AA Cancelled My Insurance!

powerful_rogue · 21st June 2006, 15:14

Hi everyone,

My partner was involved in a non fault accident on the 2nd of Feb. The driver of the other vehicle did a runner from the scene, but left his injured passenger behind. It turned out the car belonged to the injured girls mother and she lent it to the male knowing he had no insurance!

Tesco (who are usless) are currently dealing with this incident along with my soliciator because I suffered whiplash. I am claiming off the registered owners insuraance.

Anyway, My policy was up for renewal in may so went with the AA. On the form I stated I had one years no claim. It has turned out that Tesco wont honour this whilst there is a claim going through, even though the male that did a runner owned up to the police.

The AA sent a letter out on the 12th June (Received 13th June) with the new quote taking into account the lack of no claims bonus.

Letter stated it needed to be signed and sent back by the 20th June, otherwise they would cancel the policy. I sent the letter 1st class on the 15th so they would have received it on the 16th.

Imagine my surprise today when we contacted them, and was told that the insurance was cancelled on the 19th June!

For the last three days me and my partner have been driving around with no insurance. If i was caught driving without insurance there is a very likely chance I would lose my job.

Speaking to the AA on the phone and they are usless.They cant confirm if they received my letter, they cant tell me why they even cancelled the insurance one day earlier then stated in the letter.

They now state that if I wish to go back to them I have to pay the deposit all over again!

Im currently awaiting a call back from the manager

callumsgran · 21st June 2006, 15:17

what a bummer! surely if they give you a date they cant then cancel it a day earlier?

powerful_rogue · 21st June 2006, 15:23

Exactly. They shouldnt have cancelled it anyway as the form was returned back to them in there own pre-paid envelope!

A call from them would have been nice, or even a letter!

Still waiting 30 minutes later for a telephone call. Was told 20 minutes!

powerful_rogue · 21st June 2006, 16:07

Well I am very annoyed.

I never got a call back - I even left it 40 minutes! Phoned the customer services back and was informed I am on a list to be contacted by a manager but they have no idea when this would be, it may not even be today.

In the end I had to settle and talk to a team leader who told me the insurance was actually cancelled on the 14th June!! Me and my partner have been driving around with no insurance for the past week!

I was told that if any accident had happened, if I had sent the letter of to them their claims dept would have looked into it and honoured it.

When asked why it was cancelled on the 14th "Im afraid I dont have any answer for that. Its not been noted. One of the clerks may have pressed the wrong button or something!" - So they can cancel and make no note why!!

Anyway, its their policy not to reactivate closed accounts. They didnt receive the letter I sent back in their pre-paid envelope so theres nothing I can do.

Now its not payday until Friday, and I havent enough money to pay an insurance depoist. So looks like im stuffed for the moment.

Lesson here - Avoid the AA

powerful_rogue · 23rd June 2006, 16:03

"Im afraid I dont have any answer for that. Its not been noted. One of the clerks may have pressed the wrong button or something!"

Im currently writing a letter of complaint off to the AA in relation the the way the account was handled. In specfic im looking for any part of the data protection act that may have been breached by the above.

Someone has looked at the account, cancelled the insurance and made no note why. The insurance was not even due to have been cancelled.

If anyone can help this will be greatly appreciated.

I also received another letter from the AA today stating the insurance was cancelled on the 14th June and that a refund of £350 had been given, this would be credited to my bank shortly. letter also stated that they confirmed I had one years no claims.

Phone them up to query this and was told

Quote:

"this is a standard letter we send out to people, you have no refund coming and i can confirm you have no no claims."

The way this company runs gets more shocking by the moment!

powerful_rogue · 24th June 2006, 02:12

Is anyone able to assist with the above at all?

I want to get the letter in the post on Monday, and would like to quote any part of the Data Protection Act they may have breached.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

benjee · 24th June 2006, 13:36

Most Insurers need proof of no claims (ncb) from the previous company - if a claim is still going through then this can effect your proof of ncb until the claim is resolved.

Anyway, Whether they deny the letter or not (refund), if you have it then that is proof enough, same as the one recived re: cancelling on 20th. They have given proof of this to you and must honour it.

Make copies of both, and send with your complaint to the relevant complaints address.
I dont think there is a Data Protection Act issue, more a keying error on AA's part which they should own up to.
If anything they should admit fault and re-instate or re-imburse. Mention they have not followed procedure which was stated to you.
Most systems will log a user id when a transaction is done so notes are not always needed as the user id should still log that the policy had been cancelled under a transaction history which they should be able to see if you enquire.

Sounds like they could be denying knowledge but in reality know whats happened, aka fobbing off.

Good luck.

powerful_rogue · 24th June 2006, 14:53

Benjee,

Many thanks for your advice.

Its just the fact they said a clerk must have pressed the wrong button when looking at the account and that they had no further information.

Just seemed a bit shoody to me.

Thanks for the advice though.

Keithowedalot · 25th June 2006, 02:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by powerful_rogue

Tesco (who are usless) are currently dealing with this incident along with my soliciator because I suffered whiplash. I am claiming off the registered owners insuraance.

Are you also having problems with the claims department? I've been trying to settle an accident from last year, we have a police report from the scene including witness statements and they still won't put pressure on the other side to settle!

powerful_rogue · 25th June 2006, 10:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithowedalot

Are you also having problems with the claims department? I've been trying to settle an accident from last year, we have a police report from the scene including witness statements and they still won't put pressure on the other side to settle!

