0:00:03 > 0:00:05We asked you to tell us what's left you feeling ripped off,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08and you contacted us in your thousands.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11You've told us about the companies that you think get it wrong.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14And the customer service that simply is not up to scratch.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16People should expect more
0:00:16 > 0:00:18when they're paying for something these days.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Everything you buy, I just think we're getting ripped off.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25You've asked us to track down the scammers who stole your money
0:00:25 > 0:00:28and investigate the extra charges you'd say are unfair.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31You have to rely on them giving you a fair price for something.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32You can't always rely on that.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34You don't want more hassle.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37You want them to honour their agreement with you.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40And when you've lost out but no-one else is to blame,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44you've come to us to stop others falling into the same trap.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46That is disgusting!
0:00:46 > 0:00:50So whether it's a blatant rip-off or a genuine mistake,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53we're here to find out why you're out of pocket
0:00:53 > 0:00:54and what you can do about it.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01Your stories, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Hello, and welcome once again to Rip-Off Britain,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06battling on your behalf
0:01:06 > 0:01:10to make sure you get the very best customer service every single time.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Which I have to say, judging by our postbag here in the office,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16is still not the case when it comes to a topic that remains
0:01:16 > 0:01:19one of your absolute biggest bugbears.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Hundreds of you contacted every month about the same subject,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24some saying you're paying too much for it,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27others telling us about situations where you haven't got
0:01:27 > 0:01:29what you thought you'd paid for.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32If you haven't guessed yet, we're talking about insurance.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Now, whilst most of the letters that we get on this subject
0:01:35 > 0:01:39are probably about claims, that for whatever reason, are turned down,
0:01:39 > 0:01:43we also get plenty of queries about how premiums are worked out
0:01:43 > 0:01:44in the first place,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47not to mention lots of comments from people concerned
0:01:47 > 0:01:51that insurers can often seem to be making things rather more complicated
0:01:51 > 0:01:54than they need to be, often at the very time
0:01:54 > 0:01:57when you might be struggling to get back on your feet.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01So today, we'll be revealing the secrets of the insurance trade,
0:02:01 > 0:02:03as well as getting to the bottom of some of the frustrations
0:02:03 > 0:02:06and stories you've asked us to investigate.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08And along the way, you'll get some great tips and advice
0:02:08 > 0:02:11to make sure that next time you buy a policy or make a claim,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15you'll have the protection you need at a price you can afford.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20Coming up, just when we thought we'd heard every possible reason
0:02:20 > 0:02:25to turn down a claim, here's one you won't have seen coming...
0:02:25 > 0:02:26When you take out holiday insurance,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29you don't have to go round all your relatives making sure
0:02:29 > 0:02:31that they are fit and healthy before you go.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33You know, it is very unreasonable.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Why even when an accident's not your fault
0:02:36 > 0:02:38it'll still bump up your premiums.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43My original policy of ?359 went up to ?568.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48And more problems solved on the spot at our Pop Up Shop.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Next, two little words that we hear so often on Rip-Off Britain
0:02:57 > 0:03:00that can fill even the toughest amongst us with absolute dread -
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Terms and Conditions.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Now, many of you would agree that when it comes to insurance
0:03:05 > 0:03:08they can be long, unwieldy, and very confusing.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Sometimes it seems as if there are more things you cannot claim for
0:03:12 > 0:03:13than things you can.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16And, of course, you can find the whole policy invalidated
0:03:16 > 0:03:19if it turns out that there's some vital detail
0:03:19 > 0:03:21that you didn't pass on.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25But you may not realise is that you could even have a claim rejected
0:03:25 > 0:03:28on the grounds that you hadn't disclosed personal information,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32not about yourself, amazingly enough, but about somebody else.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Even if it's information that you didn't know in the first place.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Like well over half of all grandparents,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Nigel and Lorraine Pedder spend a lot of time
0:03:42 > 0:03:45looking after their three grandchildren.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49The two days I have off in the week is the two days I have the kids,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51so I do get to see a lot of them.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55I try and hide somewhere and keep away from the chaos.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Twice a year for the past 11 years, they've been escaping that chaos
0:03:59 > 0:04:02for a well-earned break in Fuerteventura.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04How you doing, Jack?
0:04:04 > 0:04:07But the last home-from-home holiday Nigel and Lorraine took
0:04:07 > 0:04:10in October, 2013, is one they'd like to forget.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Things started to go wrong a couple of days
0:04:13 > 0:04:14before they were due to leave,
0:04:14 > 0:04:18when the couple received some worrying news.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Monday we get a phone call. Lorraine's mother is in hospital.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25Lorraine's mum, Joan, had to have an emergency operation
0:04:25 > 0:04:27to remove a blockage from her intestines.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30It was a bit of a shock. The world kind of just falls apart.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33You're thinking, "Well, what is going to happen?"
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Of course, the couple's first thought
0:04:35 > 0:04:38was to cancel their holiday and drive the 150 miles to Surrey
0:04:38 > 0:04:40to be with Joan.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43But Joan was horrified at that suggestion.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45She said she'd be mortified if we gave our holiday up
0:04:45 > 0:04:48because of her, and we weren't to do that.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Lorraine and Nigel still weren't convinced
0:04:51 > 0:04:55that going away was a good idea, but, you know, Joan was insistent.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59So Nigel called the company they had travel insurance with - iGO4.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02I asked the question,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06"If we don't go because of the health of my mother-in-law,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08"are we covered?" Yes.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12"If we do go and we need to come back early
0:05:12 > 0:05:16"because of the health of my mother-in-law, are we covered?" Yes.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Later that day, Joan came out of surgery and the signs were good.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25It was a big operation, but she was recovering well.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28We could go and sit by her bedside for two weeks,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30but my mum would have got upset with that.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33We said, "All right, we will go and we will enjoy ourselves."
