Bewiser car insurance - No claims Bonus accelerator

dooza

Hi All,
Newbie here!
I just wanted to see if anyone could offer some advice.
I took a car insurance policy out via Bewiser, on the basis that they would - if I were claim free for the year, give me a No Claims Discount equivalent to my wife's. (As we only had one car previous to having a child it was cheaper to have my wife as the policy holder and myself as the named driver - as such she built up 7 years NCB).
The policy is due in a couple of weeks, but Bewiser are now saying that they will not issue a NCB certificate equal to my wife's, if I move away from using their preferred insurers. Their insurers are twice the price of other insurers if I do a check on confused.com.
I took out this policy, which was more expensive than others at the time, as this would (as I was told), give me the chance of easrning 7 year NCB within the year should I be claim free!
If I move away from using Bewiser, they will only issue me with a 1 year NCB certificate!
I feel really angry as I feel I was completely miss sold this policy, with less than accurate information.
Does anyone know what I can do?
Thanks,

Dooza

rs65

Never heard of them but some insurers do a 10 month policy to earn 1 year NCB. its usually only valid with the same company though.

Did you get any documentation about it when you started the cover?

lisyloo

give me the chance of easrning 7 year NCB within the year should I be claim free!

Did you chedk out the terms of this offer?
Do you have anything in writing?
Giving you the "chance" does seem to imply qualifying terms to me.

You could try a formal complaint, but from your own wording it does not sound good to me, because you say they offered you a "chance" and not a guarantee.

If something like this is really important to you in future then you should get it in writing.

dooza

Hi There,
Thanks for the replys - I think my description using the word 'chance' is misleading. The deal was, remain claim free for a year and you'll get a NCB equivalent to your wife's. I think I have that in writing, but will have a look through the folder.
Would trading standards be able to help?

lisyloo

Would trading standards be able to help?

No, they have no teeth.
If you have something in writing or any proof of any kind then that will greatly help. Do you have any notes on the day/time the call was made?
You could try asking for a SAR (subject access request) under the DPA (data protection act). This might contain transcripts of your calls.
There is a max charge of £10 for this.

The way to go is to put in a formal complaint (to whichever body made the deal). The procedure should be on their website or in their paperwork.
Make sure you complain to the right people (not sure whether Bewiser are a broker or insure but your beef is will whoever made the deal).
If you don't trust them then pay 75p for recorded delivery to avoid the letter being "lost in the post".
You may also be able to raise a complaint with the Ombudsman. My understanding is that this happens at the end of your formal complaint. This service is free and only costs you stamps.

Personally I would put in a SAR first, but that's partly because I am a cynic and would not want to reveal the nature of my complaint before requesting the SAR.
This is probably a bit paranoid as in most organisations the data protection section is seperate from the complaints department, but there is always the possibility that they will deliberately avoid providing you with information that incriminates them e.g. "sorry, telephone recording equipment was broken on the day we made the deal".

I requested a SAR before and got a huge package with all the transcript in, including every "um" and "ah".
Unfortunately it didn't support my case and my recollection was wrong about what I thought was agreed.