Car Insurance

davemorton

I dont know, but would it be worth seeing if it was cheaper saying you were a housekeeper/housewife, or something along those lines?

Joe_Horner

Hi missrach,

There is an argument that a reassessment of premium like this, where the cost substantially changes in their favour, must be accompanied by an option for you to cancel the contract at no penalty.

This comes from The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. Section 5(1) says:

5.—(1) A contractual term which has not been individually negotiated shall be regarded as unfair if, contrary to the requirement of good faith, it causes a significant imbalance in the parties' rights and obligations arising under the contract, to the detriment of the consumer.

The regulations go on to list (non-exhaustive) examples of unfair terms in Schedule 2 of the regs which includes, as examople (l):

(l)providing for the price of goods to be determined at the time of delivery or allowing a seller of goods or supplier of services to increase their price without in both cases giving the consumer the corresponding right to cancel the contract if the final price is too high in relation to the price agreed when the contract was concluded;


That sounds like a very good description of a clause that allows them to reassess the premium on the basis of un unforseen change in circumstances (that wasn't a willful act by you) and force you to accept the increase.


I've had success getting an insurer to back down on the basis of that argument when they did similar to my step-daughter. She had provisional insurance and subsequently passed her test.



As a result her premium with that insurer went from about £300 to something like £900, when she was able to get cover for £350 elsewhere which they refused to match (or even come close to). Clearly, although passing her test was a "deliberate" act by her, it was oone that a provider of insurance to provisional drivers could reasonably anticipate.


After a single polite letter suggesting that the term allowing them to reassess the premium without also allowing her an opt-out was an unfair term (and so unenforceable) under the regs, they agreed to cancel her policy, and not "mark" it as a policy cancellation (which could be deemed a penalty), as a goodwill measure - usually meaning they really don't want their terms looked at too closely in court

wba31

brownie4583 wrote: »

Profession i think because it always asks for your occupation and business when filling in quote online.

The profession thing is a joke anyway, it's a search where you have to select from the list they carry, and they don't have my job anyway. Ive changed the titles to various things, but there is nothing that matches what i actually do...

missrach82

Joe, thank you so much for your post - this is exactly the type of thing I was looking for. The information you provided has been included in the letter which I submitted to the insurers today. The company are The Post Office, so with their track record of post going missing, I have covered all bases and sent it special delivery at a cost of £5.90!!!

Funnily enough, I went on to the comparision websites today, inputted my new unemployed status, and the company I currently am using came up - the cost was £5 less than I was originally paying. I can't wait for them to explain that!

Thank you everyone for your replies! Fingers crossed I get the outcome I hope for!

missrach82

WBA I am intriged, what is it you actually do?

dacouch

missrach82 wrote: »

Joe, thank you so much for your post - this is exactly the type of thing I was looking for. The information you provided has been included in the letter which I submitted to the insurers today. The company are The Post Office, so with their track record of post going missing, I have covered all bases and sent it special delivery at a cost of £5.90!!!

Funnily enough, I went on to the comparision websites today, inputted my new unemployed status, and the company I currently am using came up - the cost was £5 less than I was originally paying. I can't wait for them to explain that!

Thank you everyone for your replies! Fingers crossed I get the outcome I hope for!

The Post Office use BISL who are basically a broker / agent, they deal with lots of different Insurers. The quote you received with a lower price is probably with a different Insurer they use

dacouch

davemorton wrote: »

I dont know, but would it be worth seeing if it was cheaper saying you were a housekeeper/housewife, or something along those lines?

If you're in receipt of JSA then to an Insurer your seeking work so are unemployed and are not a Housewife / Househusband

madaminx

missrach82 wrote: »

Hi all

I am new here, so apologies if this isn't the correct forum or right etiquette. And please be kind even if you think I am a little daft/naive.

Please will you advise me on what to do, if anything. My job was made redundant and I am currently unemployed. I was there for six years but I only got minimal redundancy. I rang up my insurance company for another reason and I happened to tell them this and they have charged me £20 for the administration charges to change my document and bumped up my policy roughly £35 a month. I still have six months left on the policy and they have advised that this is non negotiable, even when I said I was unaware of this potential increase when I took this out. I can't afford an extra £35 per month - that is massive increase for myself, an unemployed single parent, as it would be anyone. I was told that if I wanted to cancel my policy I would have to pay the remaining six months anyway so I would not gain anything from this.

I know that they are right, companies always are, but is there anything I can do to appeal this? It is a massive shock and I just don't know what to do.

Many thanks in advance.

Really sorry to hear about your situation. I hope you get things sorted out really soon.

If you can even sort yourself out with some voluntary work in the meantime as well that can also help with the insurance premium situation also.

Hope this helps.

God bless.

M