Third party fire and theft insurance and Arson

mattymoo

Just done some browsing.
Motor Insurance Warehouse is indeed part of the Swinton group hence their name on some of the paper.

This FAQ will strike a chord

Motor Insurance Warehouse is cheaper – do I miss out on cover?

Just been through the MIW quote engine a couple of times (using my neighbours address ) but unfortunately I cannot get it to throw up Markerstudy as a selected insurer. I was getting quotes from firms like Fortis and Sabre and the screen only shows the top 3.
I selected TPFT cover and used an old car that I owned 10 or so years back. At no time did the quote engine mention that arson may be excluded from the Fire cover in TPFT.

Unfortunately, without getting it to generate a quote from Markerstudy I cannot see if they put a special warning in place for their policies.

debjk - I suggest you do like I've done. Go into the quote engine and use your own circumstances (convictions, accident history, car type etc) but change the contact details / names and addresses by one or two characters / house numbers. Then see if a Markerstudy quote is thrown up and if so, is there any special warning.

If not, and the key facts document that dacouch mentions does not point out the exclusion, I'd suggest you have strong grounds for a complaint to Swinton and the FOS.

mcjordi

swintons and motor insurance warehouse are the same company!

debjk

Think the best I can hope for is that someone steals it, it still start and the damage is confined to the back of the inside the window was smashed open and is still open now maybe some joy riders will see it as an easy target, cant move it yet because the police have said they will come, when this will be I have no idea

But then again I bet there will be some other get out clause

If I do want to complain who would I complain to?

mcjordi

out of interest what car is it??

mattymoo

MIW and Swintons in the first instance - if you can demonstrate they gave you no warning of the arson exclusion.
they should have a documented formal complaints procedure set out.

If you go through this then you can go to the Financial Ombudsman.

Stick with it, Dacouch and I both think it is pretty sharp practice to exclude this kind of fire and I suspect a complaint will have some merit. Unfortunately, as mentioned in post 12 I cannot generate a quote to back it up with evidence, e.g. screen prints.

Proc

Even if they decide they will cover it, ask yourself this:

Is it worth it?

Cheap policies generally have a higher excess, and if the car is only valued at £400 (or even less since you have added milage, wear, tear, depreciation, age, etc to it) a claim may not be worth the hassle and potential increase in premium next year.

Did you have protected no claims bonus? If you don't, then I'd say it's definately not worth claiming.

debjk

I just tried to get another quote but markerstudy didnt come back as an insurer another reason why we went for the cheapest was because my partner had a driving ban for 2 years it pushed all the premiums through the roof he doesnt have any no claims bonus. If I had some cash to hand I wouldnt bother claiming but we have no money at all.

debjk

mcjordi wrote: »

out of interest what car is it??

Vw golf estate diesel

mattymoo

debjk - it is a difficult one.
On the one hand you have a key facts document and presumably a policy booklet that spell out this onerous exclusion. Swintom, Markerstudy et all will say this covers there backs.

Personally I think it is an unfair exclusion but I'd like to have seen a markerstudy quote to see if any warning was thrown up. The fact is TPFT cover is such a common phrase in insurance that everyone takes it to mean third party fire and theft. I do not think you can be blamed for assuming otherwise.

I think my best advice at this stage would be to speak to the Financial Ombudsman. See http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm for how to contact them. They will not be able to take your case on until you have exhausted Swintons complaints procedure, but they can give some general advice and guidance.

raskazz

Definitely one to complain to the broker about. I have never seen a standard exclusion of arson damage on a TPFT/comprehensive motor policy. It is such an unusual (in comparison the market) and onerous clause that it really should have been spelled out to you by the broker.