MCE Insurance Woes - Warning

WarksBiker

I am sharing my experience with a motorcycle insurance company called MCE Insurance for the benefit of other motorcyclists and also, to get feedback from anyone else who has, or knows anyone, that has made a claim with this company.

Late last April (2014) I took out a (TPFT) motorcycle insurance policy with MCE Insurance and this April, renewed the policy (fully comp). Their quote was competitive and they are the title sponsor of the British Superbikes.

Nearly eight weeks ago (11th July 2015), I was knocked off my motorcycle in a non-fault accident and made a claim on the morning of that date with MCE. My motorcycle was towed away to a vehicle recovery warehouse and this is where the problems started.

On the Tuesday morning (14th July), I sent my insurance company all the information they requested relating to the accident (e.g. police incident number, sketch of accident, description of injuries and damage to motorcycle etc.) and now, almost eight weeks later, my motorcycle has STILL not been assessed for damage, never mind repaired and returned to me. MCE Insurance rarely return phone calls - even after you've been made to wait on the phone for over 20 minutes (maybe that's why they give you 0871 numbers to call), never reply to emails and tell you a bunch of conflicting information when you do manage to speak to them.

My insurance policy includes a courtesy bike and it even took eleven days for that to arrive (my motorcycle is currently my only means of transport).

On 24th July, I decided to try and take matters into my own hands and, on the advice of MCE, instructed them to make the claim on my own fully comp insurance policy, to speed things up. Weeks passed without any progress so I asked if they would return my motorcycle back to me, so I can arrange my own repairs. They wouldn't do this without charging me an ADDITIONAL £450 on my own excess (made up an additional £300 excess as well as a £150 delivery fee). Of course, I refused to pay this penalty for their negligence and decided to lodge a complaint with MCE Insurance and also, contact the Financial Ombudsman.

To date, I have still not heard back from MCE. I have lost most of the summer of riding on the bike I love, lost out on a track day I had booked prior to the accident and it looks like it will be in to winter before I get my bike back, so have not been able to do any track days this year at all.

I even personally handed in my damaged motorcycle clothing (helmet, pants and jacket) on 27th July and sent them proof of purchase etc. on the same date and have heard absolutely nothing on this either.

This is my experience so far with MCE Insurance... a company that tell you that they focus on customer service. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I could go into more details about the sheer negligence and disregard of this company as I have been keeping logs of conversations and emails, but I'll spare you the detail and keep that set aside for the Financial Ombudsman.

Has anyone else tried making a claim recently with MCE Insurance and if so, what was your experience? I'd like to know because the company should not be allowed to get away with this. Unless the company satisfactorily compensate me for this, I plan on contacting the Financial Conduct Authority and as many relevant media outlets as possible to bring their sheer disregard for paying customers to light.

Thanks for taking time to read this and I look forward to any feedback.

agrinnall

Lost the will to live so I never finished reading it, but I can say that saynoto0870 lists an alternative geographic number to their 0871 number.

OnanTheBarbarian

Although they have a big presence within the UK bike insurance market, my knowledge from working within the industry is that they ain't great.

I understand they managed to generally alienate themselves from the majority of UK based underwriters due to sloppy practice of pretty much putting anyone on cover at too cheap a rate and without doing enough diligence. The result was some spectacular claims which managed to send the UK underwriters running for the hills and cancelling agency agreements.

This has resulted in them having to use a lot of foreign insurers based in Gibraltar and also Denmark, who have little presence in the UK as far as claims operation is concerned. MCE seem to use a lot of separate companies / service providers to handle claims and from my own experience, they are not especially good with long waits for phones to be answered or simply no progress being made.

Have you actually been dealing with MCE since the claim was notified, or are you having to deal with Dukes Law or 4th Dimension?

WarksBiker

Thanks for the feedback, that's interesting to know about MCE getting shunned by UK underwriters and having to use offshore underwriters - it probably helps to explain some things.

You're right about them using third party companies. The claims assist company I am dealing with is called Plantec, based up in Lancashire and they have been equally as negligent as MCE. In fact, when I asked for my bike back so I could organise my own repairs, they told me there was a £450 'penalty' for me wanting to do unless I took my bike to an approved repair centre. I asked which one of their approved repair centres was closest to where I live in Warwickshire and it turns out they only have one approved repair centre: Plantec up in Lancashire. The mind boggles.

For the legal work, they referred me to a company called Fletchers Solicitors. I've since asked another legal company who specialise in motorcycle accident work, to take over my case.

I've heard that MCE are in the process of bringing everything in house. One thing for sure, if they don't improve and quick, I would imagine the number of complaints they'll get will put them out of business.

