More Than - default notice for policy we don't have!

Pleaseadvise

In October last year when our house insurance was due for renewal we changed insurer from More Than to another company. For months everything seemed fine - we didn't need to make any claims. Then a couple of months ago, I noticed a Direct Debit was coming out every month which I didn't recognise, and discovered More Than were still charging us.

My husband phoned at once to complain, and was told to send off printouts of the mistaken payments and our insurance documents with the other company, which we did the same day, as well as cancelling the Direct Debit.

We didn't hear from More Than for weeks, even though the letter was sent signed for and the Royal Mail website confirmed that it arrived. So we rang them again and were told they'd posted us a questionnaire and since it hadn't arrived, they would send another.

Finally yesterday the questionnaire reached us - we have to send it to the other insurer for them to fill in. We didn't mind that (though it says More Than are only considering giving us 50% of our money back - shouldn't we get it all?) - until today when another letter arrived.

Today's letter includes a default notice! It says 'there has been an issue with the payment of your insurance policy premium.' We don't have an insurance policy with them, they've taken numerous payments for this non-existent policy, and now they are threatening to 'notify credit reference agencies of your default' if we don't continue to pay them! They have completely ignored us contacting them twice by phone and once by post.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Caz3121

Pleaseadvise wrote: »

In October last year when our house insurance was due for renewal we changed insurer from More Than to another company.

I assume the More Than policy was on auto-renew. Did you receive a renewal notice? How and when did you inform them that you did not want to renew with them?

jonesMUFCforever

Yes up to you to cancel old policy - if it was me I would want confirmation of cancellation from them.
If they have made a mistake they will refund - if you did not cancel you are on a sticky wicket.

GFA

Pleaseadvise wrote: »

Today's letter includes a default notice! It says 'there has been an issue with the payment of your insurance policy premium.' We don't have an insurance policy with them, they've taken numerous payments for this non-existent policy, and now they are threatening to 'notify credit reference agencies of your default' if we don't continue to pay them! They have completely ignored us contacting them twice by phone and once by post.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Just write a formal complaint to their Head Office. In my case they issued me with a default notice with a threat to notify credit reference agencies a few years ago even though I advised them by phone that I was unhappy with their renewal quotation and would look elsewhere for my insurance cover. (In my case, I cancelled the direct debit after my call to them and took out a policy elsewhere).

I sent them a formal complaint by recorded delivery. I received an apology from them and confirmation that no action would be taken in relation to credit reference agencies. I then double checked my credit reports a month or two later to be on the safe side. I have to admit, I haven't gone near them since!

Good luck!

*Scarlett

As you pay by monthly DD the policy will normally auto renew (this info would be in your policy docs and renewal notice).

However as you have another policy in force, you should be entitled to a refund as you are dual insured.

Once they receive proof of this I would say you should be refunded (although I don't know LVs t&cs).

If they say they will only refund 50% then go through the company complaints procedure.

If you are not satisfied the you can go to

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/

Hopefully you will be aware for the the future that a dd will auto renew unless you tell the company that you do not want the product. It is not enough to just cancel the dd withe the bank.

weejonnie

More Than are offering 50% because they will argue that they were joint insurer with your new company of your property. (The inference being you should ask your new insurer for 50% off as well.)

If you do this, of course, then you will be worse off than if you have just gone with the new insurer and cancelled More Than according to the instructions on their renewal notice.

FWIW the FCA are investigating autorenew to see whether it is 'fair' to the customer. There are some benefits of course but they may decide that it is too much like inertia selling.

Hope it all gets sorted out in your favour.