0:05:35 > 0:05:39So with all seeming positive, they flew to Fuerteventura as planned,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42and tried to enjoy their holiday whilst keeping tabs on Joan
0:05:42 > 0:05:45with regular messages from Rhia, their daughter.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50Rhia contacted us. She said, "Grandma must be getting better
0:05:50 > 0:05:55"cos she's moaning the hospital won't let her outside for a fag."
0:05:55 > 0:05:59And I thought, "Excellent, Joan's getting better."
0:05:59 > 0:06:02I was thinking, "We've made the right decision."
0:06:02 > 0:06:05But the next day, Rhia called again.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07My daughter wouldn't speak to me.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11She just said, "Can I speak to Dad?" And that was it, I knew it was sad.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18All I could hear say was, "You've got to get home now." And that was it.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Following her operation,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Joan had developed pneumonia and was critically ill.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Nigel and Lorraine booked seats on the next available flight home,
0:06:29 > 0:06:34but unfortunately, Joan had died by the time they got to the hospital.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36I couldn't believe it was all happening, really.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38It's like living in a dream, you know?
0:06:38 > 0:06:40"This is not happening to me," you know?
0:06:40 > 0:06:42You never think that your parents are going to die.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44They are going to go on forever.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48I was just really upset that we weren't there.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Over the next few weeks, there was the funeral to arrange
0:06:50 > 0:06:53and sorting out Joan's will and probate.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56So it wasn't until a month later
0:06:56 > 0:06:59that Nigel remembered the travel insurance company
0:06:59 > 0:07:02had said they'd be covered if they had to come home early
0:07:02 > 0:07:04because of Joan's ill health.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07There is no way Lorraine can be recompensed for the emotional upset.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11I just would like to get the money back that it's cost us.
0:07:13 > 0:07:14Nigel got in touch with the insurer
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and was asked to provide a doctor's note
0:07:17 > 0:07:20to confirm what had caused Joan's death.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22He sent off all the necessary information,
0:07:22 > 0:07:26and put in a claim for ?421 -
0:07:26 > 0:07:29the extra they'd spent getting home.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32After the advice they'd been given before going away,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35they expected it to be straightforward, really.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37But two weeks later, the claim was rejected.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42We put in what I thought was a reasonable,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44a very reasonable claim,
0:07:44 > 0:07:49and I was just gobsmacked when it was rejected, really.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Two reasons were given for rejecting the claim.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55And the first was a particular shock.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59The GP's certificate revealed that over the last year,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Joan had received treatment for cancer.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06Now for Lorraine, that was a complete bolt out of the blue.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09It turned out her mother hadn't told her that a mole she had removed
0:08:09 > 0:08:13from her nose earlier that year had been cancerous.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17I never knew it was cancer and it wasn't relevant to why she died.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20It definitely wasn't relevant to why she went into hospital.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23It shouldn't have even been an issue.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25But clearly it was an issue,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28although it was completely unrelated to Joan's death,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30as was the second reason the claim was rejected.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Following her cancer treatment,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Joan again had to visit the hospital for routine follow ups.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39But the couple were told the policy's terms and conditions
0:08:39 > 0:08:43clearly state that cover won't apply if a relative,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45"upon whose health the trip may depend"
0:08:45 > 0:08:47has either "been treated for any type of cancer"
0:08:47 > 0:08:49or received hospital treatment
0:08:49 > 0:08:52in the 12 months prior to the policy being taken out.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57The trouble was Lorraine had no idea
0:08:57 > 0:09:00that her mother needed any of this medical attention
0:09:00 > 0:09:03because Joan preferred to keep such things private.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07My mum was a very private person. She would never tell me anything.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09You had to pry things out of her.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13And so when I did get the death certificate for my mum,
0:09:13 > 0:09:17I found she had type-2 diabetes and she had for number of years,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20but nothing was ever said to me about it.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23You know, she just kept herself to herself.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26After checking the terms and conditions again,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Nigel could see that the rejection letter could be right.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32They may not have been covered by their insurance after all.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36But they couldn't really have done anything differently.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39After all, how could they have declared conditions
0:09:39 > 0:09:41they knew absolutely nothing about?
0:09:41 > 0:09:44When you take out holiday insurance for yourself or your partner,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46you don't have to go round all your relatives,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49making sure they're going to be fit and healthy before you go, you know?
0:09:49 > 0:09:51It is very unreasonable.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Nigel and Lorraine's insurer isn't unique in having clauses like these
0:09:56 > 0:09:58in its policies.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02So the question is - are the couple right in considering them unfair?
0:10:02 > 0:10:05It wouldn't be fair to expect you to speak to your relatives,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08to your mother, your father, particularly if they're elderly,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11and ask them to provide you with all the details
0:10:11 > 0:10:13of their medical conditions.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15It's certainly not something that we do.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18We're all very British, nobody likes to talk about these things.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Certainly in the case of Lorraine and Nigel.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Is it reasonable for them to have known
0:10:22 > 0:10:25about their mother's cancer treatment?
0:10:25 > 0:10:26Probably not under these circumstances,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29and we wouldn't expect them to ask that question.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32We spoke to Ageas, the company that underwrites
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Lorraine and Nigel's insurance policy with iGO4.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38It told us that after reviewing the case,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41it recognises that that the policy wording was contradictory,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44and said the Pedders should have been covered all along.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47It says that in future...
0:10:48 > 0:10:49..so that the...
