Advice please, cancelling a motor insurance policy on behalf of bereaved parent.

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After a number of calls and providing my DF’s death certificate, the motor insurance company will not reimburse the overpayment given the policy has ended early, without proof. They have been provided with DF’s DoB, address and car registration number.

They have asked that my 85 year old DM email them to confirm who she is and also provide a solicitor's letter, wriiten to them to confirm who the executor is.

Is this usual? ( or excessive)

Thank you all for taking time to help.

To answer.

Yes, ‘Tell Us Once’ completed, about 6 weeks ago.

No bereavement team at 1st Central ( as another PP found out). The call was with an operator. Everytime I asked a question I was given a rather irrational answer such as ‘ Send an email telling us who your mum is’ - I said ‘ I can tell you that now’. Apparently not.

If I questioned a response ( such as is it easier to tell you now who my mum is) the operator had to put me on hold to ‘speak to admin’. Eventually I asked if I could speak to ‘admin’ direct. That wasn't possible.

1stCentral have a copy of the death certificate, sent from my email. This followed a first call earlier in the week, when the car was sold. Instructions in that call were ‘send a copy of the death certificate to provided email, leave it an hour, ring again and the policy will be cancelled’.

My DF’s full names, address, car registration DoB all provided and match the policy. Cheque refund is to his address.

They don't want any other documents. Not proof of ID ( mine or DM’s) not a will They want a solicitor's letter written directly to them.

I have the complaints email and intend to do that ( but could really do without it). I wanted a sense here of the legal position, in do we have to pay for a solicitor's letter, given all of the other documents 1stCentral could be provided with.

I just had a look at them on companies house and they are on their third business name which is not a great start. I think your best bet would be to look at getting help from the financial ombudsman service. Sadly 1st Direct don't get great reviews either. Depending on the amount of money involved, you might decide to write it off and save yourself the stress.

It’s their prerogative to make a business decision about the evidence they request. But they’re making a silly business decision and have an inadequate service - both go against their regulator’s rules and guidance, hence complaint being the best route.

The Financial Ombudsman won't take on a case until the company's own complaints procedure has been completed. Best to get on with making that formal complaint.

Make sure you state clearly what outcome you want, e.g. for the policy to be cancelled and the overpayment to be refunded to your mother. I would also lay it on thick regarding the distress it is causing to a bereaved widow.

Consider one of the newspapers’ consumer columns if you get no response soon

Email the ceo, I didn’t have to do any of this when dh died a photo of the certificate was enough for our mortgage company etc.

A solicitors letter is completely over the top when you have the death certificate.

I think the most I had to provide to anyone was a copy of the death certificate, I was actually the executor but nobody asked for proof.

You definitely shouldn’t need a solicitor”s letter. I’d be getting the formal complaint process started.

Thanks again for your thoughts and support. Complaint to be written.

We really shouldn’t have to do this at such a distressing time. My DM has lost her husband of 63 years.