Vehicle change Disapointment

[paul2505]

After swapping from another insurance company to Adrian flux back in March for an excellent quote, we were very happy with the service we received. Since then the tme came to change the car so we ve ordered a new Octavia vrs CR tdi now we were paying 420 for the fabia but when I rang adrian flux their quote was £1189!!!!! So. This shocked me as I was expecting a figure of around £750 so I then went onto one of the car insurance compare sites and low and behold most of the companies are looking for the £750 mark. So I went back to Adrian Flux and told them the other quotes I was receiving and they said they couldn't budge on their original quote and not only that if I want to cancel the policy I have to pay a penalty of £168. Where are Adrian Flux plucking their figures from? Any help/info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Paul

[RADIOTWO]

After swapping from another insurance company to Adrian flux back in March for an excellent quote, we were very happy with the service we received. Since then the tme came to change the car so we ve ordered a new Octavia vrs CR tdi now we were paying 420 for the fabia but when I rang adrian flux their quote was £1189!!!!! So. This shocked me as I was expecting a figure of around £750 so I then went onto one of the car insurance compare sites and low and behold most of the companies are looking for the £750 mark. So I went back to Adrian Flux and told them the other quotes I was receiving and they said they couldn't budge on their original quote and not only that if I want to cancel the policy I have to pay a penalty of £168. Where are Adrian Flux plucking their figures from? Any help/info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Paul

Hi Paul

Thats what you get from what I call(back street brokers), they dangle you a carrot, for the first quote, then when you come to renew or as you say change they want money to cancel it.

also watch out for the compare sites, they don't give a full deal.

My advice find a good quality firm (even if it is a little more)

Radiotwo

[DAN@ADRIAN FLUX]

After swapping from another insurance company to Adrian flux back in March for an excellent quote, we were very happy with the service we received. Since then the tme came to change the car so we ve ordered a new Octavia vrs CR tdi now we were paying 420 for the fabia but when I rang adrian flux their quote was £1189!!!!! So. This shocked me as I was expecting a figure of around £750 so I then went onto one of the car insurance compare sites and low and behold most of the companies are looking for the £750 mark. So I went back to Adrian Flux and told them the other quotes I was receiving and they said they couldn't budge on their original quote and not only that if I want to cancel the policy I have to pay a penalty of £168. Where are Adrian Flux plucking their figures from? Any help/info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Paul

Hi Paul

If you would like me to look into this for you, please feel free to contact me with your full name, reference number and contact telephone number.

Cheers

Dan

[DAN@ADRIAN FLUX]

Hi Paul

Thats what you get from what I call(back street brokers), they dangle you a carrot, for the first quote, then when you come to renew or as you say change they want money to cancel it.

also watch out for the compare sites, they don't give a full deal.

My advice find a good quality firm (even if it is a little more)

Radiotwo

Adrian Flux has been operating for more than 35 years and has over approximately 500 members of staff.

We are in the top 50 brokers (top 10 personal lines brokers) in the uk, where there is in excess of 10,000 brokers.

[bengie]

the fine is cheaper than staying.

[Captain Sisko]

You haven't mentioned: -

1 - Additional Drivers/

2 - Convictions

2 - Any previous claims

3 - Any extras

4 - Excesses

I'm with Kwik Fit and I'm paying about £550 Fully Comp with all the trimmings (no breakdown as thats done by my RAC membership). 28, 3 years ncb, no convictions and one named driver (my Dad who is 58) and thats installments on a 0%.

My Excess? £100 standard with no additional voluntary excess.

Policy prices do vary car to car, mine jumped by about £200 when I enquired about changing to a Fiat Doblo

[bengie]

how on earth is your car so expensive to insure? i got a quote for an remapped S4 for about that not a bloody favorit!!

[paul2505]

I am currently paying £420 for my 2004 Fabia vRS with remap, 312mm brakes and strut brace all declared I'm 26, have 5 years NCB, no convictions, my wife as an additional driver who is 29 and has only one accident which was over 4 years ago, the annual mileage was set at 20,000 and the excess is currently £200.

On the new policy it would be a standard car all other things would remain the same but the excess would be £500!!! Yes read it and weep....

[paul2505]

Hi guys,

Just an update for you all, I passed my details on to Dan to look into my matter for me and this afternoon a young lady rang me back and said....

"I'm sorry Mr C but we cannot do anything for you in the current market and that the risk with the extra value of the car constitutes the price they have offered me, thanks for your enquiry, goodbye"

So I'm afraid I am going to be leaving Adrian Flux within the next week or so, other quotes I have are about 750 with reputable companies like Zurich who I was with before Adrian Flux for a good few years so even with Adrian Flux's penalty leaving fee of £168!!! The insurance will be nearly £260 cheaper.

