First Direct Sucks!!

trinidadone

My car insurance was up for renewal in august 2007. I used the cost cutting system on the site and found First Direct was ofering low car insurance, and would beat my renawal price with my curent car insurance conpany by £30.00, so ended up signing with them.

Everything went well until i started getting letters asking for my renewal quote. I had destroyed everything from my previous car insurance company, I was insured, so did not think about keeping stuff like that. After two letters, I contacted admiral, my previous car insurance company, and this is when the fun started.

Admiral only keeps quotes for 30 days, it was three months since I had been with them. I telephoned First direct, and they said, unless I provide the documentation, I would need to cough up 400 quid extra (more than double what I was originally chaged by first direct).

After pleading with Admiral, I manage to get two letters out of them, one confirming my no claims bonus, and the other confirming the quote. I send the info to Firect Direct, and still the letters kept coming "please send us your renewal notice". I telephoned First Direct, and asked them to make contact with Admiral, but they refused.

In October, I received more letters, and telephoned first direct. I told them I wanted to lodge a complaint, and was informed a manager would contact me. I heard noithing, and no more letters arrived until January 2008. I received another request for my renewal quote. I wrote to First direct, telling them I had sent all the information to them in september 07, and that I would be out of the country till the end of February 2008.

I went on holiday (sunny trinidad - carnival, I loved it). On return i received loads of letters, including one from first direct informing me they had canceled my car insurance with them. I was also issued with half the money back (minus £30.00 cancellation fee and £10.00 alteration fee). As you can imagine, I was devastated. I telephoned First direct, seemed my car had not been insured for three weeks.

I insisted on speaking to a manager, and was told they had not received my last letter and cancelled my policy, and there was noithing I or he could do.

I explained what had happoned over the last six months, and said Admiral were not prepared to give me a copy of my renwal document. After much debate and returned calls, I did another search for car insurance. Firect direct ofered me the same insurance again, but no need for any documentation.

While i am pleased I am now fully insured again, I still feel I had been done over. I am £40.00 down, lost six months no claims and to be honest, I think first Direct sucks!!

Anyone think I should do something, write to someone, or let sleeping dogs sleep??

nearlyrich

To be honest I think you should have read the terms and conditions of the offer where no doubt it will clearly state that you have to prove the price they need to beat by supplying a copy of the renewal document.

mattymoo

Nearly rich - I think Lee has bent over backwords trying to sort this matter out but FD seem to have compounded his initial failure to supply the renewal doc with plenty of incompetence of their own.

Lee, can only suggest you follow their formal complaints procedure which should be in the policy docs somewhere.

Sounds like your original complaint was only looked at by the manager or supervisor of the department handling your case. A formal complaint should be handled by their complaints department who will look at it with fresh eyes and hopefully see the error of their ways.

trinidadone

thanks Mattymoo, it drives me crazy when i constantly see a minor amount of people on this site refering to the "terms and conditions" I dont remember seeing any "terms and conditions" from admiral saying "we dont help customer who dont take out insurance with us" MMMMMMMMMMMM advice only please, no scolling - Thanks again matty