Can an insurance company automatically renew your insurance without asking you first and then charge you.?

The Big Cheese

Check your T&C's. And your agreement. Might be some smallprint somewhere. I would defo demand an explanation as to why they took it upon themselves to renew without your consent.

UCANTCME

ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL NOTIFY YOU BY MAIL THAT YOUR POLICY IS COMING UP FOR RENEWAL AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE IT EXPIRES.

THEN YOU WILL DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO STAY OR LOOK ELSEWHERE.

Animemadness

It depends if in the past you have always renewed the policy then i think it is allowed since its what they expected and if you didn't want to re-new it you should have told them...does the policy say they will keep re-newing it or continue it unless you say otherwise somewhere?
Otherwise i could imagine it isn't allowed they did need your consent and they have no phone calls and such to prove you gave any...

Bardic

Insurers always advise you that your cover is coming up to expiry. Some require your confirmation that you wish to continue, other say they will automatically renew on the same terms and conditions as before unless they hear from you. They would say that this is in order not to embarrass you by being caught without insurance.

I'd guess yours is one of the latter. I expect you thought their letter was yet more junk and threw it away. Just ring them up and discuss.

Ben Gunn

You need to watch insurance companies. I wrote off a motorcycle, and received full payment from the insurance. At the end of the year, they automatically renewed it and told me it would be charged to my card. Luckily I was not on holiday and was able to stop them, otherwise I would have had insurance for a vehicle that the insurance company knew I didn't have.

Mick

.Hi yes they can but you must have a direct debit set up or a credit or dedit card lodged with them, They will send out your policity about 10 days before yhey take any money and if you read the small print that is where they state it.It happened to me.

maclaren

If it was just a standard renewal and you did not inform them that you no longer required it then I would think that if you talk to them nicely they will refund the money. But the onus is on you to inform them of changes.

squirtycream

Yes they can.
They send out a renewal letter as a formality as you should be aware of the expiry date of your insurance, it is your responsibility to make sure the insurance is in place and any other policy is cancelled.
Not what you want to hear, but it is all above board.

Brad

It is unlikely that your insurance provider re-issued the cover but more than likely your insurance broker / advisor / salesperson. This done by them to ensure you are covered at the time of expiry in case your payment is late or not in by the cut off date. This not an uncommon practice, don't panic.
Firstly you must write to your insurance company advising them you do not wish to renew your insurance and will not be paying the renewal form. Don't forget to include all the information shown on your renewal notice, eg; Policy number, to help with identification.

Once again don't panic, they are merely providing a service to assist most.

TOON ARMY FOR EVER.

Yes,Kwik Fit does.I'm with Kwik Fit and they send me my quote and unless i inform them they automatically assume i have agreed to the quote and send me my documents out.
The onus is on you to inform the insurance company you wish to cancel,after all its only 1 phone call,saves a lot of grief.

Schoolgirl504

Is this an insurance company you already had a policy with? If so, then they usually will send you a notice that tells you your policy is about to expire and how much it will be to renew. But, if they just renewed and charged without your consent, then I would be having a fit with them. As far as I know they cannot force you to take the new policy.

Kate O

they probably sent you a letter that looked like junk saying please ring if you don't want to renew, else they do just do it automatically - sneaky gits! just dont pay it!!

Bobby K

Why didn't you cancel. Because most people automatically renew. If they didn't, everyone would have to call their insurance company at the end of every year. If you want to change it or cancel it, you should call. Unless you specifically asked for one year only.

"isitme"

My insurance company does it every year, it saves me the bother.
They should have writen to you near to the expiry date of your last policy, in that letter it would have said that if you wish cover to continue, then do nothing.
You have to actively cancel the cover to avoid automatic renewal.

Emily

If they didnt renew, most of our policies would expire. When that happens, it's hard to get insurance again.

Domino

I've had this problem, and no they can't

What most reputable companies will do is at least 28 days before send you a new certificate of insurance and a letter with the annual increase (never goes down) informing you that if you don't wish to accept to inform them

And if done by Direct Debit - your covered by that providing you never recieved a letter and they can't prove you did

NB: never allow a ins co just do this, ask for a new quote every year, and play them off with another firm, you'll get it cheaper by a lot I saved Â£150 and still renewed with the RAC

jenni82

They should of sent you a letter asking you if you wanted to renew your policy and the quote for the year they cannot take money without your consent

cheyan

no they cant they can cancel it though

norma

I have just received a letter from a debt recovery agency saying that i had not renewed my policy and had not cancelled the renewal so they are charging me £198. I did not receive the renewal details because I had not got the post forwarded tfrom my previous address. I they legally allowed to do this

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