0:10:52 > 0:10:56And the company also apologised to Nigel and Lorraine,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58paying the claim in full,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01and waiving the ?100 excess on the policy.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03But disputes about insurance
0:11:03 > 0:11:05continue to be one of the biggest source of complaints
0:11:05 > 0:11:08to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Please don't be put off - just because a clause
0:11:11 > 0:11:14is in your contract, doesn't mean that the insurer should use it,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16and it doesn't mean that it's using it fairly.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18So if you feel that you've not been treated
0:11:18 > 0:11:20within the spirit of the contract, then speak to us.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22The Ombudsmen should be able to help you.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26It was not a very nice experience at all.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28I would hate anyone to go through it.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31If, obviously, we had claimed and they had given us the money back,
0:11:31 > 0:11:35it would have been so much easier than having to go through it now.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Over the past few years, a new breed of company has transformed
0:11:46 > 0:11:48the insurance industry.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50GoCompare!
0:11:50 > 0:11:52They're designed to do the hard work
0:11:52 > 0:11:55so that you don't have to ring around lots of different insurers
0:11:55 > 0:11:56to get the best quote.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Simples!
0:11:58 > 0:11:59It's a market worth billions,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02and it can be hard to escape the catchy ad campaigns.
0:12:04 > 0:12:05# GoCompare! GoCompare! #
0:12:05 > 0:12:08# Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh. #
0:12:08 > 0:12:12Yeah, I use them for almost anything that I can find
0:12:12 > 0:12:16that'll compare house insurance, car insurance, travel insurance.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Whether it's car insurance, home insurance, life insurance,
0:12:19 > 0:12:20I always make sure that I use one
0:12:20 > 0:12:22just to see that I'm getting the right price.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29But despite its popularity, the industry is under scrutiny.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33In July, 2014, the Financial Conduct Authority published a review
0:12:33 > 0:12:37into price comparison sites, and it turns out that in some cases,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40they weren't giving consumers all the information they need
0:12:40 > 0:12:43to choose the best policy, not just on price,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46but on the level of cover, as well.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48And comparison sites are also on the radar
0:12:48 > 0:12:50of the Competition and Markets Authority,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53who are concerned that they may limit insurers
0:12:53 > 0:12:56from offering consumers better deals elsewhere.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04One third of all motor insurance policies are bought
0:13:04 > 0:13:06through price comparison sites,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09so we decided to see if they're always on the right track.
0:13:11 > 0:13:12We called in financial expert
0:13:12 > 0:13:15and general money saving whiz, James Daley, to help.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20You might assume that a car insurance policy is a car insurance policy,
0:13:20 > 0:13:21but it just isn't the case.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23There are good ones and there are bad ones,
0:13:23 > 0:13:27and it's important to drill down to look at the individual features
0:13:27 > 0:13:29of the product to understand whether or not
0:13:29 > 0:13:31you're really getting good value from your insurer.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37And that's exactly what we plan to do.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41These young go-karters love driving, but they're all under 22 -
0:13:41 > 0:13:44a notoriously expensive age for anybody looking to insure their car.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49So cost is fairly key when it comes to looking for a policy.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51We've asked them to help us compare
0:13:51 > 0:13:53the four leading price comparison sites -
0:13:53 > 0:13:59CompareTheMarket, GoCompare, MoneySuperMarket and Confused.com
0:13:59 > 0:14:02to find out not just how policies compare on price,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06but also how easy it is to get the very best cover.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Hello, James. Hi, Ian. Nice to meet you.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12First up, it's Ian.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14He's 21 and when he's not on the track,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18he drives a little VW that's almost as old as he is.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Even so, the cheapest quote he could find
0:14:20 > 0:14:22was for more than his car was even worth.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26When he and James compared all the quotes, though,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28there was one surprise...
0:14:28 > 0:14:32On three of them, you've ended up with the same price,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34so, that's interesting,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37but one of them has ended up being more expensive.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43The cheapest policy across all four sites was from the same insurer.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47But on one of them, it was over ?30 more than the others.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50James thinks he knows what might have caused the difference.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Often these sites have a piece of software that gives them an idea
0:14:55 > 0:14:59of what a car, of your age, would be roughly worth.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02On the first comparison site, you put in the value yourself.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04You put ?500.
0:15:04 > 0:15:05On the second one,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08it plopped ?750 into the field automatically for you.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13But when James and Ian corrected the car's value to ?500,
0:15:13 > 0:15:17the second site still showed a more expensive price.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21It wasn't until we spoke to the insurer that we find out why.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24It turns out that Ian had also entered some other information
0:15:24 > 0:15:28slightly differently when he was getting that particular quote.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31The insurer told us that their prices are the same
0:15:31 > 0:15:33across all the comparison sites they appear on,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36provided the correct information is entered.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39It just goes to show that these little things
0:15:39 > 0:15:41can really make all the difference.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Everybody just wants to get their car insurance quote out the way
0:15:43 > 0:15:45as quickly as possible.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48But just one tiny little difference in an answer can change the premium.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Next up is 19-year-old Brad,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57who says he pays through the roof to insure his 11-year-old motor.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01But so far he hasn't looked for a cheaper rate online.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04So how come you've never used a comparison site before?
0:16:04 > 0:16:05I've been told by friends
0:16:05 > 0:16:08that they're a bit steep in price sometimes so... Really?
0:16:08 > 0:16:12I've just rang insurance companies up themselves.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15I think probably your friends are not right about that. Yeah.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Broadly speaking, you should get a better deal from comparison sites.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Brad's approach of ignoring the comparison sites
0:16:22 > 0:16:24probably isn't the best way to do it.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Many of the sites have what's known
0:16:26 > 0:16:29as price parity agreements with the insurance companies,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32meaning that the insurers cannot sell their products for less
0:16:32 > 0:16:34anywhere else.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37But it's these arrangements that the Competition and Markets Authority
0:16:37 > 0:16:40is concerned about and would like to see scrapped.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44If that happens, shopping around and comparing the comparison sites
0:16:44 > 0:16:46will become even more important.
