another insurance scam

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gookah
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Joined: Thu 07 Aug, 2008 09:51
Posts: 2737

  Z3 roadster 2.8

another insurance scam

Post by gookah »

My first dealings with Elephant.co.uk arose after I had selected them on confused.com for my g/f who was learning to drive in my Peugeot (the shed). I had experimented by entering 'with' and 'without' alloy wheels, to see if it made much difference if I put them on at a later date.... didnt want to find out they wouldnt touch them...
anyway Elephant were the best so duly paid.....
1 week later a letter came saying I had made an oversight by not actually declaring the alloy wheels on the proposal, and they would debit my account for the difference.

I phoned them, (call center in asia) to say I still just had the standard steel wheels, They said that is OK but I would now have to take the car to a dealers to get them to write a letter saying alloys were not fitted.... I hit the roof, after sharp words with the operator, and supervisor I had no change in stance..
The day after a member of the UK staff rang to apologise unreservedly for the 'error'... I said my piece and left them in no uncertain terms I was not happy with their service.....

Take 2. six months on.... My g/f has just passed her test and rang Elephant (Asian call centre again) to ask for a possible reduction in the premium,,, the result they want £66 more for the remaining 6 months, because ......the risk is higher!!!!
The roof now has another mark!!
Their reason 'She is now a greater risk because she is unsupervised'
I said that the UK Driving Standards Agency has just examined her driving and declared that she is now proficient to drive unsupervised, so how is that 'less safe' than as a learner where inherently she needs supervision.....Elephant said they would not change stance.. So they have now requested another call back for me from UK tomorrow :head: :head: so do I cancel and lose 6 months of the first years NCB..... Cost £47 to cancel and the period of days on cover, rest is refunded... Tomorrow they will have to do some grovelling to prevent that....
Avoid Elephant at all costs... its right what they say insurance companies are only good, providing you don't ever need to contact them
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Jonttt
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Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
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  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

To be honest you may be doing yourself no favours given the incremental cost of cancelling v carrying on with them for 6 months.

Personally I would pay up to get the 12 months NCB and then move somewhere else no matter what in 6 months time.

For £1 I would also go on companies house and download a directors report on the company which should have the home addresses of the directors of the company and write to them at home with your complaint :twisted: and copy it to the insurance omudbunsman (or whatever they are called now) making sure you mark the letter clearly on the footer that it has been copied to them. May not get you anywhere but you will feel better for it :D

It does seem a very unfair increment. If you can calculate the % increase for the remaining 6 months cover as I'm guessing it may work out to be a stupid % increase which would look better in your complaint that the pure monetary value :wink:

ps as you may have guessed I love arguments like this with companies :D
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Mouldy
Joined: Mon 26 Jan, 2009 19:40
Posts: 538

  Not specified
Location: Northampton

Post by Mouldy »

I think that you will find this is usual practice. Although your g/f has passed her test, she is now able to drive a car without the help and advice of an experienced driver beside her and will be solely responsible for all of her actions and becomes a higher risk.

Be thankful that her insurance only went up by a few pounds . . . . . .my son's went up by about three hundred when he passed his test in 2005 and he was insured with Churchills at the time.

As far as Asian call centres are concerned, whether for a mobile phone company, internet support or insurance, my experience is that they are alright as long as the answers to the questions you ask are included on their scripts. If you deviate from standard questions, with standard answers, they are b*ggered.

Any non standard items can and will attract an additional premium when you tell your insurance company, even metallic paint when it is charged as an extra by the manufacturer and all should be declared when you take out your insurance or you run the risk of not being paid out in the event of an accident.

More and more people fail to notify their insurance companies of non standard equipment and more and more claims are being rejected as a result.

I would do as Jonttt says and pay the extra to get the best chance of a years NCB, then get fresh quotes at the end of the year and then change the insurance company.

I keep saying it, but insurance companies have got us all by the short and curlies. They know you have got to have it and screw us accordingly. The only problem is that you wont find out how good they are until you have to claim.
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BenZ3-2.0
Joined: Mon 02 Oct, 2006 14:42
Posts: 430

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Bedford

Post by BenZ3-2.0 »

Definetely standard practice for premium to increase after you pass your test. I actually agree the risk is higher as although you have passed a test you have no experience!!
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Robert T
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Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Post by Robert T »

The alloy wheel saga, is, I'm afraid, a symptom of how we use insurance quote sites these days. As insurers will rarely give you an honest upfront answer about how much a mod is likely to make, and indeed will frequently try and charge you more if you can't complete everything online and have to phone them up, we are driven to using them in this way.

Having tried to declare my non-standard bits (all OEM!) on the meerkats, only one insurer would actually quote for them and that was just a ridiculous price, I gave up and had to put the car in as standard in order to get any realistic quotes back. I would of course declare the changes if I were to take them up on their offer, but if you can't even get a quote, how on earth can you make a comparison. I'm now waiting to see if they come back to me on it.

Another thing I object to is having to give my phone number to get a quote - I do not want your sales and marketing calls - I want a quote - only if you are the cheapest and I decide to use you will you ever have the privilege of knowing my phone number. :evil:

I'm glad you got an apology out of them - taking money or attempting to take money from someone on a suspicion is just plain wrong - whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Oh, sorry, this is insurance companies we are talking about. :head:

I'm afraid that a new driver will put your premium up though - they are now counted as an inexperienced driver, rather than one under supervision - they will also command a larger excess, so I don't think you will get anywhere with that one, sorry.

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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g8jka
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Joined: Sun 18 Apr, 2010 21:16
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  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Telford

Re: another insurance scam

Post by g8jka »

gookah wrote:drive in my Peugeot (the shed).
Eh, less of that! I'm having fun cruising around in it at the moment. I'm spending my day off work detailing it tomorrow, just wondering what make of creosote to use to give it that optimum shine. I have some mods planned, a couple of perspex windows, several wooden shelves and a felt roof then it will be looking fantastic!
2000 BMW Z3 2.8 Titanium Silver Roadster with too many mods to list :-D :drive
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gookah
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Joined: Thu 07 Aug, 2008 09:51
Posts: 2737

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: another insurance scam

Post by gookah »

g8jkaz wrote:
gookah wrote:drive in my Peugeot (the shed).
just wondering what make of creosote to use to give it that optimum shine. I have some mods planned, a couple of perspex windows, several wooden shelves and a felt roof then it will be looking fantastic!

Use varnish not creosote for the shine, and yes I like the sound of the roof being wrapped... careful with the lawn mower, sorry engine....
watch out for walls :head:
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Z3 2.8 Progress Journal (Mine)
Z3 1.9 Sport Progress Journal (Wifey's)

I have an element of 'M-styling' on my car, If that's a good enough reason for the manufacturers to adorn a 320 with the M badge, then its certainly a good enough reason for me..
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