Policy Expert Auto Renewal.

chrispy1

The last year I have had my house insurance with Policy Expert. A few weeks ago I got some quotes for the next year and got some prices. So I check present policy online and decided to go with one of the new quotes. I also checked to see it there was any autorenewal which I couldn't find. So I took a out a policy with a different company.

On the 20th November I received an email from Policy Expert (see picture) about renewing my policy saying "Renewing with us is quick and easy. Please call one of our dedicated experts" Well has I had already got a new one with another company I didn't click the link and ignored this email.

On the 11th December I received an email saying "Thank you for buying your insurance through us" and checking they had taken a payment. So I phoned up Policy Expert. I was told that an email was sent to me on the 16th November saying that payment would automatically taken. I said I never received this email and wasn't it misleading sending an email saying payment is going to be taken then followed by one saying you had to contact them. I was told no that's was just a follow up email.

I did find this email in my spam box. How many people get emails automatically put in the spam box. On top of that only sending one saying a payment will be taken automatically.

Does anyone else think this is wrong?

Sandtree

chrispy1 said:

I did find this email in my spam box. How many people get emails automatically put in the spam box. On top of that only sending one saying a payment will be taken automatically.

Does anyone else think this is wrong?

I think its sensible to add your insurer/broker to your safe senders list to avoid things going into your spam box however this thread is almost an advocation for auto-renewal as people dont always do this nor do they regularly check their spam box and so had you been reliant on the email to remind you that your policy was lapsing soon it could very easily have been the alternative story that the policy had lapsed as the renewal invitation went into spam and now you've had a big loss and no insurance to cover it.

It'd be helpful to see the contents of the first email as the second needs to be read in context of the first.

dunstonh

I did find this email in my spam box. How many people get emails automatically put in the spam box. On top of that only sending one saying a payment will be taken automatically.

Does anyone else think this is wrong?

When you buy online, the email is the typical communication method.   So, it is important that your spam filters are not removing messages that are important.

Obviously, Policy Expert have not done anything wrong in that respect.  They have no control over your spam filters.  You control your filters (or your email provider if you delegate it to them). If your email provider or spam filters are being too aggressive then change them (or whitelist email addresses of those companies you deal with).

chrispy1

Sandtree said:

chrispy1 said:

I did find this email in my spam box. How many people get emails automatically put in the spam box. On top of that only sending one saying a payment will be taken automatically.

Does anyone else think this is wrong?

I think its sensible to add your insurer/broker to your safe senders list to avoid things going into your spam box however this thread is almost an advocation for auto-renewal as people dont always do this nor do they regularly check their spam box and so had you been reliant on the email to remind you that your policy was lapsing soon it could very easily have been the alternative story that the policy had lapsed as the renewal invitation went into spam and now you've had a big loss and no insurance to cover it.

It'd be helpful to see the contents of the first email as the second needs to be read in context of the first.

I don't normally have problem with important emails being put in to spam and has I received the other email it shouldn't have been a problem. Here is the main part of the one which went in to the spam. I can't see if that makes any difference has I never saw it. 
The second makes no reference to the first one so why would I know about it?

Sandtree

chrispy1 said:

Sandtree said:

chrispy1 said:

I did find this email in my spam box. How many people get emails automatically put in the spam box. On top of that only sending one saying a payment will be taken automatically.

Does anyone else think this is wrong?

I think its sensible to add your insurer/broker to your safe senders list to avoid things going into your spam box however this thread is almost an advocation for auto-renewal as people dont always do this nor do they regularly check their spam box and so had you been reliant on the email to remind you that your policy was lapsing soon it could very easily have been the alternative story that the policy had lapsed as the renewal invitation went into spam and now you've had a big loss and no insurance to cover it.

It'd be helpful to see the contents of the first email as the second needs to be read in context of the first.

I don't normally have problem with important emails being put in to spam and has I received the other email it shouldn't have been a problem. Here is the main part of the one which went in to the spam. I can't see if that makes any difference has I never saw it. 
The second makes no reference to the first one so why would I know about it?

Shouldn't have been a problem but clearly it was as it ended up in your spam folder and as Dunstonh has already said, your spam filter is totally out of the control of the sender.