0:16:46 > 0:16:51The comparison sites will no longer be able to tie insurers
0:16:51 > 0:16:56into those kind of handcuffs, and so it may be that you're more likely
0:16:56 > 0:17:00to find similar insurers offering better prices
0:17:00 > 0:17:03on one comparison site than they are on another.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Finally our third volunteer, Josh.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09At 18, he's the youngest of our three go-kart guinea pigs
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and he's also got the newest car -
0:17:12 > 0:17:15his is a mere nine years old.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17When we asked him to try the comparison sites,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Josh soon found a policy that he liked the look of.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23But when he looked for the same policy on all four comparison sites,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25each of the quotes was different.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29The one that came top on one comparison site
0:17:29 > 0:17:31came in around ?2,000.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33The same insurer was there on another comparison site,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36?400 more expensive.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38So if he'd just dropped into that comparison site first
0:17:38 > 0:17:40and not bothered going anywhere else,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42he could have ended up spending an extra ?400.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47The insurer whose quote came out so differently for Josh told us this...
0:17:50 > 0:17:51..including assumptions made
0:17:51 > 0:17:56by the comparison sites over "levels of cover" or "individual risk".
0:17:56 > 0:17:59But they reiterated that each comparison site
0:17:59 > 0:18:01"has a different set of questions",
0:18:01 > 0:18:05which might result in slightly different answers and premiums.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08So it really is worth checking each of the comparison sites
0:18:08 > 0:18:11against each other so that you can be sure of what you're getting.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Not that it's always that easy to work it out.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20The Financial Conduct Authority's investigation
0:18:20 > 0:18:24into the comparison site market find that consumers
0:18:24 > 0:18:26aren't always given enough information
0:18:26 > 0:18:28to help them choose the best product.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31And as a result, some people could buy policies
0:18:31 > 0:18:33that they simply do not understand.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39The cheapest insurer, at the top of the results page,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43might have certain levels of cover.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45They might include free breakdown cover,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47but they might not include that,
0:18:47 > 0:18:51and so that cheap price, might be the one that you instinctively
0:18:51 > 0:18:54want to go for, especially if they're ?100 cheaper
0:18:54 > 0:18:57than the second, but you have to understand what you're getting.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00The FCA's investigation also find that comparison sites
0:19:00 > 0:19:04didn't always provide consistent information about the policies
0:19:04 > 0:19:07on offer, making it difficult to compare them.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10We put all that to the four main comparison sites.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Confused.com didn't want to comment,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18but the other three big names told us that they welcome
0:19:18 > 0:19:22the Financial Conduct Authority's investigation into the industry.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26They said they try to provide as much information as possible
0:19:26 > 0:19:29so that consumers can make an informed choice on their policy,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32but they pointed out the importance of checking all the details
0:19:32 > 0:19:34before buying cover,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38to make sure the terms and the price are right for you.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41So is that advice our go-karters will be following?
0:19:41 > 0:19:45Basically, don't just look at one insurer, look at a lot of them.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49I think comparison websites offer a broad spectrum of quotes,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51but if you need them tailored to your individual needs,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53then there's the ability to do that.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02Still to come on Rip-Off Britain,
0:20:02 > 0:20:06the new breed of insurers who boast about keeping costs down...
0:20:06 > 0:20:10But are they doing it at the expense of their customer service?
0:20:10 > 0:20:14I felt very let down because I was getting completely ignored
0:20:14 > 0:20:17by an insurance company that I'd already paid my money to.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26Over one summer weekend, we opened up our Pop Up consumer advice clinic
0:20:26 > 0:20:27in a West Midlands shopping centre...
0:20:29 > 0:20:32..giving us the chance to meet hundreds of you face-to-face.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35I had an incident a couple of years ago,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38back in February, 2012, and it's still unresolved.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43As well as trying to sort out individual problems,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46our team of experts ran workshops full of advice
0:20:46 > 0:20:48to keep your finances on track,
0:20:48 > 0:20:51like this one explaining the advantages of drawing up a will
0:20:51 > 0:20:53and what can happen if you don't.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56If you were to die and your husband survived you,
0:20:56 > 0:21:00then if your estate was less than ?250,000,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02your husband would get everything.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Not if I can help it.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Outside the shop, we also set up our gripes corner,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13where plenty of you were letting off steam about insurance.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17People just can't afford this astronomical insurance
0:21:17 > 0:21:19that we have to pay.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20I get really annoyed
0:21:20 > 0:21:23when we have a quote for our car insurance
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and it's more expensive than a quote
0:21:26 > 0:21:29if you go in as a new customer with the same company.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31I have no accident and no problem,
0:21:31 > 0:21:35but my insurance still gets really expensive.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Paulette Smith came seeking advice from trading standards expert,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Adrian Simpson, when a special present
0:21:40 > 0:21:43that she bought for her granddaughter didn't work.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46I've really come to complain about a car that we bought.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49A car? An electric car for my granddaughter.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Ah. It was a pedal and remote control.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54The remote worked but the pedal didn't work,
0:21:54 > 0:21:59so I contacted the company and they sent us a little chip sort of thing.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02And eventually when I fitted it, it still didn't work.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04So, I contacted them again.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07They sent another part.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09I fitted that, still didn't work.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12So in the end, I just said,
0:22:12 > 0:22:15"OK, I would just like a refund back
0:22:15 > 0:22:18"and can you come and collect the car?"
