Elephant insurance

[KateBedford]

Hi I wondered if anyone could help me.

recently my insurance company got in touch with me by email saying that there were changes to my partners policy and the changes will be £498.00. I rang them to find out why.

In 2009 my partner was with admiral ( which is part of elephant I know) he had a claim with injures involved and was at fault. Also in this year a car reversed into his unnatended parked car. In 2010 we took out a policy with elephant and I went on to his policy, they were the cheapest on go compare. We renewed twice since then.

When I called the customer service she said that I haven't told them about any of the claims when I first took the policy in 2010 and from 2011 to 2012.
From April 2010 to 2011 they are charging£ 80.00
From April 2011 to 2012 they are. Charging £418.00!!
From April 2012 to 2013 nothing as I've just renewed even though they are cclaiming they still didn't know at this point


I said there were only one claim as it the other wasnt my fault. ( I was totally unaware we had to tell our insurance company about non fault incidents, as they put it ) however I knew that I had told them about the accident with injures. After a few days of arguing they said they would check phone recordings and today they agreed that I did tell them about the accident claim 2009 when I took out the policy and each time a renewed!.

This reduced the amount owed by £97.98 this was only taken off from the first years premium not any on the others. So I now owe £400.00 I cannot believe that this has come back from 2009 and it doesn't make sense that a small non fault claim would cost that amout of money on a insurance premium and surely and accident with injures would make a substantial difference to each year " if they didn't know". Also why has it not had an effect on this years premiums. Seems like they are just trying to get money someone please help me with this and what are your views it just doesn't seem right to me.

Thanks

 

[Witch consumer]

Can you just clarify the terms of your renewal each year, did they simply send you a renewal notice saying it was due and if you wished to renew, you need do nothing?

 

[KateBedford]

I renewed by getting them to match a quote from go compare which was admiral they sent me this After renewing as the underwriters have just come across it. If I cancelled with elephant know they world just take the money I owe them it's so frustrating

 

[Witch consumer]

I'm still not totally sure who you were insured with and when, however as I understand it, your insurance has been with Elephant since 2010 and so has been renewed twice in that time, they want to charge you additional insurance for an undisclosed accident for 3 years even though the accident had been disclosed and they admit that.

I understand that you got the original insurance quote from a comparison website but then as it came up for renewal each year, did you have to contact them for renewal or did they automatically renew your policy.

The reason that this has to be clear is because if they auto renewed your policy and ommitted to include information you had given them, that is their fault. If you had to contact them to renew and failed to give them the information again, it could be your fault.

 

[KateBedford]

It was renewed each time through comparison websites and then elephant matching the quote ,there has been 2 claims one been an accident with injury and another an not fault claim this is the one with the issue as I didn't tell them about this ever has I didn't know I had to tell them about non fault incidents as the insurance company put it. They found out told them about acident each time they mated my quote. the amount of money seems so extreme and it from 2 years ago can they do this hope this makes more sense it's very confusing .

 

[Witch consumer]

Yes it makes sense and sorry to say they are correct, the compairson sites do ask about previous accidents and I've just checked a couple and they do say whether you were at fault or not

Any accidents or losses, whether there was a claim or not and regardless of blame, in the last 5 years

What I would question though is why they want to charge you retrospectively? I suspect that if you had an accident in this time, they wouldn't have covered you and invalidated your cover so what are they charging you for?

Keep battling, admit your mistake and see what you can do.

 

[danielpaul]

Just about to book a car using Elephant Car Hire and notice for one week you can pay an extra £39.76 for excess cover insurance, is it worth it? Thanks

 

[Luke226]

Just about to book a car using Elephant Car Hire and notice for one week you can pay an extra £39.76 for excess cover insurance, is it worth it? Thanks

It is known as collision damage waiver and is fairly common. What you should consider is how likely you are to have an accident and how much the excess is. If the excess is small I wouldn't bother (although I am tight-fisted Scott haha). I look at CDWs like an extended warranty - bit of a waste of money but I understand that some people get peace of mind from having them in place.