Car insurance nightmare. Please help!

MattV

On Sunday my family and I were driving home when I was pulled over by the police and told that I was driving my vehicle without insurance. Fortunately, I had my phone with me and managed to show the two officers my insurance certificate, letter and schedule which clearly showed that I was insured. The officers advised me to ring my insurers the next day and let me drive home. I spoke to my insurance company this morning who told me that the police were correct and they had in fact cancelled my policy. I have been with the same insurers for the past 3 years and whilst I have moved several times had no problems in the past. It seems that they sent several letters to my old address but at no time sent me an email or gave me a ring on my mobile. The actual reason for the cancellation was due to me receiving a new bank card. I pay for my insurance in one lump sum rather than by direct debit. I now have 7 days to take my insurance details to the local police station. I have now taken out a new insurance and am driving insured once again. I have email copies of all the documents from before and will take them with me but was wondering if anyone has any advice. I am currently looking at 6-8 points, £300 fine and an excessive insurance rise! Help needed. Matt

FiremanDave

If your insurance won't allow you to pay to reinstate the policy and give you cover for the time you were stopped then it's points.

Have you evidence that you told them of change of address? They seem to have gone about cancelling the policy in the correct way.

force_ten

your post seems rather confusing

are you saying your old insurance company tried to take payment for your renewal and payment was refused due to a new bank card so your insurance was never renewed?

and how long ago was renewal due?

AdrianC

You've taken out "new insurance", or corrected the confusion over your renewal?

If the latter, then you should have your policy backdated to the original renewal date.
If the former, then - sorry... Your new insurer won't backdate the inception of the policy, so you were driving uninsured at the time.

Quentin

You need to inform your new insurer that your previous policy was cancelled otherwise you face having this one cancelled when they find out.

If you didn't inform your previous insurer of your new address you don't look to have any grounds to complain about this.

Though if you did then get a formal complaint in to them regarding their failure to act on it and inform you about the cancellation

sh0597

Best option is to try and get the old policy reinstated. That way you aren't treated as having had insurance cancelled and you would have been insured.

MattV

Thanks for the replies, firstly I am still with the same insurance company. I started a new policy with them yesterday morning. Secondly, there are 2 faults on my behalf. 1-not updating my address. 2-getting a new bank card and not letting them know of the changes. however, as mentioned in my previous post as far I was concerned I was insured. I have a letter from LV insurance and my policy stating that I was covered for the forthcoming year. I spoke to my insurance company yesterday morning and they stated that they acted according to their policy they tried all means to get in contact with me. 2 letters sent by them. At no point did they try to email or telephone me. This policy was set up online and all communication with them to date has either been online or on the phone. They said that they could reinstate the policy but as I have updated my bank card I am no longer covered! Any other advice as to how I get my policy reinstated?

MattV

Renewal date was Sept 1st 2014.

InsideInsurance

Unfortunately for you the law still sees post as the most certain way of communicating, indeed its up to the intended recipient to prove they didnt receive it -v- any other form of communication where its the sender/ instigator that has to prove that the communication was received.

Always key, inform people when you move address and set up a 1 year redirection so anyone you've forgotten about still get to your new address.

LV are in the clear here, they have done everything correctly and as you say you are to blame. If they wont back date it for a guesture of goodwill, which they are fairly unlikely to do for a variety of reasons, then you are going to have to go to the cop shop with your new certificate and admit you were driving without insurance at the time due to non-payment but you have now bought insurance.

As others have said, you will have to declare this cancellation to future insurers, in most cases for life.

AdrianC

MattV wrote: »

I started a new policy with them yesterday morning.

What is the start date on the certificate? Does it backdate to the expiry of your old policy, or does it start from yesterday?

Secondly, there are 2 faults on my behalf. 1-not updating my address.

It's not just a postal communication issue, but your address affects the risk the insurer takes on - so this is much more than a simple communication error. Is your new address a higher or lower risk than your old one?

I have a letter from LV insurance and my policy stating that I was covered for the forthcoming year.

I'll bet it says on it that it's not valid until the premium is paid...

FiremanDave

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Unfortunately for you the law still sees post as the most certain way of communicating, indeed its up to the intended recipient to prove they didnt receive it -v- any other form of communication where its the sender/ instigator that has to prove that the communication was received.

Always key, inform people when you move address and set up a 1 year redirection so anyone you've forgotten about still get to your new address.

LV are in the clear here, they have done everything correctly and as you say you are to blame. If they wont back date it for a guesture of goodwill, which they are fairly unlikely to do for a variety of reasons, then you are going to have to go to the cop shop with your new certificate and admit you were driving without insurance at the time due to non-payment but you have now bought insurance.

As others have said, you will have to declare this cancellation to future insurers, in most cases for life.

Has he had a policy cancelled or did the auto renew fail?

What's the inside stance on that?