Towergate Insurance

[system 4-50]

Be aware that Towergate charge £25 to cancel a policy.  Having sold my boat, I am required by them to cancel the policy, which results in a £15 refund for the time unused before they apply the £25 change charge.  So I have to pay a nett charge of £10 to stop being insured!   I know its all correct by the rules and I expect other insurers do similar, but it narks me all the same!

[haggis]

It seems to be fairly standard with insurance companies (for boats, cars and household) to charge an "admin fee"  if any change is needed to a policy which presumably means cancelling it as well . I don't remember this being the case a few years ago but perhaps I have my rose tinted specs on again. 🙂 

 

haggis

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, haggis said:

It seems to be fairly standard with insurance companies (for boats, cars and household) to charge an "admin fee"  if any change is needed to a policy which presumably means cancelling it as well . I don't remember this being the case a few years ago but perhaps I have my rose tinted specs on again. 🙂 

 

haggis

Just got a car quote from AXA and they don't charge an admin fee

[furnessvale]

1 hour ago, system 4-50 said:

Be aware that Towergate charge £25 to cancel a policy.  Having sold my boat, I am required by them to cancel the policy, which results in a £15 refund for the time unused before they apply the £25 change charge.  So I have to pay a nett charge of £10 to stop being insured!   I know its all correct by the rules and I expect other insurers do similar, but it narks me all the same!

I would tell them I will not be cancelling the insurance.  If THEY wish to do so they can, but they won't be getting any £10 off me!

[Cheshire cat]

12 minutes ago, furnessvale said:

I would tell them I will not be cancelling the insurance.  If THEY wish to do so they can, but they won't be getting any £10 off me!

Exactly. What are they going to do' Take you to the small claims court/

[TheBiscuits]

4 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

Exactly. What are they going to do' Take you to the small claims court/

 

Flag you for insurance fraud ...

[Tony Brooks]

4 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Flag you for insurance fraud ...

 

I can't see that being fraud because no claims would be made. The worst it could be is breach of contract IF their terms and conditions made it plain that ding as suggested was not allowed.

[TheBiscuits]

7 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I can't see that being fraud because no claims would be made. The worst it could be is breach of contract IF their terms and conditions made it plain that ding as suggested was not allowed.

 

I thought it was illegal to insure something you have no valid interest in. 

 

I still think charging an extra tenner to cancel is bad customer service though.  Just keeping the fifteen quid would be acceptable to me.

[Tony Brooks]

2 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

I thought it was illegal to insure something you have no valid interest in. 

 

I still think charging an extra tenner to cancel is bad customer service though.  Just keeping the fifteen quid would be acceptable to me.

 

But the OP did have an interest in the boat when he insured it and as long as he told Towergate that he no longer had the boat and they can cancel the insurance if they wish there is still no fraud as long a she makes no claim. I am afraid its typical of what UK financial services are allowed to get away with.

[Ex Brummie]

Just had similar with Tesco for car insurance. I scrapped the car 2 weeks before renewal so had to cancel the auto renewal. The web form wouldn't work so had to phone to stop  the auto and was told about the admin charge. Any refund would have been less than the £25 and after giving the operator my thoughts, he graciously advised me he would not be applying it.

[Mac of Cygnet]

39 minutes ago, Ex Brummie said:

Just had similar with Tesco for car insurance. I scrapped the car 2 weeks before renewal so had to cancel the auto renewal. The web form wouldn't work so had to phone to stop  the auto and was told about the admin charge. Any refund would have been less than the £25 and after giving the operator my thoughts, he graciously advised me he would not be applying it.

 

I'm quite surprised that a call centre operator would have the authority to do that.  On the occasions I've had a similar query/complaint, I've been passed (with considerable delay) to a Higher Authority.

[Stroudwater1]

 

 

I had similar with Admiral and car insurance- any change even adding or removing a car in a joint family policy appears to have such a charge slapped on. Its even in the sales platter "we will drop that for you", especially if the caller becomes upset with this charge. Theres no maths behind the actual charge incurred, its minimal of course but usually a round number is made up. I would be interested if they are allowed legally to make up a figure and charge it without some sort of justification for doing so. Where does "think of a number and charge" become theft I wonder.

 

Perhaps it in the small print but I am not too sure of the legality of that- at least thats what I say when companies try that on, it usually works. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

3 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

 

 

I had similar with Admiral and car insurance- any change even adding or removing a car in a joint family policy appears to have such a charge slapped on. Its even in the sales platter "we will drop that for you", especially if the caller becomes upset with this charge. Theres no maths behind the actual charge incurred, its minimal of course but usually a round number is made up. I would be interested if they are allowed legally to make up a figure and charge it without some sort of justification for doing so. Where does "think of a number and charge" become theft I wonder.

 

Perhaps it in the small print but I am not too sure of the legality of that- at least thats what I say when companies try that on, it usually works. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surly they can charge what they like for a service, just like a plumber coming to your house, he doesn't have to justify why he charged you £150 for a call out and first half hour

[Stroudwater1]

Good point, but then sometimes rogue plumbers are prosecuted for overcharging and preying on the vulnerable - I imagine theres  case law and Im sure you are right its higher than £20 😁, it doesnt feel right though or just, when they are there to be doing administrative work and quotes for new customers anyway..... 

[matty40s]

I recently had my car insurance renewal letter that thanked me for 15 years of loyal servitude, even though they completely pi€€ed me about when somebody trashed my parked car in a private car park, admitting full responsibility. 

