First Alternative - Pah! Rubbish alternative

Posted By: pinin_punk

First Alternative - Pah! Rubbish alternative - 30/12/2005 23:20

Prior to moving to Greenlight in September I was insured with First Alternative - who at the time I thought were Ok... apart from taking 10 months to recover my excess from another insurance company when someone bumped me...

Anyway I get a new quote from Greenlight and decide to go with them - cheaper and less excess so I'm happy.

I cancel my DD to First Alt and write them a letter explaining DD stopped and returning the docs they had sent me (its the law apparently).
Thinking that was all I needed to do I continued on my merry way...

Some time later I get a letter from FA stating that they can't take my premium from my bank due to cancelled DD - I try to ring but after waiting on the line the call was ended by their phone system.... so I write again - explaning I've moved insurance companies and that's why DD was stopped and that they were informed in writing before my premium started with Greenlight.

There have been a couple of letters since then which I have returned to the same effect - however they have asked for sight of my new insurance documents, so they can

Quote:

Backdate the cancellation of my policy

this I haven't done as I don't see it any of their business. As far as I'm concerned I did what was required of me.

Next they pass on the 'debt' to a collection company who now threaten to affect my credit rating.... What the fccuk??

Can't call Greenlight until Tues for advice but can they legally do this?? I'm guessing I'll probably have to send a copy of my Greenlight docs but it just seems out of order to me - they are wasting my time for a service I told them I didn't want...

Posted By: AndrewR

Re: First Alternative - Pah! Rubbish alternative - 31/12/2005 00:27

Are you saying that:

(a) Your year's insurance with First Alt had finished and, rather than continuing your insurance with them and starting a new policy, you decided to switch to Greenlight or ...

(b) Part way through your year's insurance with First Alt you decided to switch to Greenlight and simply cancelled your policy with First Alt.

If it's the first one then you're in the right. Tell them to bog off and take their debt collectors with them.

If (b), however, they are right. If you pay monthly for your insurance via DD it is important to understand that you are NOT paying for one month's insurance at a time. Rather a finance company have paid for your whole year's premium up front and you are repaying them in installments as part of a credit agreement (which is why it affects your credit rating if you fail to pay). If this is the case then you probably owe more of your premium to the insurance company then you have paid off to the finance company, so it's likely that there'll be a balance for you to settle.

Posted By: pinin_punk

Re: First Alternative - Pah! Rubbish alternative - 31/12/2005 00:58

Yeah Andrew Option a is the correct answer...

The switch happened at renewal time when the First Alt quote came in way higher than Greenlight.

I had paid the previous year in full and they are now trying to charge me for the period they offered insurance I didn't want or need as I was covered by Greenlight!

Posted By: AndrewR

Re: First Alternative - Pah! Rubbish alternative - 31/12/2005 01:02

Well in that case get on to First Alt and shout at them until they get it sorted, the cheeky fccukers.

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: First Alternative - Pah! Rubbish alternative - 31/12/2005 02:45

I had this and it cost me 400 quid cos the insurance company reckoned i'd drivent the car for 1 month on their policy when in fact it was registered SORN, all got bit funny had big geezas in black suits at the front door demanding 180 for the insurance company and 220 for their charges!

I was left with no choice at the time but have since got the money back, once i'd proved the SORN,

but be careful cos from the letter arriving saying "180 notes please" to the big geezas turning up was only 4 days!

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: First Alternative - Pah! Rubbish alternative - 31/12/2005 10:57

I guess its all down to the world we live in.

Insurers say they are making life 'easy' for us by automatically renewing policies etc. Its not just cars, but all sorts of stuff!

In reality it suits them as people are more likely just to stay with them rather than bothering to shop around. Also got to check some of the small print coz sometimes companies want notice in writing rather than just a phone call...

Even if they have to refund the monies they 'accidently' took, they are still gonna earn interest off it. Just look at Green Peace adding 2 zeros on the end of everyones DDs