[Cleybrooke]

Reckoned I was a savvy sort of chap - shopped around for a good deal on a car and on insurance.

However I have fallen a proper cropper and I reckon if I can screw up then anyone can - lessons for everyone.

Parked F31 335d and set out on a 100 mile charity bike ride. Got back no car. The BMW remote services app reckons that 15 mins after I left for a ride, it had moved to a pub carpark about 10 miles away. I called the the Police and they got there 30 mins to late. Having sat there all day waiting for me to fisnish it had already moved on and the tracker app disabled (or smashed up)

Car was found in a barn in remote part of Solihull 2 weeks later. Front chopped off with engine. Suspension, doors , interior, roof bars (including thule roof bars), dash and boot all ripped out. Just a bare shell. Arrests made but charges could not be brought as there was not enough evidence.

No happy because the car was 14 months old and although I fully intended buy gap insurance, I didn't get around to it.

Phoned up insurance company and they said "are you sure you're a customer of ours?" Onequote Direct had canceled the policy without my knowledge.

Turns out that their first email saying the policy was setup came through but then for whatever reason (spam filters or what have you) I didn't get the others asking for proof of my 10 years no claims. So they cancelled.

Insurance Ombudsman has been great and found in my favour in first instance, however Onequote Direct are appealing so it goes on.

Always purchased insurance with legal cover so the very moment you need legal advice you don't have it! I'm sure it will end up in court at some stage in the future as Onequote Direct appear to quicker of the mark in protecting their interests than they where at providing a duty of care to their customers.

So if any lawyers out there fancy some Pro Bono work I have a great opportunity waiting for you!

Next question. Wife is very keen on replacing it with a new 335d on the 0% deal. Reckon BMW Finance will provide her a PCP knowing that I have one and that it's "in dispute"?

[Sullym6]

That?s some seriously bad news but without any legal knowledge I don?t think they can cancel your insurance without a physical letter
Hope you get it sorted

Sully

[MrChumley]

That sounds like a nightmare, obviously hope you get it sorted.

I think saying anything about BMW finance would just be speculation. Presumably they know about your situation so just ring them up and ask. The worst they can do is say no and least that will save you wasting time negotiating a deal.

[willjames]

Jeez, feel for you mate. Hope you get it sorted and you get the car you want soon. Hopefully you may get some help on here👍

[Danny Fireblade]

You would be surprised just how often it happens that insurance companies cancel policies for one reason or the other, and the drivers are unaware. Sometimes its genuine and its for a reason like mentioned above, other times its because they get the cover note, and cancel payments.

[AndyEssex330d]

fuck me OP, that is shit, really sorry to hear it.

worth keeping us up to date if you could, name and shame companies who do not 'look after' their customers.

I work in communications and assist businesses like insurance companies move to a digital platform for their correspondence (such as email or portals) and yet I always demand a paper copy, certainly If I have never dealt with them before.

Good luck mate.

[Dr Forinor]

Ah that's a complete nightmare bud. Hope it gets all sorted relatively quickly and headache free.

[JustChris]

Holy crap. So sorry to hear, hope it works out well with the claim.

[225]

Shite that's not good. I would like to think if they didn't send an actual letter you would be ok in the end. However did they mention they need proof over the phone and if so did they record the call?

Hope it gets sorted in your favour mate.

[SteveChester]

What sort of evidence do they need to charge then?

[dazzapb]

Ridiculously bad fortune dude. Insurance company sound shocking! Best of luck sorting it. Surely they should listen to the ombudsmen!

Just incase it might help anybody check out http://www.askmid.com/ownvehicle/ and do the free check. It might help others who have had it cancelled without proper comms from the insurance co.

[MalcolmT]

Did you make a payment for the insurance? If you paid by credit card then surely they can help

[Postcab]

Really sorry to hear about your situation OP.

Just for clarity though, it might be helpful to provide a little more detail:
- did you pay any premium?
- it looks like Onequote Direct are an Insurance Broker and not an Insurer. Who asked for proof of your NCD, the broker or insurer?
- the Ombudsmans decision is binding on the Insurer. I presume you've had the decision of the adjudicator, rather than the Ombudsman?
- on what grounds is the broker (or insurer) appealing?

Oh, and check your household insurance because sometimes they have legal cover included (although wordings vary and some do exclude anything to do with motoring).

[mikeoz]

Any idea how the nicked it?

[G82Dude]

I am so sorry to hear that. Makes you wonder why your car, over your ownership, never pinged up on an ANPR camera anywhere as "no insurance"...

[Tengocity]

Nightmare situation, and very sorry to hear about it.

Seems bizarre that a company can just cancel cover like that. Surely the "failsafe" in a situation like this is to charge the full price of the policy instead rather than cancel outright and leave someone uninsured.

[Nobby Clark]

Originally Posted by F82Dude

I am so sorry to hear that. Makes you wonder why your car, over your ownership, never pinged up on an ANPR camera anywhere as "no insurance"...

Quite easy if he's in Scotland. There are only half a dozen cameras.
He also doesn't say how long he thought he was insured for, just he had the car for 14 months. He may have just changed insurance companies.

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by Nobby Clark

Quite easy if he's in Scotland. There are only half a dozen cameras.
He also doesn't say how long he thought he was insured for, just he had the car for 14 months. He may have just changed insurance companies.

Is he in Scotland? Don't all (most) police cars have them - or not in Scotland?

[Nobby Clark]

Originally Posted by F82Dude

Is he in Scotland? Don't all (most) police cars have them - or not in Scotland?

We don't know from the info where he is.
I can't account for cop cars having these cams but there are very few static cams.

[1966-TR4]

Although I was much more fortunate than the OP, in that nothing happened, I drove around in a classic TR4A for nearly a year without realising that I was not insured. Having agreed insurance, I had then moved house, and seemingly paperwork was sent to my old address without me realising. This paperwork was to be returned to the insurer, to complete the contract. When they didn't receive it, the policy was cancelled.

[Steces]

Another nightmare here but I 'just' ended up with an IN10

Had been with same insurer for over 10y and despite having auto renew spoke on phone to haggle the latest price increase as Ive always done

For reasons that have never been explained to me they put through the renewal manually instead of automatically and also for reasons never explained to me they found out it didnt go through after Id put the phone down

At this point they claim they sent me a letter explaining this which I claim I didnt receive. I say 'claim' but the fact is I bloody well didnt receive it.

They had all my details and regularly spammed me by email, text and snail mail for house and life insurance yet for the trivial matter of cancelling my car insurance they sent me a sodding letter!!!! Or didnt......

So I see where youre coming from OP
Few people if any believed my story but now and again the insurance industry screws up

Good luck

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by 1966-TR4

Although I was much more fortunate than the OP, in that nothing happened, I drove around in a classic TR4A for nearly a year without realising that I was not insured. Having agreed insurance, I had then moved house, and seemingly paperwork was sent to my old address without me realising. This paperwork was to be returned to the insurer, to complete the contract. When they didn't receive it, the policy was cancelled.

In this type of situation surely you either never made any payment for the insurance or were refunded if you already had done? If Either of these happened it would flag up a problem with my car insurance for me.

Just curious in what the situation was regarding insurance payments for you guys the didn't know you wernt covered, as I always check they've taken full payment after renewal.