Firstly I would like to thank Dan for his fast reply on here and for getting the matter looked into, you are a credit to a bad company.

I have been left feeling very disappointed with the service from Adrian Flux on the fact that they cannot even compete with fellow insurance companies and also the fact they charge you for cancelling your policy when I haven't claimed on the policy and have not missed a payment in the 4 months of being a customer with them. I am left feeling an un valued customer of Adrian Flux and will NEVER use them again and NEVER recommend them to anyone else. I know other members probably have only received good service from Adrian Flux but I feel I should also make fellow Briskodans aware of the poor side of the company and some of the heavy penalties they will impose on you.

Thanks, Paul

[Atty]

Hmm I was going to try this company soon to insure my new vRS but I'm having second thoughts now. I am insured with Direct Line at the moment and they charge 1 months premium to cancel a policy. DL also charged me about £20 recently for a change of vehicle on the policy which is something I have never had to do before with other companys.

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

think you`ll find they are no different to all companys when it comes to leaving mid policy. Prices will depend greatly on the motor your insuring, just how it is, they are no worse than the rest.

[paul2505]

think you`ll find they are no different to all companys when it comes to leaving mid policy. Prices will depend greatly on the motor your insuring, just how it is, they are no worse than the rest.

So because All companies charge you for leaving mid policy that makes it alright does it? We should just lie down and take it. One months premium I would not have a problem with but when they sting you with a price which is over a third of the annual premium I find that a bit sickening.

You obviously didn't read the part where I said they were no where near competing with the other big insurers out there they were £450 higher for the same vehicle with the same personal details! The other companies even have a £100 excess not £500

[Damo]

Just coming up to renewal now after a year with Flux

Must say this makes worrying reading

The renewal quote is not as cheap as I thought it would be (£560) and I can get it £50 cheaper with a couple of other companies, but I do like the modified policy I am on, whereby further mods (unless power changing) are not charged for.

Best of luck with whichever company you opt for

Cheers

Damian

[simonsheil]

think you`ll find they are no different to all companys when it comes to leaving mid policy. Prices will depend greatly on the motor your insuring, just how it is, they are no worse than the rest.

Most of the "good" companies will let you exit mid policy for free or with a very minor charge.

[RADIOTWO]

Hi guys,

Just an update for you all, I passed my details on to Dan to look into my matter for me and this afternoon a young lady rang me back and said....

"I'm sorry Mr C but we cannot do anything for you in the current market and that the risk with the extra value of the car constitutes the price they have offered me, thanks for your enquiry, goodbye"

So I'm afraid I am going to be leaving Adrian Flux within the next week or so, other quotes I have are about 750 with reputable companies like Zurich who I was with before Adrian Flux for a good few years so even with Adrian Flux's penalty leaving fee of £168!!! The insurance will be nearly £260 cheaper.

Firstly I would like to thank Dan for his fast reply on here and for getting the matter looked into, you are a credit to a bad company.

I have been left feeling very disappointed with the service from Adrian Flux on the fact that they cannot even compete with fellow insurance companies and also the fact they charge you for cancelling your policy when I haven't claimed on the policy and have not missed a payment in the 4 months of being a customer with them. I am left feeling an un valued customer of Adrian Flux and will NEVER use them again and NEVER recommend them to anyone else. I know other members probably have only received good service from Adrian Flux but I feel I should also make fellow Briskodans aware of the poor side of the company and some of the heavy penalties they will impose on you.

Thanks, Paul

Well said Paul

its about time they treat there customers better

Radiotwo

[bengie]

you entered a contract which you wish to terminate early, i bet its in the terms and conditions about the charges that you obviously read thoroughly and agreed to

[Jigger72]

But if you're not anal/boring/sensible enough to read all the small print, at least ask the important questions over the phone before you take out the policy, eh Bengie?

[Browny_37]

Just coming up to renewal now after a year with Flux

Must say this makes worrying reading

The renewal quote is not as cheap as I thought it would be (£560) and I can get it £50 cheaper with a couple of other companies, but I do like the modified policy I am on, whereby further mods (unless power changing) are not charged for.

Best of luck with whichever company you opt for

Cheers

Damian

Hmm, ive been with adrian flux a few years now. Probably because of my age, they want extra for exterior mods like a rear lip spoiler and a set of rear window tints.

