Insurance Policy Cancelled - What Are My Rights?

[angerisanenergy]

Hi there, apologies if this isn't the correct forum, and for the longest post in history

 

On Feb 6th this year I took out new insurance policy with CIS. I paid in full immediately and they sent docs via email. All good so far.

Then they sent an email requesting proof of the 7 years NCB that I had stated on the application. The email said I must sent this by 27th Feb 2014. Due to work pressure and what-not I didn't send the NCB proof - that was my fault, for sure. However on 24th Feb (3 days before the email deadline) they sent me a mailed letter to my home which said that they would cancel the policy at 23:59 on 5th Feb 2014 if the NCB proof was not presented to them. I received that letter on Mar 4th - I've no idea where it had been since they geenrated it on 24th Feb.

 

I contacted, with haste, my previous insurer who sent my proof to me. I forwarded that proof to CIS at 17:48 on 5th Feb 2014. I thought nothing more about this and went to work, in my car as usual, today. When I got to work I received an email at 09:19 saying that CIS could not process the NCB proof as the policy was inactive and I should contact customer services urgently, which I, of course, did. That conversation did not go so well, as instead of being inactive the policy was cancelled. I asked if they could re-instate the policy - NO. Could I have a new quote - NO. CIS, once they cancel a policy, will not issue another to the same driver?!? Really? So, I asked what can be done. I was told I would have to pay for the privilege of CIS cancelling my policy the princely sum of £50. I objected to the cancellation charge as I had not cancelled the policy, they had. At the time of this discussion I didn't have the letter they had sent me to hand, so wasn't absolutely sure of the precise wording.

I then arranged a new insurance policy through a different company - duly notifying them that I did have a previously cancelled policy (the 1st time in my driving history this has ever happened incidentally). They quoted me about £100+ compared with what they had quoted me during my initial insurance hunt in early Feb. Nevertheless, I took the policy and now was legally allowed to drive my car. I went home and read the letter to make sure I understood it correctly - I had. It was a notice of cancellation on the specific date IF the NCB was not delivered to CIS.

So, I again called their customer service and was told that they couldn't refund my money for 3-5 working days!!! Are you serious? They happily took ALL my money BEFORE they issue the policy but on the cancellation they prevaricate and say 3-5 days? It takes 2 hours maximum for a CHAPS transfer typically. I then asked to speak with management or someone who can make decisions. I was refused, but the CS rep did speak with his line manager and came back to me to tell me they were offering a 'goodwill' gesture of £15 reduction on the cancellation fee. I asked if this was an acceptance of culpability on their part - NO, this was goodwill.

 

So, CIS have my money. I am now burdened with a "cancelled policy" on my insurance history which I assume will mean that I am considered a higher risk and therefore premiums will be higher in the future. And, I drove my car without insurance (fortunately not calamities occurred) to work thinking I had insurance when I didn't.

 

I spoke with the Insurance Ombudsman today who told me I must give a formal written complaint to CIS and allow them to go through their process to determine what, if anything, they will do to appease me. I sent an email to cis.complaintsATcis.co.uk explaining my experiences with this cancellation. I understand from the ombudsman that I can wait upto 8 weeks for this decision process after which they can intervene and determine an independent decision.

 

So, finally, here's my question. What are my rights here? Can I expect CIS to return my premium money promptly - faster than 3-5 days? Can I expect CIS to completely waive the cancellation charge they applied? Can I hope that CIS will remove the "cancelled policy" flag on their system to allow me to get future insurance without extra costs? And, did CIS give the necessary notification about the cancellation of my policy? That is, informing me at 09:19 when it had been cancelled at midnight the previous day, causing me to drive, unwittingly, without insurance?

 

Any advice or help would be gratefully received.

[Bazooka Boo]

You do mean Co-op insurance services?

 

Just looking at their website, and it states they charge a flat fee of £35 to cancel IF your outside of the 14 day cooling off period.

STAY OFF the phone, your talking to drones reading off a script, put everything in writing and exhaust their complaints procedure so that

you can escalate this quicker.

http://www.co-operativeinsurance.co.uk/carinsurance/fees-and-charges

[angerisanenergy]

Thanks for the quick response.

