Hastings cancelled my car insurance

[Miss Kaley]

Hi, This is my very first time here..I am after some advice regarding my Hastings Car Insurance.

Please read the timeline of events below.

ANY advice would be hugely appreciated!





1^st February 2018 took out policy with Hastings for ‘car 1’

8^th June added ‘car 2’ to my existing Hastings policy

30^th June I cancelled ‘car 1’ insurance as it was sold that day and I did not want to pay another round of insurance for it.
I was told by a customer service representative that I could cancel my direct debit with my bank so the payment did not come out for BOTH cars 2 days later but that they couldn’t cancel it their end as it had already been applied for. They also said they could not amend my policy because the payment had already been requested.

1^st July Cancelled my direct debit (as it was a joint policy I had to cancel the whole thing)

13^th July received an email from Hastings to say my Direct Debit payment failed and that I needed to make a payment OR contact Hastings before 19^th or they would cancel my policy.

16^th July I made a payment of £78.84 via my online account to cover both car 1 and 2 outstanding balance (what would have come out in the direct debit)

19^th July received an email around lunchtime to say they had cancelled my policy effective from 0000hrs on the 18^th – the day before - due to not having a direct debit set up (I had driven to work unknowingly uninsured this day!!!)

19^th called Hastings to be told they had cancelled my policy because I had not set up a new direct debit before the 19^th even though a payment was not due to be made for another 15 days on the 3^rd august. I told them countless times that I would be happy to set up a direct debit with them there and then on the phone and they refused and said it was not possible to reinstate a cancelled policy and said that I still had to pay them a further £71.66 in charges for the delight of them cancelling my policy. I refused as I had only just paid £78.84 3 days previous to settle the outstanding balance of what would have come out in the original direct debit.

25^th July I received an email to say “the card details they held on file for me (and proceeded to list them) would be used to automatically take a payment of £71.66 from my account tomorrow”… I called them again and told them I did not authorise this payment and that the funds would not be in my account.
This wasn’t able to happen anyway due to my debit card being out of date and being sent a new one in the post a few days before.

10^th August I received a letter from Hastings to say that my details had been passed to a debt collector company and they would be in touch for the outstanding balance of £71.66

Friday 14^th September I received a letter from “Debt Managers services LTD” asking if the named person (myself) lived at this address.
No amount on the letter or even who they are acting on behalf of.
Just that if I don’t contact them within 5 days they will assume I live here and further communication would be made.


I feel Hastings have purposely done this when there was no need for it.
My account was in credit.
I had not missed a payment
They actually already had my bank details as they listed them to me after they cancelled my policy.

To my thinking, any normal company would have waited until the payment date of 3^rd August and if no payment had been made then I would have understood them cancelling my policy…

Can anyone advise me on the best course of action now?

[des8]

Hi and welcome.

Get rid of the debt collectors by telling them the account is in dispute with the original creditor, and as such they should cease all collection activity.

Then write to Hastings and tell them they gave nsufficient notice of cancellation (generally should be 7 days notice) and you are making complaint to FOS.
Lodge complaint with FOS (https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/)

If the time line is as you describe they will hopefully order Hastings to pay compensation

I assume you've replaced Hastings with a more reputable company!

[Miss Kaley]

Thanks for your reply DES8

the problem isn't them not giving me notice, I think my main problem with the whole situation is the fact they ONLY cancelled my policy because there was no DD set up (even though another payment wasn't due to be made for another 15days) my account wasn't overdue, it was JUST because a DD wasn't set up for a future payment..

[des8]

Hastings have failed on many fronts:
1. fancy not being able to endorse (ie amend) a policy (they need to bone up on their insurance knowledge) . the premiums can be adjusted later
2.No need to cancel the whole policy, just endorse it.
3 Why cancel a policy when premiums are still being paid...probably a breach of contract
4 Wrong to cancel a policy (especially where cover is mandatory by statute) without prior notice to policyholder

The reason for cancelling is not really the main problem .
The main problem is leaving you without cover without any notice.
Road Traffic Act cover is mandatory and it is a strict liability offence
So although you would have a defence of mistake of fact,if you had been stopped by the police, or involved in an accident you would have had a difficult and stressful time

[Laticsforlife]

And from now on when you get asked the question "have you ever had an insurance policy cancelled" you have to say yes, and it limits the companies who will cover you, meaning more than likely higher prices.

[bery]

Hi, This is my very first time here..I am after some advice regarding my Hastings Car Insurance.

Please read the timeline of events below.

ANY advice would be hugely appreciated!





1^st February 2018 took out policy with Hastings for ‘car 1’

8^th June added ‘car 2’ to my existing Hastings policy

30^th June I cancelled ‘car 1’ insurance as it was sold that day and I did not want to pay another round of insurance for it.
I was told by a customer service representative that I could cancel my direct debit with my bank so the payment did not come out for BOTH cars 2 days later but that they couldn’t cancel it their end as it had already been applied for. They also said they could not amend my policy because the payment had already been requested.

1^st July Cancelled my direct debit (as it was a joint policy I had to cancel the whole thing)

13^th July received an email from Hastings to say my Direct Debit payment failed and that I needed to make a payment OR contact Hastings before 19^th or they would cancel my policy.

16^th July I made a payment of £78.84 via my online account to cover both car 1 and 2 outstanding balance (what would have come out in the direct debit)

19^th July received an email around lunchtime to say they had cancelled my policy effective from 0000hrs on the 18^th – the day before - due to not having a direct debit set up (I had driven to work unknowingly uninsured this day!!!)

19^th called Hastings to be told they had cancelled my policy because I had not set up a new direct debit before the 19^th even though a payment was not due to be made for another 15 days on the 3^rd august. I told them countless times that I would be happy to set up a direct debit with them there and then on the phone and they refused and said it was not possible to reinstate a cancelled policy and said that I still had to pay them a further £71.66 in charges for the delight of them cancelling my policy. I refused as I had only just paid £78.84 3 days previous to settle the outstanding balance of what would have come out in the original direct debit.

25^th July I received an email to say “the card details they held on file for me (and proceeded to list them) would be used to automatically take a payment of £71.66 from my account tomorrow”… I called them again and told them I did not authorise this payment and that the funds would not be in my account.
This wasn’t able to happen anyway due to my debit card being out of date and being sent a new one in the post a few days before.

10^th August I received a letter from Hastings to say that my details had been passed to a debt collector company and they would be in touch for the outstanding balance of £71.66

Friday 14^th September I received a letter from “Debt Managers services LTD” asking if the named person (myself) lived at this address.
No amount on the letter or even who they are acting on behalf of.
Just that if I don’t contact them within 5 days they will assume I live here and further communication would be made.


I feel Hastings have purposely done this when there was no need for it.
My account was in credit.
I had not missed a payment
They actually already had my bank details as they listed them to me after they cancelled my policy.

To my thinking, any normal company would have waited until the payment date of 3^rd August and if no payment had been made then I would have understood them cancelling my policy…

Can anyone advise me on the best course of action now?

When a car insurance policy is cancelled, a premium refund is applicable if the cancellation is not done very late into the policy. Usually, cancellations up to the first six months or nine months of the policy allow a premium refund.