Car Insurance Problems - Case to claim money back?

catmanscoop2810

Hi,

I need some advice/opinions and if encouraged to go for it, how to write the complaint letter with my request!

Basically when I insured my new car back in April with Hastings Direct over the phone, they inputted my car registration incorrectly. I didn't then notice this until I recently received a letter off the DVLA explaining I wasn't insured and I would have to pay a fine. I am now in the process of appealing that fine which Hastings said they would admit to their mistake when the DVLA come into contact with them.

Now that Hastings direct have admitted this do you think I am within my right to ask for the 7 months worth of insurance back ive paid for what has technically been an "imaginary car" due to their mistake?

I haven't really come across something like this before therefore am struggling to find a template complaint letters. I'm really disappointed in Hastings as I've had nothing but issues with them since I insured my car and this has tipped me over the edge, imagine if I had a crash and wasn't insured!

Any opinions of yours would be greatly appreciated thank you

motorguy

catmanscoop2810 wrote: »

Hi,

I need some advice/opinions and if encouraged to go for it, how to write the complaint letter with my request!

Basically when I insured my new car back in April with Hastings Direct over the phone, they inputted my car registration incorrectly. I didn't then notice this until I recently received a letter off the DVLA explaining I wasn't insured and I would have to pay a fine. I am now in the process of appealing that fine which Hastings said they would admit to their mistake when the DVLA come into contact with them.

Now that Hastings direct have admitted this do you think I am within my right to ask for the 7 months worth of insurance back ive paid for what has technically been an "imaginary car" due to their mistake?

I haven't really come across something like this before therefore am struggling to find a template complaint letters. I'm really disappointed in Hastings as I've had nothing but issues with them since I insured my car and this has tipped me over the edge, imagine if I had a crash and wasn't insured!

Any opinions of yours would be greatly appreciated thank you

Its an admin error. You would have been covered legally, and i cant forsee the DVA having any problem with this.

No, i dont forsee you being able to claim back 7 months insurance, in the same way as if you'd written your car off, you'd have expected them to rectify the admin error, rather than claim they had actually insured an "imaginary car"

catmanscoop2810

Hmmm suppose so but I've been paying a monthly direct debit for nothing for 7 months? Surely im owed some kind of apology?

JQ.

catmanscoop2810 wrote: »

Hmmm suppose so but I've been paying a monthly direct debit for nothing for 7 months? Surely im owed some kind of apology?

You've not been paying for nothing. If you'd had a crash, they would have still covered you.

Hintza

When they sent you your documents they will have asked you to check them for any mistakes or omissions which you clearly failed to do.

slyracoon

What exactly are your loses?

Your insurance was still valid, DVLA will uphold your appeal.

You have lost nothing apart from having to fill in the DVLA appeal form and a phone call with your insurer to confirm the error was their fault.

paddedjohn

catmanscoop2810 wrote: »

Hmmm suppose so but I've been paying a monthly direct debit for nothing for 7 months? Surely im owed some kind of apology?

An apology doesn't have to include a refund. Why won't sorry be enough?

Joe_Horner

Hintza wrote: »

When they sent you your documents they will have asked you to check them for any mistakes or omissions which you clearly failed to do.

Not necessarily. It's possible for them to produce the certificate etc with the correct registration, then make an error updating the MIB database.

There is NO requirement for the insured to p*ss about checking the database to make sure the insurers have done their job properly, regardless of whether it's a good idea to.

To the Op, there's no case for compensation because you were insured for the past 7 months. The fact they'd messed up on the database doesn't alter that - you were still covered.

Just one more example of why using "not on the database" for a presumption of no insurance is unreasonable - had it been an ANPR camera instead of the DVLA there's a good chance the OP would have been walking home and having to recover his car from the pound. In which case he would have had grounds for compensation

Hastings_Direct_company_representative

catmanscoop2810 wrote: »

Hi,

I need some advice/opinions and if encouraged to go for it, how to write the complaint letter with my request!

Basically when I insured my new car back in April with Hastings Direct over the phone, they inputted my car registration incorrectly. I didn't then notice this until I recently received a letter off the DVLA explaining I wasn't insured and I would have to pay a fine. I am now in the process of appealing that fine which Hastings said they would admit to their mistake when the DVLA come into contact with them.

Now that Hastings direct have admitted this do you think I am within my right to ask for the 7 months worth of insurance back ive paid for what has technically been an "imaginary car" due to their mistake?

I haven't really come across something like this before therefore am struggling to find a template complaint letters. I'm really disappointed in Hastings as I've had nothing but issues with them since I insured my car and this has tipped me over the edge, imagine if I had a crash and wasn't insured!

Any opinions of yours would be greatly appreciated thank you

Hi catmanscoop2810,

I am sorry to hear about this situation. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help. [EMAIL="socialmedia@hastingsdirect.com"]socialmedia@hastingsdirect.com[/EMAIL]

Many Thanks,
Jamie

arcon5

Hastings_Direct_company_representative wrote: »

Hi catmanscoop2810,

I am sorry to hear about this situation. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help. [EMAIL="socialmedia@hastingsdirect.com"]socialmedia@hastingsdirect.com[/EMAIL]

Many Thanks,
Jamie

Offer you opinions? I don't see the point of even responding otherwise...

rs65

As has been said, you would've been covered. You have been paying for the cover you wanted.

I am sure you will get an apology but not a refund.

When the policy docs arrived, there would have been a letter to say check everything is correct. You didn't so you owe them an apology.