ECar insurance... Help!!!

Jonny1275

Hi all, it of advice needed here…. In October I took out car insurance with Ecar, I explained that the monthly direct debits would be made from the named drivers bank account and after my mate phoned up and gave his banking details, I phoned them back and paid the deposit. The welcome pack I received didn’t include any reference to when the payments would be taken and as a first step I emailed the customer service department to enquire about this. I them went through what seems a quite common problems with these idiots of them not acknowledging receipt of my NCB or copies of drivers licences, I ended up phoning them twice during November (on there quite costly customer service line) to chase up receipt of my NCB and also asked them on both occasions about when the first payment would be taken and why I haven’t received a list of payment dates, both times I was simply told they would arrive shortly. I advised my mate that the payment would probably come out three to four weeks after the start of the policy and to leave the £63 in his account.

I was away for a few days last week (not out of the country and I still had my phone and email alerts with me) and when I got back on Sunday night there was a letter from a company called Close Premium Finance telling me that as I had not returned a signed credit agreement I had incurred a £12 charge that would be added to my first payment?!?!. I had no idea who these people were and thought I’d deal with it on the Monday, then I got a call from my mate on the Monday saying this company had tried taking £75 out of his account but because there was only the £65 needed to cover the policy the d/d had bounced and he’d now be hit with charges.

I called Ecar and after fighting through to speak to a manager I was told that the balance of the policy had been financed by Close Premium Finance, I explained that there was no reference to CPF in the paperwork I had received from Ecar and the only reference to another company was the mention of Panacea Finance Ltd. I then called CPF who says they sent out their welcome pack in early November, I argued this had not been received and that until their letter on Sunday I had no idea who they were. CPF have agreed to reset the d/d and cancel the £12 charge and and their charge for the failed d/d, but have advised that they are concerned that Ecar didn’t tell me about them.

I raised this with Ecar as I have run up a phone bill speaking to their customer services and have pointed out that they didn’t tell me about CPF or that they had passed mine and my mates details to CPF.

I’m not 100% sure how the data protection act works, anyone any idea if Ecar aside from being completely unprofessional have broken any laws by passing my details to a third party and not informing me causing me to incur costs.

Thanks

InsideInsurance

You need to read the terms and conditions you agreed to as it will state what they can do with their data. All car insurers include terms that allow them to pass data to third parties, it is basically a requirement by law because all car insurers must add your details to the Motor Insurers Data, but how broad the wording is does vary.

I am unclear however weather they passed it to Close or to Panacea makes any difference to any costs you have incurred?

Jonny1275

thanks for the reply... my point was they arranged the finance to cover the balance of the policy, passed my details across the this finance comapny but didn't tell me. when i repeatedly asked them fro what dates the d/d would start i kept getting the responce of 'it's in the post'. if they had simply told me it was with CPF i could have chased them for the paperwork and avoided all the hastle.

forgotmyname

Its normal procedure though. You take a loan arranged by them to pay the premium.

Its usually all done by the insurance company though. Usually no need to contact the company providing the credit.

I have not needed to sign anything for a long time. Usually a yes on the phone does it all.

Jonny1275

Hi, every other policy i have ever had has been paid on a monthly basis, but the payments have always been taken by the insurance company themselves. They took all the details but when i asked on two occasions i kept being told it was on it's way. If they had simply told me that a finance company would be taking the d/d and not them, i could have chased the finance company and saved all the hastle..

forgotmyname

They would have taken a loan out for you. Sometimes an inhouse finance but sometimes a 3rd party company. They dont ask you they just do it.

I presume its a better way for them, The insurance is paid upfront so less risk for them.

Most of the time you would not notice, Its only because you missed the 1st payment that they came calling for the money.

Check the payments on previous statements. Its probably not the insurance companies name.

There were insufficient funds in the account. If there were you would not have noticed who took the money this year either.

They may have got it wrong when asking for the signed agreement, Because as you said they tried taking the funds anyway.
They dont need a signed agreement these days.

Its a case of insufficient funds.

If thats their fault for adding a charge for not returning something they didnt send you then complain.

Jonny1275

A quick update... after receiving no response from Ecar's complaints department I phoned their owners, Brightside Group, directly this afternoon. Shortly after a very nice chap from Ecar called me back, he'd read through the emails I'd sent and accepted that Ecar had not informed me of the involvement of Close Premium Finance. In short, he has sent me a payment of £95 to apologise for the problems and to compensate me for the numerous phone calls and the incurred bank charge (£6), he has also given me his direct number (not a 0900 number this time lol) should I have any further problems.

Whilst I am happy with the outcome, it has taken several calls and emails to resolve it. I know many people just roll over and pay charges when faced with them, perhaps in an ideal world more people would question the validity of charges and challenge them, thus making companies a bit more careful before trying to apply them...