Motor insurance cancelled on the M5! Thanks Admiral!

[Vanilla]

So on the 30th May Admiral sent me a letter (which was received 5 days later on the 4th).

As part of an audit they asked for copies of the driving license of all of the people named on my policy. Both licenses, both sides. They said they would be grateful if I could reply within seven days. So, two days is not a lot of time to do it within. I first emailed them my license while I obtained the licenses of the other two people. One out of the country, but contactable and the other a right mess when it comes to keeping things handy!

I emailed them another license yesterday and finally got the third license today which I straight away emailed to them. On the 6th June they sent a letter (received today on the 12th) saying that as they have not had the info they requested they are cancelling my policy as of midnight tonight.

Anyone else think this is a bit out of order that they've gone from 'would be grateful to receive' to cancelling policy within such a short time frame?

I'm tempted to call up and cancel the policy just so I never have to check the 'have you ever had your policy cancelled for any reason' box on future applications (lines open till 9pm). If I beat them to it wehey!

Update
--------------------

Sent a letter of complaint

I received a formal reply from Admiral saying that they feel two weeks is sufficient.

So going to take it up with the Ombudsman

 

[bledd]

Go with Chris Knott. You get a very personal service. They will email or call you instead of a letter if you prefer.

 

[Clarkey]

Sack them off and go elsewhere, they are for ever pulling this kind of stunt.

 

[Tute]

Can't you complain to the ombudsman about this kind of thing?

 

[Vanilla]

Can't you complain to the ombudsman about this kind of thing?

I'll have a look. I spend a lot of time out of the country. It's scary to think how you could come back from a holiday and drive home not even knowing you're uninsured....not in the least pinging up on an ANPR check (of which there are systems coming in and out of most airports!)

 

[RedvGreen]

Admiral messed me about at renewal. I've paid about £75 more for a different insurer as I have only had bad experiences with Admiral.

 

[rodenal]

I've found them really really poor at dealing with my recent claim.

The car was sorted quickly and easily, but to be honest that was down more to the repairing garage than admiral, who also tried to get them to use non Honda panels. I had told them from the outset I would reject it if they weren't using OEM with proof, turns out cheaper replacements weren't available anyway.

Since then admiral have done basically nothing without me hounding them, didn't bother to contact the other side promptly, didn't bother to chase up when no responses received, took them weeks to get the diagram I gave to their own accident management type people, can never get hold of the person dealing with the claim and they lack the ability or desire to make any kind of firm challenge on the other side.

They've really annoyed me over this. Would/will I still use them....possibly tbh as they are still going to be the cheapest insurer at renewal who will also insure if I then modify the car. I'd like to also think I'll not be involved innany more bumps for a few years (watch as I now become a statistic)

The Chris Knott stuff above, tbh they've always been absolutely terrible on price fome, including this year, to the tune of circa £900 more than the other insurers ive ran quotes with. Different people will get different prices at the end of the day but they habe never come close for me. The only insurers of that type who have ever come close to getting my business are greenlight and sky

 

[xs2man]

It has been my personal experience that if you have a claim with an insurer, they will no longer be competitive for the next 5+ years. I'm only just competitive with Direct-Line again after almost a decade of them being waaayyyy off. Not the first time this has happened either, so you may find you won't be able to use Admiral again rodenal.

 

[rodenal]

Already checked, surprisingly competitive still.

I have found that in the (distant) past too though

 

[Westyfield2]

@Vanilla: That sounds ridiculous. I'd be giving them hell for it!

 

[Stormster]

Greenlight are total retards, I'd avoid them after my experiences today as someone recommended them above! Selling my Fiesta ST on Saturday, I've bought a cheap runaround for a bit.

Called to change policy over, they said no. Said I would have to cancel my policy, get a refund on the remainder and go elsewhere! The car isn't "sporty" or "valuable" enough for them to insure... so now I've got to wait up to 6 weeks for my partial refund and I was 8 months through so there goes this years NCD! Luckily I have 8 already but the principle of it is incredbly annoying.

Just goes to show cheapest isn't always best.

 

[Rroff]

Seems bang out of order to me, except in exceptional circumstances i.e. they have proof of you doing something illegal I'd expect atleast 1 months notice for something like that.

Greenlight are total retards, I'd avoid them after my experiences today as someone recommended them above! Selling my Fiesta ST on Saturday, I've bought a cheap runaround for a bit.

My dad used Greenlight briefly and had a terrible experience when he needed to actually use the supposed recovery extra - long story short they are incompetent muppets.

 

[hawker1986]

Ive just left admiral because they want to charge me £260 for having been on a speed awareness course. Gone with sky in the end. They were very nice, same chap spoke to me each time I called and he put up with my list of irrelevant questions very well

Hawker

 

[Castiel]

I have never had an insurance company ask me for anyone's licence?

If they cancelled the policy, did they refund the premium?

 

[Hades]

Unfortunately now you should answer "yes" to "Have you ever had insurance declined or cancelled?"

 

[Vanilla]

OK, I called them up last night with the intention of canceling the policy just so it was me that canceled it (see above - so i'd never have to check the 'have you had insurance canceled box').

The gent on the phone informed me that I was fine. After I sent my license in they started a letter saying 'thanks for complying' even though they had not had all the licenses.

I'm fine. Just late letter and crap bureaucracy

Still annoyed. Nasty letter to Customer Services, CEO and CIO coming up.

 

[novaenough]

Glad it sounds like your sorted out but I'm not sure I'd believe the guy on the phone until I'd got it in writing tbh...

 

[Mr-White]

I'm tempted to call up and cancel the policy just so I never have to check the 'have you ever had your policy cancelled for any reason' box on future applications (lines open till 9pm). If I beat them to it wehey!

I wouldn't worry about that, they cancelled the policy because of paperwork issues and if you give them the required information they would probably reinstate the policy.

Technically I've had a policy cancelled, the dimwit (also at Admiral) set my policy to renew plus created me a new one.

MW

 

[scratch]

It has been my personal experience that if you have a claim with an insurer, they will no longer be competitive for the next 5+ years. I'm only just competitive with Direct-Line again after almost a decade of them being waaayyyy off. Not the first time this has happened either, so you may find you won't be able to use Admiral again rodenal.

I had an £11k fault claim with Axa, lost 5 years NCB and then 3 weeks later my renewal came through...£20 cheaper than last year

They weren't the cheapest either, but I was really impressed with the way they handled the claim and anyone who has my local BMW bodyshop on their list of approved repairers can carry on being my insurer

 

[Akagi]

Well this is worrying, I'm with Admiral because they offered me the best price - which is important when you're a young driver, a small price difference between insurers can translate to £100's!

Renewal is in just over a month...