This automatic renewal scam is getting worse (rant)

2cb

I think it's me you should be having a go at. And yes, that is what I intend to do. I've pretty much reached the end of the line in my dialogue with customer services, so next step is a formal complaint to the company.

dalesrider

2cb wrote: »

But that's my point! I wasn't offered a choice, that's what makes it a scam.

We will delete your payment details, but we will still automatically renew your policy. You still need to cancel after you receive the renewal letter and before it expires.

Where is the, you were not offered a choice in your 1st post.
They offered to remove you payment details.....
Which means they can't take a payment.
If they then chased you for the cancelation cost. I bet FOS would laugh their case out of the room. Given that you told them NOT TO RENEW....

Or you simply could give them a quick call (most are free now) and tell them that their quote is not good enough at the time. At least you getting the letter reminds you its time to renew

Never know they might surprise you and be the cheapest.

mikey72

dalesrider wrote: »

...............But if you tell the insurance co you don't want to auto renew. Make a note of the date and if they take a payment next year get you bank to return it as a cancelled CPA.
Simples :rotfl:

Just don't moan when you then have to declare a cancelled ins policy the year after :eek:

And that's a further problem.
Tell them you don't want to renew.
They renew anyway. Payment doesn't go through, as it was agreed it's a policy you don't want.
The insurance industry blacklist you for life.

That's another issue the FOS should address, and if they find in your favour have all the details removed from the database, and compensation paid.

2cb

dalesrider wrote: »

Where is the, you were not offered a choice in your 1st post.

Oh !!!!!!. I didn't explicitly state that they hadn't given me a choice, because I thought it was blindingly obvious. If they'd given me a choice, I would have not chosen auto renew and would have nothing to complain about.

2cb

mikey72 wrote: »

The insurance industry blacklist you for life.

Exactly. Even though I'd be in the right, not paying would mean a whole world of grief.

dunstonh

dtaylor84 wrote: »

I usually agree with a lot of what you say, but in this case I'm surprised.

You think it's acceptable for a company to auto-renew an insurance policy after being informed by the policy holder that they do not want to auto-renew?

Their software design is their problem -- once someone has informed them they do not want to renew, they should not auto-renew, end of story. Claiming they have to pursue a cancellation fee because of how they designed their own system is ridiculous.

Not saying it is the case but a lot of these older systems are either antiquated and hard coded and not at all flexible whilst others are young and still being developed and building in features as they go. You would be surprised at how poor many of the systems are at times in some areas whilst being pretty advanced in others you wouldnt think are as much as a priority.

Also, large companies tend to cater for the lowest common denominator. The telephone staff are frequently low skilled contract workers on minimum wage doing a pretty horrible job. So, the systems available to them are often limited.

It could also have been that the staff member was about to log off for the day and couldnt be bothered, or didnt know if they could do it and guessed wrong (as it is a very unusual thing to request) or whatever.

2cb

Oh !!!!!! to you too. I can't believe you are spouting this drivel. As dtaylor84 rightly points out, it's their problem and they have to deal with it. You can be sure that if their systems were losing them money then they would have a work around.
It is simply unacceptable to renew a contract when they've been specifically told not to. I wish I could do that with my clients! "By the way, this one off job I've just done for you. In a year I'm going to send you a letter (that might get lost). If you don't reply I'm going to do the job again and bill you".

mikey72

2cb wrote: »

Oh !!!!!! to you too. I can't believe you are spouting this drivel. As dtaylor84 rightly points out, it's their problem and they have to deal with it. You can be sure that if their systems were losing them money then they would have a work around.
It is simply unacceptable to renew a contract when they've been specifically told not to. I wish I could do that with my clients! "By the way, this one off job I've just done for you. In a year I'm going to send you a letter (that might get lost). If you don't reply I'm going to do the job again and bill you".

Or even better, not do the job, and charge a cancellation fee for not doing it!

jimmyrustler_2

Well, 2cb, if you dislike auto renewal so much, why would you go with a company that has auto renewal in its t and c's? Or at least makes it difficult to cancel auto renewal. As you mentioned previously, this is for house insurance which is not a legal requirement. So you have plenty of time to search for an insurance company that is perfect for you that has the option of turning off auto renewal. For example, if churchill could do it without causing a fuss, why not stick with them? It seems to me you, like the majority of the public, shopped for the cheapest rather then value for money/company meeting your requirements and are kicking a fuss because you don't agree with a part of the companys terms and conditions.

However, i do agree to a point that auto renewal on house insurance may not be needed, as again house insurance isn't a legal requirement, but i do see the advantages (as well as disadvantages) of auto renewal on car insurance.

rs65

jimmyrustler wrote: »

However, i do agree to a point that auto renewal on house insurance may not be needed, as again house insurance isn't a legal requirement, but i do see the advantages (as well as disadvantages) of auto renewal on car insurance.

It may not be a legal requirement, but house insurance covers the largest asset that most people will ever own. Auto renewal could prove to be a massive advantage.