Uninsured Driver Claim on my policy

Nine_Lives

Not really the key issue here, and i don't know about you, but i most certainly wouldn't be re-insuring with Elephant after this, or Admiral, or any of the rest of that group! Even if going elsewhere meant paying a bit more.

olly300

caezar wrote: »

Actually, that's a good question. Does anyone know how I would go about it if I decided to go via the complaints route? What would be the basis for such a complaint?

Read what people have put on the thread, do what is suggested - report the matter to the police - and then complain. The suggests of what to bring up on why the clause is unfair are already in the thread as well.

It also doesn't matter what Katie believed or what your sister told her - I'm aware that drivers from other countries don't always understand how UK car insurance works. Your sister also doesn't drive so won't have a clue about insurance.

Just a warning having dealt with insurers and other companies complaints processes if you delay and try and get information out of them first you may find yourself with credit problems. Companies are extremely unhelpful and also obstructivewith information when you want to raise a complaint.

Also regardless of how you originally complain also send a written copy of any complaint to them by registered mail. I know from experience nearly all companies including insurers will lose your formal complaint if you don't do this. They know if you go to a regulator with slips they can't deny recieving the complaint.

Your aim is to get this resolved as quickly as possible.You either need the EUI group to change their mind on the bill or for you to get your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service asap.

mildred1978

K_P83 wrote: »

Not really the key issue here, and i don't know about you, but i most certainly wouldn't be re-insuring with Elephant after this, or Admiral, or any of the rest of that group! Even if going elsewhere meant paying a bit more.

Surely it's just a better idea not to leave your car keys where non-insured people can get hold of them?!

mikey72

mildred1978 wrote: »

Surely it's just a better idea not to leave your car keys where non-insured people can get hold of them?!

My wife isn't insured on one of my cars.
I wouldn't be expected to lock the keys away, and if I did, where do I leave the key to the key safe?

mildred1978

mikey72 wrote: »

My wife isn't insured on one of my cars.
I wouldn't be expected to lock the keys away, and if I did, where do I leave the key to the key safe?

Presumably she has TP cover under DOC though?

mikey72

No, doesn't cover vehicles owned by herself or partner.

olly300

mildred1978 wrote: »

Presumably she has TP cover under DOC though?

Lots of people now don't have this cover as quite a few insurers especially of cheaper policies have removed it.

vaio

mikey72 wrote: »

My wife isn't insured on one of my cars.
I wouldn't be expected to lock the keys away, and if I did, where do I leave the key to the key safe?

http://www.littlesafe.co.uk/shop/product.php?xProd=954&xSec=458

just don't use your (or her) date of birth as the code

Parking_Trouble

olly300 wrote: »

Read what people have put on the thread, do what is suggested - report the matter to the police - and then complain. The suggests of what to bring up on why the clause is unfair are already in the thread as well.

It also doesn't matter what Katie believed or what your sister told her - I'm aware that drivers from other countries don't always understand how UK car insurance works. Your sister also doesn't drive so won't have a clue about insurance.

Just a warning having dealt with insurers and other companies complaints processes if you delay and try and get information out of them first you may find yourself with credit problems. Companies are extremely unhelpful and also obstructivewith information when you want to raise a complaint.

Also regardless of how you originally complain also send a written copy of any complaint to them by registered mail. I know from experience nearly all companies including insurers will lose your formal complaint if you don't do this. They know if you go to a regulator with slips they can't deny receiving the complaint.

Your aim is to get this resolved as quickly as possible.You either need the EUI group to change their mind on the bill or for you to get your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service asap.

I agree with this but I would still be asking EUI to produce details of the claim in parallel to the other activities.

Good point about registered (or Signed For) mail. EUI administrators from my experience are pretty inefficient and unreliable.

The FOS will help you write the complaint and send it on your behalf. In my experience they don't do a particularly good job in writing it but they do also suggest you can send your own letter too.

You need to be very clear and specific about the nature of your complaint. Firstly to let EUI know you mean business and secondly and most important you may get to the point where the FOS adjudicator is asked to make a ruling.

EUI will hound people in this position for many months before referring the case to their solicitors. Even then it will probably take a long, long time to get to court, if at all.

I am sure their tactics are to grind people down and get them to agree to pay some or all of the money voluntarily without involving the courts. I suspect this is because their contract T&C's are yet to be fully tested in law.

Remember that they cannot take any money off you, send in bailiffs, or put a charge on your mortgage until they have won their case in front of a judge.

As Olly says do it now. Best to be on the front foot but don't rush into it without doing your homework to work out the basis of your complaint.

caezar

Parking_Trouble wrote: »

I agree with this but I would still be asking EUI to produce details of the claim in parallel to the other activities.

Good point about registered (or Signed For) mail. EUI administrators from my experience are pretty inefficient and unreliable.

The FOS will help you write the complaint and send it on your behalf. In my experience they don't do a particularly good job in writing it but they do also suggest you can send your own letter too.

You need to be very clear and specific about the nature of your complaint. Firstly to let EUI know you mean business and secondly and most important you may get to the point where the FOS adjudicator is asked to make a ruling.

EUI will hound people in this position for many months before referring the case to their solicitors. Even then it will probably take a long, long time to get to court, if at all.

I am sure their tactics are to grind people down and get them to agree to pay some or all of the money voluntarily without involving the courts. I suspect this is because their contract T&C's are yet to be fully tested in law.

Remember that they cannot take any money off you, send in bailiffs, or put a charge on your mortgage until they have won their case in front of a judge.

As Olly says do it now. Best to be on the front foot but don't rush into it without doing your homework to work out the basis of your complaint.

Thanks Olly and Parking Trouble. You been really helpful; all of you.

I should be back in the UK on the fourth (exactly one week after I received their last letter). I am currently compiling all of my records and I'm drafting my complaint as well. I won't be putting them in until I've seen a lawyer and reported to the police. Nonetheless, I will post everything on here once it is done.