Bennetts

jcumpsty

I had a motorbike insured with Bennetts.

I sold the bike in July last year, and bought a new bike which I also insured with Bennetts.

I never bothered cancelling the policy on the original bike because I thought they would try and reclaim the quidco cashback PLUS an admin fee.

I paid £70 for the policy, and would have been due a £35 refund, less £30 admin fee. IF they rejected my cashback I would have been out of pocket £15 for selling my bike, so I let the policy run.

I didnt know this was a problem. I kept getting letters from Bennetts asking if I owned the bike as someone else was trying to insure it. The letters never said that it was a REQUIREMENT to cancel the policy, so I ignored them. I just called up now, because I want to change my bike again, and discussed the previous insurance. I got told that I need to cancel the policy, am liable for the admin fee, and will get no refund as there is only 1 month left to go on the policy.

Can I insist that they backdate the cancellation, to the date I originally sold the bike (when they started sending the letters)? I wont get a refund but at least I wont own them anything either. I am thinking that I should insist on the basis that their letters never said it was a legal requirement to cancel.

dacouch

If you send them proof you sold the bike they may back date the cancellation but will still apply any cancellation fees from whenever they agree to back date it to

jcumpsty

Good advice...but the only proof that I have that I sold the bike is the letter from Bennetts in september, informing me that someone else was trying to insure the bike.

When you sell something you dont generally get proof that you sold it. I gave the lad that bought it a receipt, but he never gave me one. I cant find his contact details.

Should they accept their own letter as proof that if someone else was trying to insure the bike, I probably didnt own it?

dacouch

They might in conjunction with a letter from you stating you sold it then but ommited to advise them. Ring them up and speak politely to someone, they will possibly agree and then you can send the letter for their attention.

Speak politely and you will more likely get a result