Homeserve

nannoo1955

I have been living abroad and renting my house out. On my return, and in checking through my accounts, I found that I had a policy with Homeserve that I have no recollection of taking out. I got in touch with them to ask for copies of our contract and was told that it was done over the phone. Is this legally binding? Can I claim back my premiums if they have no proof of my signing anything?

Nearlyold

Yes its legally binding over the phone (a lot of items/services are purchased over the phone).

You can't claim your premiums back just because you didn't sign anything. Otherwise I would be due back my car and house insurance premiums which were taken out over the phone.

[Deleted User]

nannoo1955 wrote: »

I found that I had a policy with Homeserve that I have no recollection of taking out.

Do you seriously think you can have a refund simply because you can't remember purchasing the insurance?


It might be different in the very unlikely event of you being able to provide evidence that it was somehow added without your knowledge or permission...

nannoo1955

... if I had not been serious. If you read my message properly, you would have seen that I have been living abroad, and I thought that as in the country I lived in, a phone agreement is not necessarily legally binding.

[Deleted User]

The answer is the same whether you were serious or not.

It matters little whether you were "abroad", you won't get a refund because of poor memory (or a telephone purchase)

nannoo1955

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Do you seriously think you can have a refund simply because you can't remember purchasing

I was referring to your sarcasm.

And I referred to my being abroad, as I did not know the rules here.

[Deleted User]

Where Are you living "abroad" where telephone sales are not legal?

Regardless, you bought insurance (whether you remember or not) in the UK, so being "abroad" is irrelevant.

In the very unlikely event of you being able to provide evidence that it was somehow added without your knowledge or permission, you might have a valid complaint …

Looks as if you are hoping for a refund on mobile phone insurance too
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/70397924#Comment_70397924

nannoo1955

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Where Are you living "abroad" where telephone sales are not legal?

Regardless, you bought insurance (whether you remember or not) in the UK, so being "abroad" is irrelevant.

In the very unlikely event of you being able to provide evidence that it was somehow added without your knowledge or permission, you might have a valid complaint …

Looks as if you are hoping for a refund on mobile phone insurance too
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/70397924#Comment_70397924

I was living in Switzerland, where a contract is only legal once signed. That was one aspect. The second is I KNOW being abroad has nothing to do with anything, it was just to show that I had been out of touch.
I see you have been spying on me too! Well, anything legal I can do to claw back monies unfairly taken I will try.

societys_child

anything legal I can do to claw back monies unfairly taken I will try

How was it taken unfairly? You agreed to the insurance(s), you've had the cover of the policies, but now for some strange reason, expect your money back.

That sounds unfair to me

nannoo1955

Are you being deliberately obtuse? The ethos of MSE is for everyone to check their accounts, their outgoings, see what deals are available, and ask questions. That is what I am doing.

[Deleted User]

All I can see is someone chasing after refund(s) on various insurances for no apparent reason other than you've not had cause to claim on them.

Since none of these were in any way mis-sold to you (and you've enjoyed the cover they provide), I'm not sure why you are continuing to post about it?

By all means "check your accounts" and cancel any insurance you feel is too expensive or no longer of any use. This is indeed the MSE ethos. However, you won't be receiving a refund of payments you've already made and do be sure that the insurance is definitely no longer of any use to you. Your house insurance won't provide the same level of cover as your specific mobile insurance, for example. I'm also unsure why you wouldn't want the cover Homeserve provides?