Car insurance auto renewal

I have raised a complaint with the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) whereby it is so easy for us to purchase car insurance and buildings and household insurance directly online via comparison websites yet we are still tied-in to this auto renewal system which we are unable to cancel directly online the same way as we purchased the policy.

Whilst some may find this auto-renewal "convenient", as claimed by some, for many customers it is a total pain, in many cases forcing us to call the company, be kept on-hold for an age, to be cancelling something we did not have choice over in the first place.

The response back from BIBA is "encouraging". Steve White Chief Executive "There is a lot of sympathy for the problem you describe. Whilst auto-renewal is a convenient and helpful tool for some customers, clearly it should not be harder to cancel a policy than to incept one. This is a problem that needs to be addressed by both brokers and insurers.I will pass this matter to our Insurance Brokers' Standards Committee and ask them to build up some guidance for our member brokers."

I have requested to be kept in the loop as to progress, milestones and timelines for the development of this guidance and being advised the guidance when it is finally issued.

As for ABI, after writing a second time informing them the response from BIBA, Emma Elson Public Affairs Intern "Thank you for your email, a response from the ABI will be with you in due course."

I will of course update MSE Forum any news I get, however, it is down to all of us to keep up the pressure on this auto-renewal farce which imho is just a way of making it less easy for us to timely switch our insurers.

Perhaps MSE would be willing to look at this and take up the challenge.

Perhaps the comparison websites would be willing to look at this and build the cancellation of the auto-renewal into their service.

Either way, as Steve White BIBA Chief Executive quite rightly pointed out, clearly it should not be harder to cancel a policy than to incept one.

I wish to be able to cancel auto-renewal online just as easily as it was to purchase that policy. I shouldn't be forced to be making a phone call at extra cost both in time and money to cancel an auto-renewal that I didn't have a choice in the first place.

I should be given that choice up-front and where I do chose auto-renewal it should be just as easy for me to cancel that online as it was for me to start that policy in the first place.

MSE We need your help please to champion this cause :T

rudekid48 wrote: »

Neither BIBA or the ABI have the power to 'force' Brokers or Insurers to offer a certain function on-line. They can issue 'guidance' and recommendations but not much else.

Yes, they can issue guidance, they can influence voluntary action, they can lead by example. The FCA can oblige. Better for associations to champion positive voluntary change than to pull up the drawbridge and batten down the hatches.

Either way, the post was directed at championing the cause. It was not directed at BIBA or the ABI to 'force' anything. A voluntary code of conduct is always preferable than a mandated one.