Why do I need to write a letter to cancel my insurance?

quarryman

This has always bugged me.

For some reason I'm able to buy car insurance online at 3am on a Sunday morning. They are quite happy to taker money.

But then when I want to cancel to move to another insurer I need to sit down and write a letter kindly asking for permission. Like the 19th century and they're my pen-pals. I also need to send back my insurance disc and cert. This is quite clearly an effort to make things difficult for you to easily cancel.

Since you are paying pro rata the refund you get is only applied after they receive and process your request.

And until then you can't get your no claims discount on another policy as the new insurer needs proof of no claims which you only get after your cancellation has been received and the no claims cert is issued.

Total racket.

Rant over.

BMJD

maybe it's because I could phone them up pretending to be you, cancel your insurance then ROFL as you crash into a line of Bugatti Veyrons

djimi

Is it really that hard to write a simple letter and stick the disc/cert in the envelope?

Total racket? Really?

Atlantic Dawn

They will likely accept an email of a scanned letter given the instruction.

mickdw

BMJD wrote: »

maybe it's because I could phone them up pretending to be you, cancel your insurance then ROFL as you crash into a line of Bugatti Veyrons

If its possible to purchase stuff and bank online, Im sure its possible to have a secure cancellations system.
I would go so far as to say that it would be easier for someone to write a letter and fraudulently cancel another persons insurance than do it through any online or phone system which would typically have multiple levels of security.
Im with the OP. Its just to make it hard to change.

Stheno

It's regulation, they have to have a signed letter from you confirming you wish to cancel.

sonyvision

This is simple.... first by returning the disc you cant drive around with it in your window pretending you have valid insurance.... ie garda checkpoints will just way you through....

secondly if you just call up cancell the possible over the phone or drop it and cancel the policy...... 48 hours later you crash and claim you never cancelled the policy they would have a hard time proving this !!! At least thid way if it goes to court they can say you requested to cancell the policy on this date.... black and white....

quarryman

mickdw wrote: »

If its possible to purchase stuff and bank online, Im sure its possible to have a secure cancellations system.
I would go so far as to say that it would be easier for someone to write a letter and fraudulently cancel another persons insurance than do it through any online or phone system which would typically have multiple levels of security.
Im with the OP. Its just to make it hard to change.

Exactly. They always ask me about 50 questions when I call to change something on my policy. Date of Birth, phone number, my pet dog's name, turn ons, turn offs. It couldn't be more secure. Anybody could write a letter on my behalf and not need that info.

sonyvision wrote: »

This is simple.... first by returning the disc you cant drive around with it in your window pretending you have valid insurance.... ie garda checkpoints will just way you through....

secondly if you just call up cancell the possible over the phone or drop it and cancel the policy...... 48 hours later you crash and claim you never cancelled the policy they would have a hard time proving this !!! At least thid way if it goes to court they can say you requested to cancell the policy on this date.... black and white....

Driving with an invalid disc still means you are not insured. It gets you past checkpoints but that's about it.

On the cancellation proof. Every call is recorded, of course they have a record of you cancelling it.

mgbgt1978

sonyvision wrote: »

secondly if you just call up cancell the possible over the phone or drop it and cancel the policy...... 48 hours later you crash and claim you never cancelled the policy they would have a hard time proving this !!!

They normally make a point of telling you that 'this call will be recorded'.
After a couple of security questions to confirm a person's identity then this should be more than sufficient.
Also if you're paying by installments they are well able to cancel the policy if you stop paying them, regardless of letters, e-mails, phone calls, etc.

oldyouth

You are obliged to return the cert and disc to cancel your policy. What's the harm in including a one-liner in the envelope confirming your instructions?

mathepac

quarryman wrote: »

This has always bugged me..

Breakin' shtones has always bugged me.

quarryman wrote: »

... Total racket... .

Breakin' shtones makes a terrible racket. Explosives, rock breakers, graders, crushers, loaders, aw shtop will you.

The contract documents, insurance cert and disc must be returned before the contract is cancelled. Their arrival triggers the calculation of your refund if any,

fasttalkerchat

Do you have to? Usually I email them and send back the policy docs if they send out the envelope for it.