New Please help Car Insurance complaint

maxiwoo_2

Here is a copy of the complain letter I sent to Swinton Insurance. It speaks for itself. do you think i have a valid complaint?? I am SOOO Mad!!!

Please consider this a formal complaint.
My car insurance was due for renewal on 2/1/11. Swinton Insurance was by far the cheapest on the price comparison website. As I work at the XXXX across from your office I decided would call in personally to get a quote. I came into your office on 30/12/10 and explained that I was working next door and asked for an Insurance quote. I left the renewal insurance documents sent to me by Churchill with the lady who was working as they contained all my details.
She asked me for the internet quote number which I was unable to provide at that time. I told her I would call back once she had a chance to look at it. She came across to the XXXX to ask my Husband’s date of birth and whilst there asked for my contact number which I gave her. She rang me twice while doing the quote and I answered all the questions in full. A quote was given and I explained I was going to ring my current insurer and give them a chance to beat the quote as I was aware they would offer me a loyalty bonus. They were unable to better it so I again called into your office the following day to accept the quote and pay. I also at this time provided the internet quote number which the lady said she would have a look at and see if she could reduce my quote further still .She told me I did not need to wait she would call next door with the documents when this was done. She later came next door into the xxxx with the envelope containing the documents and told me everything was set up. She had also set up my £50 cash back so I didn’t need to do anything. This lady provided a brilliant level of Customer Service and clearly went above and beyond what is expected of her. I am very thankful for that.
This morning (15th January) I received a letter asking me to contact Swinton to discuss my claim. I rang the office and spoke to a girl who initially did not understand why this letter had been sent, but after looking through my notes explained it was because your company had rang Churchill and been informed by Scott that I had a claim in 2008 for £900 which I had not declared .I explained I had not at any point been asked for that information but If asked I would most certainly have informed you. I went on to explain how the quote had been done while I was working next door. At which point your employee said “did you ever sit down with anyone and go through this claim?”. When I said ‘’No’’ she said “Well you should have done” - If at any point it was requested I sit down and go through the quote I would have been happy to do so. I take great exception to the manner in which this was said, insinuating I had done something wrong.
Then she said”you have got Karen into trouble now and she was doing you a favour“ - I am presuming Karen is the lady who set up my insurance in the first place.
I told her I thought all the details needed to process the insurance were on the documents I left with her to do the quote, including details of past claims. Again, in a very accusing manner she said “well we will have to get the documents out and see won’t we”. If any information was missing I would have been happy to provide it by phone or in person
I asked if it would affect my premium and she checked and informed me it would increase by £128 a year. I told her this increase made it more expensive than the quote from my original insurer and I believed this was unfair. She said “Well we were doing you a favour” – I took this to mean processing the insurance/quote while I was not present. A favour is not messing up my insurance and leaving me without cover.
She said she would ask the manager to look at it on Monday and ask him to call me back as she did not have the authority to deal with this and I agreed. I asked if I was insured at present she checked up said I was still insured until Wednesday when the policy was due to stop. I am not aware why it was due to stop on Wednesday. I would never drive without full cover and wanted to make absolutely sure I was legal so I reiterated by saying ‘’so you’re telling me absolutely if I have an accident and write off my car before Monday when I speak to the manager I am still fully covered?’’. She said well if you have an accident we will probably put it into dispute. I asked what that means and she said we may not pay out. As I needed to use my car over the weekend I was not willing to drive it without full and conclusive cover I felt I had no choice but to get further cover from another insurer. I have since done this and wish to end my cover with Swinton immediately.
I am absolutely furious at the way I was made to feel and particularly the implication that I had deliberately done something wrong and got someone into trouble. The lady who set up my insurance NEVER asked me if I had made a claim. All questions I was asked were answered in full. I did however, input the claim details on the price comparison website, as it requested I do so and gave the lady the internet reference number. I understand mistakes are made and because of the fantastic customer service she had provided previously I would have been happy to resolve this dispute as simply and easy as possible. However the girl on the phone was so rude and accusing, In fact at one point I asked her to stop talking over me to which she tutted. She made me feel I was solely responsible for this error. It is not my job to know what information is required I don’t work in Insurance, you are the agent and it is your responsibility to ask the appropriate questions to obtain the required information to process.
I also resent being told, Yes your fully insured until Wed but if you have a accident and write off your car we will put it in dispute (whatever that means) Either I am insured or not . Leaving me with no alternative but to obtain further cover. I rang my previous insurer Churchill straight away and have taken up cover with them. This is not the same rate as I was previously quoted by them as that price only lasted for 14 days after the policy ended.
I wish to have all money paid by myself refunded in the soonest instance and compensation considered

huckster

You need to elevate the complaint to Swintons head office. Don't deal with the local branch, as I am not sure that would be helpful.

Please contact our Customer Assistance Team:

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

maxiwoo_2

I have already sent a copy of this letter to the customer feedback on their website. Do you think i have a valid complaint??

huckster

maxiwoo wrote: »

I have already sent a copy of this letter to the customer feedback on their website. Do you think i have a valid complaint??