I was quite happy when i got my 3 yrs NCB on a 2.0 Turbo Coupe, my insurance dropped around £300-400 in one lump.

[Captain Sisko]

how on earth is your car so expensive to insure? i got a quote for an remapped S4 for about that not a bloody favorit!!

I have no idea maybe the Bertone design pushes the price up

[uncle bulgaria]

Hmmm... IIRC Matin Lewis (moneysavingsexpert.com) covered exit fees for car insurance not long back on Radio 1, so it will probably be on his website.

But I think some of this depends on how you cover the "monthly payments" & how soon you cancel. IIRC some companies will "finance" your monthly payments by, in effect, you taking out a loan. That loan then pays off the premium. So if you cancel the policy, you are cancelling a loan, which the finance company was expecting to make a certain profit from, hence some of the cancellation fee being to reclaim an "agreed minimum" amount (always in the fine print!)

IIRC Mr Lewis said better to pay in full if you can, but if not, the way to get round this was to use a low interest card to pay the premium in full (the interest on this was likely to be less than on the insurance companies finance deal!) but that you then MUST pay it off within the year on your card!!!!

That way if you cancel mid term , you are likely to be offered some of your premium back, instead of having to pay them! As I said it was something like that, but check it out first!

[paul2505]

I had never "wished" to terminate the contract with Adrian Flux all I wanted was to change the insured vehicle and when they gave an outrageous (in my eyes) quotation I did what anyone else would do and checked the competition to see what their quotes were, had these quotes come out around the same mark I would not have any reason for complaint but when Adrian Flux were over 50% more expensive I feel I have a duty to fight my corner for companies to stop screwing us over.

The cancellation fee is not my major gripe here its the fact Adrian Flux are not being fair to their customers by matching or at least getting close to their rivals.

FTW my paper work is in front of me and the only Fee for cancellation of a policy which is concrete is £25 the cancellation T&C then state that there can be some refunds and also some short term cancellation charges which are not proportionate to the annual premium can be applied, nowhere in the T&C does it give exact penalty charges for cancellation so these companies basically have license to charge what they like when you cancel.

Benjie when I took out the insurance I will be honest I did not look at the T&C but how many people do? Not many in my opinion, people go into a contract with companies expecting a fair treatment from them so they don't feel the need to examine T&C to the word.

Also someone mentioned asking the questions over the phone but excuse me if I'm wrong but I bet there is no one in the land that will ring an insurance company and say "Excuse me Mr insurance company If half way through my policy I decide to change vehicle are you going to compete with your rivals or are you going to screw me for an extra £450 over and above everyone else?" We just expect they will compete and if they answered the truthful answer in this instance I would not be a customer of Adrian Flux now and neither would a lot of other people I imagine.

Someone else also wrote that some companies set up their monthly premiums as if it is a loan, I think this could be the case in this situation as I have some paper work from a company called premium credit, this paperwork did not come through with the other policy documentation but in a separate letter a few days later, it contained a credit agreement which had to be signed and returned something I am certain I have never done as I have two copies of it. I did not get told when I took out the policy that it was going to be under a loan agreement all I wanted was a monthly direct debit, so I am now thinking of contacting the financial ombudsman service as I feel I have also been mis-sold this credit agreement.

Thanks,

Paul

[uncle bulgaria]

the only Fee for cancellation of a policy which is concrete is £25 the cancellation T&C then state that there can be some refunds and also some short term cancellation charges which are not proportionate to the annual premium can be applied, nowhere in the T&C does it give exact penalty charges for cancellation so these companies basically have license to charge what they like when you cancel.

Yeah thats the one you have to watch for!

The thing is the charges will be higher if you cancel shortly after you start the policy (i think you said you'd had it 4 months) than if you cancel near the end, or after at least 6 months. In your case there would seem to be charges for cancelling 8 months early. The FSA codes say all this should be made clear to you before taking out any "credit" agreement, so worth checking .

Another thing to remember is that particular insurance companies favour/specialise in particular types of vehichle, by doing this they are able to reduce their premiums. So if you move to a vechicle they don't "favour" they with load their premiums accordingly. There is no worry from their point of view about doing this and there is no feeling about this being fair/unfair from their point of view either. They simply assess the risk and aportion a premium based on that. As an example if I insure all my camera gear under my home policy it would have cost me £150 a year. So by going to a specialist insurer I pay £50 as they are more familiar with the risk!

