Car insurance

[horselady]

We were insured with Admiral insurance last year, we didn't like the quote they gave us last September when it was coming up for renewal. We changed insurance companies and have a policy from the new company, no policy from the previous company, obviously as we had cancelled with them. We have just received a letter from a debt collection company saying that Admiral has instructed them to get �89 from us for insurance from September to December last year, when I rang, the snotty person on the phone said that we owed the money, I pointed out that we had never recieved a new policy or any other document from Admiral and that we taxed the car with our new insurers document etc. and how could we possibly be with 2 companies as that's illegal. He said that Admiral had actually cancelled the insurance itself in December. It's as if there is a gap between September and December that is unaccounted for. Surely we shouldn't have to pay?

[factor-fiction]

I'm not sure . Had you specifically cancelled the Admiral policy ?

[horselady]

Yes, we definitely did. I'm rooting through loads of paperwork trying to find everything relating to insurance!

[factor-fiction]

Was the renewal date September or December?

[woozer]

Your time line is not very clear but..........
If you took out the new insurance from the date your Admiral policy was due for renewal then all you have to do is send Admiral a copy of your new insurance certificate and/or the first cover note showing that you had alternative cover from the renewal date of your Admiral policy. Send this by recorded delivery.

[factor-fiction]

I'm wondering whether the renewal date was December but you cancelled in September before the renewal date. In that case they may want you to pay the remaining 3 months

[horselady]

Sorry, didn't make it very clear did I? We contacted Admiral in September when we had just moved into this address, to notify them of the change. The insurance expired in November, at which time we started with the new company as they were considerably cheaper. Never had anything from Admiral from that time on, no letters, no policy renewal, which would have alerted us to something being wrong. Now this debt company say we must not contact Admiral but must deal with them, very nasty attitude, very threatening. Debt company say that Admiral started a new insurance and then cancelled it themselves in December, but why, when we never had any documents or anything? Very confused.

[Skyline D]

Then you will be liable to Admiral for the period to renewal. Even if you did cancel the insurance in September they are still within their rights to request the policy be paid up.

[horselady]

No, it wasn't a monthly policy, it was all paid for at once at the outset. All we did in September was notify of the address change. We owed them nothing.

The policy ended in November which is when we started with the new company! See why I'm so confused by it?!

[factor-fiction]

Have you asked Admiral to explain things?

[horselady]

The debt management chap said we musn't contact Admiral now 'cos they've passed the matter to them and we must deal with them. To be honest I am inclined to give Admiral a ring and try to have a chat. I'm astounded that they could have done this without ever contacting us to say they wanted money and why they wanted it.

[Rollo]

If you make a change to an existing policy then the company can impose a charge to effect that change. Changing your address part way through a period od insurance can count as such am change.

Also, if the premium rate is higher for your new postcode as compared with your old postcode, then the company will want more premiums for the remainder of the insurance period.

THat may be an explanation.

[Rollo]

Sorry for a couple of typos there.

[horselady]

That's an interesting thought Rollo, thanks for that. They could have just told us and asked for some money though!!

[factor-fiction]

I think Rollo has probably identified the correct reason for the charges. I'm surprised, though, that they don't seem to have asked you for the money at the time.

[Skyline D]

Rollo has beaten me to it but I'd have thought it fairly obvious that the additional charge will be relating to a change of risk at the new address. It won't change the fact that you were contracted to Admiral for that period.

As others have said though, it is odd they didn't actually ask for the additional premium at the time. I certainly would be speaking to Admiral about it.

[horselady]

Thanks everyone. Just finished typing letters to Admiral and to the debt company, I'll let you know the outcome. I think it must be the change of address, but even so a difference of �89 for the remaining 2 months of the policy for moving from a large town just off a motorway junction to a village with about 60 houses in it?!

[horselady]

Quick update for all of you who replied. The debt management company responded very quickly to my letter telling us that they had sent all correspondence back to Admiral and would be having no further dealing with the matter. Haven't heard from Admiral yet.