Auto renewal who has been caught out

sanfly

dunstonh wrote: »

Look, I don't like auto renewal but I am not that fussed it exists. It has helped people avoid not being covered and losing out and it catches out people who don't read their post. However, you cannot blame the insurers for people who don't read their post. I know we live in a nanny state that overprotects the stupid but it's about time people started taking some responsibility for their actions (or inaction in this case).

Whilst i agree with some of your observations, it appears from following several of your responses on various forums that you are of the opinion that the financial / insurance industry is whiter than white and do not make mistakes, you always seem to imply that is the consumer who is in the wrong, yes people should take responsibilty for their actions, therefore make auto renewal opt in rather than opt out, end of problem....

darich

sanfly wrote: »

Whilst i agree with some of your observations, it appears from following several of your responses on various forums that you are of the opinion that the financial / insurance industry is whiter than white and do not make mistakes, you always seem to imply that is the consumer who is in the wrong, yes people should take responsibilty for their actions, therefore make auto renewal opt in rather than opt out, end of problem....

Great idea in theory but not so good in real life.

I imagine that most people would opt out.
Then, going by many posts on here, those same people would forget to renew.

That then means that there would be a massive increase in people with uninsured cars and properties.

There are arguments for and against. I'd have to say that with the above observation, it would be better for the existing system to remain.

Until people can be relied upon to read what they sign, then remember to reinsure, it's better that auto renewal is an opt out system, rather than opt in.

mikey72

Keep it as it is, -

but cap the renewal premium to the same price that you could buy exactly the same policy for by merely entering your details on line.
I sure it would be more acceptable, rather than being offered a 100% increase as an existing customer.

And add a penalty for any insurer that tries to renew, and debits your bank account, after you have told them not to.
£50, the same as the normal cancellation charge would be fair.

birkee

mikey72 wrote: »

Well,
either we're all lieing
the postman is stealing everyone's renewal
they're not being sent.

And, as suddenly it's an extortionate amount to renew, and half that to insure as a new customer, it makes sense to delay sending them.

And what happens when you've never heard of 'auto renewal' in the first place?
And, no, I'm not lying.
And no, I don't think the postman is stealing them.

Which leaves you with what?

Inactive

An insurance policy normally runs for 12 months, that is all that any customer is contracted to pay for.

Auto renewal should be outlawed in my opinion.

keith1950

Hi, I too do not like auto renewal but I make sure when buying any insurance that I know the terms and conditions and keep a note of renewal dates etc. I start looking for better quotes up to 2 months before due and in some instances have found that the earlier you get a quote the better it will be. If anyone has not received a renewal notice within 1 week of the renewal date they should be ringing to find out why. Most of the complaints we hear are because of apathy and a lack of attention to detail that seems to pervade our society with a ' can't be bother' attitude and then kicking off when things go wrong then branding the insurer as 'slime ball' . In this case why did the customer not question the non-reciept of a renewal notice!!!
Everyone seems to use the Royal mail as an easy scapegoat to try to cover their own shortcomings.

mikey72

keith1950 wrote: »

Hi, I too do not like auto renewal but I make sure when buying any insurance that I know the terms and conditions and keep a note of renewal dates etc. I start looking for better quotes up to 2 months before due and in some instances have found that the earlier you get a quote the better it will be. If anyone has not received a renewal notice within 1 week of the renewal date they should be ringing to find out why. Most of the complaints we hear are because of apathy and a lack of attention to detail that seems to pervade our society with a ' can't be bother' attitude and then kicking off when things go wrong then branding the insurer as 'slime ball' . In this case why did the customer not question the non-reciept of a renewal notice!!!
Everyone seems to use the Royal mail as an easy scapegoat to try to cover their own shortcomings.

So basically, what you're saying, is if the insurer don't send the auto-renewal, or it's not received, it's down to customer apathy for not chasing it up, even though it's in breach of the FSA rules, which state you should receive it a month before?
And I suppose if you ring a week before, and they then send it out, but it arrives after the date, and they renew anyway, that would be your fault for not ringing earlier as well?

dreamypuma

Here's a radical idea... Get yourself organised. Set a reminder for your insurance renewals. Neither my parents or myself ever wait for our renewal letters. We have also never found the existing insurer cheaper than our proposed.

It's called "Being responsible" Maybe if more people grew some balls and took responsibility for there own circumstances, the country wouldn't be in the financial mess it's in.

Ada3050

Its as simple as making a note on a calendar, I have done this for next years car insurance. So in december I can cancel the renewal if its too high.

starrystarry

mikey72 wrote: »

So basically, what you're saying, is if the insurer don't send the auto-renewal, or it's not received, it's down to customer apathy for not chasing it up, even though it's in breach of the FSA rules, which state you should receive it a month before?

I would imagine the FSA rules state that the ins co should send the auto renewal letter a month before, not that the policyholder should receive it a month before, since this is clearly beyond the insurer's control.

It's becoming like groundhog day on this board nowadays. Most of the threads fit into one of three categories:
1) I didn't receive/didn't bother to read my auto renewal letter. How dare the ins co do what they clearly stated in the letter they were going to do?
2) Why the hell has my car insurance gone up?
3) I started a policy then decided to cancel it x weeks later and now the ins co want to charge me x amount. Surely they can't do this even though it said they would in the T&Cs that I didn't bother reading.

We should have a FAQ section.