Co-op/Eco Insurance - dispute of NCD

[EveOwes]

Hi

 

I'm waging war on some of the greedy corporations I've had to deal with lately!! I hate them with a passion right now.

 

Anyway, I'm having a problem cancelling my car insurance policy with Co-op/Eco Insurance. I was insured with the Co-op for years up until March 2010 when my car was written off. Not my fault and claim was paid for by the other party. I had a full NCD when my insurance ended at that point (as I didn't replace the car).

 

In June 2012 I took over the ownership of my daughter's Clio (1.2 ltr teeny weeny engine). I went onto Compare the Market for an insurance quote. I included in the fields that I had full NCD and was presented with several quotes. The small print in these quotes indicated that my NCD policy was not to be more than 2 years since it was active, but the Co-op one said they accepted up to 3 years since you last had a policy in your name. So I selected this and went ahead with the quote - can't remember whether I completed the transaction online or whether I rang them.

 

Anyway, I get all my docs through with a request for proof of NCD. I told them to check their files etc. But it turns out that my policy is with Eco insurance even though the Co-op name also appears as the most prominent on the paperwork. Eco only accept up to 2 years since your last policy. The Co-op website itself (I accessed this via the car insurance link on my Co-op banking website) clearly states 3 years.

 

So, Eco want to charge me a stupid amount of money to insure this little car. If I was going to lose my NCD I could have accepted any number of other quotes cheaper than Co-op (Eco). They won't accept this even though I've been arguing with them for months about it. I've reported them to the ombudsman who has sent me a form to complete and has also written to them advising of my complaint.

 

I have to wait for them to respond. However, my last conversation with them they said it would cost me £200 to cancel. I refuse to pay it, so they will not cancel the policy, therefore making it impossible for me to insure with another company.

 

It is costing me £130/month to insure the Clio when previously I had a beefy Mercedes insured for £35/month. I feel robbed, genuinely. Not just because of the price hike but because of the way they handle things eg putting me with Eco insurance and not the Co-op proper??? I can't figure it out.

 

I've tried recreating the compare the market set up but the quotes page appears different than it did in June and I'm not getting that small print anymore that convinced me to take out the Co-op insurance in the first place. And they do not state up front that they will shunt you over to Eco when you take out a policy.

 

Call centre staff are the worst in the world to deal with and I've got to the point where I don't want to call them anymore. I feel like they treat people as dirt and have no regard for people's rights as customers. They won't accept they've mislead me in any way. They just don't get it.

 

I took out insurance with the Co-op - not Eco. How can I be at fault?

 

Any advice before I complete these forms? I still haven't received a response from the Co-op/Eco or whoever. I'm wondering whether I need to write to the insurer to formally lodge my complaint even though I've told them over the phone that this is a formal complaint. And who do I write to anyway?

 

Confused.com

 

Thanks

Eve

[unclebulgaria67]

Had you spoken to Coop when arranging the new policy, you would not have got into this position. Coop will allow a gap of up to 3 years in regard to no claim discount proof, where you have not driven/needed Insurance. The key word is UP, which suggests that for some applications it may not be 3 years. The Coop internet site will no doubt also cover in the small print about some policies being arranged under Eco Insurance.

 

If you phoned and arranged a policy today with Coop ( not ECO) allowing your NCD proof to be used, it will no doubt be cheaper than the ECO policy. Perhaps you should phone the Coop complaints department to see how you can get this resolved. It does not make sense for Coop or you to get the FOS involved, when you can both try to get this resolved. The FOS will just take a lot of time and in the meantime you are stuck in a silly position.

[EveOwes]

Hi

 

I think I did phone them. I remember trying to set it up online but got a message saying they couldn't complete the transaction so I rang the number on screen and they were the Co-op! That's why I don't understand it. I think I will phone the Co-op now, today, and see what they have to say. But ultimately, they have fiddled me as far as I'm concerned - I've been mislead and mis-sold this policy. I'm not completely daft and don't often get caught out like this which is why I'm adament that they are at fault.

 

I will post their response. Thanks for your suggestion.

 

Eve

[EveOwes]

Hi

 

I took your advice and phoned the Co-op and after much ranting and raving they put me through to a 'line manager' at Eco!!! Spent 10 mins arguing with her about the facts of the case. She pointed out, quite rightly I suppose, that I had ticked the T&C box as read, but I never read them - not that there's any guarantee it mentioned last use of NCD on there, but hey!

 

Anyway, I was in tears eventually (frustration and anger, not sorrow) and she relented. I was gobsmacked - she just cancelled the charge and now they are going to send me a small refund. I'm so pleased about that.

 

I have been onto the Co-op since then to put my insurance where it was meant to be in the first place - just waiting for them to call me back about the extent of the NCD they are going to let me have. So, whichever way I look at it, I've had a good result today.

 

Eve