Hastings Admin Fee's

[ajacklin]

I'm just wondering where I stand with admin fee's,

 

I've just had to phone up to add commuting to my motor insurance policy.

 

It was a five minute phone call and there was no change to the price of the policy just a £35 admin fee!

 

I didn't moan at the time as they previously waived an admin fee

(I didn't realise I had to declare windscreens and cancelled claims when setting up the policy)

 

I had to do a fair bit of moaning to get that one waived and didn't want to push my luck

but seriously how can it cost £35 to add something to an existing policy?

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

Hi ajacklin,

 

Thanks for taking the time to post here on CAG about our fees.

 

To help keep our premiums competitive for everyone,

fees enable us to share the cost of any extra work that is created.

 

We believe fees represent a fair way to ask customers who create additional work,

for example, by changing their car or moving house which effectively means

we have to re-rate their policy and reissue all the documentation, to help share some of the cost.

 

If you would like to discuss this further or if there is anything I can do to help please let me know. Many Thanks, Jamie

[email protected]

Edited September 24, 2012 by Hastings Direct. Joe - Social Media Customer Support
add email address

[ajacklin]

Thank you, however does re-rating my policy and re-issuing documents cost you £35? The person I spoke to on the phone had done everything quicker than I'd been on hold waiting to speak to someone.

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

Hi ajacklin, when you make a change on your policy there is aministrative tasks that have to be carried out,

 

these tasks continue further than just the phone call made to one of our call centre staff.

 

For example, any change made has to be updated on all systems and documentation to ensure that if you have an accident

you are appropriately covered.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to post,

 

I hope my responses have been helpful.

 

Thanks, Jamie

[Scrimmo]

hey ajacklin, I'm astounded you got even one admin fee waived...I spent around an hour on the phone to several "advisers" at Hastings Direct to try and resolve an issue that was between my previous insurers and them.

Guess who's being landed with the £35 admin fee???

And it's non refundable and non negotiable.

And cancelling the policy will cost me a fortune so I'm stuck with them.

Needless to say I won't be using them again and the more people I can tell not to use them the better ;-)

In the same week I took out a building and contents policy with Swinton and they rang me to welcome me as a new customer!!!!

 

Rant over, thanks for listening,

Scrimmo

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

Hi Scrimmo, Thanks for posting. I am sorry to hear you are not happy and that this has caused you to feel stuck. If you send me your policy details I would be happy to look into this for you? Many Thanks, Jamie [email protected]

[Scrimmo]

Hi Jamie, why would you be able to do anything different to the other 5 people I've spoken to about this?

I was so angry with the last person I spoke to, I just slammed the phone down and accepted that I've been screwed by another big company that don't care once they have your money.

I threatened to go to the small claims court to get my money back, but that's a lot of hassle for £35...

Cheers

Steve

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

Hi Steve, I appreciate that this has caused you stress and I may not be able to do anything different. However I always try to take the opportunity to look into things for people who are unhappy, we aim to have happy Customers not to be perceived as a big company who don't care as you have said. Many Thanks, Jamie

[blindcatz]

Phoned hastings direct today to inform them of a address change something i thought was a pretty routine event, i even stupidly thought it might even reduce my policy as my bike was now in a more secure location. I thought changing address is something quite important as where would you send documents or bill otherwise. I was on phone 5 mins and they wanted me to pay the £35 admin. I did the same thing for my car insurance (another company) and that was free all part of the service. I could understand a small charge but that is just insulting to your customers. Ended up endin the policy, stopping direct debits. Good mind to send my own invoice in for my own admin work in phoning the bank and opening another policy with another insurer.

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

Hi blindcatz, Thanks for taking the time to post. I am sorry to read that you are unhappy with the administration charges on your policy. I am sure you have read my responses on this thread, if you would like to discuss specific details about your policy please feel free to get in touch with me directly. [email protected] Many Thanks, Jamie

[blindcatz]

QUOTE=Hastings Direct. Jamie Wicks.Social Media Manager;4080608]Hi blindcatz, Thanks for taking the time to post. I am sorry to read that you are unhappy with the administration charges on your policy. I am sure you have read my responses on this thread, if you would like to discuss specific details about your policy please feel free to get in touch with me directly.

 

Hi thanks Jamie but sadly there is nothing to discuss if i can get similar quotes from other companies and they have little or no admin fee then i will go with them. Co-op for example quoted a policy similar to Hastings direct and when asked stated they require £25 to update details.

Still expensive but still cheaper than Hastings direct. Call center staff out of interest how much do they get paid a hour even after a five minute call if they spent the next hour on the computer hand writing my details, licking stamps and posting the updated policy to head office i expect they still wouldn't see near too £10 a hour. What I expect from a insurance company is for them to take my details, quote me a price based on my driving experience and previous claims, that price should should account for the paper letters and service charge for any odd call but essentially I'm paying for a service. That service would fall apart if my details are incorrect so its in your interest as well as mine that those details are correct. Add to the fact that most the communication is electronic what ever service charge there is should be cheaper. The only extra cost i can think that there might be is having to pay a media manger to try and explain the charges and dress it up to make it sound justified.

Edited December 18, 2012 by blindcatz
grammer

[georgiahinton]

I too have just had entailed an admin fee of £33.00 for changing my address. Not only that, but my partner also changed his recently as did so for free and had his insurance lowered as we are classed to live in a safer area.

