Post office -credit check for insurance quote

fantastiyk

Hi,
I just received a letter from Post Office. My car insurance expires with them in June. In order to give me a renewal quote - which I haven't requested, but they do automatically, they have informed me that BISL Ltd who arrange their policies will be carrying out a credit check on me, even if I don't renew my policy. The letter states that these searches will appear on my credit report and are stored with the credit reference agencies.

I'm been given the chance to contact them to say if I don't want them to give me a renewal quote.

I don't have any big debts or non paid debts. I just object to them doing something I have not asked them to do. They have given themselves the right to do this unless I say no. Surely they should have to wait to inform me that they will do this if I request a renewal quote, not that they are doing it and its up to me to contact them if I want it stopped.

Any other financial institution can't make a credit search on me without me asking them for some form of credit in the first place.

Is this commonplace for car insurance quotes?
I have never experienced it before.

I also pay my car insurance in full at the time of purchase and don't use credit to pay it. So they have no need to search to see whether I can afford to pay it or not.

I will be writing to them to opt out of this, but it has got me thinking, is this going to be how insurance companies operate in future?

harveybobbles

Yes, lots of car ins companies do this.

But i'd be contasting PO straight away and forbid them to this!

Some companies will do a "sort search" which doesnt show on a CRA.

fantastiyk

Thank you for your reply.
I'd never experienced it before and we have 4 cars at our house.
I don't plan on needing extra credit any time soon but I just felt it infringed on my rights and if people let things like this slide they'll all be doing it.

I am in the middle of typing up the letter - just nipped back on here to see if I'd got any replies.

I wonder if this would be another reason why my 18 year old's insurance quotes are sky high. I know the obvious reasons but she also doesn't have a credit card. She has a bank account but no credit history as such.

Thank you Harveybobbles, much appreciated!

Chickabiddybex

I think your 18 yr olds quotes are sky high due to being 18 more than anything!

It is now very commonplace to do a credit check when getting insurance quotes, even from comparison websites. I'm impressed you were warned - they don't usually! I think it might be because people with poor credit have to pay up front so there is no point quoting you a monthly fee if you're gonna have to pay in one chunk.

forgotmyname

The check is to see if you are who you say you are.

People with terrible credit histories have no issues getting insurance. How they pay maybe an issue.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

there is simply no need to credit check when your buying a full complete insurance package in one go, your not obtaining insurance via credit that way i.e pay monthly, that would be like saying you need a credit check when buying a complete PC outright from pcwrld with insurance cover it just doesnt sound right does it.