My home insurance was cancelled by third party and they are charging me cancellation!

loopsntroops

My bank quoted me for contents insurance and even with the admin charge for cancelling with my current provider (direct line) it saved me money to switch.

My bank advised that they would take care of all paperwork etc.

Direct line wrote to me in February and aksed why I had cancelled my direct debit. I the bank and spoke to the lady that was dealing with the transfer and she said she had wrote to them to Cancel in Jan - she faxed me a copy of the letter which she had PP'd as she said it would save time rather than waiting for me to sign.

I contacted Direct line and they said they hadn't received the letter and wouldn't accept it anyway as it was from a third party and as we were into February I now owed another months policy payment - so if I cancelled I would be losing money!!!

I confirmed (VERY CLEARLY) that I was happy with my bank and told direct line I would continue with my policy until it expired this november - he transferred me to accounts and they took my cards details to set up a new direct debit and I also offered to pay any amounts currently outstanding that may have been missed as my DD had been cancelled.

I contacted my bank and let them know I didn't want their insurance and explained why - they cancelled no problems, no charge.

On 18th Feb I got two letters from direct line to say, I owed them nearly £40.00 which included cancellation charges of £26.25!!! and the other to confirm my policy had been cancelled!!!!

I phoned on 18th Feb and explained what had happened but they could only suggest I take a NEW policy with them for another year..in which case they would waver the admin charge. I argued that the letter had been pp'd which showed it wasn't my signature and therefor should not have been accepted. She saw this and apologised for their error and said the admin would be wavered.

I said I would call them back when I had decided if I wished to renew. I cancelled my direct debit with them..shopped about and got a much better deal elsewhere which I started today.

I phoned direct line to ask where I should send a cheque to to settle my account and they are asking me for the cancellation fee!!!!

Should I just tell them to shove it...I don't want my credit file affected but still don't see why I should pay for their error.

I asked them to re-instate the policy until November this year but they said "its not possible".

Any advice please!!!

huckster

Speak to a Team Leader or Customer relations at DL to explain the problem. Threaten to take this to the FOS, if they don't waive the cancellation fee.

DL could have reinstated the policy that was cancelled in error. With most Insurers, if they had spoken to their IT department, the policy record could have reinstated and the policy continued. This is possible for Home Insurance, but difficult for Car Insurance. But we are talking about Home Insurance here, so reinstatement is not a problem.

loopsntroops

Thanks Huckster - the cust services lady agreed to waver and when I phoned to confirm how much I owed to write a cheque she denied agreeing to waiver!! After some discussion she agreed again to waiver but wouldn't advised how much I owed but would get accounts to send me an amended statement...think something not quite right here so I have wrote and advised of story start to finish, enclosed copy letters to back up my story and noted that "agent" confirmed the charge would be waivered and that I am now waiting for conf of settlement so I can make payment...5 days since i sent the letter and nothing back from them yet...

vusys1

huckster wrote: »

Speak to a Team Leader or Customer relations at DL to explain the problem. Threaten to take this to the FOS, if they don't waive the cancellation fee.

DL could have reinstated the policy that was cancelled in error. With most Insurers, if they had spoken to their IT department, the policy record could have reinstated and the policy continued. This is possible for Home Insurance, but difficult for Car Insurance. But we are talking about Home Insurance here, so reinstatement is not a problem.

their IT has moved to India so it would have been another year before it would have been sorted;)

loopsntroops

vusys1 wrote: »

their IT has moved to India so it would have been another year before it would have been sorted;)

:rotfl:my god don't even go there!!!