Evil insurance companies-advice please

[Mrs Reject]

I hate insurance companies. They have sent us a foul letter because we are in the middle of changing our bank to another one and the direct debit is a bit late being paid in all the confusion.
Considering the fact that we pay their flippin' salaries, are loyal customers and keep their business going - because let's face it without the customers they would not have a business - they did not even ask me politely what the problem was or how they could help. No, Broker Direct wade straight in with the threatening letter treatment.
It's either pay up or we take you to court. That's the first letter they sent me, no gentle reminders or anything like that. well I'm fed up with their rudeness, incompetence and talking to the low paid work experience muppets that they employ and I want to cancel my policy. They say if I want to cancel my policy (which I pay by direct debit) I have to cough up the remaining 6 months premium or they will take me to court.
Since when do I have to pay the full years premium if I cancel my policy and haven't had any claims??????? As far as I'm aware if you haven't had any claims you can cancel your policy whenever you damn well like?
Has the law changed on policy cancelations or what? :mad:
I'd be interested to know if any of you have had the same sort of experience and what you did.

[Mrs Reject]

I'm talking about a car insurance policy by the way - fully comp, protected no claims bonus.

[Doro]

trouble is you have taken out a year's insurance, so they want paying for a year. You could just cancel it but they are within the law to pursue it. If you did cancel it although you still have to pay for a year you wouldn't be covered any more. If they are a broker, and not the actual insurance company, try writing to the insurer to tell them about the shoddy treatment.

my advice would be to write a very snotty letter back and say if you don't get a reply in 7 days you will see a solicitor etc

if you mirror your words you get a fast response.

I had trouble with some of my direct debits when I moved house, my bank actually had me down as dead, but still charged interest on my account and allowed me to withdraw cash etc duh

also I have noticed that these new no frills cheap deal type of companies.....gas/phone/insurance/airline all save money by offering abysmal customer service.

I had talk 2 and accidently cancelled their DD so like you, they didn't send a reminder or anything, they just rang me up and demanded a credit card payment over the phone!

so some geezer rings me up and asks me to pay em £XX over the phone with my credit card?? I think not. I offered to send a cheque but the geezer said they didn't 'do' cheques, nor did they send out letters....so back to BT for me, may be more expensive but at least they remind you when you need to pay FFS


write em a snotty letter hinny and tell em you'll pay them as and when your account is sorted. Take Back The Power yyyeeeaaahhhhhhhh


:)

[Doro]

did you know some naughty peeps take out insurance to be paid monthly, then cancel the insurance payments after the ins docs have arrived, so ok, they aren't insured legally, but it means they can still do a producer if the cops stop em, and get tax etc cos they have the relevent documents.

apparently the cops don't check if your insurance is valid, they only want to see the bit of paper that says it is

:confused:

[Gypsy]

trouble is you have taken out a year's insurance, so they want paying for a year. You could just cancel it but they are within the law to pursue it. If you did cancel it although you still have to pay for a year you wouldn't be covered any more. If they are a broker, and not the actual insurance company, try writing to the insurer to tell them about the shoddy treatment.

my advice would be to write a very snotty letter back and say if you don't get a reply in 7 days you will see a solicitor etc

if you mirror your words you get a fast response.

I had trouble with some of my direct debits when I moved house, my bank actually had me down as dead, but still charged interest on my account and allowed me to withdraw cash etc duh

also I have noticed that these new no frills cheap deal type of companies.....gas/phone/insurance/airline all save money by offering abysmal customer service.

I had talk 2 and accidently cancelled their DD so like you, they didn't send a reminder or anything, they just rang me up and demanded a credit card payment over the phone!

so some geezer rings me up and asks me to pay em £XX over the phone with my credit card?? I think not. I offered to send a cheque but the geezer said they didn't 'do' cheques, nor did they send out letters....so back to BT for me, may be more expensive but at least they remind you when you need to pay FFS


write em a snotty letter hinny and tell em you'll pay them as and when your account is sorted. Take Back The Power yyyeeeaaahhhhhhhh


:)

btw the phone bill needs paying lmao :D

[dracken1]

i use the same broker for all my insurance, health, traders,public liability etc.
"swinton" they have always treated me very well.
usually if you take out a 12month policy and you miss a payment they get in touch.
if you miss payments continually they inform you that your insurance has been cancelled but that you owe them the payments up untill that time.

which is fair enough.

go with someone else. theres plenty out there.

or ring 01970 627007 and ask for mark, if possible.
they really are the best and friendliest brokers i've come across in many a year

[Mrs Reject]

Ahhhhhhhhh! Feeling much better now, rang them up to give them major grief and tell them how c*ap I think their "service" is. Complained to my broker and insist that they speak to them as well. To be followed up by a letter to their managing director and insist that they do not charge me the full years premium because of the bad service and rudeness I've had with them, once I get my teeth in I'm like one o' them pitbull thingies! :D

[JOE]

You can cancel your insurance at any point, you are not bound to a solid contract, coz u could sell your car an' cancel the insurance. I'd be very surprised if they did take u to court for non-payment anyway. Threaten them with watchdog, you'd be surprised how far that word gets you.