Van insurance increased after purchase, after sending requested copy of driving licence

Julia_smith_2

Hi all,
just looking for your thoughts. So we purchased a van insurance policy for my partner through a comparison site a couple of weeks ago. When it asked how long my partner had held his licence for we clicked the 25 years+ option as he his 64 years old and entered his driving licence number (which is optional). After we had confirmed the policy and it had started, he got a letter saying to send images front and back of his licence which we did. 

Now today he has had a letter saying that they have updated his pass date to match his licence (feb 1977 ie over 25 years ago) and this has increased the premium by £150 (to £1575.45 which is a crazy price anyway - can’t believe how much insurance has increased) and they are also charging a £20 fee due to updated information! I have called them and said this seems wrong as we didn’t get an option to enter the exact date he passed his test only to enter an approximate length of time he has held a licence ie over 25 years and enter the licence number so I asked what incorrect information we supplied that means they can do this, there answer was we should have called them to check they had all the correct information before proceeding!

They suddenly have a glitch in the system which means they can’t access exactly what we entered at the time of purchase but I have run through a new quote just to see and nope at no point could I enter the exact date he passed his test) This just seems a way of extracting more money from policy holders after purchase. Has anyone else had recent experience of this, as I have never come across it before. TIA 

Nobbie1967

I think the problem is how the data gets translated from the comparison site to the insurers site to get a quote. This insurer requires a more detailed answer, although I suspect it is a bit of a scam since they know how the comparison sites work and profit from this wrinkle. I think the usual advice is to check the details direct with the insurer and adjust any which haven’t filtered through correctly to avoid being caught out before buying.

sevenhills

I think that you should send a complaint via email or post. You went with the cheapest quote, so taking your business elsewhere is not an option, but the £150 + £20 extra is poor service.

Your contract with them is for £1575.45 and nothing has changed.

Nobbie1967

sevenhills said:

I think that you should send a complaint via email or post. You went with the cheapest quote, so taking your business elsewhere is not an option, but the £150 + £20 extra is poor service.

Your contract with them is for £1575.45 and nothing has changed.

The problem will likely be that the contract with the insurance company doesn’t say ‘license held for over 25 years’, but instead a date 25 years from the quote has been transcribed from the comparison site to the insurers system and the poster has signed upto this without checking like most of us do. It seems a few insurers are currently exploiting this imperfect data transfer between systems and I’ll be much more careful next time I go through a comparison site.

Julia_smith_2

Guess we will probs have suck it up this time but will spend more time checking it in future and the company won’t be be keeping us as loyal customers when this year is up  

facade

How do they find out your pass date?

I passed my car test sometime in 1978, and I would have applied for a full licence straight away,  I then passed my motorcycle test in late 1983, and my full bike & car licence started in 1984.

So, there is no way I can ever answer the "When did you pass your test?" or "How long have you held a full licence?" to an exact date. I have the issue date of my licence in 1984, but I held a full car licence for more than 6 years before that, ( and do you hold a full licence from when you pass your test, or from when the full licence is actually issued after you apply  with your pass slip?)

Checking online gives the 1984 issue date of my licence as valid from...

Best to avoid these bottom feeder companies I think, who was it so we can steer clear?

user1977

Julia_smith_2 said:

Guess we will probs have suck it up this time but will spend more time checking it in future and the company won’t be be keeping us as loyal customers when this year is up  

Are you deliberately not telling us who this company is? You are allowed...

MEM62

facade said:

How do they find out your pass date?

So, there is no way I can ever answer the "When did you pass your test?" or "How long have you held a full licence?" to an exact date. 

I have a 'valid from' date against each category on the back of my license, which look to be the dates I passed each test. 

facade

MEM62 said:

facade said:

How do they find out your pass date?

So, there is no way I can ever answer the "When did you pass your test?" or "How long have you held a full licence?" to an exact date. 

I have a 'valid from' date against each category on the back of my license, which look to be the dates I passed each test. 

Must be a modern thing, I haven't got anything on my Proper Green Licence except the "valid from" date when it was issued, and the "expiry date" of my previous licence, which is either the same day or the one before, I can't remember.

The groups are A,D & E btw. Over on the dot Gov my file has loads of categories, which basically say anything with wheels up to a 7.5 tonner, 12t max train weight and minibuses upto 16 seats not for hire & reward. (= A,D & E)

DullGreyGuy

facade said:

MEM62 said:

facade said:

How do they find out your pass date?

So, there is no way I can ever answer the "When did you pass your test?" or "How long have you held a full licence?" to an exact date. 

I have a 'valid from' date against each category on the back of my license, which look to be the dates I passed each test. 

Must be a modern thing, I haven't got anything on my Proper Green Licence except the "valid from" date when it was issued, and the "expiry date" of my previous licence, which is either the same day or the one before, I can't remember.

The groups are A,D & E btw. Over on the dot Gov my file has loads of categories, which basically say anything with wheels up to a 7.5 tonner, 12t max train weight and minibuses upto 16 seats not for hire & reward. (= A,D & E)

Haven't seen a traditional paper license for over 20 years so memory is a bit foggy of what they looked like. A quick google only brings up one picture of a full license and it does have the start date against each category/group but guess it depends just how old your license is and when you first passed... have seen some photo cards that have a Pre Jun 1974 as the date so clearly records only go back so far. 

400ixl

Not really a modern thing given the photo license was introduced 25 years ago. Your green paper license is not longer the 'proper' license as you put it, that would be the photo license. The green paper license is just the legacy license they haven't totally killed off yet that would never be replaced like for like and you would get a proper photot license.

You can look at your license details and the pass dates for each class of vehicle at https://www.viewdrivingrecord.service.gov.uk/driving-record/licence-number