You could try and weave a story that this is corporate deception, that they've intentionally done things to the first email to increase the chances of it being blocked and then sent a second unnecessary email by more conventional means with wording that some could read as meaning you are on a manual renewal with the hope that people ignore it assuming it'll just lapse but it actually auto-renews. You better have a reasonable understanding of spam filters however to have evidence to back up your allegations otherwise its just rantings

dunstonh

I don't normally have problem with important emails being put in to spam and has I received the other email it shouldn't have been a problem. Here is the main part of the one which went in to the spam. I can't see if that makes any difference has I never saw it. 

If you are using a spam filter that looks at the content and is score basing then any email that is over the score gets spam filtered and any that are not over the score goes to your inbox.    Firms that deal in investment, pension and insurance tend to get higher scored due to their very nature and poor quality filtering is more prone to removing them.

It could be worse.  Some email providers, such as Apple, just remove potential spams and don't place them in a spam folder.  Plus, you have no control over their filters.   You never see what they have filtered out and you don't know what they have filtered.  You just never see it. 

And its clear that the email your spam filters removed does tell you what will happen next.   So, they have complied with the regulatory position.

The key thing you need to take away from this is that if you deal with companies by email and you operate spam filters, you need to ensure your spam filters are good and check the spam folder every week just in case.  Or add the company to your white list so they never get checked by the spam filter.

chrispy1

I didn't want a discussion on my spam filters.
I am more worried that Policy Expert only send one email telling you about the automatic renewal. The next one which is sent mentions nothing about it and in fact tells you to contact them to renew.
What if someone didn't get any emails and didn't check their bank account. If they tried to cancel after the cooling off period they would have been charged to cancel.

dunstonh

I didn't want a discussion on my spam filters.

Although that is the root of the problem and you appeared to blame Policy Expert for that.

I am more worried that Policy Expert only send one email telling you about the automatic renewal. 

And why would they need to send it multiple times?

The next one which is sent mentions nothing about it and in fact tells you to contact them to renew.

Online distributions do often act a bit over the top in the number of times they feel the need to contact you.     However, they have already told you in the first email what is going to happen.

What if someone didn't get any emails and didn't check their bank account. If they tried to cancel after the cooling off period they would have been charged to cancel.

Some people don't read letters they are sent.  So, the same would apply to emails.   If you dont read your post, read your emails or check your bank account then you need to accept that there will be consequences for burying your head in the sand.

chrispy1

Are you just not taking notice of what I'm saying.
I do read my emails one. One email went in to my spam bin. There is only 23 other ones in there I I don't empty it so that's at least 5 years of spam. I have a number of other emails from Policy Expert only this one went in there.
Now just forget about the other email. If you never saw it, so you wouldn't know about it. Then see the one that say "Please call one of our dedicated experts". What would you think.

dunstonh

Are you just not taking notice of what I'm saying.

Either you are not making it very clear or you are not taking any notice of what I am saying.    You asked if Policy Expert was in the wrong.   I am struggling to see how they can be in the wrong when they have no control of your software choices and the actions of your software to remove emails that contain important information. 

I do read my emails one. One email went in to my spam bin. There is only 23 other ones in there I I don't empty it so that's at least 5 years of spam. I have a number of other emails from Policy Expert only this one went in there.

It is not Policy Experts fault that your spam filters did that.  The one that was filtered out is the most important one.  The other is irrelevant.  It's just a reminder that your renewal is coming and they are there to help if needed.  

Now just forget about the other email. If you never saw it, so you wouldn't know about it. Then see the one that say "Please call one of our dedicated experts". What would you think.

The fact you didn't see it and didn't know about it is not the fault of Policy Expert.    You cannot forget about it because you are saying that Policy Expert was in the wrong.    When in reality, they sent the email as required and it was your software that prevented you from seeing it.

it is pointless moaning about the one you did see because it needs to be put in context with the one your software decided you didn't need to see.

If you want us to ignore material facts and pretend Policy Expert never sent that email then clearly it would be wrong.  But the fact is they did send it.

Sandtree

chrispy1 said:

What if someone didn't get any emails and didn't check their bank account. If they tried to cancel after the cooling off period they would have been charged to cancel.

To be blunt, then they know the risks they are running. 

For your information, you can be charged for cancelling in the cooling off period too, the statutory cooling off period simply gives you a right to cancel, doesnt mean its fee free to cancel. For many insurance it makes no difference if you cancel in or out of the cooling off period but if you look at Private Medical Insurance it can typically only be cancelled in the cooling off period.