Car insurance cancellation - they won't let me.
soblivion
Posts: 1,173 Forumite
I'll be as quick as I can, I just could really use some advice please.
My husband had a car insurance policy with a well known company for many years which just auto renews every year.
He had a major stroke 4 years ago and when he came home after a very long stay in hospital it was deemed that he would never be able to drive again and had to surrender his licence.
I was named spouse on the policy and my husband was the policyholder and main driver. When I updated the insurance company of the above I then became sole driver and my husband isn't on the policy at all other than it's in his name. I also took over his NCB.
This insurance runs out in a few days time and we had an auto renewal of nearly £800. I have managed to shop around with companies who specialise in wheelchair adapted vehicles and can get a much better insurance for just under £400.
I rang to cancel the auto renewal today and she told me all was okay and I owed no monies, then she realised that my husband is the policyholder and he is the one who has to cancel.
I calmly and politely explained that my husband had a stroke, he can't read, write, speak on the phone etc. I asked if I can get my husband to the phone and he can answer yes to the question "Do you want us to cancel the policy" would that suffice and was told "No-we will need him to answer other questions as well"
I asked so how do I get this policy cancelled - you need power of attorney - I don't have power of attorney, I am an appointee for my husband from the DWP will that do. No _ you can see that this went round in circles, I spoke to a manager who told me exactly the same thing.
Please accept that things are difficult, raw sometimes, and sometimes I may lack common sense because of the above!
I appreciate that if it was easy for someone else to cancel an insurance policy on behalf of someone else people could be driving around without any insurance but in this instance they are not even insuring my husband but me. Surely common sense could prevail?
I have cancelled the direct debit on the say so of the manager but my questions are these - she told me they would still keep contacting me until I paid. Does that mean I will still be insured with them and will I curtail any default payments. She wouldn't answer this. If I am still insured with them can I still take out the cheaper insurance above, I don't think I can have two insurances for the same vehicle can I? and do I really need to get power of attorney to cancel a car insurance policy?
I am awaiting a phone call from doctor to decide if it should be power of attorney I need or if I have to be a deputy but either or will take months and any suggestions as to what I do in the meantime would be so very gratefully received.
Many thanks for reading all this.
My husband had a car insurance policy with a well known company for many years which just auto renews every year.
He had a major stroke 4 years ago and when he came home after a very long stay in hospital it was deemed that he would never be able to drive again and had to surrender his licence.
I was named spouse on the policy and my husband was the policyholder and main driver. When I updated the insurance company of the above I then became sole driver and my husband isn't on the policy at all other than it's in his name. I also took over his NCB.
This insurance runs out in a few days time and we had an auto renewal of nearly £800. I have managed to shop around with companies who specialise in wheelchair adapted vehicles and can get a much better insurance for just under £400.
I rang to cancel the auto renewal today and she told me all was okay and I owed no monies, then she realised that my husband is the policyholder and he is the one who has to cancel.
I calmly and politely explained that my husband had a stroke, he can't read, write, speak on the phone etc. I asked if I can get my husband to the phone and he can answer yes to the question "Do you want us to cancel the policy" would that suffice and was told "No-we will need him to answer other questions as well"
I asked so how do I get this policy cancelled - you need power of attorney - I don't have power of attorney, I am an appointee for my husband from the DWP will that do. No _ you can see that this went round in circles, I spoke to a manager who told me exactly the same thing.
Please accept that things are difficult, raw sometimes, and sometimes I may lack common sense because of the above!
I appreciate that if it was easy for someone else to cancel an insurance policy on behalf of someone else people could be driving around without any insurance but in this instance they are not even insuring my husband but me. Surely common sense could prevail?
I have cancelled the direct debit on the say so of the manager but my questions are these - she told me they would still keep contacting me until I paid. Does that mean I will still be insured with them and will I curtail any default payments. She wouldn't answer this. If I am still insured with them can I still take out the cheaper insurance above, I don't think I can have two insurances for the same vehicle can I? and do I really need to get power of attorney to cancel a car insurance policy?
