WARNING! Insurance scam from BUDGET

angelboy

This is now the second time an insurance company has pulled this trick on me and I'm sure I'll get a few responses from people who have also been subject to this insurance scam.

My car insurance was due at the start of July, so the week before I'd started ringing round and filling in countless website quote forms. At the eleventh hour I finally admitted defeat to the fact that for the first time in 15 years my policy was going up and not down (spit with disgust!) and opted for Budget Insurance being the cheapest price.

I'd filled several compare website and budget, along with many other companies, came in at wildly varying prices, so I went through the moneysupermarket.com website and proceeded with the quote, paid up and rested easy that it was done for another year.

They had provided the insurance documents online but for some reason they would not show on screen or let me download them. No bother, I'd wait for the paper copies in the post.

I checked through the policy this morning, as I knew I had to send on proof of my no claims (didn't full no claims used to be 5/6 years??? I filled out some forms that the option for 20 years no claims?!?!?!?!? Can anyone prove 20 years no claims? - goal posts reset yet again it seems), anyway, the policy details had omitted my 'tiny' 3 point conviction for an SP30 (hidden camera, 56 in a 50, day before Christmas Eve 2009!), so I called them up to let them know they missed off the details which I'd already informed them of.

Now, these details were given on ALL the website I visited and every phone call I made. Once was a time that up to 6 points the insurance companies weren't bothered but now, 3 points seem a good enough reason to lift your shirt. All the other quotes from Moneysupermarket.com were quoting based on the points I had and BUDGET were the best by pounds, not even tens of pounds!

After calling up the person with a funny accent I was told that it wasn't a problem *phew* and that my new premium was an extra £200!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...........There's no amount of exclamation marks that can display my feelings here. I told them it was there mistake and they said no, it was me who was mistaken as they don't make mistakes.

After going red in the face and telling them what a bunch of greedy low life ******* they were I told them I want all my money back straight away an they could get stuffed. I've been charged for the days insurance I had (£5.80) OK, that's fair and then a £38 cancelation fee, 15% of the policy value!!!!

I then went back to moneysupermarket.com and brought up my details to re-quote on todays prices and went with the next one on the list, who for some reason had a record of my points!

All in all, it's cost me 75% more for my insurance this compared to last year and me and car are a year older, with an extra years no claims with no other change in circumstances.

I want to make anyone aware of this trick as a similar thing happen on my home insurance where they put on the policy that I had a serviced alarm system with a maintenance contract, which I didn't have, nor have every had. They did make the change, luckily.

Once you put it down as a mistake but twice seems to make me think this is insurance company scam to find ways of not paying out when you need it most.

DON'T USE BUDGET INSURANCE

I'd love to hear that it's not just me and if it's not then who can we collectively complain to to get something done about it?

dunstonh

and opted for Budget Insurance being the cheapest price.

mistake number 1 - you went by cheapest premium.

(didn't full no claims used to be 5/6 years??? I filled out some forms that the option for 20 years no claims?!?!?!?!? Can anyone prove 20 years no claims?

Yes, some people can. Those that keep records or use insurers that go longer than 6 years.

goal posts reset yet again it seems

No. Just how it has always been.

. Once was a time that up to 6 points the insurance companies weren't bothered but now, 3 points seem a good enough reason to lift your shirt.

Still the case with some but those that look to be cheapest on the comparison sites often like to cherry pick and will penalise with just 3 points.

I've been charged for the days insurance I had (£5.80) OK, that's fair and then a £38 cancelation fee, 15% of the policy value!!!!

Yes. Both bits seem quite fair.

I'd love to hear that it's not just me and if it's not then who can we collectively complain to to get something done about it?

It is a fairly well known issue that the information you post on quote comparison sites does not always get carried through to the providers own site or the info does not match up correctly. It's a subject that has come up here in the past. Not ideal but they do ask to you check your information is correct before pressing buy and most will take you through the questions again or display them on screen before the submit button is pressed.

its not a scam. Its just a limitation of software. Not that its an excuse but more an explanation. If you dont like what has happened then you can complain to both the comparison site and Budget. Both are responsible as it's their systems that have to talk to each other.

lisyloo

If you aren't using a broker then it's YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to check the details are correct BEFORE you buy.
£38 for the work they did due to YOUR MISTAKE seems quite fair to me.

huckster

They are not a company I would use. But if you just arrange the cheapest policy online, then you have to take some of the blame.