I will not be going with Hastings direct again if this is the case. It is an excessive amount to pay for what they actually have to do. Yes, i understand papers have to be re printed and sent out along with computer information updated! But if other insurance companies can offer it for free and lower the cost of your insurance, than why can't hastings direct?!

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

Hi georgiahinton, thank you for taking the time to post here about your experience with Hastings. I am sorry to hear you are unhappy with the administration fee charged, if you would like to discuss this further please get in contact with us directly. [email protected] Many Thanks, Jamie

[dacouc]

I too have just had entailed an admin fee of £33.00 for changing my address. Not only that, but my partner also changed his recently as did so for free and had his insurance lowered as we are classed to live in a safer area.

I will not be going with Hastings direct again if this is the case. It is an excessive amount to pay for what they actually have to do. Yes, i understand papers have to be re printed and sent out along with computer information updated! But if other insurance companies can offer it for free and lower the cost of your insurance, than why can't hastings direct?!

 

In reality the cheaper post code adjustment to your policy probably included an admin fee which was deducted from the credit you receiverd

[MintyCymru]

ME TOO

 

I moved home in November last year and changed the details MYSELF online. I then had a letter in the post telling me that the admin fee would be debited from the card I used to pay for the policy within the next 6 days or so.

 

I complained about this, considering I had done the work myself, and I work in admin and understand how simple the task is in the background. Despite that, I got a letter from a customer services leader that this is how it is, I'm welcome to take it up with the financial ombudsman. Very matter of fact and unsympathetic.

 

Well, 3 months more down the road and I get a letter, telling me that I still owe the fee! (it's £29.99 for me) and that I need to get in touch the Hastings to resolve the matter.

 

Hastings has my number, why not get in touch with me? Besides, if the funds weren't taken, why ask for them now?|

 

I will check with the bank ASAP to see if they were taken.

 

Hastings, this is really bad form. I vow that I will never again consider your services, and will warn anyone I know looking in your direction.

 

Shoddy.

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

ME TOO

 

I moved home in November last year and changed the details MYSELF online. I then had a letter in the post telling me that the admin fee would be debited from the card I used to pay for the policy within the next 6 days or so.

 

I complained about this, considering I had done the work myself, and I work in admin and understand how simple the task is in the background. Despite that, I got a letter from a customer services leader that this is how it is, I'm welcome to take it up with the financial ombudsman. Very matter of fact and unsympathetic.

 

Well, 3 months more down the road and I get a letter, telling me that I still owe the fee! (it's £29.99 for me) and that I need to get in touch the Hastings to resolve the matter.

 

Hastings has my number, why not get in touch with me? Besides, if the funds weren't taken, why ask for them now?|

 

I will check with the bank ASAP to see if they were taken.

 

Hastings, this is really bad form. I vow that I will never again consider your services, and will warn anyone I know looking in your direction.

 

Shoddy.

 

Hi, thank you for posting. Can you please send all of the relevant details to [email protected] so that this can be investigated? Many Thanks, Jamie

[MintyCymru]

I surely will Jamie.

 

Should I mark this for your attention?

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

I surely will Jamie.

 

Should I mark this for your attention?

 

Yes you can do if you like, it will come straight through to us anyway. Many Thanks, Jamie

[MintyCymru]

Hello Jamie, I sent the details as requested. Did you receive them?

 

thanks

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

Hello Jamie, I sent the details as requested. Did you receive them?

 

thanks

 

Hi, yes we did. Thank you for sending over all of the information. I have asked for this to be followed up as a matter of urgency. Apologies for the delay in responding to your email. Many Thanks, Jamie

[MintyCymru]

Thank you.

[MintyCymru]

Hello Jamie, how long would these cases usually take to resolve?

 

I only ask because the letter I had threatened to cancel my policy if I didn't pay in 14 days, and I'd hate to get to that point while we await a conclusion.

 

thanks

 

Jase.

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

Hello Jamie, how long would these cases usually take to resolve?

 

I only ask because the letter I had threatened to cancel my policy if I didn't pay in 14 days, and I'd hate to get to that point while we await a conclusion.

 

thanks

 

Jase.

 

Hi Jason, Thank you for your response. These issues can vary in the length of time taken to resolve. As such, while a complaint is ongoing all chase processes are generally put on hold. I will chase this now for you though. Many Thanks, Jamie

[unclebulgaria67]

Hi Jason, Thank you for your response. These issues can vary in the length of time taken to resolve. As such, while a complaint is ongoing all chase processes are generally put on hold. I will chase this now for you though. Many Thanks, Jamie

 

Jamie it is great that you are here to help. But can you feed it back to Hastings management that they appear to be the most complained about company on CAG, with most complaints being about the claims service. Something is not quite right with the way claims are dealt with, which is causing extreme frustration. It may simply be a case of ensuring better communications throughout the claims process, so the policyholder can be fully engaged as to how the claim is going to be dealt with.

[Hastings Direct. Joe - Soc]

Jamie it is great that you are here to help. But can you feed it back to Hastings management that they appear to be the most complained about company on CAG, with most complaints being about the claims service. Something is not quite right with the way claims are dealt with, which is causing extreme frustration. It may simply be a case of ensuring better communications throughout the claims process, so the policyholder can be fully engaged as to how the claim is going to be dealt with.

 

Thank you unclebulgaria, I will certainly pass on your feedback. We are constantly reviewing our processes and trying to improve the service that we provide. The feedback we receive on this site is vital to that work. Many Thanks, Jamie