Anyone had experiences with Swinton insurance?

bexiboo92

Evening guys.
I just wondered if anyone had had any similar experiences with Swinton insurance and if they'd got anywhere with this useless unhelpful company!

My partner took out an insurance policy back in August, he only wanted it for a few weeks at maximum as he was selling the bike he insured. Easily insured the bike and was told that if he cancelled the policy within 14days of taking it out, there would be no cancellation fee. 10days into the 14days he sells the bike and phones to cancel the policy; does it over the phone and is told all has been cancelled. Unfortunately the silly boy got nothing in writing to say it'd been cancelled.

Thought nothing more of it until we noticed last month Swinton had taken 2direct debits totaling £25 and they'd been doing this for the last 3months :@ My partner phoned up and spoke to a very unhelpful member of staff who then proceeded to tell him that they had no record of his call to cancel the policy and that if he wished to re cancel so to speak that he'd have to pay £75 despite the fact his paperwork states the cancellation fee is £50 after the 14days.

We were told we'd receive a call back from a higher member of staff but this was about 2weeks ago and still nothing. I'm fully aware they won't contact us as they don't want to refund any money, but my partner doesn't seem to be up for the fight it may involve. We don't have £70 to just chuck away

Have read lots of bad things on this company online via google. Just wondered whether any of you lovely MSE guys had had similar experiences?

Thanks in advance.

forgotmyname

I used to use them when they had a local office with sensible people.

I would go in and pay cash for a policy, Pop in saying i was looking at buying a car that night and he would give me a cover note, Or hold both cars on cover for a week or twi if i needed to buy one and sell one.

Office went so i moved on.

Only contact since was when they sent me someone elses paperwork. Had all their private info on it.
Phone numbers, Bank details etc etc.

What service eh. The house number was not even close, They lived the other end of my road previously but moved to another town.
So they messed up big time.

Sonj1976

bexiboo92 wrote: »

Evening guys.
I just wondered if anyone had had any similar experiences with Swinton insurance and if they'd got anywhere with this useless unhelpful company!

My partner took out an insurance policy back in August, he only wanted it for a few weeks at maximum as he was selling the bike he insured. Easily insured the bike and was told that if he cancelled the policy within 14days of taking it out, there would be no cancellation fee. 10days into the 14days he sells the bike and phones to cancel the policy; does it over the phone and is told all has been cancelled. Unfortunately the silly boy got nothing in writing to say it'd been cancelled.

Thought nothing more of it until we noticed last month Swinton had taken 2direct debits totaling £25 and they'd been doing this for the last 3months :@ My partner phoned up and spoke to a very unhelpful member of staff who then proceeded to tell him that they had no record of his call to cancel the policy and that if he wished to re cancel so to speak that he'd have to pay £75 despite the fact his paperwork states the cancellation fee is £50 after the 14days.

We were told we'd receive a call back from a higher member of staff but this was about 2weeks ago and still nothing. I'm fully aware they won't contact us as they don't want to refund any money, but my partner doesn't seem to be up for the fight it may involve. We don't have £70 to just chuck away

Have read lots of bad things on this company online via google. Just wondered whether any of you lovely MSE guys had had similar experiences?

Thanks in advance.

Hi, have you managed to get it sorted yet?

Swinton record all phone calls so if you have approximate date and time they should be able to retrieve the call.

Don't give up, I've just had run in with them and I used to work for them!!!! but thats a long story, they were trying to charge me £90, but was only doing what a member of staff told me, luckily remembered date and time I spoke to them, after three days of relentless calls (i'm sure they got fed up of it in the end) I got what I wanted and these people knew off me working there and still refused to believe me. They are all robots, they are told to stick to their guns as each branch has a income target (sure this includes charges etc).

If you get no where ring customer assistance on 0845 168 3770 and threaten FSA, Swinton do not want FSA crawling all over them.

Hope this helps if you haven't got it sorted, don't give up.

EycplUK

I found them to be very good with quotes !
Still getting quotes for a car we had 5 years ago !!!
Really poor and sad are this firm :mad:

daveyjp

Great for quotes, but come claim time they use Drive (un) Assist and for this reason I'm out.

worried_jim

I bought home insurance from them and they have spammed my home phone good and proper since- but they were the cheapest.

purcel

Got home insurance from them and wanted to cancel within the 14 days cooling off period and they said i cannot do this as i've took it over the phone!! Rang and wrote to head office and they have sorted it out for me in the end, but the woman from my local office was just rude and unhelpful!
First time I had a debt collection agency chasing me for money because of Swindon's fault!! Never again Swindon!

Wig

The cancellation fee is 50 + any cancellation fee from the insurer

A friend of mine had trouble with them charging his card when they cancelled his policy (he did not cancell it they did) I believe his policy was a pay monthly direct debit one. I cant remember the details of why they did it.

The T&C state that they will notify the customer before any debits are made onto the customers card (they did not do this). Swinton agents were not helping one iota. He phoned the ombudsman and they got Swinton to refund him a lot if not all the money taken.

Tobster86

With them because they're cheap*. They dealt with a peculiar issue reasonable swiftly (we had 4 years NCB but database showed 2 years due to a claim in which we were eventually found not at fault, had to get letter from previous insurer, etc).

Haven't otherwise had to liaise with them and, touch wood, hope it stays that way. I have car insurance because it's a legal necessity and just go for the cheapest.

*est

bexiboo92

Thanks for all the posts guys.

Not sorted yet - OH isn't really fighting for it at the moment doesn't believe we've got any chance of getting our money back.