Norwich Union Pay as you drive car insurance withdrawn.

[Deleted User]

kimoffife - the credit check will apply to installment payments? Did you get a quote for paying monthly or yearly?

Becca

james_prie

I genuinly feel robbed by what was going on.

I used my car to and from school and racked up higher milage than i would be able to maintain (cost wise), This diddn't matter at the time, I new i would go to uni come september and leave my car at home, during this time i would effectivly make my money back (i worked on averages)whilst still earning my first years no claimed.

So far i recieved a letter a few months ago confirming i would be paying the base rate, i just recieved a request for a credit check, a 10 minuit conversation followed, This eventually ended by the phone opperater cutting me off! i feel outraged by the position i have been left in and don't know how it can end well.

This could ultimatly keep me of the road for the next 5 years (duration of my course)

hug_baker

payless wrote: »

Keeping us in limbo, ( ie no letters telling us whn it will actually end) then giving us minimum notice is not a fair way of dealing with this.

For example what if the letter of cancellation falls on my doorstep the day after I go away for 2 weeks, but I'm still driving around ( or more likely parked the car at airport).. on my return journey I would be un-insured.

I have just received a notice of cancellation - the letter is dated 22 August, with a cancellation date of 15 August. ie the notice was sent 7 days AFTER the cancellation date.

SO I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ILLEGALLY FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS

NI are adamant that because they told me on 30 June on the phone that it would end on 15 August, that is it as far as they are concerned. On this same day (30 June) they issued a revised policy running to the end of my normal year 10 October.

As I had had at least 3 different policy end dates quoted to me verbally since this fiasco started, I considered until I got something in writing, it was all a bluff to try and get people to swop "voluntarily" to another NI policy.

The policy document page 8 makes it quite clear it is an annual contract, as everyone expects.
Buried on page 47 is a contradictory clause saying they can cancel "by sending you at least 7 days' notice to your last known address". No mention of verbal notice.

As far as I am concerned, they are in breach of contract. Anyone want to join in a class action, or maybe it is best in the small claims court?

Has anyone else had late notice or no cancellation letter prior to the policy stopping?

Two more people I know who signed up to PAYD on my recommendation have not yet had the third degree "switch to our normal policy" or had any stop date quoted, but are now wondering if NI is totally dysfunctional in the PAYD dept., and they will be left uninsured with no proper notice.

raskazz

hug_baker wrote: »

As far as I am concerned, they are in breach of contract.

They're not, the policy is an annual contract unless either party exercises it cancellation rights - insurers have a right to cancel just as the consumer does. You might be unhappy with the service that they provided, and thus you may have some recourse through NU's complaints process, but one thing that they are not guilty of is breach of contract. If it was verbally agreed that the policy would be cancelled with effect from the 15th of August then you cannot then go back and deem the policy not to be cancelled simply because a letter was not sent - as the policy has then been cancelled by mutual consent the requirement to give 7 day's notice is not necessary. If they issued a new policy on the 30th of June commencing at any point before or at the 15th of August then you haven't been driving illegally either.

Ian_W

raskazz wrote: »

but one thing that they are not guilty of is breach of contract. If it was verbally agreed that the policy would be cancelled with effect from the 15th of August then you cannot then go back and deem the policy not to be cancelled simply because a letter was not sent - as the policy has then been cancelled by mutual consent the requirement to give 7 day's notice is not necessary.

Can you point out which part of hug baker's post suggests that they, as policyholder, gave any consent to the cancellation?
Specifically, this seems to suggest otherwise:

As I had had at least 3 different policy end dates quoted to me verbally since this fiasco started, I considered until I got something in writing, it was all a bluff to try and get people to swop "voluntarily" to another NI policy.

The fact there was conversation about several cancellation dates doesn't amount to mutual consent - it doesn't, per se, amount to any consent at all!! The insurer clearly cancelled the policy unilaterally, on the basis of what's been posted, and didn't follow the notice required in the contract.

hug baker, your policy should outline the complaints procedure for NU. Escalate it to a written complaint and tell them you'll be going to the FOS unless they deal with it properly. You may want to speak to the FOS, and the contact details are in the link, but generally they'll give advice but only deal with complaints when internal processes are exhausted. The FSA which regulates the industry require financial co's to not only stick to the letter of their contracts but also to "treat customers fairly". I cannot believe they, or anyone in the industry [like raskazz], would accept that retrospective written notice of cancellation gets anywhere close doing that!

MisterNick

My understanding is that cover is in place until end of Sept. Is this not correct?
I seem to remember that my letter stated there is nothing for you to do until you hear from us.

My position is that I declined the credit check request, (see earlier post). They advised that somebody would contact me. About 10 days ago I recieved a phone call, that my son took when I was out. They said they would phone back in half an hour. So far no call.

My wife has heard nothing since declining the credit check.

I had a perfectly good policy through their Staff Dept., which was paid monthly. I then switched to PAYD. Now they are causing me concern.

payless

My understanding is that cover is in place until end of Sept. Is this not correct?

I've not been told either in writing or verbally that this is the case .

I've not had the promised call back after ( reluntantly ) giving my premission for credit search

I have 2 policies with them- and the only call I rec'd( credit check) - he said he was only dealing with one of the two. Nothing on he other policy ( other than standard initial letter)

roosterbean

I am watching this thread with keen interest. My husband has got a policy with NU and, so far, we have been told that it will be cancelled but haven't been given a date. We also gave permission for a credit check. I took a call from NU last week asking to speak to my OH, I told them that he works in the day and that he wouldn't be back until 6pm ish. I was told he would book someone to call back the same evening, but no-one called that evening or since!:mad:

I can't see the benefit to NU in keeping us in the dark or is it incompetence? If there is any advice or anything to watch out for, I would be very grateful to hear it as we are going away at the end of the month, and will need this situation sorted one way or the other.

raskazz

Ian_W wrote: »

Can you point out which part of hug baker's post suggests that they, as policyholder, gave any consent to the cancellation?
Specifically, this seems to suggest otherwise:

This part:

"NI are adamant that because they told me on 30 June on the phone that it would end on 15 August, that is it as far as they are concerned"

If NU did discuss it over the phone and the policyholder verbally assented to cancellation from the 15th of August then that is cancellation by mutual consent and as such does not require the insurer to carry out the formalities specified in the contract re: cancellation at the option of solely one party. Perhaps such a verbal assent was not given. We simply don't know, we can only go on the poster's version of events - that's why I started the relevant piece of text that you have quoted with IF!

I suspect that the letter dated the 22nd referring to cancellation taking effect on the 15th is a letter chasing the return of the certificate of insurance, but hey, I might be wrong.

[Deleted User]

payless and roosterbean - I'll happily get somebody to contact you and let you know what is happening if you'd like to send me your policy number and contact details?

My email address is [EMAIL="rebecca.sibley@norwich-union.co.uk"]rebecca.sibley@norwich-union.co.uk[/EMAIL]

Becca