Car insurance nightmare

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stressed84
stressed84 Posts: 2 Newbie
in Motoring
Help! so, I have been insured with the same insurer for a couple of years now, my policy auto renewing each year and payments being taken monthly each pay day. I was stopped over the weekend and charged for having no insurance, something I was unaware of. I assumed, as per previous years the policy had auto renewed and had nothing through the post to the contrary. When stopped I explained I was insured with hastings and accessed my emails to show them the policy (I don't use email, only for purpose of having address for filling forms etc). Instead of a policy I found an email from insurer saying they could not find anyone on their panal to insure me this year and as such were not renewing my policy. Now, I have evidence from price comparison sites that my insurer and their subsidiares are showing up as providing quotes. I had no notification through the post or would have acted on it immedietly. I insured car with another provider whilst with police. Is it worth arguing in court?I am mortified as held clean licence for over 15 years and had no idea until stopped

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  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,225 Forumite
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    stressed84 wrote: »
    I found an email from insurer saying they could not find anyone on their panal to insure me this year and as such were not renewing my policy.


    I had no notification through the post or would have acted on it immedietly. I insured car with another provider whilst with police. Is it worth arguing in court?I am mortified as held clean licence for over 15 years and had no idea until stopped

    Not a lawyer, but honestly do you think the fact a grown adult failed to read e mails and needed nannying by post is just cause that would persuade a court?

    I don't
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • bigisi
    bigisi Posts: 925 Forumite
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    Arguing what? You admit it's through your own lack of admin organisation "I don't use email" (so why give them an email address to contact you on?).

    The offence is absolute, you weren't insured regardless of how that came about and your lack of attention to emails is your own fault.
  • stressed84
    stressed84 Posts: 2 Newbie
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    argue they say couldnt find someone yet they themselves appeared on price comparison sites. Insurance was taken with them directly, not as a broker which they are implying in email. none rewal is not justified
  • bigisi
    bigisi Posts: 925 Forumite
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    stressed84 wrote: »
    argue they say couldnt find someone yet they themselves appeared on price comparison sites. Insurance was taken with them directly, not as a broker which they are implying in email. none rewal is not justified

    It's perfectly justified. They don't have to do business with you and have obviously decided they don't want to.

    Your argument is irrelevant regardless of whether you like that fact or not.
  • Johno100
    Johno100 Posts: 5,259 Forumite
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    stressed84 wrote: »
    argue they say couldnt find someone yet they themselves appeared on price comparison sites. Insurance was taken with them directly, not as a broker which they are implying in email. none rewal is not justified

    Hastings Direct are an intermediary acting on behalf of several insurers.

    https://www.hastingsdirect.com/insurers/

    I will say I do find it strange that you didn't get anything in writing. This year my home and buildings insurers advised they were leaving the home insurance market so wouldn't be offering me a renewal. They wrote to me twice, before my policy lapsed.
  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 14,449 Forumite
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    The issue is it is your responsibility to ensure that you have a valid insurance policy in place.

    Simply relying on the excuse, that it has auto renewed in previous years is not going to cut it.

    Maybe it's time you started to shop around for better prices each year. That way you won't get caught again.
    Life in the slow lane
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
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    stressed84 wrote: »
    Help! so, I have been insured with the same insurer for a couple of years now, my policy auto renewing each year and payments being taken monthly each pay day. I was stopped over the weekend and charged for having no insurance, something I was unaware of. I assumed, as per previous years the policy had auto renewed and had nothing through the post to the contrary. When stopped I explained I was insured with hastings and accessed my emails to show them the policy (I don't use email, only for purpose of having address for filling forms etc). Instead of a policy I found an email from insurer saying they could not find anyone on their panal to insure me this year and as such were not renewing my policy. Now, I have evidence from price comparison sites that my insurer and their subsidiares are showing up as providing quotes. I had no notification through the post or would have acted on it immedietly. I insured car with another provider whilst with police. Is it worth arguing in court?I am mortified as held clean licence for over 15 years and had no idea until stopped
    Your broker declined to auto-renew you, and contacted you via their usual method, email, to tell you this.
    You don't bother reading your emails regularly, even when you're expecting your insurance renewal through via email.
    You didn't notice the premium no longer being debited from your account. For how long?

    You were stopped for not having insurance.
    You didn't have insurance...

    So on what grounds do you think you have a defence against a charge of driving without insurance?
  • Hastings_Direct_company_representative
    Hastings_Direct_company_representative Posts: 159 Organisation Representative
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    Hello,

    I'm very sorry to hear about the experience you've had. If you believe that the process by which you were informed about the policy was incorrect and not in line with the method of communication you chose when you purchased the policy, please contact the customer service team to discuss this. You can raise a complaint and our Customer Relations Department would be able to investigate this situation for you.

    You can reach the Customer Service Department on 01424 735735 or you can speak to the Customer Relations team directly on 0333 321 9677.

    Kind Regards,

    The Hastings Direct Social Media Team
    “Official Company Representative
    I am the official company representative of Hastings Direct. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
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