More Than Car Insurance - Modifications Policy Miss-selling

Jamp

Hi All

I need a rant about More Than I'm afraid! Sorry it's a very long post but I'm very very annoyed about their incompetence and what I believe to be miss-selling and potentially leading customers to drive without proper insurance - a criminal offence.

I am 22 and have a car with some modifications so always find it difficult to get insurers to consider me. I was pleasantly surprised to find More Than offering me a very good quote and stating the following on their website:

"We will not be able to provide cover if your car has been modified to increase the top speed or acceleration."

As my car's modifications do not increase top speed or acceleration, but only improve handling, braking and styling, I phoned More Than to check these were acceptable before buying the policy, and they confirmed they were fine.

Wary of the record of this phone conversation being 'misplaced' in the event of a claim, I emailed More Than with a list of my modifications and asked them accept in writing that they met their terms.

This is when the fun started as I kept getting conflicting answers as to whether they would cover my car with modifications. These answers included:

1. Any modifications which do not increase top speed or acceleration are acceptable.
2. No modifications are allowed at all.
3. Anti-roll bars are not allowed except on off-roaders.
4. Brake upgrades are not allowed.
5. Anti-roll bars and spoilers are not allowed.

When I got answer 1 (which agrees with their website statement) by phone, I asked for it in writing but they then changed their mind to one of the other answers! I ended up being told my anti-roll bar (which improves handling characteristics - arguably makes the car safer) was no allowed most often so I think this must be the actual policy. I am furious that I would have been driving uninsured had I simply accepted the statement on their website, and the verbal confirmation from one of their staff, prior to purchase.

I guess many of you may be thinking - "if you're a boy racer you should be insured with a modified car specialist or something". I am a car enthusiast but drive responsibly and am an Institute of Advanced Motorists member. I've never had an accident in 5 years of driving this car. The modifications list is fairly lengthy but nothing is 'extreme' and most of them are vain styling things or improvements in handling or braking which actually make the car safer! I've just completed a Masters in Automotive Engineering so am qualified to say that none of the modifications improve top speed or acceleration. More Than appeared to offer the service I needed at a good price, so I chose them over a modified car specialist.

More Than have now had the gall to say that their website eligibility statement says that 'performance' modifications are not allowed, they say this would encompass handling and braking enhancement. In fact, their website does not mention the word "performance", the only reference to modifications is:

"We will not be able to provide cover if your car has been modified to increase the top speed or acceleration."

I feel More Than are thus miss-selling on their website. Not to mention the 'Customer Managers' lack of knowledge about the modifications policy. Are they also breaking some Trades Description Act by not actually providing the service they promise on the website? Potentially they are leading customers to commit a criminal offence of driving without proper insurance.

More Than have now refunded my credit card although they refused to do so immediately when I cancelled the policy so I found it difficult to find funds to pay a proper insurance company in time. I went with HIC who are modified car specialist brokers and have been very good.

I know I won't gain anything personally from complaining, but I suspect the chances of someone with modifications similar to mine having a More Than policy and actually not being properly covered are quite high. For this person, I want More Than to cover their modified car as promised for the duration of their policy. Frankly, I'd also like to publicise how incompetent they are and persuade people not to use them.

I also want them to change their website to adequately reflect their policy, or better, change their policy to allow handling and braking modifications. Their staff certainly need better training.

After several requests, I now have the number to complain at the highest level within More Than. I intend to do so, but should I also complain to the regulator?

Thanks if you've managed to read this far!

Ben

kuohu

Interesting, let us know how you get on.

olly300

Jamp wrote:

After several requests, I now have the number to complain at the highest level within More Than. I intend to do so, but should I also complain to the regulator?

I've found that lots of companies don't do anything even when you say you are going to complain to the relevant legal/regulatory authority. They only actually take action when you complain to who governs them when this information feeds back to them.

So I would take a screen shot of the website wording and then make a complaint to the regulator enclosing this and your emails.

pulliptears

We had a problem with Tesco's regarding mods last year. It went something like this...

We bought a new PT Cruiser, had the option to upgrade to standard Cruiser alloys but couldnt afford it at the time. 6 months later we saved enough and upgraded. Our car was a "Classic" model, the alloys we put on were from a "touring" model.

Called Tesco's who demanded an additional £70 for the alloys!! Curious, we did a quote on Tesco's site for a Classic and Touring model....both were exactly the same to insure. We went back to Tesco and asked them why, if we had the alloys put on at the day of sale it wouldnt have cost us, but now it was costing us £70 more?! Tescos told us that a Touring model was more expensive to insure.
We sent them screen caps from their own site, showing that both were identical but Tesco was having none of it. At that point we told them to stick their insurance and went somewhere else.

Mods are muddy waters with insurance companies