Minor insurance rant!

[BTB 500]

OK Swinton have refused to budge on this, so it has gone to the Ombudsman today. I've not used this service before but it was quick & easy to do. They say they will respond within 7 days.

If that doesn't work I'll be on to Barclaycard.

 

[Pontoneer]

OK Swinton have refused to budge on this, so it has gone to the Ombudsman today. I've not used this service before but it was quick & easy to do. They say they will respond within 7 days.

If that doesn't work I'll be on to Barclaycard.

Perhaps they should've gone to Specsavers ?

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[BTB 500]

Latest update is that the Ombudsman has agreed to take this up - currently waiting for an investigator to be assigned to the case. Interestingly the complaint is now registered against the underwriter named on the insurance certificate, and not Swinton. Presumably because the unreasonable request for an updated V5C originated from them ... but it was Swinton who deducted the 'new business charge' from my refund

Meanwhile I've had another request for feedback

 

[BTB 500]

Update on this - the Financial Ombudsman ruled in my favour, and Swinton have now agreed to pay me £100 compensation ... instead of the £40 refund I wanted originally

 

[st13phil]

Good result. The irony is that they have also had to pay the cost of the ombudsman, which will dwarf the extra £60 they're paying you.

Just goes to show that an organisation following dumb processes often ends with a worse result than if they'd concentrated on achieving the best outcome.

 

[BTB 500]

Good result. The irony is that they have also had to pay the cost of the ombudsman, which will dwarf the extra £60 they're paying you.

Just goes to show that an organisation following dumb processes often ends with a worse result than if they'd concentrated on achieving the best outcome.

I imagine the internal man hours spent reviewing and responding to the claim then raising the payment would have cost thousands.

Speaking of dumb processes, in the 80s I worked for the IT dept. of a large retail chain where I was involved in developing a system to manage selling price changes on individual products. This involved every store in the country doing a stock take and sending the results back so the total stock value could be adjusted, then new signage for the shelves had to be made and sent out, and the EPOS system updated to reflect the new price. We quickly spotted that the labour costs involved in doing this typically exceeded the maximum possible revenue if all stock sold as a result of the price change (which of course never actually happened) - they would have been better off destroying the items or giving them away. We felt obliged to mention this and were firmly told to mind our own business!

 

[Seanalf]

I imagine the internal man hours spent reviewing and responding to the claim then raising the payment would have cost thousands.

Speaking of dumb processes, in the 80s I worked for the IT dept. of a large retail chain where I was involved in developing a system to manage selling price changes on individual products. This involved every store in the country doing a stock take and sending the results back so the total stock value could be adjusted, then new signage for the shelves had to be made and sent out, and the EPOS system updated to reflect the new price. We quickly spotted that the labour costs involved in doing this typically exceeded the maximum possible revenue if all stock sold as a result of the price change (which of course never actually happened) - they would have been better off destroying the items or giving them away. We felt obliged to mention this and were firmly told to mind our own business!

Ombudsman claim is a minimum £500 charge to the company, regardless of result. They can charge to "days on cover" and a reasonable admin fee, but if you are within 14 days, they should publisise any cancellation fees or make you aware of them, hence why they lost

 

[BTB 500]

They can charge to "days on cover" and a reasonable admin fee, but if you are within 14 days, they should publisise any cancellation fees or make you aware of them, hence why they lost

The fees were stated up front here - the problem was the demand that I provide a copy of the new V5 within a few days of cover starting, or they would cancel the policy. I knew this would be impossible, hence I had no option but to cancel it myself and insure with someone else.

 

[Seanalf]

The fees were stated up front here - the problem was the demand that I provide a copy of the new V5 within a few days of cover starting, or they would cancel the policy. I knew this would be impossible, hence I had no option but to cancel it myself and insure with someone else.

It's the right result either way. FCA are looking at a few things this year with car in. surance, fees, apr's and rates on poor credit/risk customers. personally, the fees they all charge are horrendous