Finally Flux, like others are "brokers" ie they sell other companies products, that being insurace. They can therefore only offer you products from the companies they represent, I would suggest it might be worth your while asking Dan what in particular it was that made your insurance requirements for your new vehicle represent such a risk. This may help you in finding a better product in the future. It may be that compromising on your mileage/usage or increasing your excess would have helped too.

Have a look at the Martin Lewis website as there are some great tips on there about how to reduce your premiums and avoid the nasty shocks! I know it's not bed time reading, but i've saved a fair bit of dosh by following advice from folks like him

[paul2505]

That there is the issue, the mileage is set at 20k a year because that is what we are likeky to be covering and it was Adrian Flux themselves who set the excess at £500 so there is no scope for adjustments.

[DAN@ADRIAN FLUX]

I had never "wished" to terminate the contract with Adrian Flux all I wanted was to change the insured vehicle and when they gave an outrageous (in my eyes) quotation I did what anyone else would do and checked the competition to see what their quotes were, had these quotes come out around the same mark I would not have any reason for complaint but when Adrian Flux were over 50% more expensive I feel I have a duty to fight my corner for companies to stop screwing us over.

The cancellation fee is not my major gripe here its the fact Adrian Flux are not being fair to their customers by matching or at least getting close to their rivals.

FTW my paper work is in front of me and the only Fee for cancellation of a policy which is concrete is £25 the cancellation T&C then state that there can be some refunds and also some short term cancellation charges which are not proportionate to the annual premium can be applied, nowhere in the T&C does it give exact penalty charges for cancellation so these companies basically have license to charge what they like when you cancel.

Benjie when I took out the insurance I will be honest I did not look at the T&C but how many people do? Not many in my opinion, people go into a contract with companies expecting a fair treatment from them so they don't feel the need to examine T&C to the word.

Also someone mentioned asking the questions over the phone but excuse me if I'm wrong but I bet there is no one in the land that will ring an insurance company and say "Excuse me Mr insurance company If half way through my policy I decide to change vehicle are you going to compete with your rivals or are you going to screw me for an extra £450 over and above everyone else?" We just expect they will compete and if they answered the truthful answer in this instance I would not be a customer of Adrian Flux now and neither would a lot of other people I imagine.

Someone else also wrote that some companies set up their monthly premiums as if it is a loan, I think this could be the case in this situation as I have some paper work from a company called premium credit, this paperwork did not come through with the other policy documentation but in a separate letter a few days later, it contained a credit agreement which had to be signed and returned something I am certain I have never done as I have two copies of it. I did not get told when I took out the policy that it was going to be under a loan agreement all I wanted was a monthly direct debit, so I am now thinking of contacting the financial ombudsman service as I feel I have also been mis-sold this credit agreement.

Thanks,

Paul

Hi Paul Would you like for me to arrange a call back for you, so all your queries can be discussed and explained to you?, if so please feel free to pm me you details and i will arrange a call back for you.Dan

Edited 16 July, 2009 by DAN@ADRIAN FLUX

[DAN@ADRIAN FLUX]

It is the insurance company and not the broker, which we are, that generates the premiums and terms and as a result it is not Adrian Flux Insurance's fault that we were unable to offer a premium in line with another insurance company. It is not uncommon for an insurance company not to compete with another. A particular insurer may have an unfavourable claims history for that vehicle, postcode, age and as a result are not willing to accept the risk at a lower premium. There is no obligation for an insurance company to accept a risk or compete with another insurer. I feel that it is unfair to blame Adrian Flux Insurance for the actions of the industry as a whole.

You have not been penalised or charged unfairly for cancelling the cover. Few insurance companies issue proportionate refund when it is the policyholder who chose to cancel. You may feel that you did not choose and were forced to, but that is not the case because your existing insurance company were willing to continue cover on the replacement vehicle, albeit for an increased premium.

Any terms applied by Adrian Flux Insurance for processing a cancellation request are confirmed verbally at inception and again in our Terms of Business. I do not believe that it is unfair for us, or an insurer, to exercise their terms, which have already been advised.

The payment requested on cancelling a policy is not always a charge for cancellation and should not been seen as a penalty or fee. For example, if a policyholder has paid insufficient funds towards the cost of the cover that they have enjoyed, they are expected to pay the balance. This is not a penalty and can be the case if the cover is being funded via a finance agreement. If the credit generated from the cancellation is lower than the outstanding balance on the finance agreement, the policyholder has to pay the balance. A similar example would be if a loan was arranged to purchase a car. If the car is sold and the money received through the sale is lower than the debt on the loan, the outstanding balance must be paid. This balance is not a penalty for selling the car or settling the loan.

regards,

Dan.