 

Yes, I did mean Co-op Insurance Services.

 

I was outside of that 14 day cooling off period. I was told the cancellation charge would be £50 and the "goodwill" reduced it to £35. Bunch of lying drones

 

Does that charge apply even when THEY have instigated the cancellation? Surely, the weblink you posted talks about the insuree, not the insurer, cancelling. I would expect to pay a charge if I had cancelled, but not the other way round.

 

Have you any experience of the removal of the cancellation flag for my future insurance policies? Will I be able to have this nullified and return to my 'cleanliness' (I feel dirty somehow now)?

[f16]

I think your thread would get more response on the insurance forum

I've let Site Team Know

F16

[ims21]

Thread moved to the insurances forum

[unclebulgaria67]

This type of cancellation should not affect you at all. There is no central database recording of such a cancellation, so no flag, no black list. When Insurers cancel a policy, then will enter the reason for cancellation. It is generally only the ones where there is fraud, non disclosure, that are the problem.

 

You will need to follow the complaints process through with CIS and go to the FOS if necessary. You should have had at least 7 days notice of cancellation, so you were not driving around uninsured. Upon cancellation CIS should refund you the amount due promptly, although the rules do not state the number of days. CIS can charge the relevant cancellation fee in regard to costs they have incurred.

 

I suspect at the end of the complaint, you will get some form of apology, which will state that this type of cancellation is not notifyable to future insurers or should not cause you any problem. They will say that their letter advising of the cancellation was issued on 24th Feb and have no idea why it only reached you on 4th March. ( in truth these large Insurers print thousands of documents every day and it can be days before they are actually posted)

[angerisanenergy]

thanks for the news that this type of cancellation would not affect me going forward - that is great to hear.

 

I've initiated the formal complaints procedure, but, not surprisingly, haven't heard anything from CIS yet - even an automated email response would have been something useful.

 

Yeah, I understand the document generation process and volumes for these insurance companies as I work for a software vendor that provides just such a product - however I know that CIS do not use our software The delay in delivering that printed letter is not significant to me really. I still maintain I satisfied their requirements to deliver to them before the cancellation period my proof of NCB.

 

Still, I'm kinda over it now. A good night's sleep has made me realise that there are more important things in life to worry about than some money and a little bit of inconvenience.

 

Thanks to all for your responses.

[Bazooka Boo]

Give them time to respond, usually within 7 days I would like to think?

Either way they have 8 weeks to resolve your complaint before you can escalate it.

[unclebulgaria67]

Give them time to respond, usually within 7 days I would like to think?

Either way they have 8 weeks to resolve your complaint before you can escalate it.

 

I think they have 20 days for a response, provided they have acknowledged the complaint initially within 4 days or something like that.

[angerisanenergy]

Here's quick update:

 

Yesterday CIS returned the balance of the premium (minus the £50 cancellation charge), then returned, separately the £15 deduction to the cancellation charge they offered.

 

They, still, have not acknowledged the complaint letter I sent though. I had to send this as a printed letter as they do not have any complaint email address.

 

They haven't apologized and, frankly, I don't really expect them to anymore.

 

Finally, as I said earlier, I'm over this issue now. As I've got my money back I am prepared to let this drop - which I suspect these insurance companies are used to. The consumer gets the money back and moves on. Perhaps if I was more inclined I would fell like pushing this harder.

 

Thanks for all your help and advice.

 

Case closed

[unclebulgaria67]

Here's quick update:

 

Yesterday CIS returned the balance of the premium (minus the £50 cancellation charge), then returned, separately the £15 deduction to the cancellation charge they offered.

 

They, still, have not acknowledged the complaint letter I sent though. I had to send this as a printed letter as they do not have any complaint email address.

 

They haven't apologized and, frankly, I don't really expect them to anymore.

 

Finally, as I said earlier, I'm over this issue now. As I've got my money back I am prepared to let this drop - which I suspect these insurance companies are used to. The consumer gets the money back and moves on. Perhaps if I was more inclined I would fell like pushing this harder.

 

Thanks for all your help and advice.

 

Case closed

 

This is not related to your complaint. It is simply the cancellation bit being processed. You should hear again at some point.

[Bazooka Boo]

OK so long as your happy with the outcome.