer that has the MOT exclusion...?
(You are the one who told the OP that he had agreed to 5 days notice, and argued that they had given adequate notice!)
Now it seems they "broke" their own conditions by only giving 5 days - more unfair behaviour!0
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