Lost cheque

Turbogal

Hi all, first post on here, I have checked forums and this seems to be the best place for my question, if not sorry and can a mod move it..

To cut a long story short, I changed car insurance companies without reading the small print (yes I know) and ended up owing them £210 which I arranged to pay by 3 instalments. I sent a recorded delivery letter on 4/1/2010 which enclosed 3 postdated cheques as they requested, the first of which has been cashed. Yesterday on getting home I find a letter from this company stating that they only found 2 cheques enclosed with the letter asking me to send another postdated for April. Well obviously they received my letter with the cheques as they cashed the first one and they have the one for March in their possession. So my argument is, if there was a cheque "missing" then why did they not contact me in January when they received my letter, it is quite obvious that they have lost it.
So in my eyes, I have done what is required of me, should I give them time to find the cheque and then if they cannot find it confirm it in writing to me and send them another minus the cost to me of cancelling that one, or just say tough, you got it, you find it and if they can't find it I am £68 better off?
Thanks for taking the time to look at this:)

bryanb

Cancel the missing cheque with your bank. Issue a replacement but deduct the bank fee for stopping the cheque. If you're really annoyed with them deduct the postage.
It's not clear if you're still insured with them, if you are you may need their goodwill if you claim.
By the way, Banks do not recognise the postdating of cheques and will cash them if they are presented for payment before the date on them.

cyberbob

bryanb wrote: »

Issue a replacement but deduct the bank fee for stopping the cheque. If you're really annoyed with them deduct the postage.

Then wait for the letters for the shortfall in your CI. You cant prove they lost the cheque. So I very much doubt they'll accept you deducting the cost of cancelling the cheque. All that will happen is they will want any shortfall for the CI otherwise they will stop the insurance

bryanb

cyberbob wrote: »

Then wait for the letters for the shortfall in your CI. You cant prove they lost the cheque. So I very much doubt they'll accept you deducting the cost of cancelling the cheque. All that will happen is they will want any shortfall for the CI otherwise they will stop the insurance

Not sure what CI is? As said, also not sure if OP is still insured with them.
Sorry if I edit after your reply.

Apples2

I like the optimism of trying to send a cheque minus the cancellation fee!

If the Insurance company don't receive all the money owed, on the due date your insurance will be voided / cancelled / Nada!!

Trying to resolve that $hitfest after the event will not only be difficult, it will also be WAAAAYYY more expensive.

Just send another cheque to them, you have records of the cheque number, and who it was made out to. There should be no need to cancel it. If they cash it later on, you will see the transaction.

There will only be one winner if you try to hold them at fault and charge them accordingly...... and it isn't the likes of us !!

bryanb

Still not clear if the OP is referring to owing the old company or the present insurer. Hard to see why a present insurer would require post dated cheques though.

Anihilator

There are two ways to proceed

1) Cancel the old cheque, incur the fee and send a replacement cheque for the full value

2) Send a replacement cheque and deal with getting a refund from them if they end up cashing both cheques

Both have advantages and disadvantages. Frankly its the inconvenience of still using cheques and one of the many reasons they are dying out.

bryanb

Anihilator wrote: »

There are two ways to proceed

1) Cancel the old cheque, incur the fee and send a replacement cheque for the full value

2) Send a replacement cheque and deal with getting a refund from them if they end up cashing both cheques

Both have advantages and disadvantages. Frankly its the inconvenience of still using cheques and one of the many reasons they are dying out.

And if a 3rd party cashes the lost cheque?

CHR15

bryanb wrote: »

And if a 3rd party cashes the lost cheque?

It is of course possible (another reason the use of cheques is dying out)

I think we can assume the OP did make the cheques out correctly so a third party would have to go to some lengths to change the Name on the cheque to something else.

Changing DIRECT LINE to Mr B. Mugglewump would look suspicious to even the most naive person.

Anihilator

bryanb wrote: »

And if a 3rd party cashes the lost cheque?

If the OP has filled it in appropiately then it won't happen.

bryanb

Anihilator wrote: »

If the OP has filled it in appropiately then it won't happen.

Like to send me a cheque to test that theory?