No claims discount nightmare!

LindaLou72

This seems to be a common problem - what can I do?

We recently bought a new car from Ford and decided to switch our insurance to them from Churchilll. Ford insist that they must have written proof of our no claims discount. Churchill's customer services have promised us over and over on the phone that they would send it, but nothing comes. We are trying to get a fax from them now, but they are dragging their feet there too. Ford refuses to contact Churchill, nor will they allow Churchill to contact them. (Why???)

If we don't have the written proof to take to Ford TOMORROW, we will be uninsured, and God knows what will happen then. I've read that nsurers can then cancel your policy and charge you money for this. But none of it is our fault.

We intend to contact the financial ombudsman about it, but that process will take time. In the meantime, we both have to get to work! Is there anything we can do? Help!

Quentin

If they cancel your policy then obviously you must get another policy (or SORN the car)


As you say, going through the complaints procedure then an escalation to the FOS will take months rather than weeks to resolve.


If you do end up with a cancelled policy tomorrow, then you have another problem in that this must be disclosed to other insurers (meaning getting cover won't be straightforward as most online and off the peg insurers just won't quote, and a cancellation remains on your record for life) - so try and avoid this happening!

LindaLou72

Hi, Quentin. Well we'll do whatever we have to, of course.

Thing is, how do we prevent it happening? Churchill knows the situation exactly, but they don't do what they say they will. Ford have said they will accept a fax, but now Churchill say they need a day to 'approve' it. We've kept Ford appraised of the situation throughout, and they've already given us a week's extension. I don't know what else they'd be willing to do.

It's hard to believe that we seem to be at the complete mercy of these companies - I feel so helpless.

lisyloo

I know this won't help you right now, but in future you need to keep your renewal notices.

I assuming you don't have your last renewal notice?

LindaLou72

I know that some insurance companies will accept them, but unfortunately Ford won't

Quentin

Have you cancelled the Churchill policy?


If so did they not confirm this and include any NCD you had earned prior to this year (assuming you did not complete the year with Hastings)

LindaLou72

If you mean Churchill, yes we cancelled. The cancellation document should apparently have included this information, but when we received it there were just a bunch of dingbat signs in the document where it should have appeared; at some point one of the Churchill customer reps said it was a computer glitch. A copy of this was emailed to both them and Ford. Honestly, I'm beginning to think this has been deliberate all along; I've read that companies can make money by doing this to people.

Quentin

Try and speak to someone up the ladder at Churchill as their system has caused this issue and you can prove it! (Assuming you still have the rogue cancellation doc)


Point out to whoever attempts to stop you escalating to a manager that they are at fault and you will have to sue them for all the extra expense they are going to put you to (new policy with nil NCD, cancellation fees from Ford etc etc) if they won't oblige and immediately email you or fax Ford!

rs65

Its unusual for a free insurance offer to require NCD as it is largely irrelevant. Its not as if they are going to give you a discount.

Do you have a link to the offer? I'd like to see the detail but can't see anything on the Ford website.

LindaLou72

We will make sure, if the fax does not appear tomorrow, that we get hold of a manager. The last person my husband spoke to refused to put him through to a manager because he said they had done what they'd been asked to do (sent proof in the post, which we have not received; arranged this fax - ditto). I'm not sure they'd believe us if we said we'd sue them - but we will tell them we will be claiming any expenses back via the financial ombudsman.

rs65 - I'm very sorry, I made a mistake in my OP because I've been so worked up. It's free breakdown cover we get, not the insurance. I'll see if I can edit that.

I'm wondering if anyone reading this has been through anything similar?

Quentin

You say you doubt they would believe you regarding making them pay all your costs over this issue, but isn't that the case (assuming your account is accurate) and you do have NCD to take which their actions are now about to cause you to have a cancelled policy on your record.


Won't you be expecting them to pay all your costs???


(you cannot escalate this matter to the FOS until you have first made a formal complaint to Churchill, and had their final reply which you are not happy with (or they have ignored you for 8 weeks)