0:22:18 > 0:22:21After numerous failed attempts by both the company and Paulette
0:22:21 > 0:22:24to arrange a pick up time, Paulette was left with the car.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27She kept calling and e-mailing the company,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29but with no satisfactory reply.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33Paulette sent a letter recorded delivery asking for a full refund.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37To her amazement, instead, another spare part arrived in the post.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39All Paulette now wants is her money back,
0:22:39 > 0:22:42but it seems the company is not willing to co-operate.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Well, it's very disappointing for her.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Oh, yes. The car's boxed up, waiting for them to come and collect it.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52And, you know, they haven't, and she's not really used it.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55So what you're after is your money back. Adrian, what do you think?
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Well, under the Sale of Goods Act,
0:22:57 > 0:22:59your rights to goods that are of satisfactory quality.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01There shouldn't be any defects.
0:23:01 > 0:23:02You've had it a bit of time.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05You can then give them an opportunity to repair or replace,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07which you obviously have done. Mm-hm.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09If you've given them a few chances to do that
0:23:09 > 0:23:10and it still doesn't work,
0:23:10 > 0:23:12in this case, you might be able to claim for a partial refund,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14which would usually take into account
0:23:14 > 0:23:17any successful use you've had of the car.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20None. In this case, if you haven't, you might be within your rights,
0:23:20 > 0:23:21perhaps, to ask for a full refund
0:23:21 > 0:23:24and also to collect it at a time that's convenient to you.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27If they're not playing ball with her, what can she do now?
0:23:27 > 0:23:29What I suggest... She's already done the first part,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31sending a recorded delivery letter to them.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34I suggest doing another one, mentioning the Sale of Goods Act
0:23:34 > 0:23:37and giving them, say, seven days to come back and collect the vehicle
0:23:37 > 0:23:38and give you a full refund.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40I understand you paid by credit card. Yes.
0:23:40 > 0:23:41OK, if you pay by credit card,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44you've actually got additional consumer rights
0:23:44 > 0:23:47under the Consumer Credit Act, which means that the credit card company
0:23:47 > 0:23:48is equally as liable as the trader.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51But ultimately, if you still don't get any joy of that,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53you might consider taking action against the company
0:23:53 > 0:23:55through the county court system.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59So she hasn't had a chance to put her L plates on yet? No. Shame.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Now when it comes to insurance,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07you might think there's a pretty simple formula -
0:24:07 > 0:24:11if something's your fault, you should claim on your insurance.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14If it's someone else's fault, their insurance should cover it.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17But, in fact, whoever's to blame,
0:24:17 > 0:24:19you'll most likely end up losing out
0:24:19 > 0:24:23because as soon as you tell your insurer about any sort of accident,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26regardless of whether you're actually making a claim,
0:24:26 > 0:24:30most insurance companies will respond by putting up your premium,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34even if the damage wasn't your fault or, as in our next case,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37you were fast asleep when it happened.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42It was January, 2013, and Britain was in the grip
0:24:42 > 0:24:43of severe winter weather.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Hundreds of people have spent the night in their cars
0:24:46 > 0:24:48because of heavy snow across parts of Scotland,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Northern England and the Midlands.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53We could badly do with a spell of settled weather,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55but I can't find any sign of that on the charts.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57The winds really pick up.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59It's going to be a really wet, really windy night.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04When Adrian Baugh arrived home that afternoon,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06he parked his car in its usual spot on the drive,
0:25:06 > 0:25:10and settled in for the night while the storm raged outside.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13It was a very stormy night.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Strong winds and driving rain.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19The car's back to looking pristine now, but that night,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22the storm caused serious damage to the paintwork on the bonnet
0:25:22 > 0:25:24and one of the lights was cracked.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Debris from a builder's skip across the road had been thrown
0:25:27 > 0:25:31along the street and some of it had blown right into his car.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35I got the neighbour to come out to see what had happened
0:25:35 > 0:25:38and his builder arrived to start the day's work,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41and immediately he saw what had happened.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44He accepted full responsibility and apologised profusely
0:25:44 > 0:25:47and said that he would sort it out with his insurance.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Safe in the knowledge that the builder would claim for the damage
0:25:50 > 0:25:53on his policy, Adrian chalked it down to experience
0:25:53 > 0:25:55and thought little more of it.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58But, over the next few weeks, the claim dragged on,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01so Adrian called his own insurance company
0:26:01 > 0:26:04and asked whether they could fix it and claim the money back
0:26:04 > 0:26:06when the builder's insurance paid out.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09When I spoke to my own insurance, they said,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13"Fine, what we'll do now is claim against his insurance
0:26:13 > 0:26:17"and when they pay us, we'll sort things out with you."
0:26:17 > 0:26:19Everything went to plan.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Adrian's insurance company paid for his local Audi dealer
0:26:22 > 0:26:26to do the work and agreed to refund his excess.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29He was told that the claim would be logged as a non-fault claim,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32confirming that they knew the damage wasn't his fault.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34So far as Adrian was concerned,
0:26:34 > 0:26:37none of this would end up costing him a penny.
0:26:37 > 0:26:38But then a few days later,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42he received the renewal premium for his next year's car insurance.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45And the price seemed to have jumped by almost 60%.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50My original policy of ?359 went up to ?568.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Worse still, despite it being a non-fault claim,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58the damage caused by debris from the builder's skip
0:26:58 > 0:27:00had been logged by the insurer as Adrian's fault.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Adrian called the company straightaway,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05and they promised to amend the quote.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08So, he assumed the premium would fall substantially.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12But when the new quote arrived it was for ?482,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16still more than ?120 higher than he'd previously paid.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Which I thought was a bit exorbitant.
