Car insurance was cancelled without my knowledge

[pelican8000]

I changed my bank account details and emailed my car insurer the new details and they acknowledged the changes in an email back to me.

Today I was stopped by the police and issued a FPN for having no insurance. Turns out that my insurers cancelled my policy as I did not reply to two letters they sent me in the post. I have been on holiday for a while and have been working in London, so was not aware they had written to me.

I asked them why they did not email me. Their just stated that this is their procedure. Really unhelpful.

Has anybody else had this problem? Is there anything I can do now to clear myself?

Thank you.

[ummmm]

Unlikely. It's down to you to double check everything is in place I'm afraid.

[redcrx]

what was in the letters? were they to say there was a fault with bank details or something or that payments hadnt been received?

[Old_Geezer]

No specifically no. But I do get very irate when a company calims they have done no wrong because they followed their own flawed useless procedures. It's their procedures, they are responsible for ensuring they do the job they should.

Best of luck. Not holding my breath on you having a way out. Might be best just to explain to the police and hope they are in a generous understanding mood or something, and give out a warning.

[Old_Geezer]

CLAIMS !

[Old_Geezer]

Ah I'm guessing a FPN is a fixed penalty. In which case it may well be past the point of pleading for leniency.

[pelican8000]

Yes FPN, Fixed Penalty Notice. The letters they wrote apparently said that they could not set up the direct debit without my permission!

[237SJ]

I`d be quite surprised if a company would accept new bank details in the form of an email. They usually send a direct debit form. What that what you didn`t acknowledge? It`s unfortunate but I doubt you can do much about it. The police don`t care that you had a misunderstanding with your insurers. They only care about the fact that you were on the road without insurance.

[pelican8000]

Yes, it must have been the direct debit form. I can see I should have been more proactive, but you would have thought that when they acknowledge receipt of my new bank details, they could have said they would be sending out a form, or to ring them, or something? I suppose I will just have to take it on the chin. Really upset though, as I have never had points on my licence in my life, and will now lose my Advanced Driving License. 8-(

[ummmm]

FPN? don't you get arrested for no insurance now?

[redcrx]

so were they still trying to get payments from previous account then? on your holidays and travelling around were you looking at bank statements and keeping up to date with things at all?

[237SJ]

It must be quite galling. You could always email or write to their customer service department and suggest they make it clearer to customers in your position that they will be receiving a letter etc etc. Won`t help you but at least they might improve their procedures.

[Old_Geezer]

Any insurer I am with send me a DD form it'll go straight in the bin, and I'll consider insuring with someone else next time. In fairness though, I don't know if, for bank detail changes, an e-mail is accepted on the same par as snail mail, these days. But if it isn't then surely the onus is on them to say so. No one cares these days, the customer is always irrelevant as there are plenty more so why pay the expense to treat each with sufficient care.

[redcrx]

ummm, i was under impression the no insurance meant the car was impounded too

[Squitty]

Isnt it odd how defeatist we have all become especially when there are mitigating circumstances.
I would expect to be able to contest the fpn if I was able to prove the holiday situation and expect a fair judgment.
I bet the insurance company wouldnt pay up if you had had an accident either.

[josaphine32]

Thats what I thought red, I think I watch to much Traffic Cops,

[ChuckFickens]

ANPR stops for no insurance get dealt with by a FPN and your car will get impounded.

[237SJ]

Nodody`s being defeatist. Have you ever set up a direct debit or payment to insurance, mortgage company etc and done it by email? Apart from online banking of course which has a section for it on an official website. It`s done by post. Anyone could just email on your behalf, quote your policy number, give a load of new bank details (fabricated ones) and hey presto, you`re in the sh1t. You could inform them you have new details but they will always write and send you a form because they need it in writing. They did this, the OP was on holiday so didn`t get it, they presumably wrote again and when they got no reply (probably within 14 days) they cancelled the insurance. It`s just an unfortunate misunderstanding.

[pelican8000]

Yes, they were going to impound the car, but because of the time, 0550hrs, they allowed me to drive it home as they could not ring the insurance company to confirm no insurance, or their central database?

[ummmm]

Very lucky then.

It's not defeatist....there's even a website you can check to see if you have valid insurance. I always check after a renewal 'just in case'

I pay annually though.

[pelican8000]

The worst thing is, I watch all those police documentaries too. Laugh at the scumbags that get caught out, and now I am one of them. There is no defence for not realising I wasn't insured. I will just be more aware next time, and not rely on the internet/email so much. Strangely though, I have not had a problem with all the other companies I emailed to change my bank details. Guess I had better check to make sure that they are all savvy with my new info.

To look on the positive side, I am glad it has happened now. I dread to think what would have happened if I had had an accident, and somebody lost out because I had been too complacent to check my details. I think I will take it as a wake up call.