Direct Line tried to force me to drive the car illegally 160 miles to get it sorted at a local authorised repair centre, and arranged the hire car from there. This was after repeated instructions that the car was not safely drivable as the doors would not open. This was compounded by the Direct Line operatives kids constantly interrupting the call, and putting me on hold, and after 1 and 3/4 hours, me hanging up.

The other drivers insurers were far better, arranging a local repair for me, without me having to do anything other than hand the keys over on their arrival , and check the work on their finish.

My insurer kept asking why I hadnt contacted the 160 mile away repair and separate hire company, even though I had on at least 3 occasions told them Zurich was sorting it all.

So, when Direct Line gave me a quote of £660 with 15 years no claims protected, and I got a Saga quote for £330, I didnt bother telling them they were no longer needed.

A month later and they still havnt removed the 2 car family discount off the other car insured with them, and I shall remove that one as soon as renewal comes along.

[Rob-M]

4 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

I thought it was illegal to insure something you have no valid interest in. 

 

I still think charging an extra tenner to cancel is bad customer service though.  Just keeping the fifteen quid would be acceptable to me.

That is exactly what I was told when I was asked to pay to cancel a car policy. I said I won't bother cancelling then but was told it was illegal to hold a policy for a car I no longer owned.

[Ex Brummie]

13 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

 

I'm quite surprised that a call centre operator would have the authority to do that.  On the occasions I've had a similar query/complaint, I've been passed (with considerable delay) to a Higher Authority.

With 'working from home', they do not have the facility to transfer. His Higher Authority was the screaming child in the background all through the call.

[nicknorman]

11 hours ago, Rob-M said:

That is exactly what I was told when I was asked to pay to cancel a car policy. I said I won't bother cancelling then but was told it was illegal to hold a policy for a car I no longer owned.

I would want to know under exactly what law that was illegal. It would clearly be fraud to make a claim for a vehicle that one didn’t own, but just having a policy … seems unlikely.

[Ex Brummie]

8 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

I would want to know under exactly what law that was illegal. It would clearly be fraud to make a claim for a vehicle that one didn’t own, but just having a policy … seems unlikely.

When I suggested that I let my policy expire, I was told that it would complicate any application by the purchaser to insure an already insured car. As I was not looking for another policy, I more or less said stuff it and sue me.

[nicknorman]

2 minutes ago, Ex Brummie said:

When I suggested that I let my policy expire, I was told that it would complicate any application by the purchaser to insure an already insured car. As I was not looking for another policy, I more or less said stuff it and sue me.

I can sort of see that with a car, since there is the motor insurance database. But not with a boat!

[George and Dragon]

On 03/11/2021 at 18:33, Ex Brummie said:

Just had similar with Tesco for car insurance. I scrapped the car 2 weeks before renewal so had to cancel the auto renewal. The web form wouldn't work so had to phone to stop  the auto and was told about the admin charge. Any refund would have been less than the £25 and after giving the operator my thoughts, he graciously advised me he would not be applying it.

 

Were you cancelling the auto renewal or the policy?

 

On 03/11/2021 at 19:16, Mac of Cygnet said:

 

I'm quite surprised that a call centre operator would have the authority to do that.  On the occasions I've had a similar query/complaint, I've been passed (with considerable delay) to a Higher Authority.

 

Maybe you were cancelling the policy. In circumstances where there's likely to be a significant refund due then I'd cancel. Otherwise I would just let the policy quietly expire.

I must admit the technical illegality of continuing to insure a chattel that I no longer owned had passed me by.

[Guest]

I seriously doubt that anyone who simply allows a policy to lapse because they have sold a vehicle has ever ever been found guilty of an offence associated with having insurance in place for a vehicle they no longer own. 

 

I bet there are examples of people being convicted of fraud if they have attempted to claim or have claimed for a vehicle they no longer have possession of. Of course there will be.

 

To suggest that somebody might guilty of something for continuing to pay for insurance they no longer need is just rather exaggerated internet BS so often seen on Facebook and Twitter.

 

One might breach an insurance companies terms and conditions but a conviction for fraud? Really?

Edited November 5, 2021 by The Happy Nomad

[Ex Brummie]

12 hours ago, George and Dragon said:

 

Were you cancelling the auto renewal or the policy?

 

 

Maybe you were cancelling the policy. In circumstances where there's likely to be a significant refund due then I'd cancel. Otherwise I would just let the policy quietly expire.

I must admit the technical illegality of continuing to insure a chattel that I no longer owned had passed me by.

I was anxious to cancel the auto renewal as I no longer had the car. The website did not respond to cancellation options so I had to phone so they could offer me a better deal, which is when I said I no longer had the car.

[Big Bob W]

6 hours ago, Ex Brummie said:

I had to phone so they could offer me a better deal,

This is something that annoys me with insurance renewals. When I get a renewal, I generally shop around for better deals. If I get one, I take it. Current insurer then tries to match/better the deal. I never take it out of principle - they should have offered it in the first place.

 

Incidentally, I moved the boat insurance from Towergate to GJW this year. Same price, but GJW accept a survey up to 10 years old, whereas Towergate wanted a full out of water survey as my last was 5 years ago.

[George and Dragon]

On 05/11/2021 at 16:31, Big Bob W said:

This is something that annoys me with insurance renewals. When I get a renewal, I generally shop around for better deals. If I get one, I take it. Current insurer then tries to match/better the deal. I never take it out of principle - they should have offered it in the first place.

 

Sometimes you might be looking for a better deal from your existing provider (such as telecoms). In that case phoning them to tell them you're changing provider can work very nicely. But I agree that car insurance isn't one of those.