Co-operative young drivers insurance stinks

hostsurrogate

My son took out insurance with these and i was put as a second car driver. I paid £2000 for the year in may and yesterday they took another £2000 out MY account, Without my knowledge.
I rang them and was told they used my card because it is on file from the initial internet payment because they had not received my driving licence copy.

I have had NO communication from them at all and in fact they will not even speak to me about it as it is not my policy but they are happy to steal from me.

Now they say they will refund some but not all of the amount. So i am in debt to someone i am not allowed to speak to nor do i know anything about.

My son says he has not heard from them either but even so, should they not have included me in on the loop instead of using me as a debt collection service to an 18yr old man?

I am now overdrawn and have no money to repay it.

InsideInsurance

How did you buy it? Online?

Almost all insurers have in their T&Cs that any card that is used will be stored for future use and that if it is not yours (ie the person completing the web form) that you have the cardholders permission for this.

By the sounds of it you/ your son did the normal of not bothering to read what you are agreeing to before handing over the card number.

That said, evidently CIS should have informed your son that the additional payment was going to be applied. He will need to contact CIS to clarify why they didnt - unless of cause they did and he just didn't act on it!

System

Is this now the norm?
I have never been asked to supply a copy of my driving licence for insurance, even when my 17yo daughter took out her policy with me as a named driver.

InsideInsurance

Its not the industry norm but it is more common with some insurers than others. Some only do it at claims stage others do it pseudo-randomly at inception.

CIS are not typically cutting edge but certainly some insurers continue to be concerned about fronted policies but now also concerned about fictitious older drivers being added as NDs to artificially lower the premium and so requesting driving licenses could be a way to close this down.

hostsurrogate

Hi,
i have checked his emails and his online dashboard and can find no record of them advising the new payment.

I would have no problem if i did something wrong but if they had wrote / emailed or rang me this would not have happened.Instead i am allowed no policy advice yet they can take £2000 from me!
I spoke to the ombudsman who say we can file a complaint as long as my son does this as yet again i cannot do it.
My bank, RBS, say as they had card details for the initial payment, they are within their rights to take what they want when they want.

Caz3121

They seem to be implying that the policy for your son with you as a named driver is £2k but the policy for your son on his own is £4k which seems a huge penalty for not having a named driver included.
My SS had something similar as he took his first policy out in his mothers name and using her NCB to get a quote around the £2k mark...when it came to light she was not the main driver and could not use the ncb as it was used on her own policy, (this was flagged when it wasn;t sent in) the insurance was cancelled and the new policy in the correct name was double

magpiecottage

hostsurrogate wrote: »

I spoke to the ombudsman who say we can file a complaint as long as my son does this as yet again i cannot do it.

That is correct - he has a complaint that they took a further premium without first advising him.

My bank, RBS, say as they had card details for the initial payment, they are within their rights to take what they want when they want.

That is only the case if their was a continuous payment authority.

If not, or if it was and you cancelled it before the deduction was maid, you can insist RBS reverse it in accordance with FSA rule BCOBS 5.1.11

rudekid48

Sounds like you've purchased a 'Smart Box' policy where a telematics box is fitted into your sons car. From their web site (this is before you even get a quote) -


You need to have the following documents ready (originals not photocopies) when you have your Smartbox fitted. A digital copy of the following documents will be taken at that time.

• Your proof of No Claim Discount (if applicable).
• The Vehicle Registration Document (VRD)/Log Book/V5 Document (at least section 10 – New Keeper Supplement)
• Driving licences (including the paper counterpart if a photo card licence) of each driver – including yourself

PLEASE NOTE: If you don’t have the Vehicle Registration Document /Log Book/V5 Document and policyholder’s driving licence ready, we’ll be unable to install Smartbox and you will have to rearrange. You’ll also be charged £45 for a missed appointment fee. So it’s best to be well prepared.

Based in this I don't think you'll get very far claiming you didn't know you had to produce your licence.

As far as the money is concerned, it sounds like they have re-rated the policy rather than cancel it due to the breach of the terms. I'd suggest you get your son to speak to them and ask for a breakdown of the premium.

bargainbetty

I would also contact them immediately to remove the continuous authority aspect - your son will have to find his own payment method.

If if it a black-box policy, then your son may have driven in such a way that his behaviour has increased his risk factor - in which case, your sone owes you a lot of money!

Good luck.