Avoid ecar insurance!!!!

markbass

Quote wrote: »

Let me get this right. People get the cheapest insurance they can find, and then it all goes tits up, and then they complain about it on the internet. What do they expect?

Irrespective of how cheap the insurance is, these insurance companies should still provide a reasonable service, if not they shouldn't be in business, we all look round for the best quotes it's only natural, offering a low quote should not be a passport for poor service for these companies.

These insurance companies should be heavily regulated by the authorities because i feel they are given far too much slack to do as they please and charge what they like, £2000 - £3000 for a 17 year old to drive his or her first 1.3 car is criminal (just an example)..there needs to be a shake up of these companies, regardless of premium paid.

olly300

Used ecar insurance in the past - only problem I had with them is that they did the standard company trick of pretending they didn't receive a letter to sort an issue out. Once they did "find" the letter helped by me point out the name of their mail room boy who signed for the recorded delivery letter, they dealt with the issue quickly.

The only company so far who has not tried to pretend they haven't received my letters is Nationwide. And yes I send virtually all my letters by some sort of signed for post so it shows you how bad customer service is in this country.

bouncydog1

markbass wrote: »

Irrespective of how cheap the insurance is, these insurance companies should still provide a reasonable service, if not they shouldn't be in business, we all look round for the best quotes it's only natural, offering a low quote should not be a passport for poor service for these companies.

These insurance companies should be heavily regulated by the authorities because i feel they are given far too much slack to do as they please and charge what they like, £2000 - £3000 for a 17 year old to drive his or her first 1.3 car is criminal (just an example)..there needs to be a shake up of these companies, regardless of premium paid.

They are already regulated by the FSA or in the event of European insurers, by their own Regulatory body. Insurance is based on a pooling of risk and many factors are taken into account including accident statistics, and postcodes. Someone living in a low risk area driving a low group car, will pay substantially less than someone living in a city for instance, of the same age and driving the same car.

Youngsters pay more because according to insurer statistics they have the most accidents - usually within a short while of passing their tests when they are over-confident and in some cases showing off to their mates. The costs of third party claims are horrendous - think about all the fraudulent ones for whiplash for instance - plenty reported on here.

Insurers in many cases do not want young drivers on their books because of the claims experience. This inevitably means that they have to put their premiums up for everyone, so others move to companies offering introductory discounts to increase their book, meaning the pool is smaller.

How would you suggest they calculate their premiums and run their business - flat premium for everyone? As a mid 50's driver, with full no claims bonus I certainly don't think my premiums should go up so that everyone pays the same!

olly300

markbass wrote: »

Irrespective of how cheap the insurance is, these insurance companies should still provide a reasonable service, if not they shouldn't be in business, we all look round for the best quotes it's only natural, offering a low quote should not be a passport for poor service for these companies.

Insurance companies are a business and they have to make profits for their shareholders using the most profitable business model.

The OP was told to use the complaints procedure which all financial companies have to comply with in the UK but has refused to. Instead she decided to cancel her premium.

As far as I can read the original post there was an argument about her license date which could have easily been rectified by her providing a certified photocopy from a solicitor or someone of similar standing (e.g. a magistrate may be much cheaper).

markbass wrote: »

These insurance companies should be heavily regulated by the authorities because i feel they are given far too much slack to do as they please and charge what they like, £2000 - £3000 for a 17 year old to drive his or her first 1.3 car is criminal (just an example)..there needs to be a shake up of these companies, regardless of premium paid.

Insurance companies are currently regulated by:
1. The financial ombudsman service who are useful if you have a dispute where you have a loss due to unfair/unclear terms
2. The financial services authority who I have successfully used to make an insurer change their terms and conditions.
3. The courts

The argument about young drivers and their risk to third parties has already been answered before.

However personally why should my 24 year old younger brother pay more for insurance because because my 18 year old nephew decides he wants a car?

My 18 year old nephew like 50% of people his age are students so he can rely on money from the government and his parents. My 24 year old brother has no living parents and has to work to support himself.

Inactive

ice_maiden2k6 wrote: »

p.s. the reviews for ecar are really bad, avoid at all costs!

So why did you decide to use them then?

The information / ( reviews ) was there long before you decided to give them your money.

foggytown

Quote wrote: »

Let me get this right. People get the cheapest insurance they can find, and then it all goes tits up, and then they complain about it on the internet. What do they expect?

Thus speaks another of the insurance industry apologists in this forum. Let me tell you what "they" expect. How about a base line of minimum acceptable service? How about some standards of adequacy? How about a pro-customer attitude that goes beyond some stupid tag line in a commercial? How about trained/educated call centre employees?

Here's an idea! Let's make an insurer's ability to trade annually reviewable. Let's base renewal of their trading license on how few customer complaints are made against them.