Huh... Insurance company made chances for me

[hutchysrs50]

Long story short, I had an accident years ago, was checking insurance quotes a while ago and didn't know the damage costs. I put one for £0 and one for £1,000,000 (I bet you can see where this is going)

Anyway, many moons have past since and my insurance is clear as it was more than five years ago. However... I got an email today saying chances have been made to my policy and my debit card has been charged accordingly.

The email says I have declared this on a third party website so have automatically updated my policy for me, how good of them to add a £1,000,000 accident that never happens and charge me. Don't they have to do background checks or... Phone or... Anything at all before charging me for this!

Theoretically I could have checked how knocking someone over and killing them would affect my policy, or a speeding fine, and they would have been added as well.

[vindaloo]

Ombudsman and name and shame please.

[gallego1968]

I agree with Vindaloo

[john999boy]

IIRC some companies now have a shared database so in effect are using info that the OP (incorrectly or inadvertently) provided.

Hopefully there should be a way or correcting the error though?

[kilted]

IIRC most of the companies use  the database and will have something along the lines of "the applicant agrees that the facts stated within the application are true" and also " the insurers use a shared database and any information entered may be shared with other parties for the purposes of verification"

 

So by stating incorrect information on one website, you have (albeit inadvertently) flagged your records within the database with those details. Surprised it took as long but these things do get checked.

 

Speak to the insurers and they should sort it in short order. It is no where near reporting to the ombudsman who will only step in if your insurers fail to remedy the change.

[hutchysrs50]

I'm just shocked they don't even check anything, just charge me and email saying Ive been charged.

I've done this plenty, as have many of my friends. Checking how postcodes effect prices, jobs, speeding fines etc, even checking quotes quickly with duff information for quickness on different cars.

They should take the information I've given them and signed up to and agreed to on my current policy as correct, if anything shows up they can check. A simple typing error for 2011 to 2012 is all it takes.

Edit: I have phoned them and they have checked my record is clear so all I need to do is write to them/email them and tell them and they will refund me.

[Jigger72]

IIRC most of the companies use  the database and will have something along the lines of "the applicant agrees that the facts stated within the application are true" and also " the insurers use a shared database and any information entered may be shared with other parties for the purposes of verification"

 

So by stating incorrect information on one website, you have (albeit inadvertently) flagged your records within the database with those details. Surprised it took as long but these things do get checked.

 

Speak to the insurers and they should sort it in short order. It is no where near reporting to the ombudsman who will only step in if your insurers fail to remedy the change.

 

I think it's a perfectly valid reason to report the practice to the ombudsman. They have, without warning, issued a premium penalty based on information keyed into a price comparison website. At no point has the OP taken out insurance with these 'fake' details so how can this comparison website data be valid? It's sharp practice and I wonder how many others might not have noticed the change and carried on paying a higher premium based on false assumptions? Total skank if you ask me  

[Ootohere]

'The Email says',  

but have they charged your Debit Card Actually.    

[hutchysrs50]

I don't think they are bluffing

[vindaloo]

No matter what it's worth reporting to the Ombudsman.... Oh, and the Information Commisioner too.... Not only has your insurance company used info to generate a charge. It's made no attempt to verify the accuracy of the information beforehand.

 

 

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm

and

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/making-a-complaint-about-an-insurance-company

 

Data protection

https://www.gov.uk/data-protection/make-a-complaint

[Ootohere]

Like Bob said, 'It's good to talk',  

 

So all getting sorted now that you have, and lesson learned. Always be truthful when looking for Insurance Quotes and filling in a Proposal.

Obviously it can come back to bite you in the Bum, or on your Debit Card,  allowing for having the funds in,

obviously if the request is declined, then that more phone calls required.

[JoshH]

What was the increase for a £1m claim?

[gadgetman]

If over 5 years ago, it shouldn't be a factor anyway, surely?

[Ootohere]

It could well be if you had been involved in a £1,000,000 Insurance Claim and you had not Declared it from that time on.

You had benefited financially since by your cheaper  insurance than Brokers / Underwriters would have liked to charge.

[dazz600]

So,out of interest.....

If you disclosed the fact you had an advanced driving qualification to see what it did to the premium,then removed that info and took out your policy....

Do you think they'd email you with a refund to your debit card for your advanced driving qualification?

Hmmm I think not

Name n shame 'em please!

[DGW]

If a driver (or anyone taking out any form of insurance) declares different relevant 'facts' to different insurers, how on earth do they know which are true and which are not when they come to share information as they now do?

[dazz600]

Imho no-one is declaring facts until the policy acceptance boxes are ticked

Everything else up to that point is merely quoting I would have thought

[Outofthi5world]

Imho no-one is declaring facts until the policy acceptance boxes are ticked

Everything else up to that point is merely quoting I would have thought

Yes, exactly, a comparison site is a "what if" sort of thing. I've got quoted for me on cars ranging from my dads Jetta to Ferarris just to see what they would cost to insure, It wouldn't be very nice to find out they have taken out a policy for a car I don't own and it would is just the same for the OP.

[hutchysrs50]

It's almosy resolved. I spoke to them on the phone and they checked my "record" or whatever they officialy use.

The guy on the phone was very laid back and says it happens Alllll.... The time, so obviously a very common thing.

Annoyingly despite being clear and them checking, they need it in writing or email to say what's happend.

"A check of your policy details against our system records has highlighted a discrepancy in the details you gave us. The information differs to that recorded on another quote with us or another company within the same group."

[Rustynuts]

I would inform them in writing that your policy details are in fact correct, and any other erroneous data they have against your name on their system records should be removed. And also ask that they confirm in writing to you that they have complied with your request.

[Rustynuts]

I hate insurance companies, me...

[gadgetman]

Name and shame the company?

[Huskoda]

I always do quotes online with a false name, as they also do credit checks against you and I don't want a million checks against my real details.

[hutchysrs50]

They own 17 insurance companies and two of the compare websites put it that way.

[Ootohere]

& they share information within their organisation and with others,

you gave them or part of their group incorrect information at some point, hence this happened.

 

You might have been Provided with Cover now under a false declaration, so really it is good that it was picked up on,

just an odd way it was done.

 

?

So what was the Increase they intended charging on your policy?