Buildings & Contents insurance, ripping off B*******....

Dirty Karlos

A long shot on here but.....

I cancelled an Insurance policy (B&Cs) because they put up my premium from £35 to £67 a month. I simply cancelled my direct debit.
I decided to go with Direct Line as I have my car insuance with them and I got more cover for £25 p/m!!!!!!

I have just received a letter from cancelled insurer saying I need to pay them £97 (£30 charges!) and I have breached the contract etc, etc
I don't recall signing anything to continue this cover...

I have absolutely no interest in this type of thing (until it bites me in the butt) and I am very 'slack' when it comes to financial stuff....

What do I do?

:x

L60N

I would assume the charges are because you cancelled your direct debit without letting your insurers know you intended to cease the policy.

You generally need to let them know a month in advance then they will cease taking payments on an agreed date.

Although it may seem a little unjust to you, i think you maybe legally bound to pay the 97 quid..

Leon

Dirty Karlos

Thanks Leon, I'll call them later.

Dirty Karlos

Sorry L60N

Damn my eyes!!

bigjim

Con merchants the lot of them. Mine [Budget} renewed my policy this year and charged £30 more than the last one without letting me know. I didn't pay! They then told me that the form I had signed 12 months ago gave them this right. Read the small print. Still didn't pay them. Now I am in the hands of the bastard debt collectors. Letters have been arriving for 6 months threatening me with all sorts. Home visit by their officers etc. All the usual crap. There is such a thing as an "Unfair Contract". Donn't pay the robbng sods anything. See what they do. If it goes to court [big if] they won't like the publicity and they might lose. Get sick of these people. Their nasty letters frighten the life out of the vulerable. You try getting moneyout of them for a claim.
Phew. That feels better.

Jim :x

Simon L2

None of us are in a position to offer advice, as we haven't seen your contract. It may be that you owe them the money. It may be that they are trying it on, and that they are relying on your (self-confessed) slackness and guessing that you will fold rather than risk a dodgy notice on Experian.

Would it be worthwhile going to see the CAB? I'm willing to bet that they've seen this kind of thing more times than most.

MattBlackBigBoysBMX

bigjim wrote:

Con merchants the lot of them.

Now I hate insurers as much as then next man, but if they didn't automatically renew policies and you found yourself uninsured after a loss because you had forgotten to renew your policy, you would be the first to moan about that as well.
It's for that reason that they do renew automatically.

bigjim

[quote-It's for that reason that they do renew automatically.]

Rubbish. They do it so that you will not notice the increase in premium and to stop you going elsewhere. Not noticed car insurers doing the same. You'd think they would be more bothered than most about you not being covered. It's all abour business/greed.

Jim :x [/quote]

formerlyknownasbonj

christ your insurance is expensive, my CAR insurance is only £37 a month!

MattBlackBigBoysBMX

bigjim wrote:

[quote-It's for that reason that they do renew automatically.]

Rubbish. They do it so that you will not notice the increase in premium and to stop you going elsewhere. Not noticed car insurers doing the same. You'd think they would be more bothered than most about you not being covered. It's all abour business/greed.

Jim :x

[/quote]


I have used four differnet insurance companies to cover my car, all of them renew automatically. :idea:

stu99

With the insurance industry bracing itself for flood claims in excess of a billion pounds I think we can all expect massive hikes in premiums over the next 12 months irrespective of risk.

TheNomad

Indeed insurance companies are rip off merchants. Had a burglary last year, Police attended (SOCO & normal officers), they filed reports to insurers loss adjusters, loss adjusters wanted original reciepts for items, provided them with originals after photocopying them three times first, 6 weeks later no further word, spoke to insurance company, who spoke to loss adjusters, who had LOST the original reciepts and photocopies are not acceptable!!!! No payout because loss adjusters lost the original receipts!!!! Went to Ombudsman who told me that there was nothing I could do because I had not got the original receipts anymore!!!! I ended up £15000 out of pocket (top end carp fishing equipment which was mainly totally unique and custom built for me hence a lot of the cost) because of this so called get out!! The insurance company even had the gaul to state in the repudiation letter that they believed I did not and could not own this amount os fishing tackle even though I had provided the reciepts to the loss adjusters along with the warranty cards, photos and any other paperwork I had for the items (including signed letters of ownership from the manufacturers of the custom made gear!!!).

They make me totally sick to even think about it!!!! :evil:

Buggi

phone em up and say "so sue me".

rip off merchants. tell them to send you the clause in your contract that sets out these terms and conditions before you even consider paying them. then if they do send it, nip down the citizens advice bureau, don't underestimate their advice, they are on our side.

top_bhoy

TheNomad wrote:

Indeed insurance companies are rip off merchants. Had a burglary last year, Police attended (SOCO & normal officers), they filed reports to insurers loss adjusters, loss adjusters wanted original reciepts for items, provided them with originals after photocopying them three times first, 6 weeks later no further word, spoke to insurance company, who spoke to loss adjusters, who had LOST the original reciepts and photocopies are not acceptable!!!! No payout because loss adjusters lost the original receipts!!!! Went to Ombudsman who told me that there was nothing I could do because I had not got the original receipts anymore!!!! I ended up £15000 out of pocket (top end carp fishing equipment which was mainly totally unique and custom built for me hence a lot of the cost) because of this so called get out!! The insurance company even had the gaul to state in the repudiation letter that they believed I did not and could not own this amount os fishing tackle even though I had provided the reciepts to the loss adjusters along with the warranty cards, photos and any other paperwork I had for the items (including signed letters of ownership from the manufacturers of the custom made gear!!!).

They make me totally sick to even think about it!!!! :evil:

Have you taken further legal advice on this? You may have a case against the loss adjustors negligence in losing the original receipts!! From your wording, the loss adjusters have admitted to your insurance company that they lost them. These are just my thoughts from personal experiences over the years but I'd think at least its worth asking the question.

Have these insurance companies not checked out the cost of top end poles, rods, reels, etc...? Talk about rubbing salt into the wounds!!

Good luck and hope you get somewhere with this.

wildmoustache

believe it or not the margins on general insurance are actually very slim. it's not how most insurance companies make their cash.

Dangerous Dave

Most types of insurance will automatically renew, but by law and by FSA rulings, THEY MUST inform you:
- That they are going to renew the policy
- When this will happen
- And tell you how much the new premiums will be.
- Of course if you pay by DD, then you are doubly covered, they'd have to inform you by law they are changing that as well.

So if you never received any of this notification, they can't tie you in.

They've put your premium up, so it sounds like they may have renewed your policy - but you've said you've cancelled it. Have you cancelled it within the notice period? If you have, they shouldn't be attempting to collect money and then charging you when they can't.

If you didn't send it off within the cancellation period, you're screwed.

richardjallen

Insurance = Corporate theft.