Insurance Company - Taking the Mick?

Soldato
Joined
7 Jun 2005
Posts
3,035
Location
SE London
My car was stolen last year October, i provided all information and posted everything back at the beginning of December.

Chased the insurance claim handlers couple of times in Jan, they asked for a copy of my drivers license, which I sent.

Chased them again in Feb, they said the previous copy not very readable and if I could send again, which I did. Strange they didn't call me straight away, waisting a few weeks...

Chased them again end of Feb, they needed a statement from me saying the license is a EU license. On my motor policy it states EU License holder, wtf??? I faxed a statement over nevertheless...

Chased them again beginning of March, said they are waiting for information from the underwriters.. couldn't tell me what info exactly.

Today they emailed me again, asking for a copy of my drivers license and in particular the endorsements section. Ofcourse, there is non as it's a non-UK license, are they not supposed to know this already?

Also they are asking me for proof of residency in the UK, in particulair "The letter I received when I came here" what in earth does that mean? I've been here since 1999, had various cars and insurances, jobs, tax, telephone lines, even a daughter now whom has UK passport, surely they could do a bit of research and find this info, being a claim validation department?

I get the feeling they are just stalling things as much as they can, so they don't have to pay me just yet.

In the meantime i have no car and seriously need the lowsy money they are going to give me back.

Is there anywhere that I can make a complaint about they way they are dealing with this claim, asking for the same info over and over again?

any help/advise much appreciated!!!

p.s. I have emailed them about 3-4 times as well, they have never responded to my emails. Now they are emailing me, how does this work?!?
 
Who is the insurer?

Do you have a Broker to help you out or are you direct with the insurer?

Did you tell them you didn't have a UK licence at the time you took the insurance out?
 
Im pretty sure that the UK Law states that a foriegn Driving license is only valid for a certain amount of years - after that you must take the UK test.

You might want to look that up - EU license or not - I think it depends on what Country you did actually take your test determines whether you need to take the UK test.

But you must have told the insurance company that when you applied for the insurance.

You might want to do some homework before you speak to CAB, and my advise would be to speak to the Insurance Obudsman about your case after you have checked everything out.

If you dont have a legal license, you wont have legal insurance.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/
 
My home country re-issued me with a 10 years drivers license, being aware i was resident in the UK, but told me when it expires i will have to apply for a UK license. I have never had any problems with this, also been stopped once by police, had 2 cars and 5-6 years of insurance. Always told them i have a EU drivers license.

broker=AA and yes ofcourse i told them I have an EU license.

no-one has ever informed me that I'm not able to drive here.
 
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IT Insider said:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022556

Found it - if you scroll down to "resident" section you will see the following.

"until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period"

As you say you have been here since 1999, if you havent applied for a new license you do not have a valid driving license.

Sorry mate, but it looks at the moment as if you are uninsured too.

I'd re-read that quote, "whichever is the longer period. Bet you just gave him a heart attack lol
 
IT Insider said:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022556

Found it - if you scroll down to "resident" section you will see the following.

"until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period"

As you say you have been here since 1999, if you havent applied for a new license you do not have a valid driving license.

Sorry mate, but it looks at the moment as if you are uninsured too.

Urmm you read that wrong...untill 70 OR for 3 years yes, ok, so I'm guessing he isn't 70, and it's over 3 years, BUT it's whichever is longest, which means that his EU license is valid as long as the EU says it is, until he is 70.

Well that's how I read that.

InvG
 
I still read it as he must apply for a new license after 3 years as a resident of the UK and not a UK Citizen.

Am I reading it wrong?

Sorry, dont want to cause any Heart attacks here mate! Just trying to help!!
 
IT Insider said:
I still read it as he must apply for a new license after 3 years as a resident of the UK and not a UK Citizen.

Am I reading it wrong?

Sorry, dont want to cause any Heart attacks here mate! Just trying to help!!
Yes you are reading it wrong :)

The licence is valid until he is 70, and he could even exchange it for a UK one without needing to take a test.
 
Yeah after reading this i'm seriously doubting if I'm eligible or not to drive in the UK. I think the best thing I can do at this stage is quickly swap my EU license over for a UK one, and maybe say that i didn't reach a "permanent residency" stage up till 2004, that will give me until the end of this year at least and get me out of trouble with the insurance company?

Man - i don't want to be arrested for driving and insuring without having a valid drivers license. But as far as I was aware, my drivers license was valid until the expiry date...
 
IT Insider said:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022556

Found it - if you scroll down to "resident" section you will see the following.

"until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period"

As you say you have been here since 1999, if you havent applied for a new license you do not have a valid driving license.

Sorry mate, but it looks at the moment as if you are uninsured too.

Wow. I never knew that. I doubt that it is up to the insurance company to check whether you have a valid licence. It is up to you to ensure that it is valid and tell the insurance company this. Unfortunately it appears that yours is no longer valid and I reakon that the insurance company will say that the onus is on you to check that your licence is valid.

EDIT: Actually, I'm not so sure now after reading it again :confused:

EDIT2: If you are, say, 30, then it is valid until you are 70 (or as long as the licence is valid). If you are 69, then it is valid until you are 72 (3yrs). That's my understanding. Anyone else read it different?
 
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direct.gov.uk said:
you can drive in Great Britain (GB) on your full, valid driving licence from an EC/EEA country, until you are 70, or for three years after becoming a resident, whichever is the longer period


Considering I'm 35, and 35 years (till 70) is longer than 3 years, I can drive on my current EU license here in the UK until it expires, correct?
 
It would be taken I believe from the point of permanete residency but you might just wanna put a call in to the DVLA to be on the safe side.

Im reading it two ways now - not until your 70 as mentioned above, or 3 years after residency...

Could just be the insurance comany you are with are just being idiots, as most of them are!
 
Pheeew, i was starting to sweat a bit.

Where shall I complain about this **** claim validation company whom are dealing with my claim?

AA (broker) or other?
 
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Phew too - Im sorry I worried you mate!

Have a click on the other link above for the financial obudsman. They can help big time on slow payouts.

Are you going to tell us which insurance company it is.
 
Reminder - MUST GET EYES TESTED!.....

Have you spoken directly to the underwriter and asked what the hold up is? Sometimes they will speak directly to you.

AA are usually pretty good but I can never seem to get insured with them on the cars I drive for a price anywhere near Direct Line.
 
IT Insider said:
Reminder - MUST GET EYES TESTED!.....

Have you spoken directly to the underwriter and asked what the hold up is? Sometimes they will speak directly to you.

AA are usually pretty good but I can never seem to get insured with them on the cars I drive for a price anywhere near Direct Line.

Yes I think i will have to make some phonecalls, otherwise nothing gets done, typical. Also wrote an email to DVLA to make sure my drivers license is ok, as well as email the ombudsman to see if they can help.

The AA gave the claim to a 3rd party "Claim Validation Handler". They spoke to me over the phone, very annoying, as every time I said 3 words they interrupted me and told me to hold on for 20 secs. After checking their website i now understand why - they were using "lie detecting" software!!!

http://www.inverita.co.uk/1045.htm
 
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