Unlucky_Matt

Hi all.
First of all, please avoid MCE as you would fire.
My story:
March this year I got knocked of my bike by cab driver who turned right with no indication or checking his mirror.
Called the police on the spot to have some assistance from them, but they just gave me some incident no. And run away quickly. Not what I was expecting.
Back to MCE scam artists.
The company that deals whit my claim is called 4 dimension. Since my bike was a total loss, they paid me out. I was full comp. I have been sent to independent doctor who after assessing me said that I have damaged my back and need rehabilitation. I Still haven't even heard of rehabilitation... After so many months still quiet.
Recently I got an email from mce saying that the was a claim made on my policy.
My policy was finished In may if I recall. Lovely gent called me and said I'm due for renewal I told him not to renew but cancel the policy after it runs out as I will be no longer riding bikes, due to MCE charging me up to 150 quid a month on cbf125. Simply can't afford it.
Anyway I called and tried to speak to MCE but they said I have to speak to 4th dimension. 4th dimension said speak to MCE.
I had enough.
Left the email address and contact number so they can call me as I'm not willing to call 800 numbers to give them some more of my money.
I got a phone call yesterday from these people(mce) lady on the phone wanted all details of the crash. Now they know when to call when they need something. When I asked her why does she needs the same detail I gave to all her colleagues and to 4th dimension. She said she has nothing on the system. I was speechless. I asked her if she knows who paid out for my bike? She had no idea... So basically she had no idea about what happened, where, when...
The third party filled a claim against my nonexistent policy. I get harassed by tons of emails and phone calls that take me nowhere. I mean how many times I need to give the information to them? Can't they write it down?
I sent pictures of the crash and sketches. Pictures of damages to my helmet and other gear.
Yet they say they have nothing.
Today I received an email with this type of title. Still chasing the policy holder...
So I replied to this email saying. That I will not speak to anyone who has no idea about the case. And the only person I'll speak to is a manager or other higher up. I will not waste my health and money on someone who doesn't even care.
If this continue as it has till today, I will report them to appropriate authorities.
I'm also thinking of getting other specialist involved as I can see that MCE can't handle absolutely anything.
I wish I could take the time back, I would never ever ever ever even call them for quote. To finish this up. When you call them the automated voice tells you how well they deal with claims and that if anything like that ever happens you can simply leave it to them and they will sort it out...none of this is true.
Waiting 5 months for rehabilitation, still nothing.
Getting idiotic phone calls and feel threatened by them. Even tho I'm not insured there anymore.
No info about my claims
No info about anything.
PEOPLE IF YOU READ THIS... YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

WarksBiker

Unlucky Matt, if MCE are not doing their job, you need to send them an email of complaint to [EMAIL="compliance@mceinsurance.com"]compliance@mceinsurance.com[/EMAIL] and make sure you ask for an acknowledgement of your email - a simple reply to let you know they have received it and it is being actioned.

The next step is then to lodge your complaint to the FOS: financial-ombudsman.org.uk.

After nearly eleven weeks the accident, my bike still hasn't been assessed and the negligence continues, so the more people make complaints against MCE, the more they will be forced to get their house in order (or lose their FCA authorisation).

Omalik9

I tried to make a claim for damages on my bike during an attempted robbery of my bike in November 2015. They devalued my bike and try to write it off so that they don't have to pay $300 to fix the ignition and steering lock. Then they asked me to pay $108 for cancelling the claim. The company "Copart" that was handling my bike wasn't able to deliver my bike before I left for holidays. Now that I am back I have been told my bike has been sold with no sale proceedings. They refuse to give me updates on the matter. This is just so unreal for me that 6 months down the line I still don't have my bike or any correspondence on if I will be reimbursed!

DCFC79

Omalik9 wrote: »

I tried to make a claim for damages on my bike during an attempted robbery of my bike in November 2015. They devalued my bike and try to write it off so that they don't have to pay $300 to fix the ignition and steering lock. Then they asked me to pay $108 for cancelling the claim. The company "Copart" that was handling my bike wasn't able to deliver my bike before I left for holidays. Now that I am back I have been told my bike has been sold with no sale proceedings. They refuse to give me updates on the matter. This is just so unreal for me that 6 months down the line I still don't have my bike or any correspondence on if I will be reimbursed!

Is the use of the dollar sign a mistake or are you in the US ?

dacouch

Omalik9 wrote: »

I tried to make a claim for damages on my bike during an attempted robbery of my bike in November 2015. They devalued my bike and try to write it off so that they don't have to pay $300 to fix the ignition and steering lock. Then they asked me to pay $108 for cancelling the claim. The company "Copart" that was handling my bike wasn't able to deliver my bike before I left for holidays. Now that I am back I have been told my bike has been sold with no sale proceedings. They refuse to give me updates on the matter. This is just so unreal for me that 6 months down the line I still don't have my bike or any correspondence on if I will be reimbursed!

Could you give us more details.

It sounds like you have a very good case for compensation from your Insurer (Not Copart) for the market value of your bike prior to the claim. You may also be entitled to compensation for the inconvenience.

In particular, could you give us more details about how long the holiday was and what communications you had prior to going about cancelling the claim etc

gosh511

Here's a little tale for you...back on the 3rd nov my bike was nicked from outside my mums...I rang the police gave them all the details etc then rang my insurance firm MCE... remember that name. Now the bike wasn't started cos i would have heard it so it went in the back of a van.
Now the fun.....was there a steering lock on the bike?...NO...why not?....there was never one on there ( a vn,s steering lock is normally on the right hand side under a stainless cover, but mine never ever had one fitted from the manufacturer ) "okay" MCE say.....so i email all my documents to them....clean driving licence, never had any problems with payment off me etc;
So anyway today i chase them up on the claim...."tough" they say-"we are not paying you" !!! No steering lock was engaged on the bike!!! WHAT THE HELL !!..... there was never one on there.
Hard luck..was the answer
So i get in-touch with the insurance ombudsman and tell them the tale.
What they have said is " even if the steering lock was on there, if it went in the back of a van it wouldn't of helped".
So now this is going to carry on for another 8 weeks or so.
Again that's "MCE" folks cheap on quotes as-long as you dont claim.

MrPGB

I contacted MCE insurance to cancel my motorcycle policy today. In September 2016 I took out fully comp (thats a laugh in it's own way.) Costing £200,They said the would be at £60 cancellation fee plus a charge for the months I had been insured this was to cover the almost 4 months I had the policy. This figure was £160 but they would waive the £20, I owed them. You make up your mind would you use them. :mad::mad: