Help - Car insurance demand for extra payment after renewal

dhanni

hi - I wondered if anyone can help me.

Prior to christmas, I moved house and informed Direct Line, my car insurer. there was a small additional fee to pay which they waived as a "gesture of goodwill."

shortly afterwards, I recieved my renewal notice for the 29th december which I was happy with and allowed them to automatically renew my policy using the debit card number they had on file.

Early in the new year, I recieved my insurance certificate, but then, a couple of days later, I recieved a letter which said the following:

"We recently offered automatic renewal of the above policy, which has now been accepted based on the premium shown on your renewal notice.

However, in the interim our records show that a change of address was noted. Consequently, the renewal premium has been recalculated resulting in an additional amount of £92.40 being due.

please contact us within 10 days from the date of this letter to ensure continuity of cover."

Both, the renewal notice, and the insurance certificate that was issued after renewal date were issued with my new address, I am therefore wondeirng if Direct Line are able to demand this payment. They offered me the renewal at the original lower price, and my circumstances have not changed since that offer. Are they able to demand this money, or, after realising their clerical error, are they just hoping that I wil pay without making a fuss?

Any urgent advice from someone within the industry would be greatly appreciated. Please don't guess or presume.

Many thanks

Dom

Quentin

The letter says that you notified them of the new address "in the interim" between them issuing the renewal notice and you notifying them your new address.

From what you say this is not so, so contact them and point out their error.

vusys1

when did you move and when did you call DL? as a renewal quote should be issued at least 21 days prior to the renewal date.


Have you received a forwarded renewal from your old address and a new updated renewal to your new address ??

dhanni

The renewal with the original price came to the new address - so I presume it is an error on their part!

On this basis, I Just wondered if I am liable to pay the difference?

mikey72

There are quite a few threads recently where direct line have been asking for an extra amount after issueing insurance. They usually drop the demand if you complain enough.

Catslovelycats

Hope you manage to sort it.

I was told my payments would change when I advised the company of my new address. Fortunately for me my payments went down (by a few pounds only). Made me laugh that a mile down the road is considered a better insurance risk.

magpiecottage

It is likely to depend on where the renewal invitation was sent to.

If it went to your old home then I think it is likely that the insurer produced the documentation before it was aware you intended to move.

On the other hand if it sent direct to the new one it is likely to find it difficult to persuade an Ombudsman that it did not know you lived there when it sent the invitation out.