Counting to 13 days for insurance purposes.

Vizard

We're having some bother with  Insurance over a black box policy.

My son was supposed to have fitted it "within 13 days of the start date of the policy". The policy started at 6pm 23 March, which means that 13 days is today at about that time.

The insurer would seem to have it that 13 days ended at midnight last night and have cancelled the policy, despite the box being fitted this morning. He would have had it done within 12, but he was locked out of his account.

Is there a legal definition as to how 13 days should be counted for insurance purposes that anyone is aware of?

Thanks in advance.

Vizard

Sorry that should read 23 February.

Herzlos

It sounds like they counted the 23rd as a day, meaning yesterday (the 7th) was day 13, and thus it expired at midnight. That's how I'd assume most businesses regard days, whilst you've interpreted it as a literal 312 hours.

Why did he leave it until the last minute to get it fitted? Was it something you could do at home or did it need booked in somewhere? Because if you can explain that the issue was with getting a timely booking you may be able to do something about it.
If it was something you could have plugged in on the 23rd Feb and you delayed as long as possible to avoid the tracking, then you're not in a good position.

Vizard

Herzlos said:

It sounds like they counted the 23rd as a day, meaning yesterday (the 7th) was day 13, and thus it expired at midnight. That's how I'd assume most businesses regard days, whilst you've interpreted it as a literal 312 hours.

Why did he leave it until the last minute to get it fitted? Was it something you could do at home or did it need booked in somewhere? Because if you can explain that the issue was with getting a timely booking you may be able to do something about it.
If it was something you could have plugged in on the 23rd Feb and you delayed as long as possible to avoid the tracking, then you're not in a good position.

The date I bought the policy was 23rd, they then need to post out the tab within 7 days (it didn't arrive that quickly). Then you download the app, login to an account, pair the tab. It turned out not to be that easy, though.

So, whilst yes it was towards the end of the time limit, he still attempted to fit it a day ahead of what he believed the deadline to be.

With regard to the insurer counting the whole of the day when I set up the policy, I don't imagine they would have paid up if I'd insured the car at 6pm and it had been in a crash earlier that day! But they seem to be counting from before inception of the policy in this situation.

It's a bit odd actually, they almost seem to be taking pleasure in cancelling the policy, which is something that comes across in their (mostly bad) reviews.

CliveOfIndia

Vizard said:

The policy started at 6pm 23 March

Are you sure the policy started at 6pm?  I'm not saying I disbelieve you, but can you check?  Every policy I've every had over countless years always starts at 1 minute past midnight on the day you ask for it to start.

Vizard

CliveOfIndia said:

Vizard said:

The policy started at 6pm 23 March

Are you sure the policy started at 6pm?  I'm not saying I disbelieve you, but can you check?  Every policy I've every had over countless years always starts at 1 minute past midnight on the day you ask for it to start.

That is what they are saying and they probably have a good reason for saying it.

However, if I took out insurance at 6pm and later found the car missing, with CCTV suggesting that it was stolen at 11:00am of that day, I wonder whether they would gladly pay up, or whether they would argue that the policy didn't start until 6pm.

Vizard

Herzlos said:

It sounds like they counted the 23rd as a day, meaning yesterday (the 7th) was day 13, and thus it expired at midnight. That's how I'd assume most businesses regard days, whilst you've interpreted it as a literal 312 hours.

Why did he leave it until the last minute to get it fitted? Was it something you could do at home or did it need booked in somewhere? Because if you can explain that the issue was with getting a timely booking you may be able to do something about it.
If it was something you could have plugged in on the 23rd Feb and you delayed as long as possible to avoid the tracking, then you're not in a good position.

Further to my earlier answer, I have just found on the certificate of insurance this:

"Effective date of the commencement of insurance for the purpose of the relevant law Your insurance starts at 17.51 on 23rd February 2023"

I wonder if this makes any difference.

Herzlos

23rd February would still be day 1, though, even though you're only insured for part of it.

Have you tried to explain your angle to them and see about getting them to restore the policy now that the black box is fitted? You really want to avoid having a cancelled policy in your history.

DullGreyGuy

CliveOfIndia said:

Vizard said:

The policy started at 6pm 23 March

Are you sure the policy started at 6pm?  I'm not saying I disbelieve you, but can you check?  Every policy I've every had over countless years always starts at 1 minute past midnight on the day you ask for it to start.

The exception is if you ask for it to start immediately in which case the insurer wont backdate it... the old analogy being that they wont bet on a race thats already been run.


What is the exact wording on the instructions? Did the docs/instructions that came through after purchase state the actual deadline?  Unfortunately there can often be chance for confusion with these things, like when you have to give 5 days notice does the day you give the notice count as day 1 or day 0. If there is ambiguity then there is chance for a complaint. 

Penguin_

My daughters policy said it had to be fitted within 2 weeks, however due to us living in the !!!!!! end of nowhere it took the installers 3 months to get to us. Policy just ticked along fine.

Vizard

DullGreyGuy said:

CliveOfIndia said:

Vizard said:

The policy started at 6pm 23 March

Are you sure the policy started at 6pm?  I'm not saying I disbelieve you, but can you check?  Every policy I've every had over countless years always starts at 1 minute past midnight on the day you ask for it to start.

The exception is if you ask for it to start immediately in which case the insurer wont backdate it... the old analogy being that they wont bet on a race thats already been run.


What is the exact wording on the instructions? Did the docs/instructions that came through after purchase state the actual deadline?  Unfortunately there can often be chance for confusion with these things, like when you have to give 5 days notice does the day you give the notice count as day 1 or day 0. If there is ambiguity then there is chance for a complaint. 

Quite. I said to them "if you want the policy to have started at 00:01 on 23rd, you'd presumably have been fine with a claim for theft between then and when I paid for the policy". The agent became flustered.

The terms say:

"• You must have the Hastings Direct app downloaded to your phone and paired with your YouDrive tab within 13 days of

your policy’s start date"

Their final position is no reinstatement, but confirmation that I do not have to disclose the cancellation because it was not for a misdemeanour.