"Free" vouchers ripoff

[Satch]

This has been around for a while but is plumbing new depths as Insurance Companies and Brokers are buying into it.

Last week got a pack of Discount Vouchers from one of my insurance providers. They were all the useless type of offers and discounts on things few people would really want. Intended to put in the recycling but ended up in the pile of papers to go through when nothing better to do.

Just as well. This morning went through the covering letter (a page of solid print) and there, middle of a long paragraph wibbling on about how wonderful the offers were, was a throwaway comment to the effect that unless I sent an email quoting my policy number and declining the "offer" by 9 June, £1.98 would be added to my monthly Direct Debit to enable me to continue getting these wonderful vouchers.

That really stinks. The voucher pack and covering letter is clearly designed to be naff and the block of text difficult to read so that the majority of people would simply bin it and in many cases not clock the small increase in the monthly DD

I feel a letter to the FSA and the Association of British Insurers coming on.

 

[pammy]

That stinks!!! How dare they charge for "offers"

Who's the provider? We might all want to check we're not about to be stitched up!

 

[dougal74]

A contract cannot be formed between you and the insurer for this charge unless you have previously indicated acceptance of or participated in such an add-on scheme to your insurance/products with them.
Not ticking or ticking one of those can we/our partners contact you with offers, followed by this letter and a direct debit agreement with them "might" suggest a binding agreement in the event they didn't hear from you but I would be surprised if it did stand up to a legal challenge.
Of course, I'm sure they are relying on the fact that not many people study their charges/challenge their bill. I know what you'll be doing when renewal comes up!

 

[gina2201]

I'm sure a bank or banks recently got caught for doing something similar?!
Charging people's account for something the customer did not ask for, (my memory is very vague). Either way, I'm sure the outcome meant they had to repay the charges.

I assume this insurer is banking on the fact that nine times out of ten, we throw away non important insurance flyers etc, without even reading them.

 

[C240Sport97]

You cannot negatively consent to spend money in the manner below .. you cannot be bound to buy something just because you didn't say you didn't want it when it was offered to you. No court would ever enforce such a charge.

Definitely complain to FSA and ABI.

Outrageous behaviour.

were, was a throwaway comment to the effect that unless I sent an email quoting my policy number and declining the "offer" by 9 June, £1.98 would be added to my monthly Direct Debit to enable me to continue getting these wonderful vouchers.

I feel a letter to the FSA and the Association of British Insurers coming on.