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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

fuming for being sent a bill for an imaginary speeding ticket

62 replies

pettywitchinlondon · 06/06/2015 20:27

Renewed my insurance last month. When doing the quotes I did one for a made up 3 points for speeding just to see how much it would affect it. Obviously didn't buy this one. Finally bought one and clicked all the boxes to say everything is true.

Today I receive a bill for 80 pounds because the car insurance people have found another quote where I had a speeding fine, so they've assumed the policy I bought is incorrect so without even asking me or the dvla have adjusted it and sent me a letter to say they will be taking this extra money from my card!

Seriously what are they on? I will have to call an expensive number mon-fri probably wage loads of money and time to fix this ridiculous assumption they've made!

OP posts:
workingdilemma · 06/06/2015 21:29

It was a conpletely reasonable thing to do - I always toy about with the forms, finding quotes for cars I'm interested in, adding parents and siblings etc. Haven't added speeding/points/accidents but can see why one might look to see what happens.

Perhaps do it with a fake name and address next time, but the insurers is being very over zealous and preumptious, i agree. It will cost them time now.

mineofuselessinformation · 06/06/2015 21:30

Unless you really need the money back straight away, why can't you write to set the record straight?

snowglobemouse · 06/06/2015 21:31

OP didn't submit the form ffs!

HelenF350 · 06/06/2015 21:36

This sea very over zealous on the part of the insurer. Which company was it op? I can understand they are probably trying to help (ensure that your cover is actually covering your circumstances) but they could have asked you the question first.

HelenF350 · 06/06/2015 21:37

Seems not sea, stupid phone!

BatteryPoweredHen · 06/06/2015 21:38

Ot slightly, but you can legally discriminate against single people, but not married people.

BatteryPoweredHen · 06/06/2015 21:41

OP YANBU btw, if you didn't actually submit the form, then this shouldn't have happened.

In the first instance, I would complain to the insurer, if you don't get a satisfactory response (inc reimbursement of cost of call/time wasted etc) I would consider the ombudsman. If you can be arsed, that is...

Branleuse · 06/06/2015 21:47

thats exactly the sort of stupid thing I'd do

MangoBiscuit · 06/06/2015 21:49

Search for the cheaper landline number for an expensive phoneline

OP, could I ask which website you were getting quotes from with your test parameters? (the one where checked cost increase for a ticket) I know someone who works coding these sorts of sites, I will ask them to read this and see if they can shed any light.

sanfairyanne · 06/06/2015 21:50

thats pretty awful. i stick loads of crap on those kinds of forms. it only 'counts' if you actually apply for the insurance, surely.
anyway, wrt the phone call cost, google saynoto0870 to find a cheaper phone number or try looking for the number to call from abroad
i'd be complaining about data protection on this

Aladyinsane · 06/06/2015 21:54

I do this all the time. I like to know how much it changes depending on whether we keep the car on the road, on a driveway or in the garage. A quote is exactl that, a quote. You are not signing a declaration that it is 100% accurate information.

I can see why they've tried to take the money though, just give them a call.

Rudawakening · 06/06/2015 21:54

Didn't you have to send a copy of your licence to prove points etc?

Lightas · 06/06/2015 21:56

Usually these sites want your personal details to send you your quote, I am always very wary of these for exactly the sort of thing that has happened to you OP. Best to use false name etc. so they don't track it unless doing a real quote.

FarFromAnyRoad · 06/06/2015 21:57

You DO have an eventful life don't you OP. You know - you remind me so much of another person who used to post here - name escapes me ........wales something? I'm sure you're not related but do you remember that person?

Original poster
pettywitchinlondon · 06/06/2015 22:11

Glad some sense has poped up here and I'm not the only curious one.

The company is one of admiral's group. I will avoid them in the future.

I did have to agree to a ridiculously long set of t and c when using the price comparison website so legally they are probably OK, but it still stinks! I'll know next time not to use real data!

OP posts:
DancingHat · 06/06/2015 22:44

I use fake data and an email address which doesn't include my name for just this reason. I was sick of being chased for speculative applications for cars I was thinking of buying and houses I was thinking of moving to. I never use my real phone number either as you get called straight away by the top 1/2 insurers!!!! I have actually had mail addressed to Ms Aaaaaaaa Bbbbbbb so clearly it's all automated with no real person thinking behind it.

eurochick · 06/06/2015 22:50

I've played around with these kinds of forms before. When we were changing car I wanted to know how much it would be to insure my new driver husband. He hadn't passed his test so I had to make up dates, try different car models and so on. All of he details in my actual application were true though.

Littlefish · 06/06/2015 22:57

Apparently (according to the administrator of the speed awareness course I went one) Admiral is one of the only insurance companies which increases premiums if you have been on a speed awareness course.

LaurieFairyCake · 06/06/2015 22:58

I can't believe people haven't played round with the forms Hmm

When I was trying to decide what car to buy I got insurance quotes for half a dozen cars, all different engines, putting dh and the kids on or not, using it for 'business' or not.

It's a normal thing to do to see if you can afford something.

SoupDragon · 06/06/2015 23:41

You DO have an eventful life don't you OP

Apparently, if we think it's eventful, it is only because our own lives are so dull.

Xael · 06/06/2015 23:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DoJo · 06/06/2015 23:48

I'm impressed that people on here haven't had to play around with the forms - I have never come across one that has my or my husband's jobs on it described perfectly, so often change between one possible description and another in order to see if it makes any difference. I have also had to get separate quotes when I was pregnant because my son was due soon after my renewals date and I wanted to know what he would add to the quote (quite a lot as it turned out!), and when we were thinking of moving I wanted to know whether out new postcode and driveway would make much difference. It's not lying to do research - it's common sense, and I think it's pretty sharp practice on the part of the insurers to apply an additional charge without even checking to see if it is warranted.

NormaStits · 06/06/2015 23:52

I got stopped by the police because my number plate didn't match the type of car it was on. When they looked into it, the number plate was associated with my own car and another model which I was thinking of buying and had put into the insurance quote website alongside checking for deals on my actual renewal. So it's not just other insurance companies who can access these quotes.

This was over 6 years ago as it was my previous car.

DancingDinosaur · 06/06/2015 23:54

Are all you "how could you be so silly as to lie on a quote, why on earth would you do that" people honestly saying you've never played with the parameters on a form or a questionnaire to see how it affects the outcome?

Oh I always do this to see where I can get the best deal. Eg sometimes I put in a high excess for insurance and then move it down lower to see what the difference is. Sometimes theres no difference at all. I get why you did that op.

ilovesooty · 07/06/2015 00:02

I'd play about with the form for things like the excess but not a conviction I didn't have. I thought the OP said she did two separate quotes - that's what I thought was strange.