It was my partner that had the accident, but I was in the car at the time. Car crashed into the front of us after driving too quickly around a bend.

Driver got out and ran off, left two passengers behind - one of which had a head injury because she wasnt wearing a seat belt.

Anyway, turns out the registered owner of the vehilce lent it to him knowing that he had no insurance etc, so we are claiming of her insurance.

All was going well until Tesco said "were not going to deal with this anymore because youve got a soliciator to deal with you injury. He cadn do it". I wouldnt mind but this was 4 months after I told Tesco I had a soliciator dealing and they said it was fine.

Insurance companies are a waste of space. They are expensive and too slow.

Logan21 · 25th June 2006, 13:32

ok a couple of things here, although the person came round and hit you, her insurance company maybe disputing liability. Another thing I am surprised that her insurance company are even considering paying because although she lent the car to him and she knew he was uninsured, her insurance company dont have any duty to payout at all as he wasnt a named driver and so there is no binding contract with them for him driving.

on the subject of the NCB unless a claim is settled and your company make a recovery then regardless of fault it goes against your ncb. If however they have sent you a letter saying you have 1ncb they have to honour it.

powerful_rogue · 25th June 2006, 13:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Logan21

ok a couple of things here, although the person came round and hit you, her insurance company maybe disputing liability. Another thing I am surprised that her insurance company are even considering paying because although she lent the car to him and she knew he was uninsured, her insurance company dont have any duty to payout at all as he wasnt a named driver and so there is no binding contract with them for him driving.

on the subject of the NCB unless a claim is settled and your company make a recovery then regardless of fault it goes against your ncb. If however they have sent you a letter saying you have 1ncb they have to honour it.

It got to the point where a male from the insurance company came to look at my vehicle and gave me a value. He told me I would receive the cheque within the next week. Shortly after this Tesco said they were no longer going to handle my claim as you cant have two soliciators working on the same case?!

Needless to say the cheque didnt arrive. This was 2 months ago now!
I was told that I will be able to claim off this womans insurance as she knowingly lent the vehicle to a male that did not have insurance. I was told that the insurance company will pay out and then they will claim it back off the female.

surreyscouse · 26th June 2006, 17:42

ok a couple of things here.

When somebody is uninsured, there is a protocol between insurers that say the last known insurer of the vehicle will deal with the third partys (you) claim. It is not really anything to do with the fact she allowed him to drive it.

Secondly, with regards to the AA, they must give you a 7 day notice period before cancelling the policy, hence the dates given in their initial letter. So they have gone right against the grain in cancelling it early. Report them to the FSA. They won't really do a great deal for you but if enough people report them then they are forced to act. However, when composing your letter make sure you tell them you will be contacting the FSA (up to you whether you do it or not).

The guy who came to inspect your vehicle was probably an engineer. He can only agree a value on the vehicle and does not have the authority to issue cheques and say when it will arrive. I would probably be inclined to think that the ladies insurers may be disputing liability on this as it is not in their interest to issue cheques slowly as you could well be claiming for a hire car which wil cost them a fortune.

Am i to assume that you did not have comprehensive cover ? I say that because tescos aren't doing anything for you

stuart.g · 27th June 2006, 03:20

I thought there was a slush fund insurers belong too that will help pay a claim in the event of an uninsured driver causing an accident.

craigwalton · 27th June 2006, 09:24

Yeah, there is, it is the MIB, they pay for claims against uninsured drivers.

powerful_rogue · 27th June 2006, 10:38

Thanks for all your help people. Regarding the accident, Just going to have to sit and wait. Ive got an accident soliciator dealing with it all now as Tesco was useless. Im just gald I paid the extra £20 for legal cover at the time.

Regarding the AA, I sent a letter off to them on Monday complaining about the very poor service I have received. Juts waiting to hear back now.

surreyscouse · 27th June 2006, 11:17

the MIB do deal with uninsured drivers but the vast majority of claims are for untraced drivers. They only deal with uninsured drivers where the last know insurers cannot be found although that should be a lot easier with the motor insurers database that came into effect a couple of years ago

powerful_rogue · 25th July 2006, 18:49

To give an update, on the 26th June I sent the following letter:

Quote:

AA Insurance Services
PO Box 2AA
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE99 2AA

123 ABC Road
My Town
My County
AB12 CDE

26th June 2006
Policy Number 123456

Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to make you aware of the concerns I have over the way my account has been handled recently.

Back in February I was involved in a non fault RTC. Enquiries are still on going with Tesco insurance with whom my policy was held at the time. When my policy expired in May, I decided to conduct my business with yourself. However, whilst I was under the impression I had one years no claims which I declared on the application form, I was then informed that Tesco insurance would not honour this whilst an investigation was still in process.

I made numerous telephone calls to your company after receiving letters from yourself, and every time I was promised a call back with a new premium based around zero years no claims.

My concerns started when a call was never received from yourselves. Eventually after more telephone calls instigated by myself, this problem was rectified and a new premium was agreed.

On 6th June I purchased a new vehicle and contacted yourself to get my policy altered. I received a letter in the post with the new premium and a new a certificate of insurance. The letter stated I must sign the certificate and return it in the pre-paid envelope provided by the 20th June 2006. Failure to do this would result in my insurance being cancelled.

I returned the completed form to you on the 1

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