Is the insurance company obliged to give me the insurance certificate?
I got my car insurance (4 years now) and I remember last year I did not received the insurance certificate, I contacted once the insurance company for having it but nothing; then I forgot and never asked again.
This year the same, my insurance is automatically renewed. I asked it last week and they say I will receive it by post. I did not get anything, so I called again; and the lady told me that was not post and she assured me that she is going to post one next week. Is she taking time hoping I will fed up and not asking again?
Is it my right to have a certificate? May I cancel the insurance policy without paying penalty if they fail to provide me the certificate?
You need a Certificate of Insurance to produce to the police in three days if they ever demand that. Even if it’s not your fault, you can be prosecuted if you fail to produce this.
Phone the company and tell them you will be writing to the Chief Executive of the company if you do not receive the Certificate within 48 hours. (Ask them to give you the address after you have told them this.)
If you don’t receive the Certificate within that time, write the letter.
My plan now is to wait for next week, if I do not receive it I will cancel the policy, I am not going to be on the phone for long time (listening stupid waiting songs) for asking again the certificate, that they should have sent long time ago.
Seriously your certificate and renewal notice should have been on your doorstep before the renewal date.
If you try and cancel it they might ask for the certificate back:) unless you provide it they won’t cancel lol… lets see you get out of that:):)
I do find it quite interesting how they haven’t managed to send you a certificate… when you got your renewal papers are you sure it wasn’t in there?? A certificate looks just like any other piece of paper:) no watermarks nothing specific… could have easily tossed it away. So far I found out that when your renewal date is close they will mail you some new forms, the premium and the certificate all at once. They state that if you do not wish to renew to post back the certificate.
The renewal paper can be used as proof for no claims, as long as they state it on there if you have any, so you can use that when applying to someone else without waiting for a no claims proof from your insurer.
I am sure that actually the legal position is that you should carry them on you…but the police and the authorities allow 7 days for you to actually get to a police station of your choice to show them as exisitng on the day you were stopped.
Therefore if you do not have a certificate and becasue insurance companies cannot back date them you could be riding without insurance…cannot imagine why they have not sent it to you, they are vital pieces of paper…
I only got the renewal notice and the summary of my insurance (NCB, type of car, number plate, etc.). On this paper is written: This is a summary of your insurance. For full details see, please see your Certificate.
but as I wrote before I did not get one recently. The only I got was in 2006. At the same time they knew that they never post it. the second time I call them for a certificate the lady on the phone apologies for not posting one and assured me she will post it next week. I wait one week more than I change insurance company.
I would be on their ass 24/7 until I get it, or I would just move to a different insurer.
I suggest you make one more call during off-peak hours so let’s say between 9:00 - 15:00 TODAY!!! and ask them for the certificate ASAP. Tell them if you don’t get it by the end of the week you will cancel your direct debit (if you pay by DD or you will tell you credit card they charged you without your consent), since you don’t ahve a certificate to send back to them a simple phone call should cancel your insurance with them. Make sure you point this out.
I would say something like this:
“Thanks for your help and no offence but since I never got a certificate last year or this year and if I get stopped by the Police I will be in big trouble the next time I will be calling you it will be to cancel my insurance, since I don’t have a certificate of insurance I expect the cancellation to take imediat effect.”
Obviously if you do not get anything from them call back Friday and cancel your insurance and go for someone else. Like I said when I got my insurance I had all paperwork and certificate the next day or the latest the 2nd day.
Maybe I am talking porkies… but so far my mum, friends and previous insurances all had the paperwork to me withing 2 days.
you are not talking pokies. For example, when I insured my motorbike (recently) and scooter (few years ago) I always got all the paperwork and certificate within 2 working days.
I got it today!!! I feel much better now. I was worried that in case of accident I was not able to demonstrate that I was insured even though I paid for it.
unless you provide it they won’t cancel lol… lets see you get out of that:):)
