Larloot

[Harry Elsley]

can an insurance company cancel your car insurence and not tell you

[seduraed]

They should inform you if you are paying the premiums you have reason to assume that the insurance is in place unless informed otherwise.

[des8]

Presumably you are asking as it has happened to you.
Have you changed address and failed to inform the insurers..any notice may have gone missing.

Look at your insurance policy.
It probably has a wording similar to :
) We may cancel this policy, where there is a valid reason for doing so, by sending you seven days notice in writing (by recorded delivery) to your last known address setting out the reason for cancellation.
Wherever possible you will be given the opportunity to provide an acceptable solution before notice of cancellation is issued.
Valid reasons for cancellation include, but are not restricted to:
• Non-payment of premiums, or non-payment of any outstanding amount due under a credit agreement with us, to finance the premium or part of it, where we have contacted you to request payment by a specific date.
• Serious failure to comply with Policy Conditions.
• Failure to provide information or documentation requested by us, or failure to provide a satisfactory response to any reasonable request for assistance in administering the policy or dealing with any claim.
• Violent, aggressive, abusive or threatening behaviour towards our staff, suppliers or representatives appointed by us.
If we do this you will be entitled to a refund of the premium you have paid for this insurance less a pro rata charge for the number of days for which cover has been given.

This enables the insurer to invoke cancellation during the term of the policy, provided they have a valid reason for doing so. It is customary to give seven days’ notice of cancellation but this can be varied. Some policies stipulate that the notification will be sent by recorded delivery or registered post but this is not universal, nor is it mandatory.
The notice brings the contract to an end for all purposes As the cancellation is at the instigation of the insurer a pro-rata refund is allowed, irrespective of whether there has been a claim during the period of insurance.