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Car Insurance - MASSIVE hike :(

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  • 30-09-2015 7:51pm
    #1
    BaileyBop
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    Hi everyone,

    I got my renewal notice for my car insurance yesterday. Ch!ll are the company I'm dealing with, and A R B are the actual underwriters. I was expecting an increase because I had a minor accident back in March where I bumped into the back of the car in front of me. My insurance has gone from €400 up to €1,853. There's a page within the proposal which informed me that over €22k has been paid out to the other party. This was news to me.

    The accident took place in March, and it was a month later that an assessor came out to look at my car (there was no damage to my car, or the other - I took pictures at the scene). That was the last correspondence that I had with the actual insurance company and the engineers so I assumed everything was fine. I received a new policy document from Ch1ll in July, so I rang them to see what it related to. The lady I spoke to said that there were no notes or amendments and that as far as she could see, there was nothing noteworthy on my record.

    I emailed Ch1ll today to complain about the lack of communication and the agent mentioned that the claim isn't actually settled and that my no claims bonus is reduced to two years, whereas the renewal document says I now have no no claims bonus. My policy isn't due for renewal until October 28th.

    Are there any arguments I can put forward re the lack of communication? I would have assumed it was necessary to keep me informed.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    To Elland Back
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭To Elland Back


    http://www.centralbank.ie/consumer/cpc/rebates/pages/claims%20processing.aspx

    There are Central Bank Regulations insurers must adhere to, known as CPC

    From what you say, they are in breech of 7.7 (f) on the above link. For interpretation, you are the 'claimant' as you are seeking indemnity under your policy to cover your responsibility to the 3rd party. Unfortunately, it doesn't affect the fact that they paid the claim and the matter is closed. Best you'll get is an apology, which makes a mockery of having regulations in the 1st place


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    #3
    Triangle
    Registered Users Posts: 960 ✭✭✭Triangle


    To Elland Back wrote: »
    http://www.centralbank.ie/consumer/cpc/rebates/pages/claims%20processing.aspx

    There are Central Bank Regulations insurers must adhere to, known as CPC

    From what you say, they are in breech of 7.7 (f) on the above link. For interpretation, you are the 'claimant' as you are seeking indemnity under your policy to cover your responsibility to the 3rd party. Unfortunately, it doesn't affect the fact that they paid the claim and the matter is closed. Best you'll get is an apology, which makes a mockery of having regulations in the 1st place

    From what I read the claim is not settled, and no payments have been made. So they aren't in breach of the regs.
    The regs basically state they should keep you informed in relation to the claim.

    Check around for premiums I was being quoted huge amounts and got a number of no quotes the I got the same deal as last year with the aa.


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    #4
    BaileyBop
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭BaileyBop


    Thanks for your reply To Elland Back.

    I thought the claim was settled going by the €22k they have written down in the renewal document but the agent in Ch1ll told me that the claim is still ongoing and hasn't been settled. If the claim isn't settled before the renewal date, can they increase my premium/cut my no claims bonus?

    The renewal document said I have no claims bonus, yet the agent on the phone said my 8 year bonus has been cut to 2 years? So much discrepancies!

    Appreciate any help you can offer!


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    #5
    BaileyBop
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭BaileyBop


    Triangle wrote: »
    From what I read the claim is not settled, and no payments have been made. So they aren't in breach of the regs.
    The regs basically state they should keep you informed in relation to the claim.

    Check around for premiums I was being quoted huge amounts and got a number of no quotes the I got the same deal as last year with the aa.

    I tried four online quotes today and was refused from all of them :(


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    #6
    pesmfor
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭pesmfor


    Triangle wrote: »
    From what I read the claim is not settled, and no payments have been made. So they aren't in breach of the regs.
    The regs basically state they should keep you informed in relation to the claim.

    Check around for premiums I was being quoted huge amounts and got a number of no quotes the I got the same deal as last year with the aa.

    Most insurers won't offer a quotation if there is an open claim though.


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    #7
    Triangle
    Registered Users Posts: 960 ✭✭✭Triangle


    If you have an open claim, then you loose you r ncb or its stepped back (depending on your policy)
    It may be reinstated at a later stage of there is no payment on the claim


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    #8
    Triangle
    Registered Users Posts: 960 ✭✭✭Triangle


    pesmfor wrote: »
    Most insurers won't offer a quotation if there is an open claim though.

