Quick run down,

Needed to insure my van, done it through compare the market. Got happy quote and took out the policy.

My van then after 9 days unfortunately broke and to expensive to repair, a friend offered a cheap car to get me through so i rang gladiator to swap it over. They could do it but it turned out to be £95 extra even though its a smaller cc engine.

So they say they will cancel the policy and because its within the 14 days i will be entitled to £14 refund (from £64 up front fee already paid) and put me through to sales BUT said i needed to listen to a recorded message. Message played and i carried on doing other stuff as you do.

Sales could not help me as they could not match the quote i had already got from else where, so that, as i thought was the end of it and expected a refund of mentioned £14.

Today I received a letter from them asking for proof of no claims so i thought kill two birds with one stone here as not received money and they had not cancelled direct debit and had also took £19.99 from my account a week after the cancellation.

Rang and told them the policy was cancelled and man whom i spoke with at that time said he cancelled the policy, she said did he play you the auto mated message, i said yes but did not understand it. She then said , well it says in the message that you have to ring us back again to cancel, i can cancel this with you now but you need to pay US £17 now ! so from them owing me just under £35 i now owe them !

Unbelievable , Should i ring them back and say that when i was on hold listening to underhand dribble did you not hear me say that any communications with myself incur costs of £50 a time..

really what is it coming too

Eggy12

Make a formal complaint in writing following the complaints procedure shown in the policy documents. If you cannot resolve within 8 weeks, you can take it to the FOS. They should have taken your cancellation instructions on the first phone call. Putting some requirement on an IVR to have to phone back to cancel, is not satisfactory. Cancellations processes are covered by FSA rules, which require the process to be made clear to customers. This company have failed in this requirement to make the process clear.

kk thanks will do

They just rely on ppl's ignorance and thinking they can get away with it

Thank god for this site

Eggy12

Ref. blah blah blah

Dear sirs.

After taking out Insurance with your company I find myself extremely dissatisfied with the way the cancellation procedure followed through.

I first took out van insurance with yourselves and was initially happy with the customer service and how smoothly it seemed to flow.

However after finding my vehicle after some 9 days had suffered a major break down, I had no choice but to replace it. I then

rang your offices to swap over from van to car policy. I was told this would be no problem and Gentleman told me he would cancel the policy as I requested and re quote, that he did as well as tell me I am due refund of £14.

After cancelling the policy and finding he could not match the quote I had been given from elsewhere he then asked me to listen to an auto mated message, followed by advice to ring a “sister” company that also could not match the quote given to me.

This is where the conversation there ended.

After some time I check my bank details and have found you have taken out a direct debit for £19.99 a week after the policy was cancelled. I have now cancelled this direct debit.

The following day I received a letter from yourselves asking proof of no claims bonus, I rang to say the policy was cancelled but was met by disbelief upon hearing your operator tell me it was not cancelled and was still live. After explaining to the lady what had occurred she then went on to tell me that if i had followed the automated message I would have had to ring back and cancel again and she would cancel the policy now, followed by I have an outstanding debt of £17.

You should have taken your cancellation instructions on the first phone call. Putting some requirement on an IVR

to have to phone back to cancel, is not satisfactory. Cancellations processes are covered by FSA rules, which require the process

to be made clear to customers. Your company have failed in this requirement to make the process clear.

I hope this matter was a mistake and can be resolved with out delay and not to be moved onto the FOS. (Financial Ombudsman Service)

I await a refund of the £14 as promised and the £19.99 direct debit taken from my bank account after the policy was cancelled.

Eggy12

There's a good chance the complaint letter will work but playing devils advocate, if he advised you to listen to a recorded message about cancelling and you did not action the instructions they may deny the complaint and possibly the Ombudsman may as well.

It's well worth complaining though

Dear Eggy12

Thank you for your email. As Quality Manager for Gladiator I have looked at our file and would like to reply to your concerns.

There clearly has been confusion surrounding the cancellation of your policy. You were transferred to our Sales Department for a quotation only on 14th March 2013. The policy was not cancelled as you did not instruct us to do so and the alternative quotation was not accepted. I am sorry you have experienced poor communication and misunderstood the procedures followed. As the policy was not cancelled, we continued cover and therefore applied for payment in accordance with the direct debit agreement.

As an intermediary specialising in commercial vehicle insurance we are unable to simply change the vehicle on a policy from a van to a car with the same insurer. We have the facility to place the vehicle with an alternative insurer starting a new policy and I apologise this option was not suitable for you.

We are regulated by the financial Services Authority and are procedures are fully compliant to their requirements and recommendations.

As we were unable to accommodate your needs I have asked our Accounts Department to reverse the instalment of £19.19 taken and honour the £14.17 refund agreed, as ideally the policy should have cancelled at this time, if we had spoken with you to confirm this was your wish.

At Gladiator we aim to work with our customers to resolve all complaints fairly. While I hope my response answers your concerns, I understand you may have further queries or more information you would like us to consider. You are still welcome to contact me on 0844 848 4302, or via e-mail. Should you remain dissatisfied, you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the date of this letter. I have enclosed the leaflet ‘Your Complaint and the Ombudsman’

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/consumer-leaflet.htm