Complaint to Ombudsman re. Autorenewal = A Sharp Practice

mikey72

mildred1978 wrote: »

Any reason your adult, employed, capable of driving, daughter can't sort out her own insurance? Does she blow her own nose?

Push them out of the nest as soon as possible you mean?

mikey72

dunstonh wrote: »

Not everyone has. Thread hijacking is not fair on the original poster. Even if their beliefs are wrong. Unlike the hijacker, the original poster has continued to post on the thread.

Fair enough.
While I'm being pushed to get back on track.
I hate auto renewal anyway.

So while I generally believe the same as the op, there are a few more conditions.

If I was the op, I'd check the renewal has been sent in accordance with the FSA guidelines, at least two weeks in advance, and cleary identified as such.
As to treating the customer fairly, if I could buy the same insurance from the same company, at a much cheaper price than the autorenewal, I would look at that.
If the insurer has failed in the above, and I then have to go through the hassle of cancelling,and getting a refund, it's probably fair to ask for an payment from them of £30 to £100 to cover my aggravation.
So a written complaint to the insurer initially, setting that out, then refer it to the FOS if I was really serious.

I'd also copy the complaint to the FSA if the renewal documentation was incorrectly done.

A bit of a frivolous complaint to some, taking a stand to others.
If the insurer wants to push it, the customer needs to push back.

mildred1978

mikey72 wrote: »

Push them out of the nest as soon as possible you mean?

Just odd that someone who is old enough to vote, graduate university, become a teacher, buy a house etc still has mummy sorting out their administrative affairs.

System

mikey72 wrote: »

How are you informed on the payment screen, and we're talking about a third party payment here.

When I paid for my daughter's it was made quite clear on the payment screen that the credit/debit card used would also be used for renewals. It doesn't need to mention third party payments. If you want to hand over your card to somebody else to pay for something without checking what is being input and any conditions attached then that is your lookout

mikey72 wrote: »

You try cancelling someone else's insurance next year, if you believe you'll have the authority to.

You can't cancel the insurance but you have agreed to pay for it. It is up to you to ensure that the person you paid for makes other arrangements to pay and informs the insurance/credit company accordingly. This is not about insurance per se but about paying for an auto- renewing service. It applies to any similar setup not just insurance.

And if you have forgotten 1 year down the line that somebody else's service is on your card and that party decides not to do anything about it then it is between you and that person and nothing to do with the service provider.

mikey72

!!!!!! wrote: »

When I paid for my daughter's it was made quite clear on the payment screen that the credit/debit card used would also be used for renewals. It doesn't need to mention third party payments. If you want to hand over your card to somebody else to pay for something without checking what is being input and any conditions attached then that is your lookout
You can't cancel the insurance but you have agreed to pay for it. It is up to you to ensure that the person you paid for makes other arrangements to pay and informs the insurance/credit company accordingly. This is not about insurance per se but about paying for an auto- renewing service. It applies to any similar setup not just insurance.

We'll just have to agree to differ.

magpiecottage wrote: »

If you did not authorise the payment tell your bank it is an unauthorised debit and you want it refunded in accordance with FSA rule BCOBS 5.1.11

How the insurer deals with your son over it is a matter between them.

Bangton

!!!!!!...quite surprised with the whole third party card set up that your insurer employs. I say that as someone who works within insurance and tends to have a grasp of how things work...not disputing you but I actually thinks it's really silly of a company to allow this. I know your fine with it and I respect that but at the same time all manner of things could go wrong from a third party cardholder forgetting the renewal date and not having the funds available (causing a bank charge) for example to the insurance never renewing as the funds are not on the card.

Yes it's between the payer and the insured but I am sure people will still complain!!!!

System

But they don't mention anything about third party.
They state that the card used to pay the original premium will be used for renewals and that is the point that I am making. If it is not the policyholder's card then the card holder is agreeing to this by entering the card details and clicking next/continue or whatever.They are not interested in whether it is a third party card or not and that is the point that I have been trying to make.

The bottom line is that online automatic systems DO NOT check whether the card used belongs to the policyholder or not and the default position is taken that the card will be used for renewals. Whether you like it or not that is how it has been programmed.

Bangton

!!!!!! wrote: »

But they don't mention anything about third party.
They state that the card used to pay the original premium will be used for renewals and that is the point that I am making. If it is not the policyholder's card then the card holder is agreeing to this by entering the card details and clicking next/continue or whatever.They are not interested in whether it is a third party card or not and that is the point that I have been trying to make.

The bottom line is that online automatic systems DO NOT check whether the card used belongs to the policyholder or not and the default position is taken that the card will be used for renewals. Whether you like it or not that is how it has been programmed.

Fair enough...not a practice I have seen that's all..and something I am surprised at them doing. I take back my comment regarding making a complaint then...unless a person insures with one of the companies I work with....which is pretty useless since I can't reveal that info

mikey72

!!!!!! wrote: »

.........The bottom line is that online automatic systems DO NOT check whether the card used belongs to the policyholder or not and the default position is taken that the card will be used for renewals. Whether you like it or not that is how it has been programmed.

Their progamming error won't become my problem.
I don't need to like it or dislike it.
I'll still claim the payment back via my bank or credit card if I need to.

System

Bangton wrote: »

Fair enough...not a practice I have seen that's all..and something I am surprised at them doing. I take back my comment regarding making a complaint then...unless a person insures with one of the companies I work with....which is pretty useless since I can't reveal that info

As I said it is on the website when you pay and also in the policy document (page 20) & key facts (page 1)