Car insurance auto renewal dispute

Quentin

If they renewed your policy, surely they owe you the premium they took at the time of the renewal?

If so, why do they say you have a balance outstanding?

Wildsurf

Quentin wrote: »

If they renewed your policy, surely they owe you the premium they took at the time of the renewal?

If so, why do they say you have a balance outstanding?

The policy expired on the 31/01 and the DD date was 1st of each month but for whatever reason they didn't take anything on the 01/02 and we cancelled the DD.

McKneff

2 - We were both well aware of the renewal clause in virtually every insurance company's T&C's

From your post 5

So doesnt that answer your own question.

I thought with new rules you had to have cars insured even if they are up your own drive these days,
Its either the law now or the new rules are imminent.

Wildsurf

McKneff wrote: »

2 - We were both well aware of the renewal clause in virtually every insurance company's T&C's

From your post 5

So doesnt that answer your own question.

Does that clause allow an insurance company to renew without telling me what they are going to charge?

Could they double the premium and not inform me?

Surely the law is not so simplistic as to allow them to renew without actually informing of any changes including but not limited to the price?

Unfortunately even if they do have to inform it appears from other posters that simply having a date of despatch of the notification on their system may be all they need, their is no responsibility on their part to prove it arrived let alone that they even passed the notification to the delivery company.

McKneff

But - shouldnt somewhere along the line thought, it must be nearly a year since my insurance renewal,and I havent got my renewal letter yet. It will be renewed if I dont do something about it, I'd better ring them.

Sorry but its not all the insurance companies fault.

Wildsurf

McKneff wrote: »

But - shouldnt somewhere along the line thought, it must be nearly a year since my insurance renewal,and I havent got my renewal letter yet. It will be renewed if I dont do something about it, I'd better ring them.

Sorry but its not all the insurance companies fault.

I know it is partly our fault for forgetting to cancel and we should have known better. I have never claimed otherwise.

What I wanted to know was whether there was any obligations ont he part of the insurance company regarding the auto-renewal.

e.g. written notice of the auto-renewal stating renewal date, premium and what to do if you don't want to renew.

And whether if this wasn't done they could enforce the cancellation charges and premium for the period they "insured" my partner.

McKneff

I think probably the 'cancellation fees/admin charge would be in the T & Cs too.

Sorry OP, is it really worth the hassle,

Id certainly pay £30 for peace of mind and it would mean I could move on and not think about it ever again.

iamana1ias

Wildsurf wrote: »

Even ignoring this, we are both insured third party by my separate insurance policy to drive any car although obviously it would not apply if relied on on a regular basis.

.

Really?? Who are you insured by? Fewer companies offer DOC extension for policy holders now, never mind named drivers. And I'm certain they'd have a clause about cars owned by you (so your GF couldn't drive her own car using your DOC extension).

I'd advise checking that cover in advance of using it. Doesn't sound right to me.

mikey72

dunstonh wrote: »

The problem is that you say you didnt get the renewal. They will say they sent it and will have a date on file that shows it was sent. It could be that it was misdelivered but thats not the fault of the insurer. They wont issue the policy docs normally until you pay. However, you get a period of grace to make that payment before they cancel. You are in the window at the moment. Hence the period you are covered but dont have a certificate. If you had a claimable event and paid the premium they would have to honour it.

Now, we've had a few threads on here claiming the insured has informed the insurer that they don't want to renew, but the insurer has claimed not to have received the notice.
So is the fact I have a copy of the letter I posted, proof that I gave them notice to lapse, in the same way as above?
Does a telephone call that I made a note of the date count as well?

dunstonh

Does a telephone call that I made a note of the date count as well?

Absolutely. Date, time and name of person noted and that will be fine.

So is the fact I have a copy of the letter I posted, proof that I gave them notice to lapse, in the same way as above?

Yes. If you really want to be sure then get a certificate of posting with it.