I am awaiting a phone call from doctor to decide if it should be power of attorney I need or if I have to be a deputy but either or will take months and any suggestions as to what I do in the meantime would be so very gratefully received.
Many thanks for reading all this.
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Comments
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Cancelling the direct debit would be a mistake. As the policy is still in force then you will still owe the money and that could be marked on your credit file.
Sounds like they have not transferred the policy to yourself and your a named driver.
If your husband is unable to write or speak or write then power of attorney is probably wise. Having had family issues ongoing i know what a PITA some companies/council's are.
ie. FIL in hospital having had major surgery, rent/gas/electric all paid to the coucil, no issues gave me the info i needed. Council tax... ohmy what idiots. I simply phone back and gave his details, sorted.
Maybe a letter to cancel, but that wont get the policy transferred to yourself.Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...0 -
They will accept a letter signed by him as confirmation the PolicyHolder wishes to cancel.
The way I would handle this is as follows.
Arrange the alternative insurance, send a letter to the old Insurer (From your husband and signed by him) instructing them you wish to lapse the policy from the renewal date.
If you have access to the new Certificate of Insurance it would help to enclose a copy. This will head them off from trying to cancel the policy a few days after the renewal date and charging you.
You will probably find that the old Insurer will debit the money, but will refund it when they process the lapsing of the cover.
If it causes you financial hardship and you pay via DDM you can request an instant refund via your bank. They will want proof the debit was taken by mistake.
I recommend you keep a copy of the letter you send and ideally obtain a proof of postage from the post office (They will give you this free without you having to pay for recorded delivery). Or you can pay extra for recorded delivery.0 -
Your OP says that you took over the NCD earned by your husband.
Hopefully you have some confirmation of this which should resolve this issue.
(If not, you may have problems getting proof of the NCD to use with your new insurer)0 -
...........If it causes you financial hardship and you pay via DDM you can request an instant refund via your bank. They will want proof the debit was taken by mistake.......
When you use the DD Guarantee to claim back funds wrongly taken etc then the Bank don't require proof of any error.
They credit your Account immediately and get the funds credited back off the merchant.
If the merchant wants to pursue for the money then that is between the merchant and the customer. The Bank are not involved0 -
Besides this situation, you really should consider welfare and financial powers of attorney, since it's an absolute certainty there's going to be other situations similar to this.0
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Notwithstanding the moves to get a POA - have you looked to see if the policy can be maintained online - and if so you may well find the option in there to cancel.
Usually you have to register to get online access (depending on the insurance company) for which you will definitely need access to the email account that set the policy up.0 -
Thank you all for your help, it's really appreciated.
Can I just clarify that the Direct debit was cancelled this afternoon her end and then she told me to cancel with my bank also, which I did but I paid monthly for the insurance and the last payment for this current year has all been paid. It runs out on 16th May and the renewal date would be from 17th of May had I have just sailed along with the extortionate fee.
I have the renewal here which says that I have 9 years no claims but underneath that it says that I have declared I have them and not that they were given to me iyswim. It also says that I have no modifications of which I told them I have only 3 seats, a ramp, lowered floor, clamps and straps and that I keep the car on the drive, when I don't even have one and told them I keep it on the road. I don't have anything to say I am the policy holder only that I am the principal driver and the named driver.
If I write a letter and send recorded delivery, if my husband can scrawl something that relatively passes for a signature would this be okay. Judging by all the above I would say this new one and the old insurance would have been null and void if they'd been an accident last year. Oh my word!
I think you may be right POA wise but it just seems so final and I just didn't want to do it.
I can't cancel a policy online, it's the only thing you can't do.0 -
You have the renewal showing who as the policyholder?
Does it refer to you having "No Claim Discount" or that you have made no claims in the last nine years (which is a different thing to NCD)0 -
If your husband is the policyholder, then he would normally still have the NCD!0
This discussion has been closed.
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