New (to me) car and current Insurance Company won't cover.

[CopperNitrogenTitanium]

Have purchased a new (old!) car to replace my unreliable (newer) vehicle. Presumed changing over current policy cover would be a done deal, and possibly cheaper if anything.

Worked my way through website online details and then got a 'we can't insure this car' message (can only think age is the issue - but it's pristine and lower mileage than my current vehicle).

They want a £55 cancellation fee to end my current insurance policy, and will only refund an apparently meagre % amount of my yearly premium (only renewed a month ago and scraped together total amount to pay annually due to added costs for paying monthly).

I feel I'm being shafted. And don't even get me started on the 'additional driver' discount'. It appears that if estranged STBXH was named on the policy (even though I own the car and, even if we were still together, and he would, theoretically, never drive it) I would be paying around £30-£50 LESS per annum.

What fresh Hell is this?

I have emailed the Company with my complaint - sadly it's one of those 'we don't have a phone-line in order to reduce costs to you' type, so no human to plead my case to.

WWYD?

Grateful thanks in advance.

you are indeed being shafted and there's nothing you can do, although do raise a complaint to try to get some of the costs back. This is disgusting, we should be encouraged to keep older cars going for all sorts of reasons.

get moving on insuring the car (I hope it is SORN in the meantime, and off the road).

and yes, one driver can cost more. You could put him on the insurance, but if you don't want to do you have parents or siblings who could go on? As long as you are the main driver, it's perfectly ok and may reduce premium.

Many thanks for your reply specialsubject.

Car is taxed in my name from today, and previous owner kindly keeping it on his insurance until Monday. (This was to get me home after buying it).

Unfortunately it's only me to insure - what a rip-off for a single female. I'm still a Mrs legally - pretty sure I was treated better as a Miss/Ms.

I could put STBXH as a (theoretical) additional driver - we're still legally 'married' after all but come an accident or Police stop I really couldn't afford the possible fall-out. He has his own super luxe car and a different address now, and I have heard enough horror stories about Insurance Companies weaselling their way out of claims over the merest details so although tempted I will have to insure as a lone, accident free for a gazillion years, woman, and just suck up those shitty 'premiums'.

Doesn't mean I won't be emailing persistently and making a case to the Insurance Company though!

Many thanks again for your time and help.

Sorry, is there definitely no phone number? With my company i had to phone to make this kind of change - not possible to do online
What a pain!

Apparently not BombadierFritz - though in my indignant hissy fit I may have missed something - apparently though they do charge (again) for any kind of 1-1 extra treatment, this includes a special snowflake telephone call should I so desire to go mano et mano.

Happy to name and shame - quotemehappy - no you do not.

Thank you for your response BombadierFritz...it's appreciated.

What a pain! Is the car too old? (Over 13 yrs?) It all sounds really good on their website - nn charge to change car etc - i paid 60 quid for one month with new car grrrrr. But no use if they just refuse to cover car!

She's 16 years old (brand new when I was but a callow teenager) BombadierFritz but a sterling example of her make - low mileage, immaculate, and perfect for what I need her for. Also, she is stunning! Think beautiful rural workhorse more than slow slung e-type though!

Have been shafted by ex, legal system, family, friends, and any other social system you can think of - time to take a stand? I can barely afford to have car on the road (absolutely essential in these here parts) and this may just be the last straw...mentally and financially.

Replies very much appreciated - time for a Twitter account maybe? Rage against the system?

Might be worth having a look at this Sounds as though you may have recourse to complain to the financial ombudsman.

Thank you reallybadidea - I will do exactly that

I'd recommend tweeting them, companies are often quicker to act once your complaint is in the public domain and visible by all.

Will resurrect my barely used Twitter account too then ChickadeeChick thank you for the suggestion.

Have calculated (shit at maths though) that less than 30 days cover has cost me @£140. And I'm ancient and a great driver so annual premium is usually around the £200 mark in total.

I didn't even want to cancel to change to another insurance company, they refused to insure the car for a so far unspecified reason - age maybe - the car not me!

Thank you to all who replied, will try all suggestions and hope for a fair outcome.

The car might be too old for them to insure, quite a few different companies don't insure cars over a certain age,

What car is it?

peggyundercrackers - Despite my emailing to ask the reason for not being able to insure the car, quotemehappy have not replied. I am guessing that it is the age, as it is a perfectly bog-standard 4x4 (I do live in a very rural area). I wanted to remain with the insurance company, it is their decision that is forcing me to cancel the policy AND pay them for the privilege which is unfair I think.

GiddyOnZackHunt It is a make beloved by Farmers and very common around here, it's just an older model

when I changed from my 25 year old car to a newer (13 years old) lower group car I was charged an admin fee to cover the change to the new car and that way I avoided the cancellation charge. But - they did not have a 'we will not insure this car' on my 'new' car - suspect if it was the other way round they would have insisted it would be cancelled
I did not realise that single people (no other named driver) were charged more - as if life is not sufficiently costly for singletons
good luck with your complaint but suspect it will be 'the computer says no' as not all insurance companies will ensure everybody for every car sadly.

Oooh, I call defender?

Seriously, you can put anyone as a named driver on the policy if will lower the premium. Friend, cousin, aunt. They don't have to live with you or be a life partner or what ever. You do have to know them well enough though to be certain they have a clean license. You are probably stuck with the cancellation charge.

Don't know your age but is this new 4x4 more powerful than your old vehicle
Some insurers will not accept young/ unexperienced drivers with high CC vehicles
Best to always check with your insurer before changing vehicles if you are within this group

I've been in this situation before. I wasn't charged a cancellation feel. I'm was paying by monthly dd and didn't have to pay the rest of the year's direct debits.

First time it was due to my age.

More recently (was actually a caravan not a car) and they decided the caravan was too expensive for someone who hadn't been towing long. Actually with the caravan I had paid upfront and they refunded me the last few months worth of premiums minus a £10 admin fee.

Unfortunately it's only me to insure - what a rip-off for a single female.

It has nothing at all to do with being female.

Are you sure it is the age? Have you run a history check on the car to be sure it hasn't previously been scrapped or has outstanding finance on it or anything?

My insurance company won't insure one of our cars because it was previously written off (economic write off, easy to fix). It is an online insurance company (swiftcover) but they do have phone lines, so not the same as yours. The previously written off car is insured with a different company.

SoupDragon Yes, I was a bit rash with that statement!

rosie1959 both cars are exactly the same engine size, and all checks on new car clear - never been a write-off.

lastnightiwenttomanderley - it might be...

Mollie123 I was dimly aware that any policy while I was still with my ex and had him as a named driver came in cheaper - thanks to greenfolder and pp for the information that you can name anyone (within the guidelines) for a cheaper premium. Another MN public service information win.

You've all been lovely and supportive, thank you. I'll be on to quotemehappy later today armed to the teeth with the wisdom gathered here.

It's not to do with being female, the European Court of Human Rights addressed sex discrimination in motor insurance a couple of years ago. The result was that motor insurance has largely increased for women (previously generally cheaper with all other variables being the same).

If it's a Defender, my horsey/rural friends have specialist insurance, I think through NFU?

I had a J reg VW polo yonks ago that my insurers wouldn't touch fully comp, they were quite happy to insure me third party, fire and theft though - have you looked at that option? Made sense for me as if if I damaged the cat to the tune of a few hundred quid I'd pay myself anyway - anything more than that and it'd be cheaper to get rid.

Cat?? * car!