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Jools 08-Jul-2004 14:06

Bennetts Incompetence
 
Beware the incompetence of Bennetts admin...

After being insured with Bennetts for two years, I received a renewal letter from them a few weeks before the policy was due for the third years renewal. The letter was one of those "the insurance will automatically renew if you don't cancel" things. This prompted me to phone around for other quotes. By far the best quote that I had was from Ducati Insurance who quoted me £105 less than Bennetts for the same level of cover, legal cover, breakdown assistance, 3rd party insurance on any other bike and the same excess as Bennetts. So, I paid Ducati Insurance there and then using my switch card.

So, a week before my renewal was due with Bennetts, all I had left to do was phone them and cancell the renewal...and went through all the rigmarole of telling them how much I'd been quoted, and by whom, to see if they could match it - they couldn't, so I still cancelled.

A week later, I got another letter from Bennetts credit agency (Amber Credit) to say that they wanted to set up a direct debit for the credit agreement that had been set up for me with Bennetts for the renewal of my insurance :puzzled:

So I phoned Bennetts again and told them, once again, that I had cancelled my renewal the week before and I was now insured with somebody else. The call centre guy told me that the cancellation didn't appear to have been made after my first call, but assured me that he was cancelling it as we spoke, and that I had no further obligation. Except of course it was down to me to also call Amber Credit and tell them that I hadn't renewed with Bennetts, didn't want their credit (and wouldn't have anyway, even if I'd kept with Bennetts). They told me to sign the cancellation of the credit agreement and send it to them...which I duly did about ten minutes later.

I got a letter from Bennetts today to tell me that, and I quote, "We have been informed by Amber Credit that you have failed to comply with your credit agreement and therefore we are left with no alternative other than to invoke cancellation of your policy"

Yes, that's right...I've failed to comply with a credit agreement that I never had, still less wanted, and have cancelled in writing, for an insurance policy that, as far as I'm concerned, never existed either.

According to the letter a bit further down it says "you have defaulted on your payment of 28/06/2004". Doubtless, this "default" will also have been posted to credit reference agencies :flame:

[Edited on 8-7-2004 by Jools]

NBs996 08-Jul-2004 15:17

Looks like a classic case of departments not talking to each other jools.
Your probably right.... there could be a mark on your credit report - I'd say it's time to get upset with them! I'd write, recorded delivery to Bennetts, telling them to liase with the credit reference agency and get it all corrected, and demand that they prove there's no -ve marks on your credit.

I'm not impartial here though.... I don't like Bennetts either. Can't remember why, I just know they ****ed me off a while back!

guest1 08-Jul-2004 16:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Jools
Beware the incompetence of Bennetts admin...
Except of course it was down to me to also call Amber Credit and tell them that I hadn't renewed with Bennetts, didn't want their credit (and wouldn't have anyway, even if I'd kept with Bennetts). They told me to sign the cancellation of the credit agreement and send it to them...which I duly did about ten minutes later.
[Edited on 8-7-2004 by Jools]

Tough luck Jools. Still, hopefully your experience will forewarn others and eventually Bennetts will ge the message.
Re: you ringing Amber Credit. Sorry, but was your agreement with Bennetts or Amber? If you went through Bennetts then your contract (verbal or written) is still with Bennetts, not Amber. Give 'em hell. Better still, ask them for the telephone number/contact address for the local insurance ombudsman, which I believe they are obliged to give you.

Desmondo 08-Jul-2004 16:47

It's a pain in the arse when these companies can't be bothered to do some simple paperwork properly.

At least you didn't end up with a CCJ against your name when the dealer you traded in your last motorcycle with didn't pay off the remaining finance :flame:

Still, after a few phonecalls I managed to get that one sorted.

L3OONY 20-Jul-2004 18:56

Had similar problems with Carol Nash. Needed to tax my GSXR & couldn't find any paperwork (just moved house).

I phoned Carol Nash and asked for a duplicate insurance certificate and they told me that they had no record of being insured with them!

Panic set in as I started to doubt whether I had remembered to insure the bike at all the previous year and re-insured with them there and then.

When I got home I turned the place upside down only to find that I was insured with Carol Nash after all...

I called them back and asked how the same person could insure the same registration numbered bike twice (always thought that was illegal) to be told that they have no facililty to cross-reference their records???

Bet they cross-reference pretty damn quickly if they thought I was trying to have them over!

Took over three months to get my money back from them, without so much as a kiss my ****...

Know that this thread is about Bennetts but thought I'd get this off my chest :mad:

[Edited on 20-7-2004 by L3OONY]

[Edited on 20-7-2004 by L3OONY]

Jools 20-Jul-2004 19:11

So, after the last phone call to Bennetts requesting a letter of apology, and telling them that I wanted them to obtain written confirmation from Amber Credit that my credit record would not be compromised in any way, I received....nothing.

So last Wednesday I put my request in writing, with all the details of the phone calls that I had made and the cancellation forms that I had sent. I told them that unless I received the apology I asked for within 5 working days of their receipt of my recorded delivery (seems fair enough, that's the same terms that they give you if you want to cancel the credit agreement - which I did) then I would refer the matter to the Financial Services Ombudsman...I'm still waiting...They have until Thursday.

TP 20-Jul-2004 19:17

Go hard Jools - you bad boy.

Give em a kicking.

Redruth 20-Jul-2004 23:51

Having worked with insurance companies for years, I am here to tell you, they are ALL a complete and utter shambles. And notification of CCJ's/bad credit ratings, are a long way off based on the facts you described. Just remember, the people you talk to on the phone lines have probably had 10 minutes training, haven't the slightest idea what they are talking about and will never, and I do mean NEVER, do what they say they are going to do. Put everything in writing, keep copies and don't get worked up about how frustratingly badly organised they are. It's the way of the world, nowadays. :flame: As Bennets are sponsoring Sky for Brit. Superbikes, see if you can find a way to get your complaint publicised. Might get you a written apology, if nothing else!:eureka:

electricsheep 21-Jul-2004 00:13

Just to add further confirmation

Bennetts, issued an automatic renewal (complete with amber credit crap) for the bike that was stolen and destroyed The claim had been paid out by bennetts.

The only reason that I noticed was when the direct debt from Amber showed up on my account.

I got my Bank to sort it as the year before Bennetts were using a different credit company and I had never signed a Direct Debit Mandate for Amber.. My bank was very surprised when I told them this.

Redruth 21-Jul-2004 00:17

Electrisheep. Banks exist in a constant state of surprise. They know nothing else! A slogan, 'The bank that likes to say 'we had not F******g idea' would be appropriate advertising. :lol:


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