Subject Access Request - Groupama delaying tactics ?!?!?!?!

[LittleMissSunshine]

Hiya,

I am writing this on behalf of a friend who has problems with his insurance and in desperate need of help before taking the insurance company to the Financial Services Authorities.

Brief background
Accident where he was hit from behind happened in 2004, car write off, friend longlasting injuries. Insurers admitted fault without contacting my friend (found out with Data Protection Act request last year). Subsequent accident later that same year, my friend not in the car, but car was smashed by other car reversing, car again write off. This was thankfully all on video from home security and other party admitted fault.

Over the past 2 years my friend has been trying to solve the claims, and get money for personal injury and losses due to the accident.
Insurers kept mocking my friend around, moving him from pillar to post by telephone and subsequently he ran out of time. The lawyer from the broker (the AA) has been worthless, as they couldnt act because of the admitting of liability by the insurance company (again found out last year due to Subject Access Request)


My friend wants to solve this now once and for all and need some help. So the questions which I hope you can help him with are:

Using the guideline from the Information Commisionars Office a Subject Access Request was requested relating to the 2nd vehicle. A reply came today which states he MUST fill in their form and state exactly which information he wants. This seems directly contradictory to the law granting a Subject Access Request. Because how can he know what information he wants if he doesnt have it.
So is this normal practice?
Or is there a legal phrase where he can legitamately accuse the insurers of deliberatly waisting time, with what seems to be an internal form.

Has anyone else experience with Groupama who seem to move offices so often no one can keep track of them (MI5 might now ).

They have cocked up severly over the past as in one letter stating 'no we never ask for licence' and in a following letter stating 'yes we asked for your licence but have lost it' :o

Can the 40 days of Subject Access Request be started as this letter acknowledges the first formal request?


The whole situation is a complete mess and needs to be solved, but no one is willing to help out.

Hope someone here can give some advice


Cheers
LMS

[harrythehawk]

Hi, I used to work for Groupama and they closed a number of Offices in the UK in 2004, being a French Company the French Employees offered to strike in sympathy !! Anyway, the motor and claims were all handled in Manchester so I would try there otherwise the HO for the UK is in London, try the link for details Groupama Insurances - Contact Us - Post / Telephone

[craigwalton]

As long as your letter states subject access request and you have enclosed your fee then they do not have to insist it be completed on their form.

To speed up your friends request though I would write back and advise you have done everything necessary, but for clarification the information you wish is all that is reasonably accessible under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998.