Distance selling regulations & insurance amendments

TehJumpingJawa

Short & sweet question.

Does the cooling-off period of the distance selling regulations apply to amendments made to an existing insurance policy?

My Father recently amended my Mothers insurance policy to temporarily add my sister as a named driver to the insurance policy of my Mum's car.
He did this without consulting either my Mother, sister or myself; and IMO paid waaaay over the odds (£50 for 7 days).
This has annoyed me 2-fold; firstly it has turned out to be completely unnecessary, 2ndly my Mother made the exact same mistake less than a year ago when temporarily adding me to her insurance. (they refused to cancel the amendment that time too, stating that cooling off periods did not apply to amendments)

So, before I give them a call - I was hoping to find out exactly where I stand from a legal point of view.
Is the amendment treated as the formation of a new contract? and thereby eligable for the cooling off period?
If not, does the act of them taking a payment entitle us to a cooling off period?
Should my Dad have even been able to make modifications to Mum's insurance policy!?

Cheers for any & all input.:T

raskazz

No, distance selling regulations don't apply to amendments, and there is no cooling-off period.

dunstonh

Is the amendment treated as the formation of a new contract?

no.

and thereby eligable for the cooling off period?

no

does the act of them taking a payment entitle us to a cooling off period?

no

Should my Dad have even been able to make modifications to Mum's insurance policy!?

A number of insurers allow it for spouses where the spouse is a named driver on the policy and the transaction is not a major event. A father adding a daughter to a policy isnt a major event.

Cheers for any & all input.

Your father did this. It is his responsibility and decision. There are no loopholes to blame anyone else and get the money back.

Bronnie

To take this a step further, the amendment on my daughter's policy (commenced Jan 2009) is post dated ie active from 20th May 2009, (due to imminent purchase of new car), first payment at amended rate due 1st June 2009 and the cancellation rate is stated as "1 month's premium plus £10".

If she were to cancel the policy before the amendment date, would cancellation rate be 1 month's premium at the pre-20th May rate or the new monthly premium?

Her monthly premium has gone up from £58 to £108. She is in her second year of driving, but was a bit too quick to amend her existing policy, I have found annual quote of £865, which I think would be better, even though she'd go back to the start of year 2 again.