Be careful about using the word scam, as you would be suggesting some form of illegal practice. Budget like any other Insurers will fully detail the terms and conditions that apply in both their online information and the policy documents they issue.

I now do a bit of research online before buying any product, so I can take it into account.

lisyloo

Yes be careful what allegations you make.
These are probably untrue (yes there could have been software error but not an intentional illegal practice).
You could be guilty of slander/libel (can't remember which) and the comapny could get your details from MSE and they could sue you for defamation.
I doubt they would because most people around here are intelligent enough to see you amde a mistake, but be a bit careful about just throwing around untrue allegations.

Rebob

I had similar. I phoned the insurance company (cannot remember the name off hand) to tell them I had a 3 year license due to health problems which could not be entered on the website. The operator said she had added it and that I would be covered and to continue paying for the policy online. I did this and when the paperwork arrived they had missed it back off. I phoned and was told that I could not be covered by them although they had taken my money. It took a month to get it back. I went to a local broker and got a policy that was better for £40 less in the end.

angelboy

dunstonh wrote: »

mistake number 1 - you went by cheapest premium.


Yes, some people can. Those that keep records or use insurers that go longer than 6 years.



No. Just how it has always been.



Still the case with some but those that look to be cheapest on the comparison sites often like to cherry pick and will penalise with just 3 points.


Yes. Both bits seem quite fair.



It is a fairly well known issue that the information you post on quote comparison sites does not always get carried through to the providers own site or the info does not match up correctly. It's a subject that has come up here in the past. Not ideal but they do ask to you check your information is correct before pressing buy and most will take you through the questions again or display them on screen before the submit button is pressed.

its not a scam. Its just a limitation of software. Not that its an excuse but more an explanation. If you dont like what has happened then you can complain to both the comparison site and Budget. Both are responsible as it's their systems that have to talk to each other.

If I say black will you say white?

No, I didn't make a mistake with the online form. When directed to the company website I went through all the details to make sure that everything was correct before confirming.

angelboy

lisyloo wrote: »

If you aren't using a broker then it's YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to check the details are correct BEFORE you buy.
£38 for the work they did due to YOUR MISTAKE seems quite fair to me.

I DID check the details BEFORE I bought.

I made sure ALL the details were CORRECT, they WERE, but NOT when the documents came through the door.

angelboy

lisyloo wrote: »

You could be guilty of slander/libel (can't remember which) and the comapny could get your details from MSE and they could sue you for defamation.
I doubt they would because most people around here are intelligent enough to see you amde a mistake, but be a bit careful about just throwing around untrue allegations.

I stand before what I say - It's my opinion that they have tried to scam me out of more money after giving them the right information they omitted this information to their benefit to either raise the cost when discovered or not to pay out on a claim at a later stage.

It's liable when it's in it's written form.

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises my freedom to hold opinions without interference.

It's not an allegation when I have proof from the completed website form and then the hard copy policy documents in my hands.

In addition, there is no point in suing someone if they are not worth suing! A hard lesson learnt but not forgotten!

angelboy

huckster wrote: »

They are not a company I would use. But if you just arrange the cheapest policy online, then you have to take some of the blame.

For 15 years I've only ever taken the cheapest policy on everything I've had insured and some have been with 'A list' insurers!!

Why does the cheapest automatically mean that my decision is partly to blame?

Go and preach that to ASDA, who seem to use that as the USP at present on their multi million pound advertising......?!?!

dunstonh

If I say black will you say white?

Are you only happy with responses that you want to hear?

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises my freedom to hold opinions without interference.

However it does not allow you to libel a company or person incorrectly. You are making an accusation of a scam. It is not a scam. It is an error.

No, I didn't make a mistake with the online form. When directed to the company website I went through all the details to make sure that everything was correct before confirming.

Complain if you are not happy and supply your proof to back up your accusation. You may not need it as they can tell what was input on to the system as the data capture is recorded.

Go and preach that to ASDA, who seem to use that as the USP at present on their multi million pound advertising......?!?!

ASDA are catering for the bottom end of the market. Their target market is price conscious. So, they are marketing to the people that shop there. They are not marketing to the people that wouldnt go to ASDA even if it is cheaper.