Car Insurance Scam: Scammed By The Insurers 3

This is a continuation of my previous post.

I went on to their Facebook page and decided to write about my experience as a way of letting others know about it, and thus help them if they were planning on getting insurance with GoSkippy. However a short while later I received a private message on Facebook asking for the policy number and further details. I did as asked for, and I was told that they said they would consider giving me an extension to provide the required documentation.

No thanks! No other insurance company needs scanned driving licenses and counterparts, and they also know how to use email. Furthermore, this hidden cancellation fee was outrageous, I just wanted to end the policy and move on. I conveyed this to the person messaging me and he said he would raise the issue with the complaints department.

So come Monday morning, I received another email, from the complaints department, who said that the £75 fee was final, and I was expected to pay for the 6 weeks of coverage (another £49), unless I could resend the documentation within 3 weeks - so that they could keep me as a customer. They assumed that I was grumbling about them not receiving the relevant documentation, however what they didn't realise, was that I was tired of their business practice, my real concern was the excessive fee and no matter what they did, I was leaving them. That really wasn't on, I was being charged a fee that I was not made aware initially. I was not fully convinced that cancelling a financial contract required £75 worth of man hours.

Clutching at straws, I fired off an email, mumbling about their hidden fee and I would be in touch with Southern Rock (the underwriter) and other financial regulatory agencies (in the UK, this means the 'financial ombudsman'). A day later I was presented with another email, but this was in a different tone.


"Firstly we aim to provide excellent customer service at all times, and I am sorry that you do not feel
 we have done so in this instance. , I am concerned to hear of the issues and challenges that you have faced with your Go Skippy insurance policy. I would like to reassure you that this is not the experience I wish a valued customer to receive.
...
However I do note that you have expressed your dissatisfaction providing this information and therefore, as a gesture of goodwill, upon cancellation of your policy, I will waive the cancellation fee of £75.00. 
...
Finally, and once again, please accept my sincere apologies for any inconvenience this matter may have caused you."

Now, this I liked. I'm not quite sure what happened, but I assume the mention of "financial regulatory agencies" may have moved a few cogs somewhere.

A small fee waived, but a large victory, over a large, greedy, over-zealous insurance company.

I managed to set up insurance with Churchill again, but as a new customer, my father was only charged £470, which was reasonable, and a lot less than their previous renewal price. So another small victory.

Beware: insurance companies registered abroad

Having read some comments on forums, it appears that GoSkippy have consistently poor customer experience, and use Southern Rock as their insurer, who are actually registered in Gibralter and not in the UK. Not sure how easy it is to deal with them, but I am glad I never had to find out.