Car insurance GRRRR

Wookster

I was previously insured with the AA. About 1 month before my insurance expired I bought a new (and bigger car).
The AA revised my renewal preium up by £200 and I looked around to see what else there would be. I found a much cheaper insurer.
I didn't bother to cancel my AA insurance but only cancelled the direct debit.

I have not got several demands from them threatening "enforcement action"
Are they really within their rights to come after me, having autorenewed my policy without my consent?

iceicebaby

Hiya

Unless you tell them you dont want to renew, they will automatically renew your insurance. This is in the terms and conditions, in the renewal documents and is also in the script that was read out to you when you took the policy out. So yes they are able to do this. This is standard with most insurers.

movilogo

Well, auto renewal is a pain in the a**e.

Unfortunately Admiral also does that. They refunds the money if you can show you've already renewed elsewhere or sold the car! But still I've to take the policy from them as they were cheapest.

There should be a law to prevent auto-renewal.

Simply tell them you've cancelled.

iceicebaby

In the renewal notices that are sent out about 2 weeks before a policy renews, it does state on there to call before the renewal date if you DONT want to renew, if you dont call then it will be renewed.

So if you dont want it to be renewed, then call before the renewal date!

iceicebaby

To the OP

Are you certain that its the renewal they are chasing you for or the final instalment from your policy as I know AA direct debits are taken in arraers so the final instalment is due as the policy finishes. just a thought

Astaroth

movilogo wrote:

There should be a law to prevent auto-renewal

With the number of people that are done for driving without insurance because their old policy lapsed and they forgot/ didnt realise etc it is more likely that auto-renewal would become compulsory rather than illegal.

pinkfluffybabe

Astaroth wrote:

With the number of people that are done for driving without insurance because their old policy lapsed and they forgot/ didnt realise etc it is more likely that auto-renewal would become compulsory rather than illegal.

Yes but where does that leave folk who's renewal has been hiked up by companies knowing that they can take the money automatically. This practice made me pick an insurer who doesn't do it.

In any case, I tend to phone my insurer at renewal time with my cheapest elsewhere quote and give them the chance to beat it.

iceicebaby

pinkfluffybabe wrote:

Yes but where does that leave folk who's renewal has been hiked up by companies knowing that they can take the money automatically. This practice made me pick an insurer who doesn't do it.

In any case, I tend to phone my insurer at renewal time with my cheapest elsewhere quote and give them the chance to beat it.

Thats why the renewal notice goes out before hand to tell you what the renewal price is then you then have the option of cancelling the renewal or not as you see fit.

pinkfluffybabe

iceicebaby wrote:

Thats why the renewal notice goes out before hand to tell you what the renewal price is then you then have the option of cancelling the renewal or not as you see fit.

In which case people need to be on the ball at insurance time to make sure they contact them.

Wookster

what absolute utter utter %^%$$£s

The problem is that mail from the AA tends not to get opened by me!

Astaroth - Agree - so why is it that Pete Doherty is going to walk away from his latest escapade (driving without insurance) scot free? :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

iceicebaby

Wookster wrote:

what absolute utter utter %^%$$£s

The problem is that mail from the AA tends not to get opened by me!

Astaroth - Agree - so why is it that Pete Doherty is going to walk away from his latest escapade (driving without insurance) scot free? :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

You may think its ***** whatever but thems the rules in afaid. Why dont you open your mail? Its sent to you for a reason and you would have known all this if you had opened it!

As for pete doherty, whats he done then? I have not heard anything? Tell tell!