Yes, the Swintons staff member should have gone through all the information with you properly. They got carried away with you being next door and lost the plot. All staff working in Insurance are told to stick to a script which runs through all the vital information. This is so that if a problem arises, the companies managers can have some confidence their staff stick to a script, so things don't get missed.

Downtown

How did you go on with this? im interested in the outcome

McKneff

I would like to have read your post but it got very very difficult since you changed the font to a lot smaller.
Is it possible you could go back and edit it back to norma.

spook

McKneff, here is the text of maxiwoo's post.

(By the way, you can always make the font bigger in your browser)

maxiwoo wrote: »

Please consider this a formal complaint.
My car insurance was due for renewal on 2/1/11. Swinton Insurance was by far the cheapest on the price comparison website. As I work at the XXXX across from your office I decided would call in personally to get a quote. I came into your office on 30/12/10 and explained that I was working next door and asked for an Insurance quote. I left the renewal insurance documents sent to me by Churchill with the lady who was working as they contained all my details.
She asked me for the internet quote number which I was unable to provide at that time. I told her I would call back once she had a chance to look at it. She came across to the XXXX to ask my Husband’s date of birth and whilst there asked for my contact number which I gave her. She rang me twice while doing the quote and I answered all the questions in full. A quote was given and I explained I was going to ring my current insurer and give them a chance to beat the quote as I was aware they would offer me a loyalty bonus. They were unable to better it so I again called into your office the following day to accept the quote and pay. I also at this time provided the internet quote number which the lady said she would have a look at and see if she could reduce my quote further still .She told me I did not need to wait she would call next door with the documents when this was done. She later came next door into the xxxx with the envelope containing the documents and told me everything was set up. She had also set up my £50 cash back so I didn’t need to do anything. This lady provided a brilliant level of Customer Service and clearly went above and beyond what is expected of her. I am very thankful for that.
This morning (15th January) I received a letter asking me to contact Swinton to discuss my claim. I rang the office and spoke to a girl who initially did not understand why this letter had been sent, but after looking through my notes explained it was because your company had rang Churchill and been informed by Scott that I had a claim in 2008 for £900 which I had not declared .I explained I had not at any point been asked for that information but If asked I would most certainly have informed you. I went on to explain how the quote had been done while I was working next door. At which point your employee said “did you ever sit down with anyone and go through this claim?”. When I said ‘’No’’ she said “Well you should have done” - If at any point it was requested I sit down and go through the quote I would have been happy to do so. I take great exception to the manner in which this was said, insinuating I had done something wrong.
Then she said”you have got Karen into trouble now and she was doing you a favour“ - I am presuming Karen is the lady who set up my insurance in the first place.
I told her I thought all the details needed to process the insurance were on the documents I left with her to do the quote, including details of past claims. Again, in a very accusing manner she said “well we will have to get the documents out and see won’t we”. If any information was missing I would have been happy to provide it by phone or in person
I asked if it would affect my premium and she checked and informed me it would increase by £128 a year. I told her this increase made it more expensive than the quote from my original insurer and I believed this was unfair. She said “Well we were doing you a favour” – I took this to mean processing the insurance/quote while I was not present. A favour is not messing up my insurance and leaving me without cover.
She said she would ask the manager to look at it on Monday and ask him to call me back as she did not have the authority to deal with this and I agreed. I asked if I was insured at present she checked up said I was still insured until Wednesday when the policy was due to stop. I am not aware why it was due to stop on Wednesday. I would never drive without full cover and wanted to make absolutely sure I was legal so I reiterated by saying ‘’so you’re telling me absolutely if I have an accident and write off my car before Monday when I speak to the manager I am still fully covered?’’. She said well if you have an accident we will probably put it into dispute. I asked what that means and she said we may not pay out. As I needed to use my car over the weekend I was not willing to drive it without full and conclusive cover I felt I had no choice but to get further cover from another insurer. I have since done this and wish to end my cover with Swinton immediately.
I am absolutely furious at the way I was made to feel and particularly the implication that I had deliberately done something wrong and got someone into trouble. The lady who set up my insurance NEVER asked me if I had made a claim. All questions I was asked were answered in full. I did however, input the claim details on the price comparison website, as it requested I do so and gave the lady the internet reference number. I understand mistakes are made and because of the fantastic customer service she had provided previously I would have been happy to resolve this dispute as simply and easy as possible. However the girl on the phone was so rude and accusing, In fact at one point I asked her to stop talking over me to which she tutted. She made me feel I was solely responsible for this error. It is not my job to know what information is required I don’t work in Insurance, you are the agent and it is your responsibility to ask the appropriate questions to obtain the required information to process.
I also resent being told, Yes your fully insured until Wed but if you have a accident and write off your car we will put it in dispute (whatever that means) Either I am insured or not . Leaving me with no alternative but to obtain further cover. I rang my previous insurer Churchill straight away and have taken up cover with them. This is not the same rate as I was previously quoted by them as that price only lasted for 14 days after the policy ended.
I wish to have all money paid by myself refunded in the soonest instance and compensation considered