0:27:18 > 0:27:24I did explain to them that I wasn't at all happy in no uncertain terms.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28His insurance company told Adrian that because he'd made a claim,
0:27:28 > 0:27:30even one for something that wasn't his fault,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33he was now considered to be at greater risk
0:27:33 > 0:27:35of making another claim in the future.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37And thanks to that, he'd have to pay more.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41They confirmed that it wouldn't affect my no claim bonus.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44All of that points in my direction,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47and yet the outcome was that they are going to load my premiums
0:27:47 > 0:27:48for the next five years.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51That really made me angry.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55The company did offer to waive the cancellation fee
0:27:55 > 0:27:57if he decided to cancel his policy,
0:27:57 > 0:27:59but they wouldn't lower the new premium.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05When we contacted Adrian's insurers, they explained that, in fact,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07most of the price increase was down
0:28:07 > 0:28:10to his "first year introductory discount" coming to an end.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13But they acknowledged that the rest of it,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16what they described as a "loading" of around 3-4%,
0:28:16 > 0:28:20was simply down to the non-fault claim.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22They told us that in such situations,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25not only do they routinely increase premiums,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29but that it's "standard practice within the insurance industry."
0:28:29 > 0:28:32So just how likely is it that you too could end up paying extra
0:28:32 > 0:28:34because of someone else's mistake?
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Well, research by the AA shows that most car insurance companies
0:28:40 > 0:28:42will bump up your premiums even after an accident
0:28:42 > 0:28:44that isn't your fault.
0:28:44 > 0:28:4840% of them will do it after just one non-fault claim,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51but almost all of them, more than 95%, will do so
0:28:51 > 0:28:55if you've made two claims for damage you didn't cause.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57And while sometimes, as in Adrian's case,
0:28:57 > 0:28:59they'll only hike up prices by a few percent,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02most insurers will typically make you pay anything
0:29:02 > 0:29:05between ten and a whopping 50% more.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10Such price hikes aren't just limited to car insurance.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13You've told us about non-fault claims on your home insurance
0:29:13 > 0:29:16pushing up premiums, too, making many of you wonder
0:29:16 > 0:29:19why you should lose out because of the actions of someone else.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23But unfortunately, the industry says if you make any claim,
0:29:23 > 0:29:26whoever's to blame, you'll be seen as a higher risk.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Well, there are many different factors doing an insurance quote
0:29:30 > 0:29:32that are taken into account for the final premium,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35and actually non-fault claims are a consideration
0:29:35 > 0:29:38because statistics do show that the more non-fault claims you have,
0:29:38 > 0:29:40the more likely you are to have a fault claim.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43In other words, even after a non-fault claim,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46you're still classed as being a higher risk,
0:29:46 > 0:29:48so your premiums will go up.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51You might be forgiven for thinking that in situations
0:29:51 > 0:29:54where the person who is to blame has already agreed to pay out,
0:29:54 > 0:29:58there may be no need for you to tell your insurer about it at all.
0:29:58 > 0:29:59But that wouldn't be a good idea.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04If you don't tell your insurer about an accident,
0:30:04 > 0:30:08even if it wasn't your fault, it could invalidate your whole policy.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11So the best advice is to try and find out your insurer's line on this
0:30:11 > 0:30:13before you sign up,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16because there are still some that won't charge you extra
0:30:16 > 0:30:18for making a non-fault claim.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20It does pay to look around at your options
0:30:20 > 0:30:22and see what other quotes there are out there.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24Vote with your feet, go somewhere else.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26Go to your insurance broker or insurance company.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28There are so many other options out there.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32You shouldn't need to put up with any increase if you feel it's unfair.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36Unfair is certainly how Adrian would describe what happened to him.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40He just can't understand why drivers should be hit with higher charges
0:30:40 > 0:30:43after a claim for which they're not to blame.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47Being a no-fault claim, one wonders why there was a problem.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49If it was a no-fault claim,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51you'd think the whole thing would be scrubbed.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00As we saw earlier in the programme, price comparison sites
0:31:00 > 0:31:03have transformed the world of insurance,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06encouraging many of us to turn our backs on brokers
0:31:06 > 0:31:09and search for the best deals ourselves.
0:31:09 > 0:31:10Now that's led to the rise
0:31:10 > 0:31:12of a whole new breed of insurance company.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14They're leaner, more efficient,
0:31:14 > 0:31:18and able to cut costs and prices as a result.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21Well, it's an approach that certainly seems to be working
0:31:21 > 0:31:25for one of those companies, an outfit whose website boasts
0:31:25 > 0:31:29that it's one of the fastest growing online businesses in the UK.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32But some of the people who've contributed to that success
0:31:32 > 0:31:35by buying policies from them have been left wondering
0:31:35 > 0:31:39if perhaps one of the things that's been cut back to make it leaner
0:31:39 > 0:31:41is customer service.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46I've always had an enthusiasm for cars.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49I even presented a programme about them.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51One you may well have heard of...
0:31:51 > 0:31:53Well, I don't pretend to be an expert driver
0:31:53 > 0:31:55or even a particularly good one,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57but I do spend an awful lot of my time driving.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02But once you add together the price of petrol,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05servicing and repairs, not to mention road tax and insurance,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08keeping a car on the road is an expensive business.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Last year, it cost British drivers on average
0:32:12 > 0:32:15almost ?3,500 to run their vehicles,
0:32:15 > 0:32:20making Britain the most expensive country in the world to run a car.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23And with the average cost of comprehensive car insurance cover
0:32:23 > 0:32:26now standing at ?504 a year,
0:32:26 > 0:32:29it's no surprise that we like to shop around for the cheapest quote.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Which is exactly what Gordon Cruickshank did
0:32:33 > 0:32:37when he found a company offering insurance for much less
0:32:37 > 0:32:41than his renewal quote - just ?236 for the year.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46I found eCar online.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50So I thought, "I'll go with them."
0:32:50 > 0:32:51They were the cheapest at the time
0:32:51 > 0:32:54by about ?100, so I went, "Oh, that's a good deal."
