Quick advice re Swinton cold-calling please

alanwsg

Hi there,

My partner just took a cold-call from Swinton and agreed to change to their home insurance. She's already cancelled her old policy. She sent me a message all pleased (it was much cheaper), but I did a quick search here (and elsewhere) and am pretty horrified by the reviews.

Am I right in thinking she has a " cooling-off period" during which she can cancel without any penalty (whatever Swinton say)?

If she can't get in contact with them, what happens if she just ignores the forms they send and doesn't sign a DD agreement?

Thanks.

olly300

I suggest you cancel with them properly and make sure you do it in writing using recorded delivery if possible.

That way there is no argument about it.

alanwsg

But she definitely has the legal right to cancel? Without penalty?

jimmyrustler_2

Depends if shes paid a deposit or if the policy has been 'set up'. If she has already gone ahead with it over the phone then you may have to pay the £50 cancellation charge.

alanwsg

jimmyrustler wrote: »

Depends if shes paid a deposit or if the policy has been 'set up'. If she has already gone ahead with it over the phone then you may have to pay the £50 cancellation charge.

So what are the circumstances in which the cooling-off period would apply then?

jimmyrustler_2

As far as i know, (its been 2 months since i last worked for swinton), you have a cooling off period of 14 days in which swinton are allowed to charge a cancellation fee of £50 plus any insurer charges. After the 14 days, if you cancel a policy some refunds may not apply. For example, i know their legal cover will be refundable if cancelled within 14 days and non-refundable after 14 days. Whatever you do, you'd have to pay the cancellation fee of £50 unless you can kick up a huge fuss by complaining/facebooking them etc to see if they can void it (its happened before for a lot more then £50).

alanwsg

Is this really true?
It seems to make a mockery of a cooling-off period.

Anyone else out there care to comment?

T-a-c-o

No I'm afraid it doesn't. Imagine if you did have a 14 day cooling off period where you didn't pay any charges whatsoever, every would just cancel on the last day n set up a new one! What it actually means is that often you will have reduced charges. Swintons cancellation charge is £25 in the first 14 days, £50 afterwards.

alanwsg

Ah yes, fair comment.

But reading the CAB's pages, it seems to suggest that the cooling-off period starts when the contract is "Finalized" (Not quite sure what that means). Maybe if she phones them before the documents have turned up this would apply?

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/nireland/consumer_ni/consumer_different_ways_of_buying_e/consumer_buying_by_internet_mail_order_or_phone_e/consumer_cancelling_a_distance_sale_order_e/cancelling_a_distance_sale_order_within_the_cooling-off_period.htm

T-a-c-o

An insurance contract is finalised when the payment is made as this is seen as mutual agreement to the terms by the insured and insurer.