Car insurance cancelled

[Tommychoochoo]

Not brave enough to Aibu but here goes.

Just after some advice on what to do next.

I took a car insurance policy out on the 8th April 2013 the policy was £298, I paid £70 deposit and set up 10 instalments of £22ish. Got a welcome pack through with a note to send my no claims letter. I then received a letter on the 16th, you haven't sent no claims. Thought must send off but forgot. On the 26th April sent another letter, if you don't send within 14 days your policy will be cancelled. Straight away got the no claims bonus letter in the pre stamped envelope they provided and posted it off.

Heard nothing until the 8th May when my first instalment was taken by direct debit. On the morning on Thu 9th May received a text saying your policy has now been cancelled.

After 4 emails 5 phone calls since Thursday it appears they never received my no claims bonus letter in the post. They have cancelled the policy and I have lost near £100 and was only insured for a month. I have spoken to managers and been told its my fault for not calling and checking they had received my no claims bonus.

I'm fuming that I received a letter this morning from them confirming my policy was cancelled on Monday 6th May at 23:59. So they allowed me to drive tues, weds and thurs morning without insurance and didn't tell me. Then they took the direct debit out 2 days after cancelling my policy. Obviously didn't tell meon Monday it was cancelled so I wouldn't cancel the direct debit before Wednesday.

What can I do, I can't lose £100 and they allowed me to drive for 3 days with 3ds in the car with no insurance.

Please can anyone give me any advice on what to go. Is this really my fault for not calling to check they had received the letter

Is this More Than? They messed me around so much in exactly the same way that in the end I cancelled and took the financial hit. I thought if they behave like this now, what would they be like if I needed to claim.

No Octagon Insurance. I'd never heard of them but the came up cheapest on compare the market. Should have known better

They promise to call me back this evening as I took the compliant higher (I need my car to get to work on Monday) no-ones rung and there now closed. Back open at 8:30 on Monday.

I suspect that this is part of the business model of the cheaper insurers. You did ignore two requests, and then yes you definitely SHOULD have checked and pestered until they confirmed receipt. 'your fault' is a bit harsh.

escalate the complaint further and keep doing so, threatening Watchdog, consumer protection etc. You probably will get it sorted in the end but meantime you are off the road.

these cheaper companies rely on the customer to do the work. Sharp-ish practice, I know.

oh, and use saynoto0870.com to avoid calling that 0844 number.

Instead on here a whilst back about my insurance nightmare. I will never again use solely comparison websites. I tend to get the quote online but then phone the company. Too easy to make little mistakes that can invalidate a policy.

as a footnote - chased up my new insurers today, having sent the info they wanted (no claims and licence copies) by email last week and heard nothing. The promised envelope to send physical copies also had not materialised.

anyway, did get through, the operator said there was no sign of the email on the system but gave me her own business email. Sent again, she checked and after a little further persuasion, I now have an email from her saying that they have all the evidence they need and my policy will commence on the agreed date.

sounds like this is what everyone should do - you have to have evidence from the insurers that they have acknowledged all that they need.

PITA, but worth it to save £70.

Thanks for advice everyone. I spoke to the manager and they wouldn't budge. Dh dad is a lawyer to told them I will sue them. He started a bit lecture about it would cost me more in legal fees. I said its ok Fil is a lawyer he will do for free. He then decided that if I signed a new insurance policy they will discount it by how much I'd paid on the old policy

Paid in full and put it on credit card to get a bit more protection and made sure they had my evidence of no claims before I took it out, they let me take a photo on my phone and text it to them. So all sorted now.

Very pleased but will make sure I don't ignore reminders again- lesson learnt.

result!