Hastings direct

kaz113

So I decided to swap car insurances this year to Hastings Direct. Been with Aviva for years who never once charged me for anything I needed to change. Put the purchase date of my car as the day I picked it up but overlooked the fact that I had bought it 2 weeks previously (this was 3 years ago). I have now been charged £30 to alter the date after sending my documents in. I don’t know how they can justify that as I haven’t been sent any documents as it’s all online. Tried the complaints dept but not helpful at all. I think this is a ridiculous amount to charge and feel ripped off! I will definitely not be renewing with them for next year so please all be careful!

philipsw

I have a similar tale which has left me spitting.  I also, had been with Aviva for years with no problems.  Took out a policy with Hastings.  After issuing the policy they asked for details of all claims in the last 5 years.  One of these I had declared on my application in my name as the policyholder - though technically it was my wife who had the accident.  (I actually checked online that this was the right approach to declaring it).  The other was a glass claim which I hadn't declared on the comparison site because they aren't normally counted.  For 'changing' the claim from my name to my wife's and for adding the glass claim details - they are trying to charge me an extra £50 odd quid.  It seems totally unethical.  Does anyone have any experience challenging these things?

dacouch

philipsw said:

I have a similar tale which has left me spitting.  I also, had been with Aviva for years with no problems.  Took out a policy with Hastings.  After issuing the policy they asked for details of all claims in the last 5 years.  One of these I had declared on my application in my name as the policyholder - though technically it was my wife who had the accident.  (I actually checked online that this was the right approach to declaring it).  The other was a glass claim which I hadn't declared on the comparison site because they aren't normally counted.  For 'changing' the claim from my name to my wife's and for adding the glass claim details - they are trying to charge me an extra £50 odd quid.  It seems totally unethical.  Does anyone have any experience challenging these things?

If you write a polite and concise "Official Complaint" letter there is a good chance they will drop the charge or part of it on the basis of it being easy to drop it than spend money arguing.
A polite letter has far more chance of success than a ranting letter

NS2020

I have just had a similar issue with Hastings Direct - twice!! I completed my details for a one car insurance policy on the comparison website, with the dates my husband and I came to the UK. When I clicked to select the Hastings Direct policy, the dates revert to our DOB without my knowledge! This happened on 22 April. On 24 April, Hastings rang me to say that the date for entering UK on the comparison website data was different to the date they have on their system. The Hastings assistant said he could see I had entered a date for arrival in the UK, but that their system shows the arrival date as my DOB. Hastings said it would cost £70 to make the amendments. As I was within the 14 days cooling off period, I said I would cancel the policy. I then returned to the comparison website and reapplied for another car policy, and Hastings was the most competitive, so I selected it. I ensured I had entered the correct dates of arrival in the UK, and bought another policy. Today, 16 days later, I receive a text from Hastings asking me to call them. And, when I did, they said that our date of arrival in the UK is different from the comparison website - again! I will have to pay to amend the policy or pay £40 to cancel the policy (as I am outside the cooling off period). The person said I should have checked the documents online. I can't see this information online or on the documents! I feel so frustrated at this problem which will mean I lose out because the Hastings system has a computer glitch!

Primrose124

Similar issue, made a change on the app, the app crashed 7 times and my final attempt took the information with an error unknown to me.  They are charging me £30 to amend it and I have been spoken to like i am a criminal.  Can’t cancel as this fee is even higher, won’t be renewing with them no matter how cheap their quotes are. 

Sandtree

Large insurers and brokers employ thousands of staff that do little more than make policy alterations, these staff need managers, desks, IT equipment, IT helpdesk, auditors etc. There are two ways to pay for these people, either increase the premium that everyone pays and so average punter is £10 worse off or only charge those that use their services (approx 1 in 3) £30, which is fairer?

Given the average customer will switch insurers to save less than £5 the idea of being able to lower your premiums by £10 and start charging admin fees can be appealing too for its impact on conversion rate.

Sam_701

Hastings have cancelled my car policy without any warnings, no email or a letter. Received email on 14th May stating your policy is cancelled. When asked they said because my car was write off and I should insure another car within 30 days, but I didn't know of this 30 days and Hastings didn't contact me by any mean to warn me. I spoke with Blessing on 15th May she escalated to her manager Maggy whose response to me is go check Terms and Condition, so basically Hastings are not doing their job to send me email to warn my policy will terminate after 30 days rather a MANAGER is telling me go read terms and conditions! IF THEIR MANAGER RESPONSE IS LIKE THAT WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM NORMAL EMPLOYEES!! I WORK IN CORPORATE BANK AND MY ADVISE TO HASTINGS BE PROFESSIONAL AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

Spoke with Tamara on 21st May and she's blaming the postman she said we issued you a letter on 04th May, a letter that I have never received. I said to Tamara guess what I received every letter from Hastings but not this because they never sent me a warning letter. 

Complete unprofessional-ism, they cover themselves they didn't do their job and now blaming the post, and rude response go check the policy terms. I will just say they have no honesty, no integrity.