Elephant Car Insurance - Automatic Renewal

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  • SevenOfNine
    SevenOfNine Posts: 2,357 Forumite
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    Most insurers have the auto renewal 'clause' nowadays. When I take out any policy I tell them to remove it - I'm aware of when every single one of my policies is due.

    If by some chance I did 'forget', they want your business for the next year anyway so always write/email with a quote - which serves as a reminder. The auto renewal is merely a good sales tactic, aimed at those too lazy or busy to shop around.

    As for car insurance - I agree with earlier 'posters', a) you get what you pay for b) if you've never had a problem with your insurer, how do you know how good their customer service is.

    Having had our fingers burned with useless Hastings Direct, we'll be referring to this when we renew in March http://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/reviews-ns/car-insurance/whichrecommended-providers/
    Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.
  • powerful_Rogue
    powerful_Rogue Posts: 7,523 Forumite
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    Auto renew really annoys me.

    The cheapest one year always seems to be the most expensive the next. I then have to waste my time phoning them up and cancelling.

    Insurance: So Mr PR, why have you decided to cancel?
    Me: Because i've found it cheaper elsewhere
    Insurance: Ok, let me just run through the details with you and we will see what we can do.
    Me: No thank you
    Insurance: Oh, erm.....whys that?
    Me: Nothing in my details has changed since last year. Same car, same address, same job yet your £100 more expensive
    Insurance: Ok, Im sure I can get the price down......
    Me: Too late, you sent me your quote. Should have sent me an honest one, just cancel my auto renew please
    Insurance: But it will only take 2 minutes to .....
    Me: Please just cancel my auto renew

    Same thing evey year, although fair play to Tesco Insurance who don't auto renew.

    Should be an option when buying that you have to tick if you want to auto renew.
  • melbell
    melbell Posts: 488 Forumite
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    powerful_Rogue wrote: »
    Auto renew really annoys me.

    The cheapest one year always seems to be the most expensive the next. I then have to waste my time phoning them up and cancelling.

    Insurance: So Mr PR, why have you decided to cancel?
    Me: Because i've found it cheaper elsewhere
    Insurance: Ok, let me just run through the details with you and we will see what we can do.
    Me: No thank you
    Insurance: Oh, erm.....whys that?
    Me: Nothing in my details has changed since last year. Same car, same address, same job yet your £100 more expensive
    Insurance: Ok, Im sure I can get the price down......
    Me: Too late, you sent me your quote. Should have sent me an honest one, just cancel my auto renew please
    Insurance: But it will only take 2 minutes to .....
    Me: Please just cancel my auto renew

    Same thing evey year, although fair play to Tesco Insurance who don't auto renew.

    Should be an option when buying that you have to tick if you want to auto renew.


    You really are rude,
  • powerful_Rogue
    powerful_Rogue Posts: 7,523 Forumite
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    melbell wrote: »
    You really are rude,

    :rotfl:Rude?

    Please explain to me how that example is rude?

    1) I have to phone them up to cancel, there is no other option.
    2) Offer me the best price straight away in the renewal quote
    3) Did you see all the pleases and thank yous in that example?
  • pmduk
    pmduk Posts: 10,655 Forumite
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    edited 31 January 2013 at 10:26PM
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    Auto-renewal has probably saved many people a lot of legal problems. FACT you're required to have motor insurance, like it or not.

    I suspect many people would "forget" or allow a couple of weeks gap between policies. However, when they get caught and their car is seized under the aegis of the Road Traffic Act, you can be pretty sure the insurance company would be blamed for not auto-renewing

    Melbell, I'm sorry, but the quote was given on the basis of the information available. If the call centre wants to reduce the price further to retain the business, then the time to offer a competitive quote has gone. Looking to see if you can reduce it further, implies you were';t given the best price initially.

    I've managed call centres, turning down an operator's offer is not rude, although I've heard many rude & abusive ways of doing it. I don't condone them.
  • melbell
    melbell Posts: 488 Forumite
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    Your attitude stunk, When I was a customer service rep and got a rude person like you, I'd throw you back into the queue.

    That renewal agent, has to go through the process offer a lower quote. If they fail to offer they get in trouble. That is probation failing and bonus loosing.

    So yeah, You was rude.
  • powerful_Rogue
    powerful_Rogue Posts: 7,523 Forumite
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    melbell wrote: »
    Your attitude stunk, When I was a customer service rep and got a rude person like you, I'd throw you back into the queue.

    That renewal agent, has to go through the process offer a lower quote. If they fail to offer they get in trouble. That is probation failing and bonus loosing.

    So yeah, You was rude.

    But why is that my problem? They have given me a renewal quote via email or post.
    Ive searched around, found it cheaper and now want to cancel my auto renewal that I didnt want in the first place.

    If you class being polite but to the point rude, no wonder your no longer a service rep.
  • powerful_Rogue
    powerful_Rogue Posts: 7,523 Forumite
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    pmduk wrote: »
    Auto-renewal has probably saved many people a lot of legal problems. FACT you're required to have motor insurance, like it or not.

    I suspect many people would "forget" or allow a couple of weeks gap between policies. However, when they get caught and their car is seized under the aegis of the Road Traffic Act, you can be pretty sure the insurance company would be blamed for not auto-renewing

    Of course everyone knows you need motor insurance - were not disputing that!

    If someones stupid enough to forget to renew their car insurance, gets caught and has their car seized then thats their own fault.

    What ever happened to personal responsibility.
  • melbell
    melbell Posts: 488 Forumite
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    powerful_Rogue wrote: »
    But why is that my problem? They have given me a renewal quote via email or post.
    Ive searched around, found it cheaper and now want to cancel my auto renewal that I didnt want in the first place.

    If you class being polite but to the point rude, no wonder your no longer a service rep.
    No the reason I'm no longer working in customer services (I moved over to MI/Operations) is customers like you.

    Hear the agent out, You'd be the first to moan if they moved the call centres to india.
  • powerful_Rogue
    powerful_Rogue Posts: 7,523 Forumite
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    melbell wrote: »
    No the reason I'm no longer working in customer services (I moved over to MI/Operations) is customers like you.

    Hear the agent out, You'd be the first to moan if they moved the call centres to india.

    But why should I hear him out? If the company cant be competitive when they send me a renewal quote, why should I have to listen and waste my time because they operate an auto renewal system?

    You still haven't explained how being polite but to the point is rude?

    Whats Indian call centers got to do with this now?!
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