Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

Car Insurance Problem

9 replies

10krunner · 26/11/2008 09:51

This is a bit of a saga but I would appreciate anyone's input. My car insurance was up for renewal in the middle of Nov so I did the old confused.com search and found that my present insurer would insure my car for nearly £100 less than their renwal quote direct to me so I applied as a new person (which is silly but there you go). They asked for a copy of my NCD which I sent them via email (a copy of their own renewal letter). In the email I told them they had the start date wrong and could they change it to 25th November. I had an email a couple of days later saying "thank you we have received your NCD, your policy is now in place". I thought no more about it.

Yesterday morning I got pulled over by the police for driving without insurance . My insurance company hadn't changed the start date on the policy and I hadn't noticed. When he pulled me over I was still with the belief that I was covered - I'd paid etc. so didn't think I had anything to worry about. He told me he couldn't ring the insurance people until 9.00 a.m. but he'd let me go on my way and ring me later to let me know what they said. I got to work, rang them myself and they said they had it that the policy started on 26th despite my email. He said I should cancel the policy that started on 26th and set up a new one starting on 25th but I'd have to do it later because the lines weren't open to 9. I then get a call later from the police saying they intend to prosecute me because it was confirmed I had no insurance. I then cancelled the one policy as instructed and set up a new one. I got home last night to an email from the insurance co. telling me they were cancelling my new policy because I hadn't told them I was being prosecuted by the police. This nightmare just gets worse and worse. I now can't drive my car because I have no insurance.
Can anyone give me any help/advice. This was a genuine mistake. I had nothing to gain by missing a days insurance out and I had tried to get them to change it - I just didn't follow it up (I know I should have but it honestly slipped my mind) and I'm being treated like a hardened criminal. I have now had 2 lots of insurance money taken from my account and can't afford to pay out anymore until I get paid. Is it worth me going to court to contest this? I have the email where I asked them to change the date. Sorry this is soooo long.

OP posts:
divedaisy · 26/11/2008 14:55

I'd contact either citizens advice or your solicitor.

10krunner · 26/11/2008 15:33

I don't have a solicitor and can no way afford one I work full-time and can't get out to CAB either. I was hoping someone with legal experience may be on here [hopeful smiley]

OP posts:
stoppinattwo · 26/11/2008 16:08

do you have copies of your original email asking them to change your policy to the 25th?

10krunner · 27/11/2008 09:27

I do have it yes

OP posts:
10krunner · 28/11/2008 11:18

anyone?????

OP posts:
rubyslippersisappearinginpanto · 28/11/2008 11:22

go to the CAB

also a lot of solicitors give an hours free advice

HappyMummyOfOne · 28/11/2008 13:20

Why did you start the new policy from a different date than your renewal date? Surely one would have finished and the other started?

Asking to change a policy date by email wont count. Calling them may have enabled them to amend a date (providing it wasnt in the past as cant backdate) - some insurers systems means they have to cancel the policy and re-issue.

Was the start date correct on your email confirmation or did you input the wrong date in?

HappyMummyOfOne · 28/11/2008 13:21

Forgot to say, if they have enforced a cancellation for non disclosure then you will have to state on any new policies that you have been refused insurance as they all ask this question.

10krunner · 01/12/2008 09:35

It was an error HappyMummofOne as I said. There was no benefit to me to have a days difference between one policy and the other starting - it was a genuine error which I tried to put right with the email. I have not driven around for days/weeks/months/years with no insurance. Yes I have declared the cancellation to my present insurer. I am not a common criminal who did this on purpose because I didn't want to pay up. I paid for it 3 weeks before it was due to start

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page