not rnewing my car insurance,now reciving threatening letters

zkw29

lisyloo wrote: »

I can assure you that it was quite difficult to find even when I was looking for it.

I think there was one sentence at the back of my policy book that says they "might" automatically renew it.

I totally agree that policy booklets often don't make it obviously clear (although it is still there to be read) but the renewal letter does. Its only a couple of pages and reading that spells out what action has to be taken by the policyholder.

Inactive

To be honest, I think that companies that auto renew policies are being a bit cheeky, after all your contract is for 12 months, not forever.

OK, I know that you can opt out, but how many people actually know that, we don't all have the time or inclination to read a long winded list of small ( and often obscure ) print.

dunstonh

What if the renewal letter goes missing in the post, or you are away on holiday, or you are rushed into hospital for several weeks and cannot deal with your post? By the time you get out, it's a done deal and you've had no say about it.

In those cases the auto-renewal saves you being prosecuted for being uninsured.

I really think this type of transaction should be outlawed.

It would harm the majority. Most policies that offer auto-renewal are auto renewed. So, for the sake of a small minority who choose not to read, I dont see why the majority should lose out.

we don't all have the time or inclination to read a long winded list of small ( and often obscure ) print.

Its not small print or obscure. Its on the renewal letter which is typically no more than 2 sides of A4.

lisyloo

but the renewal letter does. Its only a couple of pages and reading that spells out what action has to be taken by the policyholder.

Yes you are right, but letters can go astray in the post, or people can be on holiday for 3 weeks.
I am a bit cynical about things "lost in the post" because it always seem to something that is not in the companies interest that gets lost, rather than say bills.
So cheque seem to go missing a lot more often than bills.
I don't have any statistics to back that up, it's just my feeling.
In some companies e.g. certain gyms, EVERY cancellation letter goes missing and you're in trouble if you don't have a receipt.

The last lot of goods I returned went missing, but fortunately I always get receipts for things like that and keep hold of them until acknowledgement/resolution.

zkw29

lisyloo wrote: »

Yes you are right, but letters can go astray in the post, or people can be on holiday for 3 weeks.

If it was a standard 'call up and pay' renewal that got lost the policyholder would have no cover in place after the renewal date.

lisyloo

If it was a standard 'call up and pay' renewal that got lost the policyholder would have no cover in place after the renewal date.

If they did nothing and forgot about renewing, then yes, agreed.
There are some good points of auto-renewal.
There are a few posters that have come on here after driving wihout insurance because they haven't renewed, so it certainly has some value.

That doesn't totally justify the bad points though.
i.e. some companies not making it clear or having a very high "lost in the post %".

youngpab

I cant believe everybody thinks i should pay and its not wrong to take money from my account without my consent, no to the question above ,there was not a gap between my nationwide insurance renewal date and me taking my post office insurance out, so i am not willingly going to take out 2 policies on my car, and if I did put a claim in that period before it was canceled, do you not think they would wriggle out of it anyway,because i have not payed?

tinkerbell84

YOU DIDN'T READ YOUR RENEWAL NOTICE, SO YOU BROKE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

You could have cancelled the policy without penalty. You owe the money, and that's why people are telling you you should pay it.

raskazz

youngpab wrote: »

I cant believe everybody thinks i should pay and its not wrong to take money from my account without my consent

Except you did give consent by assenting to the terms and conditions of the policy at inception, including inertia renewal and continuous payment authority.

Before you can set up a policy with Nationwide online you are presented with a page entitled "Important Statements". It contains at the top of the page some text in a big red box, which begins:

"Please ensure that the information provided by you and the statements on this page are correct."

It goes on to clearly state, not in 'small print':

"We will securely store your payment details so that we may automatically renew your policy for subsequent years. Each year we will write to you before we take your payment to remind you that this is happening."

Then in order to continue to payment there is a button labelled 'YES, I AGREE".

Furthermore you decided to ignore numerous pieces of correspondence after the event rather than taking responsibility for dealing with the matter.

youngpab wrote: »

if I did put a claim in that period before it was canceled, do you not think they would wriggle out of it anyway,because i have not payed?

If they had issued a renewal certificate of insurance then they would not be able to wriggle out of a Road Traffic Act liability for non-payment.

You were negligent in dealing with your renewal. Why not put it down to experience.

shelly

youngpab wrote: »

I cant believe everybody thinks i should pay and its not wrong to take money from my account without my consent, no to the question above ,there was not a gap between my nationwide insurance renewal date and me taking my post office insurance out, so i am not willingly going to take out 2 policies on my car, and if I did put a claim in that period before it was canceled, do you not think they would wriggle out of it anyway,because i have not payed?

If you still don't think you should pay it then don't. But don't come whining on here in a few weeks saying you have had to go to court or had the bailiffs knocking on your door.