LloydsTSB / BISL car insurance problems - advice please

dgtazzman

Happy new year for starters (be it a little early),

my car insurance through LloydsTSB ended on the 24th of December. I rang them 3 weeks earlier to discuss renewal, at which point I was informed they were changing underwriters and to call a different number to discuss my renewal. I rang the number 3 times, was on hold for 30 minutes each time and in the end gave up and took out insurance with Admiral. I consequently rang up LloydsTSB and informed them I didn't want to renew my policy. I was told this had been put through into their computer.

As I knew they were changing underwriters, I asked if my information had been passed on to BISL yet. They told me 'probably not, but it's in the computer you don't want to renew now, so even if it has, it will be ok'. I thought this answer was a bit dodgy, so I also put my intentions not to renew into a letter and sent it to LloydsTSB insurance.

I since didn't get a renewal notice and the policy expired on the 24th, so I thought everything was in order. Today, the 31st, I check my online banking and see BISL has added a direct debit to my account. I never authorised this and as said, never got a renewal notice. My original agreement was with a different underwriter anyway, so in my eyes the product has changed, so a simple renewal wouldn't be valid.

Where do I stand with this? What would be the best course of action? I did think about removing the DD authorisation from my online banking, but that will probably do more damage than good, with information being sent to the CRA's, fees etc. I certainly don't want to be paying 2 lots of car insurance for an entire year.

Do I take it to the LloydsTSB complaints procedure, or would it be better to write to both BISL and Lloyds?

Rather annoyed about this all, not the best way to start off the new year

EDIT: Seems Admiral might use BISL too, will have to check my policy tomorrow, but that doesn't explain why I'd have one DD for Admiral and another for BISL. I hate bank holidays ^^

adamc260

Firstly, admiral don't use BISL, they underwrite themselves.

Secondly, call Lloyds and tell them you notified them that you didn't want to renew, you want the policy cancelled and no money to be taken from you. If they still dont do that after the SECOND call (make notes of times, dates and full names) then follow the complaints procedure.

coldstream_2

bisl stands for budget insurance services limited. They refer to themselves as an 'intermediary' and have a panel of insurance underwriters (such as Aviva, Ageis, CIS) from whom they acquire the insurance you buy from themseves (Budget) M&S, HSBC, Autotrader, Yes.co.uk, Post Office, Quotemart, Lloyds TSB, Santander, Halifax, Barclays, Dial Direct to name but a few.

coldstream_2

to answer your question, complain loudly to customer services and if you feel the advisor is less than helpful, insist on speaking to a manager. If this does not solve the problem, contact the ombudsman

hornpipe

And please beware BISL products, of which there are many, particularly those flogged by banks and BS's and the terminally dodgy low end of the comparison sites, (over which they seem to have a stranglehold.) I have found them generally bad news and wouldn't touch them with a long pole.
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boz

Be very very careful if you are a Lloyds customer and use their car insurance, now with BISL. If you want to change or cancel a policy whilst the policy is still running they will charge a hefty amount (£200 after 6 months in my case) PLUS an admin charge of £35. To transfer the policy to the new car they quoted me a premium of £2000 for a 63 year old driver, 10 years' no claims & no convictions, whereas the average premium I'd been quoted elsewhere was £370 p.a.! I have 3 cars insured through Lloyds and needed for various reasons, to change details. This is going to cost me hundreds of pounds. I have been with LloydsTSB insurance for many years and have had no complaints, but since they changed to using BISL I have had nothing but trouble. I will now never use LloydsTSB again. Avoid Lloyds TSB car insurance and BISL like the plague.

Anyone had similar problems? Were you able to resolve them?

forgotmyname

They could say beware of customers that dont ask questions before they want to change the terms
on a policy.

£35 admin charge seems reasonable after reading what some budget insurers charge in fees.

£200 after 6 months? No idea what you mean by that. They want £200 extra when you renew?

Go elsewhere.