need some urgent help pls

Rochelle

Hi guys not sure if i am posting in the right section but i am in need of some desperate help and advice pls.
It is concerning my car insurance with Swinton, for the first time since taking out the policy last june i have had to cancel my dd due to family probs, they have given me 2 weeks to pay and issued a default notice, the 2 weeks run out tomorrow at the end of the day and they said that if i dont pay by the end of the day my insurance will be cancelled and there is nothing else i will be able to do.
They point blank refused to let me pay the installment next month ie a double payment or to split the installment over the remaining months left. This is the first time i have missed my payment, have rung the head office and they are as un helpfull as my local office.
Can someone pls help me i am desperate for some urgent advice on my rights as i feel i am in a no win sitation,thanks from Rochelle

Oscar_The_Grouch

Hi there

Unforunately, your contract for the instalments is enforcable and Swintons are allowed to be as unhelpful as they can.

When you took your policy out, you will have signed a credit agreement with them. Swintons have a very long period of credit with their insurers, but after about 90 days, they will have paid the whole premium to the insurance company providing the cover for you.

As soon as you stop paying the premium, you are "in default". This means that they are entitled to:
1. cancel the policy
2. make an administration charge for doing so
3. put something on your credit history if you do not pay them.

I suggest you pay them if you can. A question on all insurance proposals is "have you ever had an insurance cancelled before?". If you let them cancel the policy, you will have to answer "yes" to this.

The alternative is for you to cancel the policy yourself now and set up a new policy elsewhere. When asked for a reason from them, tell them it's because you found them to be unhelpful when you asked them for assistance. This means that you will have cancelled the policy rather than them and you do not have to declare that to any future insurer.

You may end up with a charge for cancelling, but at least you can ask them to put the details in writing to you and you will forward payment once you have reviewed the breakdown of charges - it buys you some time!!