Car insurance - change in policy by underwriter

DaliDinnerPlate

Hi all

First time poster! 

Swinton car insurance contacted me via email to say there is a problem with my policy. It auto renewed last month but it turns out there was a windscreen claim against the policy that, in their words, ‘hadn’t been closed off.’ So the policy and renewal price hadn’t been updated to reflect. They have oh so graciously told me that they won’t charge me a service share to add this to my policy. But that my policy will increase by circa £60 this year. If I want to cancel (as an alternative provider is now cheaper!) it will cost me £50.
I fail to see how this system fault is my problem in that I have to pay a cancellation fee if I don’t want to accept the increase. If this was the other way around I wouldn’t be charging them if I forgot/failed to add something to the policy?! 
Is there any way I can push back on this so that I’m not left paying more or having a policy forcibly cancelled if I don’t agree for the claim to be added?

Thanks in advance. 

DullGreyGuy

So presumably you had made a Windscreen claim last year?

When your renewal notice came through and it told you to check the details are all correct was windscreen claim on there? If not why didnt you tell them?

A complaint may have consideration of sharing the cost if it wasnt listed, if it was listed on the renewal docs you are in a much stronger position to argue they should waive the cancellation charge. 

Arunmor

Don't drip feed the information tell the whole story, please.

DaliDinnerPlate

Arunmor said:

Don't drip feed the information tell the whole story, please.

I thought I had? What info do you think I have missed out?

DaliDinnerPlate

DullGreyGuy said:

So presumably you had made a Windscreen claim last year?

When your renewal notice came through and it told you to check the details are all correct was windscreen claim on there? If not why didnt you tell them?

A complaint may have consideration of sharing the cost if it wasnt listed, if it was listed on the renewal docs you are in a much stronger position to argue they should waive the cancellation charge. 

Thanks for replying, I appreciate it. The renewal notice came through before the claim. I've accepted the renewal, but then made the windscreen claim. Post windscreen repair, they have then started the new policy, the with 'open' claim on my previous policy. 

cw8825

DaliDinnerPlate said:

Hi all

First time poster! 

Swinton car insurance contacted me via email to say there is a problem with my policy. It auto renewed last month but it turns out there was a windscreen claim against the policy that, in their words, ‘hadn’t been closed off.’ So the policy and renewal price hadn’t been updated to reflect. They have oh so graciously told me that they won’t charge me a service share to add this to my policy. But that my policy will increase by circa £60 this year. If I want to cancel (as an alternative provider is now cheaper!) it will cost me £50.
I fail to see how this system fault is my problem in that I have to pay a cancellation fee if I don’t want to accept the increase. If this was the other way around I wouldn’t be charging them if I forgot/failed to add something to the policy?! 
Is there any way I can push back on this so that I’m not left paying more or having a policy forcibly cancelled if I don’t agree for the claim to be added?

Thanks in advance. 

Is the alternative policy cheaper including the £50 cancellation fee

DullGreyGuy

DaliDinnerPlate said:

DullGreyGuy said:

So presumably you had made a Windscreen claim last year?

When your renewal notice came through and it told you to check the details are all correct was windscreen claim on there? If not why didnt you tell them?

A complaint may have consideration of sharing the cost if it wasnt listed, if it was listed on the renewal docs you are in a much stronger position to argue they should waive the cancellation charge. 

Thanks for replying, I appreciate it. The renewal notice came through before the claim. I've accepted the renewal, but then made the windscreen claim. Post windscreen repair, they have then started the new policy, the with 'open' claim on my previous policy. 

So with many companies the first they know you've had a Glass claim is when AutoGlass, or whoever their preferred supplier is, send through their monthly invoice for the 300 windscreens they've repaired/replaced on policyholders. This then has to be uploaded into their systems and a claim is registered. Needless to say if you have a glass claim on 1st July your insurer wouldnt know about it until some time in August. 

If you read your renewal invite it almost certainly says that you are required to inform them of any changes in your circumstances between now and your renewal. Looking on Swinton's website it tells you to call AutoGlass rather than them, dont know if the policy book is the same or not?

On the surface it doesn't really feel too much like Swinton's fault. I could understand that if you called AutoGlass as the website says that you that maybe you think they'll be telling Swinton quickly but given you made the claim after accepting the renewal you knew you'd have to check with them what the impact of the claim was but didnt. Waiving the admin fee is reasonable and dont think it is unreasonable for the cancellation fee to stand. 

DaliDinnerPlate

cw8825 said:

DaliDinnerPlate said:

Hi all

First time poster! 

Swinton car insurance contacted me via email to say there is a problem with my policy. It auto renewed last month but it turns out there was a windscreen claim against the policy that, in their words, ‘hadn’t been closed off.’ So the policy and renewal price hadn’t been updated to reflect. They have oh so graciously told me that they won’t charge me a service share to add this to my policy. But that my policy will increase by circa £60 this year. If I want to cancel (as an alternative provider is now cheaper!) it will cost me £50.
I fail to see how this system fault is my problem in that I have to pay a cancellation fee if I don’t want to accept the increase. If this was the other way around I wouldn’t be charging them if I forgot/failed to add something to the policy?! 
Is there any way I can push back on this so that I’m not left paying more or having a policy forcibly cancelled if I don’t agree for the claim to be added?

Thanks in advance. 

Is the alternative policy cheaper including the £50 cancellation fee

Yes it is, I think I’ll go for it 

400ixl

Does that include declaring the windscreen claim?