Admiral car insurance charging for cancelling within 7-day cooling off

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ryan1512 wrote: »

But that's what gets my goat. The distance selling regs are there for a reason. Lisyloo quotes wages, overheads etc as a cost to be covered. These should be taken care of from existing policies. There are enough people who renew every year automatically without even looking elsewhere.

DSR's do not apply to contracts of insurance.

adamc260

Its to cover the cost of their overheads setting up your policy.

peterbaker

Oh come on people - it's a bloomin' computer - it doesn't have any specific policyholder overheads associated with it, whether it issued a hundred policies today or a thousand.

I am surprised at many of you - the whole industry moving away from cross-subsidy of fees, dunstonh? I think the whole industry thesedays relies on bamboozling using a myriad of dreamed up cross-fertilised ideas for fees for whatever purposes it can get away with.

Anyway, I've done my part - my parents are now Admiral Policyholders until Admiral upset us enough to find someone else! Meantime no less than four of their brands were in the cheapest four on comparethemarket.com (Admiral, Diamond, Bell and Elephant - I forgot to mention "Diamond" in my earlier post ) ... but of course I didn't buy via comparethemarket.com. I opened up Quidco and did a multicar quote and we finished up calling a special number where we were told about the much aforementioned £22.50 admin fee and the 14 days (not 7). That saved another 5% or so (not 23% that I have seen advertised incidentally). And hopefully I shall also get £35 cashback eventually which would be another 10%.

Cross-subsidy of fees did you say? Whose? They are giving them away via a cross-subsidy of cookie driven tv reinforced cashback-if-it-makes-you-feel-good marketing channels in a confusion of discounting so you are surely having a laugh :rotfl:

adamc260

peterbaker wrote: »

Oh come on people - it's a bloomin' computer - it doesn't have any specific policyholder overheads associated with it, whether it issued a hundred policies today or a thousand.

I am surprised at many of you - the whole industry moving away from cross-subsidy of fees, dunstonh? I think the whole industry thesedays relies on bamboozling using a myriad of dreamed up cross-fertilised ideas for fees for whatever purposes it can get away with.

Anyway, I've done my part - my parents are now Admiral Policyholders until Admiral upset us enough to find someone else! Meantime no less than four of their brands were in the cheapest four on comparethemarket.com (Admiral, Diamond, Bell and Elephant - I forgot to mention "Diamond" in my earlier post ) ... but of course I didn't buy via comparethemarket.com. I opened up Quidco and did a multicar quote and we finished up calling a special number where we were told about the much aforementioned £22.50 admin fee and the 14 days (not 7). That saved another 5% or so (not 23% that I have seen advertised incidentally). And hopefully I shall also get £35 cashback eventually which would be another 10%.

Cross-subsidy of fees did you say? Whose? They are giving them away via a cross-subsidy of cookie driven tv reinforced cashback-if-it-makes-you-feel-good marketing channels in a confusion of discounting so you are surely having a laugh :rotfl:

Someone has to be paid a wage to sit behind that computer and set the policy up. Someone has to be paid to make sure the documents are printed/sent. Costs for ink, postaged etc etc .... It isnt free lol. I don't necessarily agree with cancellation fees but meh ... choose an insurer that doesnt have them.

dunstonh

Someone has to be paid a wage to sit behind that computer and set the policy up.

No they don't. Peter thinks everyone works for free as they love it. The back office admin is getting crazy with simple tasks now requiring so much audit trail. Thinking that the computer does it is just naive.

trukdiver

ryan1512 wrote: »

My thoughts exactly. I haven't received any benefit or cover from them, so I shouldn't have to pay anything.

Also, they have taken payment for the policy already, which I am sure shouldn't be taken before the policy begins, so have gained the interest from that payment (miniscule I know, but still it's my money).

So if the OP would like to call Admiral and tell them that OP is sorry that OP couldn't actually go with them this year, but if they would give back the £22.50 back OP knows someone on MSE willing to put TWO cars with them before the end of the week if they play nicely, then that's OK with me

How would that work with them exactly? Trust?!?

Some insurance companies (eg, Churchill, LV) give a full refund if you cancel before the policy start date. They only charge a fee after the posicy is in effect.

peterbaker

dunstonh wrote: »

No they don't. Peter thinks everyone works for free as they love it. The back office admin is getting crazy with simple tasks now requiring so much audit trail. Thinking that the computer does it is just naive.

DH, you are too harsh

I just created one of my long ones which most eloquently blew any semblance of validity in your argument out of the water but then I lost my post because my login had timed out and I hadn't copied the text

... so you'll have to take my word for it (it was a marvellous and most illuminating synopsis of my experience with two new motor insurers in the last two weeks :T)

The jist was that the computers do the work and the humans b^gger it up and then want paying to patch it all together again and they call it "back office admin" :rotfl:

I might rework it all after I've had me dinner ... "No, No ... " do I hear, and is that you groaning DH ?

mikey72

dunstonh wrote: »

No they don't. Peter thinks everyone works for free as they love it. The back office admin is getting crazy with simple tasks now requiring so much audit trail. Thinking that the computer does it is just naive.

We know Admiral don't. Even better results this year, but from last year's statement by the chairman.


“All in all we’re pleased with the numbers for the first half of 2010. As a result, every member of staff will receive £1,500 of free shares in the Group, worth over £6 million in total.”

notafan

I'm with Admiral at the minute.

My renewal come through and it was £400 more expensive (double the previous year despite an extra year no claims and getting out of the young driver bracket according to them etc) anyway i shopped around and elephant.co.uk - (the same company part of EUI) quoted £50 cheaper for the same details. I called Admiral and they said that i could go ahead with the elephant.co.uk quote but whilst i was on the phone i wondered if it might be cheaper with my mum on instead as shes been driving longer and is older etc. I asked them to quote it and it was around £30 cheaper again. They then said because admiral and elephant are the same Admiral who im already with would match it and did i want to go ahead. I explained i was still looking around and didn't commit to anything with her, the woman then said that was fine and shed send me the quote out and that if i wanted to cancel i should let her know before the 14th March which is my renewal date.

Today i got a letter saying they have made the changes i requested and that they will be in effect from the 14th the renewal date and thank you for choosing Admiral along with a payment schedule for the year. They've also sent a new certificate of insurance.

I've actually since found insurance with someone else and i think I'm going to go with them, mainly because the cover is equal or better and i begrudge admiral doubling my premium despite an extra years no claims, turning 25 (which in my experience makes no difference with any insurance company) and no claims or convictions. Its a couple of pounds more expensive (but not much at all) but i'd rather give my money to somewhere else as i just think admiral are trying to take me for a ride.

I've been with admiral two years and they normally opt you in for auto renewal each year and state you have to call them to opt out which i have before. Considering i asked for a quote and didn't agree i'll be really narked if they try and charge me a cancellation fee and i'm not paying one especially before the policy has even started, just because some other enthusiastic commission hungry call center woman decided she'd set it up. Especially when i hadn't even decided who i wanted on the policy at that point!

Aside from that if anyone's interested or thinking of going with them i only did because of the price. The service side isn't much good generally they do that sneaky thing companies do which is UK call centre for Sales and foreign call centres for customer service and aftercare, and they are always wanting to ring me and try and sell me extra's.

Should be trying to sort it out with them tomorrow so will see what they say...

notafan

I cancelled my policy with admiral today, was due to renew on 14th.

No charge and she seemed surprised when i asked her there was any charges.

Just the usual send the certificate back and questions about the drivers having any accidents or claims.

Were really nice about it actually.