retrospective charges re speeding fines

morgansmummy

Hi all,

Hoping you can help my OH.

He had a renewal quote from his insurance co for car insurance, so being a good MSE checked out confused.com

Got a quote for £100 cheaper than last year's quote. so phoned current insurers to cancel. they asked him to requote, and during the ensuing telephone conversation, they discovered that he had a speeding conviction. they now wish to charge him in arrears for this.

Now, I (being lucky, and having no speeding convictions, and therefore, holier than thou ... ) think that he should have declared these convictions when it came to renewal - he has been with the same co for 4 years.

However, he is absolutely adamant that this question has never been raised on renewal, and I having seen his renewal documentation can see nothing relating to him having to declare this.

Ok - I have to say that I hate people fleecing the system, but I have to say that the way that this insurance co are trying to reclaim £132 worth of "premium" because otherwise the insurance is not valid - erm, this was insurance for the past few years.... so are they saying he wasn't insured for that time???

They have told him that they are taking it off his credit card, even though he has declined this payment. His credit card have said that they will honour the payment, because that is their duty....

Funnily enough, if he had just cancelled the insurance and not asked for a competitive quote, he wouldn't be in this position!

Apologies for the long post, but I figure background info always useful!

Thanks in advance!
MM

iceicebaby

You are obliged to declare the points. If you renew over the phone the person will ask "are all the detais the same" to which he should have said no and then went on to say about his points. If he had a renewal by post the accompanying letter will say to check all the details are correct and has anything changed and to ring if anything has.

They can declare his insurance as void due to non disclosure, and enter this into the national insurance database as such.

temba

Yes, sadly it is a legal requirement to inform them of any changes the moment they occur. Therefore during the year, if your situation changes during the year, you are legally obliged to tell them. The onus is on you, not them. It says so on the contract.

I know this because my insurance just went up because I dutifully told them I have just got points.