Insurance paperwork says I should be paying less than I already am...

[mantisinc]

Hi guys,

 

I insured my car (206) with Quinn Direct in September 2008, as I'd just passed my test. They offered me the cheapest quote being an 18 year old driver, so I certainly took them up on it.

 

The quote I received was about £1500 anually, which paid monthly, was £140 a month, (give or take a few pounds).

 

I was the named driver with my dad as the main driver, and we filled out the quote and went ahead and purchased the insurance. We got a confirmation call confirming the insurance, and all was sorted.

 

However, as I went to university, I took the insurance off the car september 2009, and then wanted to reinsure it again this summer. Come September 2009, because I'd been driving for a year, the insurance had halved to £70 a month.

 

The strange this is - and this is where my problem comes in - was when I was looking through the letters they intitally sent me (or, my dad, who it was addressed to). On the intital first years insurance, sep 08 - sep 09, the paperwork in the letter stated a monthly figure way off £140 - but £56. It stated that an initial deposit of £140 would be paid when the insurance policy started, and then a month payment of £56.61 for the next 12 months. This was consistent throughout the paperwork, and included the direct debt agreement for the amount of £56.61 per month. Despite this, I was still paying £140 per month for that entire year.

 

Why we didn't pick up on the fact the paperwork sent through said we should be paying far less before, I don't know. But I can see this as two possibilities:

 

1. There was a total mistake on the paperwork, and in fact it should have stated I was supposed to be paying £140 a month, not £56.61.

 

2. I should have been paying £56.61 a month (which is incredibly cheap), but £140 a month was being taken out.

 

What I want to know, is that if it is outcome 1, and it was a mistake on Quinn Direct's behalf - because the contractual agreement and direct debit confirmation stated I should have been paying less, can I claim back the extra money I was paying? Or - would it be regarded as a simple mistake on their end, they cocked up the paperwork, and I should still have been paying the £140 a month?

 

Sorry for the rate long winded story - I do hope it makes sense, and any help in this situation would be greatly appreciated!

[unclebulgaria67]

You might be able to get a refund for the difference, if you make an official complaint to Quinn. If the documents, in particular the credit agreement, shows the wrong payments, Quinn have stitched themselves up. Quinn would have breached the consumer credit act by collecting payments different from the credit agreement.

 

Suggest that you send Quinn a written complaint by recorded delivery, with a photocopy of the relevant pages. Don't send the originals, as they could bin these together with your letter.

 

You could contact Consumer Direct for their advice before you send the letter.