to think that if a car has been written off and the insurance company informed ME of this fact

[hardhatdonned]

That i should not be responsible for notifying another branch of the same insurance firm of this?

I've just been sent my renewal certificate through the post without warning saying payments started last week on a car that was written off following an accident in February!!!

Apparently I should have informed them that my car had been written off and they won't cancel the policy unless i send my new insurance certificate back to them .

AIBU to be absolutely frikkin fuming at them?

depends.

By another branch do you mean another address of the same insurance company, or do you mean another company under the same 'umbrella' of companies?

If the branch on main street, croyden didn't let the branch on the high street at houndslow know, then YANBU. if cross insurance didn't let happy insurance, both companies owned by Ripoff Insurances plc, but operating as seperate companies within that, then yabu.

Sorry meant another department i was still on the phone to them when i wrote my op. It's all Direct line.

ah. ta.

You off the phone now? What have they said?

Yes. That i need to return the insurance certificate before they'll cancel the policy and that I should have notified them of the write off. She really didn't understand or grasp the concept of it was them who wrote the car off and it was them who told me...she even had details of the claim on he screen in front of her...i'm dumbfounded i really am!!

[boggle] she's obviously as thick as pigshit. Perhaps you should phone back and speak to someone with an IQ higher than that of an eggplant.

Ha ha if i did that i'll flip my lid, i'm more effective as a letter writer :o they'll get the certificate back alright :o

That's terrible.

DH had an accident 2 years ago and they gave him the option of write-off - which we took as we were fortunate to have gap insurance as well. He therefore replaced car and continued insurance with the same company.

I had a car fire, and had to send back the insurance cert & V5 etc as part of the whole write off procedure. Stupidest thing was when they asked me to remove the tax disc & any belongings! Duh, the car is a burnt out shell. I also had to explain to the car tax people why I had no disc to return - but did get the tax refund eventually.

YANBU for thinking depts of the same company should communicate with each other, but, sometimes different depts of insurance companies don't communicate, may assume you are still driving the car and have taken paymant for the insurance because you haven't send the insurance certificate for the new car you're currently driving IYSWIM.

I had a similar problem when I took my motorbike off the road to get resprayed and fixed. I had to send in a SORN declaration form to the insurance company to let them know the bike was off the road and I would renew my insurance when said bike was ready to go back on the road.

YABU for expecting Direct Line to show even vague competence.

According to them "the car came round the corner on the wrong side of the road, drove head-on into me and then drove off" means "I drove into a parked car".

Two years on and I am still waiting for any communication from them telling me the outcome of the claim- you are lucky they bothered to tell you they wrote off the car.

I had a phone call about it BarBeasty but i did have to ring to find out why i was being penalised for a no fault accident and took me a fair while to find out the other party had said i was to blame. Apparently i reversed into them at the front of a busy roundabout that leads onto one of the busiest A roads in the UK. Yes. I really chose to reverse into you while my 6 year old was in the back seat. Dick.

Sorry i ranted.

It's pretty sharp practice. Ask for a refund of the payment they have taken already. If you don't get anywhere contact the Financial Services Authority as they govern insurance as well as banks etc.