AIBU to think car insurance is wrong?

[canary1]

Friend contacted to renew car insurance as usual on 18.12.2021, no problems, received email/ letter on 23.12.21 saying you are insured, ‘relax’! I saw it, it actually says this.

She had relatively minor car accident on 29.12.2021, no one injured, her fault.

On 31.12.21 received an email saying her car insurance was not renewed as the card payment hadn’t gone through. They used her old card instead of the one she gave on the phone. They are now saying on the phone today that the accident on 29.12.21 was not covered as they were cancelling insurance back 7 days from 31.12.21, so she had no insurance from 24.12.21 onwards ( despite getting that email saying ‘relax, you’re insured’ from them on 23.12.21

This seems outrageous to me-what do you all think?
Any advice I’m sure would be appreciated regarding what to do next

As these companies always say that calls are recorded I would ask them to locate the call to prove she gave them correct card details and the error is on them for using old details.

I think it probably depends on what happened after the email telling her she was insured, and before the accident. Did she receive anything else from them to say the payment hadn't gone through? Did she notice the payment hadn't gone through?

She needs to contact them, pay them, ask them why they sent the "relax" email and why they hadn't followed up saying the payment hadn't gone through. There is probably and OF(gen/com/etc) type body she can contact if they don't sort it out.

What we think doesn't matter. She needs to take real life advice from a solicitor. Did she ever receive her new insurance documents?

Thanks this was useful- she asked about the recording of the call, and after many conversations they have said they used wrong (old ) card and she’s covered for the accident! So all resolved 😃

Wouldn't insurance only be valid if payment was made?

Sorry just seen update