Cancelling car insurance

Fantasi

Hi All,

I recently took out car insurance using the tool on this site as it was a far cheaper quote.  I paid the deposit, then a few days later Be Wiser sent me a text message to call them immediately which I did.  When I called them they said the price was going up due to a no fault incident I had where no claim was made by myself or the other party against my insurance.  I did get the date wrong and thought it was passed 5 years but turns out it was a few days after my new insurance would start.  They said the price was going up by nearly £200 which makes it far more expensive than my renewal.

They now want to charge me an admin fee and wont refund me the difference as it's less than £10 if I cancel which I am clearly going to do.

Is this right?  Obviously I have no choice but to cancel but am a bit miffed at losing the entire deposit.


thanks,

dunstonh

Is this right?

Yes.

Obviously I have no choice but to cancel but am a bit miffed at losing the entire deposit.

They will charge you exactly what their published terms are (if its within the cancellation rights period, that will be time on cover plus an admin charge typically).

BarelySentientAI

Is which part right?

Can they change the price because you forgot to tell them about an incident?  Yes

Can the charge an admin fee for you cancelling?  Yes

Do they get to keep what's left because it's small?  Seems strange to me.

Ayr_Rage

You'll have to accept the fees and also realise that Be Wiser are actually doing you a favour by allowing you to cancel.

If the policy had started and then they found your incorrect declaration they may have cancelled the policy themselves.

You would then be without cover and have to declare on future applications that you have had a policy cancelled which could make getting any policy difficult and would almost certainly result in increased premiums.

Fantasi

I worded it wrong above, the incident is currently less than 5 years ago but by the time the insurance starts 5 years will have passed.  I didn't forget about it at all, I thought it was in July instead of August, though it is my error.  I am aware there is a database they check.

I appreciate they can charge what they want for the policy, it just doesnt seem right how they can add £200 to it because some idiot pulled out of a junction into moving traffic.  They don't look into the incidents though do they, as if they had they would have found out there was cctv footage and 2 witness statements one from an off duty copper that exonerated me of all blame.  I have 16 years no claims bonus and have never made a claim or had a claim made against me, not for this incident or any other.

The policy hasnt started yet and I am within the 14 day cooling off period.

It does say in the terms of business it's a £50 admin fee and any money less than £10 will not be refunded.

Curiously even when the incident is added to the tool the same quotes pop up except Be Wiser which doesn't appear.

I decided to stay with my current insurer anyway who is aware of the incident and is only £30 dearer and let the £59 go down to experience.

Marvel1

Fantasi said:

I appreciate they can charge what they want for the policy, it just doesnt seem right how they can add £200 to it because some idiot pulled out of a junction into moving traffic.  

Curiously even when the incident is added to the tool the same quotes pop up except Be Wiser which doesn't appear..

Seems they don't want to take on anyone with a claim made in less than 5 years hence the increase of the £200.00

Fantasi

Marvel1 said:

Fantasi said:

I appreciate they can charge what they want for the policy, it just doesnt seem right how they can add £200 to it because some idiot pulled out of a junction into moving traffic.  

Curiously even when the incident is added to the tool the same quotes pop up except Be Wiser which doesn't appear..

Seems they don't want to take on anyone with a claim made in less than 5 years hence the increase of the £200.00

No claim was made by me or against my insurance.  The other person did try it on and said I'd flashed him out of a give way but the witnesses disagreed as did my insurance company.  There was no court case and I believe his insurance dropped it as it didn't affect my no claims or have any effect on my next renewal.  His car was a total mess, the damage to his versus mine didn't really make any sense to be honest.

But I get your point.  Although there are reviews on trustpilot saying they charge £100 for an address change so maybe they quote cheap then make up the difference later.

dunstonh

But I get your point.  Although there are reviews on trustpilot saying they charge £100 for an address change so maybe they quote cheap then make up the difference later.

The problem with trustpilot is that it is often the blind leading the blind and you get duff information.

Be Wiser charge £35 for changes.  Not £100.    It is more likely that in that case they charged  £35 and the difference was the premium change for moving to a higher risk area.