0:32:56 > 0:33:00eCar, which is part of Brightside Insurance Services Ltd,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02is one of a handful of car insurers who operate
0:33:02 > 0:33:05as an online only company,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07meaning that customers are encouraged to contact them
0:33:07 > 0:33:10not by phone, but via the internet.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12They say not having an expensive call centre
0:33:12 > 0:33:16means they can keep their costs and your premiums down.
0:33:16 > 0:33:21The website looked professional and certainly well organised,
0:33:21 > 0:33:22and they made it an easy process
0:33:22 > 0:33:25to actually get an insurance policy with them.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28Gordon paid ?82.36 up front and the rest would be taken
0:33:28 > 0:33:32in monthly instalments throughout the year by direct debit.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34His premium was based on the fact
0:33:34 > 0:33:38he had built up a year of no claims discount with his previous insurer.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41So next he needed to send eCar the proof of that.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44He forwarded it on from his previous insurer,
0:33:44 > 0:33:45then went away with work for a week.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47But by the time he got home,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50there was a surprise from eCar waiting in his inbox.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57I found an e-mail that was dated seven days previous
0:33:57 > 0:34:00that if I didn't send another no claims,
0:34:00 > 0:34:02because they weren't accepting the one I'd sent,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04that my policy would be cancelled.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07eCar had rejected Gordon's proof of no claims discount
0:34:07 > 0:34:09because it was in the wrong format,
0:34:09 > 0:34:13which they said meant it could have been edited by someone
0:34:13 > 0:34:15other than his previous insurer.
0:34:15 > 0:34:16Unfortunately for Gordon,
0:34:16 > 0:34:21he only read this e-mail on the day after a response was due.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24I went onto their website and I couldn't find a contact number at all
0:34:24 > 0:34:28for them and what I did was respond to the e-mail they'd sent me, saying,
0:34:28 > 0:34:31"Look, my previous company is quite happy for you to call them
0:34:31 > 0:34:34"and they'll confirm it over the phone to you."
0:34:34 > 0:34:36The company does provide a phone number for queries,
0:34:36 > 0:34:42but it's a premium rate one, charging ?1.02 a minute for calls.
0:34:42 > 0:34:43So he sent an e-mail instead,
0:34:43 > 0:34:46hoping the situation would be swiftly resolved.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50And he very quickly did get a response.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52But not the one he wanted to hear.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Within half an hour of having sent that e-mail,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58I got an actual letter through the post from eCar,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01saying my policy was cancelled on that day.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05As they hadn't had a response to the e-mail they'd sent a week ago,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08eCar had already cancelled Gordon's policy.
0:35:08 > 0:35:09And on top of that,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12they were charging him a fee of ?75 for doing it.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17I never cancelled the policy. I provided the information they wanted.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19They had let me down badly, so I wasn't prepared
0:35:19 > 0:35:22to pay a cancellation fee on top of what I had already paid.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24But feeling the charge was unreasonable,
0:35:24 > 0:35:28particularly as he'd paid almost a third of the policy cost upfront
0:35:28 > 0:35:31for cover he was no longer getting, Gordon ignored the letter.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34And he heard no more from eCar for several weeks...
0:35:34 > 0:35:35Until they called him,
0:35:35 > 0:35:39chasing the cancellation fee they insisted they were owed.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44They contacted me by telephone and requested this ?75,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47which I refused to pay and told them
0:35:47 > 0:35:50that I was expecting money back from them,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53to which he responded that he'd speak to his line supervisor
0:35:53 > 0:35:55and get back to me.
0:35:55 > 0:35:56But when eCar didn't call back,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Gordon felt that the matter was closed.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02It wasn't until almost nine months later that Gordon received an e-mail
0:36:02 > 0:36:05from eCar demanding that he pay what they described
0:36:05 > 0:36:08as the "outstanding balance" on the policy
0:36:08 > 0:36:10they'd told him was cancelled.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13They wanted ?156.54,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16and if he didn't pay up, they'd call in the debt collectors,
0:36:16 > 0:36:18which is exactly what they did.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22A debt collection company started contacting me
0:36:22 > 0:36:27and chasing me up for the final payment, that money from eCar.
0:36:27 > 0:36:32And it wasn't just, like, one call, it was calling every day and e-mails
0:36:32 > 0:36:38sent to me continually and pretty much...pretty strong harassment.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42Gordon tried calling both eCar and the debt collection agency,
0:36:42 > 0:36:43but with no success.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46He's exasperated that the initial problem
0:36:46 > 0:36:48had spiralled into something much more serious.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50They just wanted the money and that was it.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54There was no interest in what was going on or how it happened.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57The figure's increased now, I believe it's about ?190
0:36:57 > 0:37:01or somewhere about there, and it's quite concerning
0:37:01 > 0:37:05because it could affect my credit rating for purchasing maybe a house,
0:37:05 > 0:37:08a mortgage. It's not a lot of money, I'm not saying it's a lot of money,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11I could just pay it and it'd be wiped clean, but it's the principle.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16We've heard other complaints about eCar and its sister company, eBike.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Like Gordon, Scott Gantley also had a problem with a no claims bonus.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22But in Scott's case,
0:37:22 > 0:37:26it was when he was trying to end his policy with eBike.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29So he needed them to send him the proof that he needed
0:37:29 > 0:37:31to get the discount with his new insurer.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35I tried to get in contact with eBike Insurance for my no claims.
0:37:35 > 0:37:41I sent a couple of e-mails and got an automated response.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43I tried to do what it said on the e-mail.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47I went onto the eBike Insurance website,
0:37:47 > 0:37:50put in my policy number, and nothing came up.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52So I was e-mailing back and they was still sending me
0:37:52 > 0:37:56the same automated response which was getting me angrier,
0:37:56 > 0:37:58because I'd already told them that it didn't work.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03Scott's new insurer had given him a two-week deadline
0:38:03 > 0:38:05to send them what they needed.
