Reclaiming Auto renewal insurance sent to wrong address for 10 years

colinsherlock

Hi, I'm a 1st time poster, so forgive any lapse in etiquette please.
I was checking my DDs on my current account and had one from direct line for £18.85. I phoned them and it turns out it was for breakdown on a car I bought in 2005 and sold in 2008. And the paperwork had all gone to an address I left in 2004, despite the fact that I bought the car it was insured for at my current address.
If I can prove I sold the car in 2008, they are offering to repay all my payments since then. However, while I realise it was down to me to inform them of change of address, they have not checked on me through 3 changes of bank account and they never queried my address when I updated the car info in 2005 (this is the one I sold in 2008).
Should I accept this offer or ask them to repay back to 2005? And what about interest? When I mentioned the ombudsman, they came up with this offer fairly quickly and really sounded like they didn't want the ombudsman involved.

dunstonh

However, while I realise it was down to me to inform them of change of address, they have not checked on me through 3 changes of bank account and they never queried my address when I updated the car info in 2005 (this is the one I sold in 2008).

There is no requirement for them to check changes of bank accounts. The bank account transfer system takes care of that. As you say, you did not tell them.

Should I accept this offer or ask them to repay back to 2005?

You are lucky they are offering 2008 onwards.

And what about interest?

It is your fault. They dont have to pay interest when its not their fault.

hey came up with this offer fairly quickly and really sounded like they didn't want the ombudsman involved.

If the policy would not have paid out from 2008 onwards then its normal for insurers to refund the premiums. The FOS have no influence on that.

colinsherlock

hi, thanks for your reply.

One thing though; before I got to ask any questions today, I was asked for name, DOB and address. Wouldn't they have asked me for this in 2005 when I changed car details? I'll probably take the offer but I think they offered it very quickly and would have problems in court justifying an update to my policy without checking my address, even just for security purposes.