Eagle Star - Insurance Query

AlanD

Hi,

I've been insured for the last 2 years with Eagle Star because their premiums were very competitive. About 600 euro each for the last two years.

So this month I got my renewal notice with them telling me that my new premium is around 1200 euro!!

Now I'm 29, have a full licence since I was 17 with no claims. So I called them up to give out and see what mistake they made.

Apparantly, they had me down as a female for the last 2 years!!! Well I was livid. I've been on to them about 10 times in two years to transfer insurance temporarily and even to change car and not once did they notice that I was down as female.

Are Eagle Star obliged to provide me with something similar of a quote to last year because of their so called mistake? Doubling my premium because of this is ridiculous. Plus 1200 is way too off the mark for someone with my driving history.

Any ideas?

Seth Brundle

Did you check your policy documents to see if you were actually down as a female?

unkel

AlanD wrote:

Are Eagle Star obliged to provide me with something similar of a quote to last year because of their so called mistake? Doubling my premium because of this is ridiculous

I wouldn't think they're obliged to do anything. From their point of view, they're not doubling your premium now, but you've paid only half of your premium over the last two years

What car do you have?

I've been with Eagle Star myself for a number of years. My insurance is through Frank Glennon (a broker) which has worked out much cheaper than through Eagle Star direct for some strange reason. Give them a ring. In fact, ring all insurers and all brokers. You might be surprised with your savings after ringing for a few hours

Anan1

AlanD wrote:

Are Eagle Star obliged to provide me with something similar of a quote to last year because of their so called mistake? Doubling my premium because of this is ridiculous. Plus 1200 is way too off the mark for someone with my driving history.

Any ideas?

You are hardly in any position to complain because an insurance company, having made a mistake that benefited you for two years, has now corrected that mistake. If you're not happy with your quote then shop around. Welcome to the free market.

AlanD

Yes I checked my insurance documentation alright and while it doesn't specify Male anywhere, Mr. is before every occurence of my name.

The other problem is that I can't shop around. My wife has an outstanding claim against someone else who ran in to the back of her. So noone will take us on while that claim is outstanding, so we're kind of stuck with Eagle Star.

I'm not really buying the whole mistake reason that the insurance guy gave me. Especially since I've been in touch with them many times over two years and it was never noticed, plus Mr. is before my name for everything on their documentation.

Ah I think I'll call head office for more giving out because if my wife had no outstanding claim, I'd get a quote of about 600 for both of us, so being put in a position to pay 1200 is sickening.

Eoin

The female mistake aside, could the high premium be because there is an outstanding claim? I know that your wife is claiming off someone else, but don't insurance companies load you until it has been resolved?

Kimbot

AlanD wrote:

Yes I checked my insurance documentation alright and while it doesn't specify Male anywhere, Mr. is before every occurence of my name.

The other problem is that I can't shop around. My wife has an outstanding claim against someone else who ran in to the back of her. So noone will take us on while that claim is outstanding, so we're kind of stuck with Eagle Star.

I'm not really buying the whole mistake reason that the insurance guy gave me. Especially since I've been in touch with them many times over two years and it was never noticed, plus Mr. is before my name for everything on their documentation.

Ah I think I'll call head office for more giving out because if my wife had no outstanding claim, I'd get a quote of about 600 for both of us, so being put in a position to pay 1200 is sickening.

Ring the Irish Insurance Federation and tell them about it!! They will ring eagle star and you might even have a legal case on your hands cos they messed up meaning your insurance was void for 2 years!! What would of happened if you claimed yourself and they noticed this "mistake"??? You would have been told to get lost so it could have been a big problem for you!!

AlanD

eoin_s wrote:

The female mistake aside, could the high premium be because there is an outstanding claim? I know that your wife is claiming off someone else, but don't insurance companies load you until it has been resolved?

good point, but my insurance company would have no dealings with this particular claim. It was on our other car that the accident happened and she has her own policy for that with a different company. I'm just named on it. So for Eagle Star, she's just named on mine.

Anan1

AlanD wrote:

Yes I checked my insurance documentation alright and while it doesn't specify Male anywhere, Mr. is before every occurence of my name.

The other problem is that I can't shop around. My wife has an outstanding claim against someone else who ran in to the back of her. So noone will take us on while that claim is outstanding, so we're kind of stuck with Eagle Star.

I'm not really buying the whole mistake reason that the insurance guy gave me. Especially since I've been in touch with them many times over two years and it was never noticed, plus Mr. is before my name for everything on their documentation.

Ah I think I'll call head office for more giving out because if my wife had no outstanding claim, I'd get a quote of about 600 for both of us, so being put in a position to pay 1200 is sickening.

That changes things a bit. As you say, call head office. You could also try calling Eagle Star for a quote using all of your own details but with a fictitious name - if you get a quote in or around €600 then you'll know that it was because of the accident. By the way, if they are loading you because of the accident then they'll refund the money when the case is settled - assuming, of course, that your wife was not at fault.

Eoin

AlanD wrote:

good point, but my insurance company would have no dealings with this particular claim. It was on our other car that the accident happened and she has her own policy for that with a different company. I'm just named on it. So for Eagle Star, she's just named on mine.

They may still see a named driver with an outstanding claim as a risk, but sounds like the female thing is the cause alright. If the claim is not a factor and €1200 is their actual price, it seems quite high with your driving experience - unless you are driving a high risk car?

JackieChan

To be honest if I found that Eagle Star insurance were quoting me the cheapest price I'd have to double check that they hadn't me down as a women. I've always found them to give good quotes for women drivers but would give some of the worst quotes for men.

AlanD

See when I called up the local office I deal with, he just mentioned the female thing as being the reason. Eagle Star would have no knowledge of this other claim which is on a different car not covered by this policy.

I drive a Peugeot 607 2.2 HDi so nothing too high risk there.

Calling up the IIF sounds like a plan.

Eoin

AlanD wrote:

See when I called up the local office I deal with, he just mentioned the female thing as being the reason. Eagle Star would have no knowledge of this other claim which is on a different car not covered by this policy.

I drive a Peugeot 607 2.2 HDi so nothing too high risk there.

Calling up the IIF sounds like a plan.

That seems very expensive then. Why don't you shop around and just get a policy for yourself? You can then add your wife to the policy when her claim is resolved. Presumably her policy allows her to drive the Peugeot with 3rd party insurance anyway?

AlanD

It is an option alright to leave my wife off the policy but it certainly isn't ideal. I don;t like the idea of 3rd party driving since it could prove to be too costly if the wrong type of accident happened.

Kimbot

Any update on this?

AlanD

jonny24ie wrote:

Any update on this?

I called the Irish Insurance Federation to tell them about what happened and to see what can be done and what my rights are.

Told him the whole story and he agreed it was unusual that they hadn't spotted that I was quoted as a female for 2 years. Plus he wondered whether my insurance was void or not.

So he's going to call Eagle Star for me and call me back with an update.

Kimbot

Cool, let us know what happens!!
I'm still finding it weird that someone can look at a policy adressed to "Mr." and be a female!!!

pbergin

eoin_s wrote:

That seems very expensive then. Why don't you shop around and just get a policy for yourself? You can then add your wife to the policy when her claim is resolved. Presumably her policy allows her to drive the Peugeot with 3rd party insurance anyway?

Make sure you check her policy first, I am insured to drive other cars 3rd party on my policy, but there is a clause in the policy saying that I cannot drive my wife's car and I think it also does not allow me to drive another car if the owner lives in the same house as me.