Zurich Insurance! Help!

Shalamar

Hi guys,

Havent posted much on the site but really didnt know who to ask.

I took a policy out with Zurich last March as they came in cheapest for my insurance quote at just €800. It was my first time driving out on my own with a full license. So, grabbed that and loved it!

So, since then I've moved twice. I live in Cork and I moved from the city to another park that has 2 ways of writing the address as technically its in Hollyhill, Cork City and also Knocknacullen, Co Cork. So, when I switched over the address there was no drop in my insurance but I was happy with that, I figured I'd already paid it and was happy as long as I didnt have to pay more.

So now I've moved back to the original area the policy was taken out in, Farranree, Cork City.

So, here is the problem! I rang Zurich to change back my address and the lady was rude throughout the phone call, like she had no patients. She wasnt out right rude but she wasnt as friendly as customer service agents go! More like I was a hassle on the phone. So we change over the address and she informs me I now owe them €15 (I know not much, but its the principle!). I was quite shocked and asked how this was and she informed me that because I moved from the 'county' to the 'city' there was a charge and I questioned why I didnt have a drop in price when I moved to the county. And she then informed me "Well I now have you on our phone RECORDS saying you are living in the city, we wont pursue backdating the premiums eventhough you orginally took the policy out with 'co cork' as your address."

I was baffled! I would never have said co cork before! Ive lived in the city all of my life and Farranree is in the heart of the city so they should have known from their records it couldnt have been county and when I pressed this, she got haughty "Well, let me pull up the records. Now, there, YOU signed the proposal form for co cork! So you owe us this money."

My question is, is she right? I know I signed the proposal form (stupidly looking over the address) but they were the ones that got it wrong, I bet the original conversation would have been for cork city. Also, I want to complain her for her attitude but I'm afraid if I do it will draw attention to the premium problem.

Any advice? And before people bite my head off saying I'm nit picking, I worked as a customer service agent and honestly, nothing gets my goat more than a rude customer service agent! Thanks!

markc1184

€15 sounds like an administration charge for a new insurance cert with your new address on it.

Shalamar

Thats what I would have thought too, but she said that it was a premium price because I didnt pay the original premium. As in, it should have been more than 800euro but because I'm close to my renewal date they're only charging me the time between now and March.

Otis Driftwood

So basically what you are saying is that you got a cheaper policy than you were entitled to get last year and instead of billing you for the time you were living there in total (which they can very much do if they wanted to dig their heels in) they are only going to apply the additional premium from now til your renewal in March,am I reading that right?

Whatever about making a complaint about the agents perceived attitude thats fair enough,but my advice is pay the €15 quid and leave it at that.

Shalamar

Yeah, I rang them back up about a complaints procedure and I got chatting to someone really nice that looked into it. Its exactly how you said, a mistake and I only need to pay that premium. I wasnt disputing the money, I'm fine with that. It was more the attitude of the woman I called first. But now that I've had time to cool down I think I'll be ok, still want to complain her attitude though but the second lady was extremely helpful.

Thanks for the advice

fluffybunny124

Hey there.

I work in customer service in insurance and we are forever having the same problems about city's rating higher than counties.

Different area's have different rating factors, and by the sounds of it, you were down as County Cork instead of Cork City. If you signed a Proposal Form with County Cork instead of Cork City, they would have been well within their right to go looking for the premium.

I know it sucks, but you got a cheaper policy by the sounds of it. I would leave it at that.