Beware of Octagon Car Insurance

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi

The company has asked to respond. MSE doesn't endorse anything a company says on the Forum.

Dear Jaustin and Zee2

We are very sorry to read about the experience you have both received with Octagon Insurance to date.

As we are unable to identify you from your post and would very much like to resolve this situation for you, please could you email us at
MSE@octagoninsurance.com and include:
- Your MoneySavingExpert User Name
- Your name
- Your Policy Number
- A contact telephone number
- A convenient time to call you

Thank you

Octagon Insurance

portia88

Thanks to everyone posting about this firm. I so nearly took out a policy for car insurance with them today - as a result of a comparison site quotation - but thought I'd just check MSE first, as I'd never heard of them and -yay! Result.

I'm sticking with my old insurer - even though they're £50 dearer - as I know them and trust them.

I'm sorry for everyone who's been a victim of this seemingly awful company; your experiences have helped others make informed choices......unfortunately.

johnjohn181

I have had nothing but trouble with these people, their customer service is non existent and their complaints procedures are even worse.

firstly they stated i had only 5 yrs NCB when i had sent them proof of 6. which led me to pay more for my first years insurance with them but then when i wanted to complete a very easy task of changing my car over, they were trying to tell me it was registered in 2004 and it was a sport model, (even though i had all the original paperwork to show it was a 2002 basic model, and as i was changing from a 2.5 ltr v6 jaguar down to a 1.6 alfa romeo i would expect ( as i had already researched before hand so i could lower my costs) to have been given a refund of the difference in cover, but NOooo i was told both cars were in the same bracket and therefore no refund was due. after several phone calls to their premium rate number from my mobile phone each lasting around 20 mins on average they finally found the right year and model for my car but then still told me there was no difference in premium.

when it came to renewing i received a much higher quote from them on the alfa so decided to look around for cheaper, i found a cheaper quote from their company on line and so bought it. they then bombarded me with threatening letters telling me if i didn't send them my proof of no claims they would cancel my policy. again i had a nightmare trying to get them on their premium rate number and was eventually successful. i was told i only had 6 yrs as my last year was 5, i was infuriated as i know i sent them proof the year before and that i should now at least have 7 yrs, they eventually agreed and then said as i had put on my online quote i had 8 yrs (which i should have had). they would have to re quote me with 7yrs, they did this and not only charged me £25 to do so but then charged me a £37.99 fee on top of my premium. i tried to reason with them but their staff ember was not interested so eventually i told them to cancel my policy.

i was told i would be charged for cancelling early plus the 13 days i had already been insured for. and then they told me i was no longer covered with them as from the of my call and would not be able to drive my car until i got new insurance.

i went and bought new insurance but never received my NCB doc nor my refund from Octagon. i have tried to contact them via phone and sent them copies of my new insurance, and to this day still not received my NCB, my policy still has not been cancelled with octagon and my refund still not materialized. don't know what else i can do, im insured with two companies but im not insured at all as my new company now want to cancel as they do not have my proof of no claims and i should have been cancelled on my octagon insurance account. anyone no what i can do as i just feel helpless and lost and now have huge phone bills too????? please someone help. :mad:

jazyasin

guys, your absolutely right, octagon is the most pathetic company there is. Its just not worth taking a policy out with these jokers.

Lottiestar

Anyone had any luck with refunds, ombudsman etc? My husband had a car fire in dec 2011-they took till April to decide they weren't going to pay out and after numerous calls, emails etc we're still waiting for a refund I'd the unused part of the policy (we paid in full). Husband had been on hold for 3 hours and is apparently now first in queue...

TrueUnitedFan

I know how it feels to be associated with a company that is so unprofessional.

lennie9215

I crashed my car on xmas night and called octagon next morning to make a claim. Somene was meant to call me back but didnt. Today,,, and at the time of writing this, I have been on hold for 4 hours in their queing system, I became first in line approx 1 hour ag0 and am stillwaiting for them t answer !!

carpetbloke

This all sounds a familiar tale.
Octagon came up cheapest for my wifes quote too.
She had an accident with a wall which I put in as at fault.
When the paperwork came back it had been changed to a no fault.
Even the wife didn`t manage to convince herself the wall was at fault,though she tried to convince me it was.
A scamjust to make you choose them.
Luckily I paid early and spotted it and cancelled before the policy started.
They were really awful to deal with on the phone and to change the details I needed to part with more cash and get a letter to say the wall was at fault from an incident that was 3years ago.
Wouldn`t touch them with a barge pole.

killerfairies

Wow thanks guys. Was just looking to renew my policy and these came up cheapest - so glad I checked them out before paying. Will go with the next cheapest instead

dacouch

killerfairies wrote: »

Wow thanks guys. Was just looking to renew my policy and these came up cheapest - so glad I checked them out before paying. Will go with the next cheapest instead

As a general rule of thumb, if an Insurer is registered in Gibraltar or other small country it's best to avoid them. They register in Gibraltar as the regulation is much much less stringent and they need less liquid cash set aside to pay claims as opposed to UK registered Insurers.

It's a good (In my experience) indication that they are at the "not all that" end of the scale.

Personally I also avoid Lloyd's of London syndicates for car insurance.