    Yeah, it's a catch 22. The holding insurer generally holds you over a barrell. It sucks.


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    #9
    To Elland Back
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭To Elland Back


    Triangle wrote: »
    From what I read the claim is not settled, and no payments have been made. So they aren't in breach of the regs.
    The regs basically state they should keep you informed in relation to the claim.
    .

    The regulations state that the claimant should be informed of developments within 10 business days. The €22k is a declared figure by insurers, so it is either an interim payment or the claim reserve having decided on liability. By not advising the OP within 10 days of this development they are in breech


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    #10
    pesmfor
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭pesmfor


    To Elland Back wrote: »
    The regulations state that the claimant should be informed of developments within 10 business days. The €22k is a declared figure by insurers, so it is either an interim payment or the claim reserve having decided on liability. By not advising the OP within 10 days of this development they are in breech

    What if they came up with the figure less than 10 days prior to the renewal documents being issued ?


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    #11
    To Elland Back
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭To Elland Back


    pesmfor wrote: »
    What if they came up with the figure less than 10 days prior to the renewal documents being issued ?

    That would comply, but it should really be communicated separately by the claims handler rather than the underwriter but that is semantics.


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    #12
    BaileyBop
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭BaileyBop


    Thanks all for your replies! So depressing that my insurance is now about 50% of the value of my car :(


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    #13
    pesmfor
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭pesmfor


    BaileyBop wrote: »
    Thanks all for your replies! So depressing that my insurance is now about 50% of the value of my car :(

    If what you say is true about no damage to the other car it's most likely the third party is taking your insurer for a ride with bogus personal injury claims. Unfortunately with a claim this size and the fact that it's not settled means you're going to suffer as a result for the next year or 2 😟


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    #14
    BaileyBop
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭BaileyBop


    pesmfor wrote: »
    If what you say is true about no damage to the other car it's most likely the third party is taking your insurer for a ride with bogus personal injury claims. Unfortunately with a claim this size and the fact that it's not settled means you're going to suffer as a result for the next year or 2 😟

    I assumed that re a personal injury claim Pesmfor. The incident took place in rush hour traffic, we were crawling along. I drive a Mini and she drove some sort of jeep - there was no visible damage to either of our cars, and nothing internal with mine. It took a month for A R B to organise to get an assessor out to view my car which I thought was a really long time? I mean, either party could have made alterations to their car in that time.

    What's more irritating is that as she walked back to her car on the day she said "Don't worry love, I won't be looking for a claim."

    My heart is broken over it, it's a huge amount of money to me, even paying in installments.


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    #15
    pesmfor
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭pesmfor


    The moment she said "I won't be looking a claim" would send alarm bells ringing, it is probably the first thing she was thinking of. Yeah 1800 is extortionate, what age are you if you don't mind me asking?


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    #16
    laylag
    Registered Users Posts: 840 ✭✭✭laylag


    Does your policy have no claims bonus protection? Sometimes when the claim is settled, tho insurer can reinstate your bonus if it was protected and you can get some money back. Unfortunately when you have an open claim you can't go elsewhere.


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    #17
    Mongfinder General
    Registered Users Posts: 1,992 ✭✭✭Mongfinder General


    Quotedevil is the cheapest broker I have found. First Ireland are reasonable too


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    #18
    To Elland Back
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭To Elland Back


    laylag wrote: »
    Does your policy have no claims bonus protection? Sometimes when the claim is settled, tho insurer can reinstate your bonus if it was protected and you can get some money back. Unfortunately when you have an open claim you can't go elsewhere.

    If you have bonus protection, it doesn't matter if the claim is open or closed, you get the full benefit


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    #19
    BaileyBop
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭BaileyBop


    pesmfor wrote: »
    The moment she said "I won't be looking a claim" would send alarm bells ringing, it is probably the first thing she was thinking of. Yeah 1800 is extortionate, what age are you if you don't mind me asking?

    I'm 29. Driving nearly 9 years. I have never paid that much, even as a learner!

    Alarm bells did ring, I mentioned the comment to both Ch1ll and A R B in the first conversations that were had after the incident.


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