0:38:05 > 0:38:10So in that time, Scott says he sent eBike a total of 21 e-mails -
0:38:10 > 0:38:12more than one a day.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16But even after all that, he still wasn't able to get a response.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21I felt very let down because I was getting completely ignored
0:38:21 > 0:38:25by an insurance company that I'd already paid my money to.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27If I was left without insurance on my bike,
0:38:27 > 0:38:29I wouldn't be able to get to work,
0:38:29 > 0:38:31so I wouldn't be able to pay the bills,
0:38:31 > 0:38:34and I wouldn't be able to reinsure it again to go to work.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37When eBike failed to send Scott the proof of his no claims,
0:38:37 > 0:38:40his new insurer cancelled his policy.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Livid that all this was because of eBike's lack of response,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Scott left a comment on the company's Facebook page
0:38:45 > 0:38:47in the hope it would prompt action.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51I got a response within two hours
0:38:51 > 0:38:53because I'd put it on the official page.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56I believe the only reason they replied to me
0:38:56 > 0:38:58is because it was on a public profile.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Other than that, I still don't think they'd have replied to me now.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04After Scott's very public dressing down,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07eBike apologised for the inconvenience,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09gave him ?25 compensation,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12and did finally send the proof of his no claims discount.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14But it was too late,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17and Scott was forced to shop around for a new policy again.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21I was very angry at their final response that I actually got,
0:39:21 > 0:39:24because they said that they had a technical issue.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27I thought it was going to be easier to do it through the internet,
0:39:27 > 0:39:28but it turns out that it's not.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36When we contacted the company behind eCar and eBike,
0:39:36 > 0:39:38Brightside Insurance Services Limited,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41it reiterated that while Scott should have been able to request
0:39:41 > 0:39:44the proof of no claims through the website,
0:39:44 > 0:39:49it was "experiencing some temporary difficulties" at the time he tried.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53But the company is satisfied his complaint has been fully resolved.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57As for what happened with Gordon,
0:39:57 > 0:39:59eCar prides itself on
0:39:59 > 0:40:03"ensuring that the details customers provide...are accurate,"
0:40:03 > 0:40:07and says it's "by delivering a robust fraud process"
0:40:07 > 0:40:10that it can ensure that prices are kept low.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13As such, it's made clear on their website
0:40:13 > 0:40:16what documents can and can't be accepted,
0:40:16 > 0:40:18and Gordon sent his proof of no claims
0:40:18 > 0:40:20in a form that wasn't acceptable.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23The company says it isn't their normal practice
0:40:23 > 0:40:26to simply cancel policies in these situations,
0:40:26 > 0:40:29preferring instead to adjust premiums.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33But, as "a gesture of goodwill"
0:40:33 > 0:40:37it has apologised to Gordon for any upset caused,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39written off the amount he'd been told he owed,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42and, additionally, sent him a payment of ?25.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49And although that's good news, Gordon still doesn't understand
0:40:49 > 0:40:51why his communications with the company
0:40:51 > 0:40:54weren't able to resolve things much sooner.
0:40:55 > 0:41:00My advice to anyone if you're going to get an online insurance,
0:41:00 > 0:41:02make sure you check out the reviews of the company first
0:41:02 > 0:41:05before you hand over your money because once they've got it,
0:41:05 > 0:41:08they're going to keep and you're going to have a job getting it back.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:41:17 > 0:41:21we're always ready to investigate more of your stories on any subject.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23Are you confused over your bills
0:41:23 > 0:41:26or just trying to wade through never-ending small print?
0:41:26 > 0:41:29It's very frustrating because it makes what should be
0:41:29 > 0:41:31a quite simple job a lot more complicated
0:41:31 > 0:41:34and I think some people just give up and so they don't get the best deal.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38Maybe you are unsure what to do when you discover you've lost out
0:41:38 > 0:41:42and that so-called "great deal" has ended up costing you money.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45People are buying into this, I did,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48and will they be as awkward with them as they were with me?
0:41:48 > 0:41:51You might have a cautionary tale of your own
0:41:51 > 0:41:53and want to share the mistakes you made with us.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56It upsets me an awful lot because I'm
0:41:56 > 0:42:02retired and I begrudge having to pay that kind of money out.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06You can write to us at...
0:42:13 > 0:42:15Or send us an e-mail to...
0:42:19 > 0:42:23Remember that he Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31You know, I guess it's all too easy to form the impression
0:42:31 > 0:42:34that insurers will deliberately make things difficult
0:42:34 > 0:42:35so they can avoid paying out.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39And it's certainly the case that making a claim is not a job
0:42:39 > 0:42:41that any of us really relish doing.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43For a start, it means that something in our lives
0:42:43 > 0:42:45has gone seriously wrong.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48But also because regardless of who was at fault,
0:42:48 > 0:42:52we just know that afterwards, chances are we're going to end up
0:42:52 > 0:42:55paying even more money for exactly the same cover.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58True. Well, all the more reason then to shop around
0:42:58 > 0:43:00when it comes to choosing who to go with,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03and that when you've decided on the policy that seems right for you,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06you understand everything that you're getting into,
0:43:06 > 0:43:08and what it does and doesn't cover.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10It really can pay to read the small print
0:43:10 > 0:43:14and ask lots of questions before you sign on the dotted line.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17But that's where we have to leave it with all that advice.
0:43:17 > 0:43:18I hope you'll keep your letters coming
0:43:18 > 0:43:21and indeed your stories, so that we, and the rest of the team here,
0:43:21 > 0:43:24can crack on with investigating as many of them as we can.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27So until next time on Rip-Off Britain, from all of us...
0:43:27 > 0:43:28Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye.