To think that what my previous car insurer does is not within my control!

[Lauriefairycake]

I've taken out new car insurance at £409. They took ages to send me the documents and then said I had to provide proof of no-claims from my previous insurer. I called them and they said they could only post it and it would take up to 10 days.

I've had another bill from new insurer saying they are now charging me £809 as I have 'failed to provide proof of no-claims'.
And that they are just going to take it from my direct debit

Called previous car insurer and they did the 'oh, it must have got lost in the post and we'll send another one' and then they tried to sell me insurance again

I can't make them can I !

How long ago did you set up the new insurance?

I thought changing providers, you were allowed a month's grace to provide no claims (a bit fuzzy as I haven't changed providers for over 3 years!)

And/or can't you tell new providers about old provider's laziness mistake and get old to fax proof over to new, with promise of hard copy to follow within x days?

Old insurer refuse to do anything apart from post it but have said new insurer can call them so I've just told new insurer that and they are refusing to call them as it's 'up to me to provide proof on no claims'.

It's been about 6 weeks - they didn't even tell me that they needed proof until a month had passed as they had sent the new documents 'but they must have got lost in the post' and they had to re-send them.

Cancel the direct debit. Phone your bank and say the new insurance company are trying to fraudulently take money.

Name and shame please.

Am bloody sick of insurance bastard fucking companies.

I had a similar problem a few years ago, in the end the old insurance company faxed it across as the new company were incompetent fools.

Did you not receive a renewal notice from your old insurers? Usually there's something in there which shows your NCD entitlement and would be accepted by the new insurer.

When we changed we had to sent our renewal quote from the old ins company as interim proof until the proper proof of no claims came through. Could you do this?

There was nothing in the renewal notice apart from 'your insurance is going to cost you £800, please call the line to renew"

The new company is SANTANDER - 'coincidentally' on watchdog last night.

"Cancel the direct debit. Phone your bank and say the new insurance company are trying to fraudulently take money."

You almost certainly signed for paying the full un-discounted rate if you can't prove your NCD, so talking about fraud is a bit premature. I had a fairly torrid time of it, because I was taking out the first insurance in my own name after fifteen years of company cars, and the proof of my five years' (all they'd take, but in reality fifteen years') NCD was with multiple insurance companies. It took some tense phone calls to get sorted out. It's much easier to do if you have the proofs: these days the insurance companies largely contract it out to a clearing house, and they'll take scans, so you can have the paper copies in your hands and then email them the scans.