Problem with Diamond - what to do?

MarkyMarkD

So, apart from updating, can you answer the questions in my post?

The "back of the certificate" bit is a red herring. If the policy booklet states that the policy will be auto renewed, they are entitled to auto renew. If they auto renew, they are entitled to charge "short period" cancellation rates if you subsequently cancel.

As I asked before, where was your car during the "missing days"?

comicmankev

Sorry Marky, didnt see that reply! The car was with us and we would effectively be driving without insurance. But to the best of my knowledge that is our problem and not the previous insurers. I could be completely wrong here, so please throw in your comments.

And as for the percentage payable, that is the £5 odd that was quoted. I am arguing the £45 admin fee that was not listed on my certificate!

MarkyMarkD

No, short period cancellation rates aren't pro rata and could quite easily come to £45 or whatever.

And no, your contract terms said that the insurer would auto-renew - rather fortunate given that you hadn't bothered to sort out insurance and would have been driving illegally otherwise.

As I said before, I'm sure your intention of having lapsed the policy would have mysteriously evaporated if you had:

(a) had an accident; or
(b) been stopped by the police

during your "uninsured" period.

I think you've got off lightly at £45, to be honest. Now stop moaning!

djohn2002uk

I've been following this thread without making any comment but now feel that I will throw in my 4 pennorth.
Untill the last post by comicmankev I was feeling a bit sorry for him but now I can only see that MarkeyMarkD was absolutely spot on. This appears to be nothing more than wanting Diamond to take any risk whilst on holiday and then (finding something cheaper on their return) deciding to try anything to get out of paying for it but this time being caught out by Diamonds T&Cs. Pay up and shut up comes to mind now.
This doesn't mean that I think Diamond doesn't leave a lot to be desired in the way they operate.

comicmankev

Okay MM, I was probably expecting you to be insulting after the way your worded the previous response, but your still not getting it. Forget the fact she was not insured. Lets break it down so you can understand. Diamond have stated that they want £5 for the 10 day period of insurance, which I am fine with paying for those 10 days as we were not insured anywhere else.

But they say we owe £45 cancellation fee. This CANCELLATION FEE is not noted anywhere on the T&Cs of any of our original documentation and upon many requests they have not been able to provide us with why we should be paying £45 cancellation. Please, forget the fact we wasnt insured, because we are paying for the period of 10 days insurance as they have stated, but should we pay the £45 that seems to have been picked out of thin air?

Just in case I need to say it again for MM and DJ - I am not trying to get out of paying for the insurance, just the fee!

djohn2002uk

Are you seriously expecting to pay £5 for 10 days cover?, 50p per day?. Please don't make me laugh anymore.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
I still think my last sentence is valid.

MarkyMarkD

Thanks, dj.

Comic, it's you who aren't getting it.

Insurers charge short period rates if you cancel mid-term. They may CHOOSE to express those short period rates as a pro-rata premium plus an admin charge, or they may CHOOSE to express them as a non-pro rata premium. It makes no difference which they choose to do - the effect is the same.

I haven't read your Ts & Cs, but I expect they say that if you cancel mid-term they will calculate the premium refund due using their short period rates. That's how they get to a £50 deduction.

And I don't think you understand "insulting". Both John and I are pointing out that you seem quite prepared to "try it on" with your insurer, OR WITH THE LAW, and then expect a refund after being on cover for a period of time which is MORE than you are entitled to according to your insurer's Ts & Cs.

I've said previously that I consider it sharp practice for motor insurers to auto-renew, unless they are very clear up front about the fact they are going to do so, as customers simply don't expect them to do so. And I still believe that.

But the fact that you didn't apparently care about driving uninsured means that you don't deserve any sympathy from me or anyone else on this board. And to expect a full pro-rata refund when you would doubtless have readily attempted to exploit your insurer's auto-renewal to cover up the fact that otherwise you would have been driving illegally, is beyond belief IMHO. I'm sure you've heard the statistic, but the £45 you are moaning about is probably the impact on the average insurance policy of people who drive around uninsured and leave the legitimately insured motorists' insurers to pick up the tab.