Back in April I was driving down the road in my Clio when the bonnet flew open at 60mph and wrote the car off. I Claimed on the insurance, eventually agreed (reluctantly) to a price in late July and received my money minus my £100 excess.

Whilst this was going on I didnt buy a new car as 1. Didnt have the money and 2. Use my motorbike as it was nice weather. I was under the impression that the insurance policy was paused until I registered another car to it and certainly received no communication from the insurance company to indicate otherwise.

I got myself a new car last month (October) and rang them up to put this car onto my existing policy only to be told that it had been canceled due to me not having a car, but not to worry because they had refunded me my money, minus the months worth of use I got from it (I only took out the policy in March so only 1 months worth).

Rang them again today as I could not find any evidence of my money being refunded and they said that it wouldnt be as the claim was my fault. If I had put another car onto the policy within a month it would have been fine but because I took my time as I didnt think there was a rush and wanted a good used bargain they have taken all of my money. So essentially I have paid £400 excess instead of the £100 I signed up for.

Can they do this without letting me know? Do I have any recourse? Or is a letter of complaint the most I can do?

Many thanks for your help in advance.

Hi

My understanding of this is the same as yours. The policy should remain open, if you have paid the premium, so that you could insure your new car when purchased.

The Insurers should not have cancelled the policy without informing you. If there was a problem keeping the policy cover suspended, they should have written to you.

Would suggest that you phone the Insurers customer relations/complaints team and make an official complaint. Follow up in writing if necessary.

I am pretty certain that the FSA would have some concern here. This appears to go against their 'Treating Customers Fairly' agenda. When you phone the Insurers mention the FSA 'Treating Customers Fairly' policy and ask them whether they have lived up to these values. It should make them very uncomfortable.

If after 8 weeks you are not satisfied by your Insurers, you could of course, then go to the FOS. But I don't think this will be necessary if you discuss this with the customer relations/complaints staff.

Huckster

With the clio bonnet flying open, a lot of Insurers manage to recover their costs from Renault (Depending on the exact circumstances). If your Insurers do recover their costs you should get some kind of refund.

It might be worth chasing your Insurers up to make sure they investigate whether they can recover their costs from Renault

The problem with Clios is a very well known problem and even featured on BBC Watchdog.

If you need any advice on it there is loads on the internet especially on Clio forums.

Hucksters advice is good as normal

dacouch is correct on this fault, you decide for yourself.?

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article633.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHfjteqTSIU

Hi

These other replies are a waste of time.

When you have a claim, and your vehicle is written off, most insurance companies would give you a set time after you receive your settlement in which to either change your vehicle or cancel your policy.

It is standard procedure that when a claim is either fault or pending (you are guilty until proven innocent) that if your policy is cancelled mid term you would owe the remainder of the premium in full. It is not the insurance companies responsibility to guess that you are wanting the policy to remain open, as all that they are aware of is that your vehicle is unrepairable and you haven't informed them that you would like to put another vehicle on cover. Obviously they can not allow a policy to continue with nothing to insure (what if they had continued to run your policy, 9 months down the line, you realise you've paid your premium for 9 months and are insuring nothing, I assume it would've then been the insurers fault for not cancelling your policy because 'they would've known you haven't got a car?')

You don't pay a 400 excess if your excess is 100. You paid your 100 excess which you signed up to, and then the remaining 300.00 was the rest of your policy (see above). It is under TCF (treating customers fairly) to ensure you receive adequate communication regarding the status of your policy, if this is not the case I suggest you contact the insurer to first confirm they have sent the relevant information and then your mail provider to determine why this has not reached you.

It would make my job a lot easier if insurance worked the way you suggest, unfortunately it doesn't, but you gotta have a bit of common sense, insurers are not to know how much insurance knowledge each client has, hence customer service, had you have called them.

Hope this helps

Luce

lucie1785:

(what if they had continued to run your policy, 9 months down the line, you realise you've paid your premium for 9 months and are insuring nothing, I assume it would've then been the insurers fault for not cancelling your policy because 'they would've known you haven't got a car?')

That gave me a good laugh this morning.

conmankiller:

Wow - what an arrogant know it all attitude you have lucie... to make a bombastic but ignorant comment like that in one of your opening posts beggars belief - It would appear you are not destined to go very far in life using such curt diplomacy.

Really? I think she's hot.

My brainless banker friend is an enigma. Perhaps he actually works for an insurance company. Personally bankers, insurers, solicitors all peeing in the same open sewer. Don't give up the fight - refuse and resist!

Do one brainless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brooooooooooce:

Do one brainless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I suggest you take your own advice, and just 'do one' exclamation mark! Hohoho