Cancelling Policy after RTA

Leavemealone

In June 2023 I was involved in an RTA and was hospitalized so unable to contact insurers for a couple of days.  As soon as able contacted them, car was collected from whereever the Police had taken it and declared 'write of' the next day.  It was noted both at the scene and the breakers yard that the boot was not able to be opened.  They later denied that there was anything in the boot, a whole other story.

However fast forward to last week when the Policy would have been due for renewal and they have sent a renewal quote and requested payment to renew Policy.  They paid out for the written off car in August and I thought that was the end of it.   I did eventually replace the car but added it to another policy I had.

They are now saying that I still should have cancelled the Policy and have now offered me alternative scenarios to cancel or lapse or something else.  Thing is, when I complained they send me a response detailing what they say happened during the claim process which names companies they say dealt with it but I have never heard of them and dealt with completely different companies purporting to be acting on their behalf.   They are being quite agressive with me.   Should I just ignore and let the policy lapse or will this in some way go against me or incur me in further costs.

cymruchris

Leavemealone said:

In June 2023 I was involved in an RTA and was hospitalized so unable to contact insurers for a couple of days.  As soon as able contacted them, car was collected from whereever the Police had taken it and declared 'write of' the next day.  It was noted both at the scene and the breakers yard that the boot was not able to be opened.  They later denied that there was anything in the boot, a whole other story.

However fast forward to last week when the Policy would have been due for renewal and they have sent a renewal quote and requested payment to renew Policy.  They paid out for the written off car in August and I thought that was the end of it.   I did eventually replace the car but added it to another policy I had.

They are now saying that I still should have cancelled the Policy and have now offered me alternative scenarios to cancel or lapse or something else.  Thing is, when I complained they send me a response detailing what they say happened during the claim process which names companies they say dealt with it but I have never heard of them and dealt with completely different companies purporting to be acting on their behalf.   They are being quite agressive with me.   Should I just ignore and let the policy lapse or will this in some way go against me or incur me in further costs.

There's a few things about what you've said that I don't quite understand.

What's opening the boot got to do with anything?

You've said that the policy was due to renew last week - so have you actually paid - or have they taken payment for this full new year?

Normally when you pay for a year's insurance - it lasts the year - no matter if you have an accident half way through. You don't usually cancel a policy - because you've had an insurable event.

So are they saying you should have cancelled the OLD policy at the time you had the accident?

Or the renewal now that it's happened?

When you reported the original claim - how did you do it? By phone? If so - how did you get the number to call them? Did you google? Did you inadvertantly call a 'claims management service' instead of your insurance?

What you don't do is ignore everything - you need to get to the bottom of what's happened and make sure it's put right, as if you don't there's a chance they may 'cancel' your new policy and then you'd have silly premiums for years to come.

As I say - some of your points are not yet clear to me (but others might understand more) - if you can address the points I've made above - it would make things clearer in my mind in terms of what to do next.

DullGreyGuy

Leavemealone said:

 last week when the Policy would have been due for renewal and they have sent a renewal quote and requested payment to renew Policy.  They paid out for the written off car in August and I thought that was the end of it.   I did eventually replace the car but added it to another policy I had.

They are now saying that I still should have cancelled the Policy and have now offered me alternative scenarios to cancel or lapse or something else.  

Sounds like they have renewed it and so you'd now be looking at it being cancelled for non-payment if you dont do anything. 

Who is your insurer?
Who dealt with your claim?
Whos fault was the accident?
Did you get a courtesy car during the total loss process?

Leavemealone

Hopefully clear some points 
I mentioned the boot as an aside. Not relevant in this context. 

I reported by e mail as requested on Policy document to Lancaster insurance who then passed me to a company called Marker Study who I dealt with by e mail from thereon. 

I was classed as fault as I was on the road and a vehicle reversed from a shop car park quite suddenly and I could not avoid or stop on time. Police took no action against me and I am not aware what if any claim was made by the other party as they left the scene. 

They say that I Have 2 choices either cancel and back date or let it lapse but my query is when the insured vehicle was written off and so no longer existed I assumed the Policy would automatically cease to exist as there was nothing to cover , so if that is not the case  what should I have done?  They knew I was poorly for quite a time after the accident and did not immediately replace the vehicle so I cannot see what their problem is now. 

dunstonh

They say that I Have 2 choices either cancel and back date or let it lapse but my query is when the insured vehicle was written off and so no longer existed I assumed the Policy would automatically cease to exist as there was nothing to cover , so if that is not the case  what should I have done?

You have an annual policy.   Normally, when there is a write off, most insurers will transfer the policy to your replacement vehicle.  So, it continues.        They will keep the policy open until renewal for you to do that.

cymruchris

Leavemealone said:

They say that I Have 2 choices either cancel and back date or let it lapse but my query is when the insured vehicle was written off and so no longer existed I assumed the Policy would automatically cease to exist as there was nothing to cover , so if that is not the case  what should I have done?  They knew I was poorly for quite a time after the accident and did not immediately replace the vehicle so I cannot see what their problem is now. 

When the car is written off in an insurance year, the insurance continues until your renewal date. Most people do get another car and add it to the policy and carry on as normal. At the beginning of the insurance year, you pay for a year, and get a year - no matter what (even if you pay by installments - it's still a year, and you pay all installments)

I'm still unsure as to whether you are talking about the policy at the time of the accident - or the policy since renewal.

When did you take out the policy that covered the date of the accident? Was that a year ago last week?

Did you pay that original policy in a single payment or via instalments? And if by instalments did you complete all payments?

You say that policy came up for renewal last week - have you paid, or have they debited the cost of insurance for the new insurance year (2024-2025)?

Leavemealone

Thank you for the clarification, I have never claimed in over 50 years so I just assumed the cover ceased once the vehicle no longer existed which does make sense to this old brain. I think they could have been less confrontational when I spoke with them. Sign of the times I fear. 

Thank you again. 

cymruchris

Leavemealone said:

Thank you for the clarification, I have never claimed in over 50 years so I just assumed the cover ceased once the vehicle no longer existed which does make sense to this old brain. I think they could have been less confrontational when I spoke with them. Sign of the times I fear. 

Thank you again. 

Ok - so it's in relation to the last policy - not the renewal.

You've paid for a year - and had a year.

Somewhere during the year there was an accident.

So what are they asking you to do now? Are they asking for payment for something?