Budget Insurance - scammers

willyg

I took out a car insurance policy with Budget in July 2008, and it was £28 a month. Kind of what I'd expect with a clean license, and no claims for 15+ years.

In July '09, they sneaked a new policy through, and bumped my premiums up to £45, for no apparent reason. Obviously my fault for not opting out (although I think it should be opt in). Now, we're moving house (same kind of area - no difference insurance-wise), and they have taken the opportunity to raise the premiums to a ridiculous £60 a month. We tried to cancel today, but they wouldn't let us, informing us we had to pay the rest of the term.

Has anyone else had experience of this? Is there any way out? I've never been in a policy before where I can't get out when I want. It's a complete scam.

huckster

Hi

You should make a complaint to budgets Customer relations/complaints team.

Apparentely, according to a contributor on another forum, who works for Budgets complaints team, they should be able to help you. Their advice was to complain about the current underwriters of the policy and even though the policy is in mid-term they can rebroke to another underwriter, which may reduce the premium.

When the policy was last due for renewal Budget should have issued you with a renewal notice and this would have confirmed the policy was due for automatic renewal. Once it is renewed, if it is cancelled mid-term the cancellation terms can be quite steep as you have found.

dacouch

Huckster did you notice that contibuters post was deleted, I assume by him. As he identified himself / herself as an employee in their complaints dept I guess Budget had a quiet word with them