Car Insurance Article Discussion

BoRacic

Can they charge me £50 for admin when policy never taken up? Shouldn't 'Distance Selling rule" of 7 days to cancel without charge apply?

I have looked all over this site but can't find a definitive answer.

As brief as possible.... got various quotes via comparison site, one Company rang my home within minutes, first off I refused. Rang them back to query NCD, new quote was done to which I agreed, insurance to commence on 20 Oct (7 days away). Mentioned company to a friend who said "be careful with them". Bank checked 2 days later Sat, money already taken. Sunday I downloaded documents to find numerous mistakes. Today, Monday I rang to say, NOT taking their policy, which hasn't started, nor would have until the 20th!
They are insisting they are entitled to a £50 admin charge.
Where do I stand legally?

Am sure some legal eagle out there will know the answer and be able to help me.

Many thanks
Bo

Quentin

BoRacic wrote: »

Shouldn't 'Distance Selling rule" of 7 days to cancel without charge apply?......

No. DSR don't apply.

You need to check what the policy has to say about what happens, and what charges you face if you cancel.

wookie66

People need to wake up and smell the coffee, all the car insurance companies are absolutely fleecing the public and hiding behind lame excuses such as legal claims to justify this. When will the Government take note and take forceful action in regulating an industry where the consumer has no choice....that it is a LEGAL REQUIREMENT to have car insurance. Surely this doesnt give the insurance companies the right to charge extreme variations in premiums which make no logical sense. Im tired of hearing that spin that its a complex business with infinite variables and mathematical models + stats are used to determine the premiums. This may be so but with some of the variations clearly reported by consumers (Myself included) and the ridiculous hikes in premiums in the last year (mine went from £400 to £600 w/out any changes to my details) its high time we all stood up and complained to the Goverment to sort this mess out. I would ban all Claims Management Companies from operating, ban all referral fees, introduce strict rules to prevent insurance firms selling on your details if you have had an accident and remove place the onus on the claimant to medically prove and justify they have suffered significant whiplash that requires some form of financial compensation. SOme of the blame can be attributed to the public who despite knowing there is no basis for any whiplash claim still pander to these ambulance chasers who promise them £000s for ther services on a no win no fee basis. We all need to wisen up and remember that at the end of the day we are all coughing up to make these parasites richer! You may get £3000 in compensation but over a five year period you would have easily repaid that in increased premiums. Its no wonder that surveys have shown over 70% of U25s have considered driving without insurance since they have been priced out of the market. My solution would be to bring all car insurance under the management of a government agency, which runs on a small profit base and once premiums drop dramatically the majority of drivers will be willing to insure their cars and not risk driving around uninsured. Its not rocket science yet we still sit here lining the insurance companies pockets year in year out. If its such a tough industry when was the last time any one of the BIG INSURERS went bust??? At that point I end my argument!!!

Steve_xx

BoRacic wrote: »

Can they charge me £50 for admin when policy never taken up? Shouldn't 'Distance Selling rule" of 7 days to cancel without charge apply?

I have looked all over this site but can't find a definitive answer.

As brief as possible.... got various quotes via comparison site, one Company rang my home within minutes, first off I refused. Rang them back to query NCD, new quote was done to which I agreed, insurance to commence on 20 Oct (7 days away). Mentioned company to a friend who said "be careful with them". Bank checked 2 days later Sat, money already taken. Sunday I downloaded documents to find numerous mistakes. Today, Monday I rang to say, NOT taking their policy, which hasn't started, nor would have until the 20th!
They are insisting they are entitled to a £50 admin charge.
Where do I stand legally?

Am sure some legal eagle out there will know the answer and be able to help me.

Many thanks
Bo

Legally you can rescind the contract if the paperwork is different from your verbal agreement. But of course you have to prove that what you were offered was different to what was supplied.

BoRacic

Steve_xx wrote: »

Legally you can rescind the contract if the paperwork is different from your verbal agreement. But of course you have to prove that what you were offered was different to what was supplied.

Thanks Steve but they have already agreed to cancel the, not yet active, insurance.
My beef is they want to charge me £50 admin, saying I was told of this at time of phone quote, as we speak they are checking their phone recordings (after this I intend to record all non personal phone calls) and I am waiting to hear back. In future, I intend to record all non personal phone calls myself.

Even if they did mention an admin charge, it's like buying a burger, which u pay for up front, being given an undercooked one which puts you off eating anything but not getting all your money back as you are being charged for the use of the kitchen!

irri_tant

BAA1 wrote: »

This new European ruling does not come into force until 21 December 2012.
See : http://edition.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/03/01/europe.insurance/index.html

But there are many factors which effect the premium, including your employment status.

Just got of the phone from Admiral after being told the above. :beer:
Was planning to insure the son in the next day of two but think we'll wait until December :T
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=47783957&postcount=9

Steve_xx

BoRacic wrote: »

Thanks Steve but they have already agreed to cancel the, not yet active, insurance.
My beef is they want to charge me £50 admin, saying I was told of this at time of phone quote, as we speak they are checking their phone recordings (after this I intend to record all non personal phone calls) and I am waiting to hear back. In future, I intend to record all non personal phone calls myself.

Even if they did mention an admin charge, it's like buying a burger, which u pay for up front, being given an undercooked one which puts you off eating anything but not getting all your money back as you are being charged for the use of the kitchen!

Yes, they have already agreed to cancel the policy but the admin charge they propose is actually a part of the contract. And, as you say that they did not inform you of that potential charge and therefore in my view it is avoidable. I suspect that they will write it off as they will not want to trawl through those telephone calls as the cost would be too great to them to do so.

NoseBagUK

Hi,

Is it possible to get car insurance without theft cover?

I am 34 years old, have been driving for 17 years, a computer programmer, have full no claims and a clean license. I drive a 10 year old 1.8 Ford Focus which is worth less than £1000 and I do less than 5000 miles a year. But I can't find a quote for less than £600. It just does not seem right when I have friends with more powerful cars paying half that.

So I'm guessing it costs so much because of theft in my area? (My neighbour recently had his BMW "stolen")

So is it possible to get cover which doesn't include theft?

Thanks in advance

Phil

lucan

my sons car has just been made a total loss, he was paying his premium in installments now the insurance are taking the full year up front out of his settlement can they do this

Quentin

lucan wrote: »

my sons car has just been made a total loss, he was paying his premium in installments now the insurance are taking the full year up front out of his settlement can they do this

Yes .