Swinton Car Insurance cancelled

senojylrac

I had a problem with my DD last month, it didn't go out on the day it should have because I had no money in my account...this has happened in the past and they simply tried to take it out again with an addiontal charge of £12 for late payment... therefore I didn't contact them about it as I presumed they'd try and take the payment again.


On the 18th of October, I phoned to change the car on my policy as I bought a new car. I'd found a cheaper policy with someone else so phoned Swinton to cancel. They advised me to keep the policy until it ran out at the end of November so i could gain another years no claims bonus, but I would have to pay £45 to change vehicle. Otherwise if i still wanted to cancel it would cost £68. I decided to stay with them to make sure I gained another years no claims...

On Friday the 29th of October I received a letter from them to say that they'd cancelled my policy as my DD had been returned by my bank and that I would have to pay them a £68 cancellation charge. So, I have now paid them £45 to change the vehicle even though I wanted to cancel the policy...I didn't because I wanted to keep the no claims bonus which I have now lost aswell, AND I have to pay them the cancellation fee of £68!!

My policy will be cancelled as of midnight on the 3rd of November and the process "cannot be reversed". I told them I cannot pay them £68 just like that, I'm starting Maternity leave on Monday and can't afford to lose that amount of money, they said that's fine we'll pass it on to a debt collection agency and you can set up a payment plan with them, oh and by the way, we won't be releasing the details of your no claims bonus until the £68 is paid...so I can't even set up a new policy with another company until I pay them!?

Can they legally do this or is there anything I can do to get ANY of my money back??

Quentin

It is the norm for insurers not to co-operate over supplying NCD proof when they are owed money.

And bear in mind that you will now need to inform any new insurer that you have had this policy cancelled. So see if you can do some grovelling with the right person and get this decision reversed!

huckster

Phone Swintons head office and make a complaint.

Swinton should have given you reasonable chance to pay the premium that was missed.

• Swinton House, 6 Great Marlborough Street, Manchester M1 5SW.
• By telephone - call 0845 168 3676 or fax 0161 236 7102.