Dual Insurance??

[enrico]

Hi,

I changed mortgages about 18 months ago and also took the opportunity to change my home and contents insurance from Countrywide to Norwich Union. I have since found out that Countrywide never actually cancelled my policy with them and have continued to take my monthly premiums from my bank account. I contacted them and have now had confirmation that my policies have been cancelled but wondered if there was any course of action, against Countrywide, available to me?

I am told that there is such a thing as 'Dual Insurance Law' but I'm drawing a blank on Google when searching for details of it.

Does anyone have a letter template detailing what I should be saying to Countrywide, or can anyone help me with correct terminology I shoul be using in a letter, in this instance?

Cheers

[LemonTwist]

When Countrywide agreed to cancel your policy, did they refund the monthly premiums that you were charged in error?

Dual insurance is legal - if you had a claim whilst both policies were in force, both insurers would have shared the cost of the claim. So as long as you are given your premiums back, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[enrico]

No they didn't. They made no comment whatsoever when I told them I had also been insured with NU.

I did have cause to make a claim with NU a couple of months back but, as I was not aware that my policy with Countrywide was still in existence I did not claim on it.

Countrywide claim to have no record of my previous cancellation however it seems very unfair to me that they have been able to claim 18 months of premiums from me and not offer anything back to me. Are they legally obliged to offer me some form of recompense or do I just have write this off and make sure I keep a keener eye on my direct debits from now on??

[barracad]

How can they have taken the monthly premium eighteen times without your knowledge?

Surely you must have been aware the payments were leaving your account?

[enrico]

As per my previous post - I'll have to keep a keener eye on my directs debits from now on. I did not even realise they were still going out until I regsitered for online banking and got a list of all the direct debits leaving my account.

[gyzmo]

Usually if you can provide evidence of another insurance policy in effect and have not made a claim during the period of dual insurance then most insurers will provide a refund though it may not be full.

You will be much better off writing in because most insurance staff in call centres have not a clue about insurance and will tell you instantly, without any idea what they are on about or ability to justify what they say that you have committed a crime. As said, you can have as many insurance policies as you want so long as a claim is shared amongst them and not a claim off each one.

[vusys1]

both companies should shoud refund 50% of the paid premums for the period of dual insurance, however as you have now made a claim with NU that would have also been covered by CW, they may ask CW for 50% of the costs of the claim, or CW may offer you 100% refund of your premiums (if 50% of the cost of the claim is higher than the refund this is what they usually do).

Start the ball rolling by sending in a letter & copies of your renewal schedules from NU

[kennythecelt]

Hi enrico.

I hate to say it and even more to admit it but the same happened to me. I should have checked my debits but thought they were for another policy I had with them. No excuse I know!1

I managed to get all the premiums back from the first insurance company, Legal and General and it was relatively straight forward.

As has been said, you will need proof of the newer policy, the fact you made a claim on the new policy but not on the old can be demostrated.

It should all be done in writing, not by phone.

Here is a link to my earlier post.

Please help - list of common failures

Good luck, but the message I learnt and I hope others will too, confirming Barracads point, we all need to check our statements and not trust the institutions.