Advice about insurance claim

Linisace

In February this year I notified YES Insurance that I had received 3 penalty points on my licence (SP30), by letter and telephone. 27th June I had an accident where the driver causing it drove off and was untraceable. NIG my insurers have been dragging their heels since - too long to go into fully - saying the broker YES did not let them know about the points; YES say they never received the letter either (I have copies). My car is a write off and I have finance on the vehicle which needs paying before I buy a new one. I have written letters of complaint to no avail. They are saying it is with the underwriters for the past 3 weeks and I have been passed from one advisor to another. Can anyone advise as to what my next step might be? I would appreciate any advice.

lisyloo

Have you followed their formal complaints procedure?
If you follow that and get nowhere then you can eventually go to the ombudsman but you must follow the procedure e..g write to the correct department.
Sometimes formal complaints go to a different "customer relations" dept and that can sometimes get things moving.

BTW - When I send anything important, then I either make sure I get an acknowledgment letter (and in the meantime, write down name, time and date for phone call tracing) OR I send it by recorded delivery (which is 70p or 75p) and then keep the orange receipt for as long as necessary.
I appreicate that's no help now, but may be of help in future or to others reading.

Linisace

Thanks - yes I've done all that. YES have just sent a letter of apology but no further forward regarding claim. Have got form ready for ombudsman but feel as though its my word against theirs when they say I didn't inform them in February. It all seems so unfair.

Insco

If your policy did not renew between February this year and June 27th then there should be no issue for NIG.

Have you tried asking YES for a copy of the telephone recording in February?

Definitiely follow the formal complaint process which should be clearly detailed in your policy wording

Good luck

lisyloo

but feel as though its my word against theirs when they say I didn't inform them in February

I sympathise, but if you have no proof then it IS your word against theirs.
There could be a recording of a telephone call but you will need to narrow it down a bit more than just Feburary 2008 as that's a lot of phone calls (this is why I take a note of dates and times).

brummiedevil

Linisace wrote: »

Thanks - yes I've done all that. YES have just sent a letter of apology but no further forward regarding claim. Have got form ready for ombudsman but feel as though its my word against theirs when they say I didn't inform them in February. It all seems so unfair.

All calls are recorded for exactly this reason. Insurance companies have 8 weeks to deal with a written complaint and then it goes to the FSA. Have you asked if putting the points on makes any difference in the premium? If it doesn't then I cant see what the problem is.

Quentin

Linisace wrote: »

YES have just sent a letter of apology

Can't you pass a copy of this on (directly) to your insurers?

Insco

It's the Financial Ombudsman Service not the FSA that actually deals with the complaint

brummiedevil

Insco wrote: »

It's the Financial Ombudsman Service not the FSA that actually deals with the complaint

Sorry I meant the Ombudsman

Roland_Waters

Like most of the insurers in the RBS Group NIG's agents tell us they are 2 1/2 months behind.

Best approach a decent Crash Management company, Check out google or Claims Management Regulation) as they will most likely hire you a vehicle which they will recover the costs of from NIG. They will also sort out the abuses of the FSA Rules that pervey most insurers these days.

Or email me?

R

Linisace

Thank you to everyone who has offered advice! NIG have copies of all correspondence. The day I telephoned YES Insurance their systems were down - as was the case 3 weeks ago when I rang them - so I told the advisor (as I was going away) that I would put the penalty points issue in writing, as my file could not be opened. I don't think the call would have been recorded as my details could not be accessed - I don't think I was asked for any actually.