Sky Insurance: sharp practice?

[Jake]

My 500 bhp VVTi single Supra was insured fully comp with Sky for £966 - all mods (and there a lot) declared, of course.

 

I've got an M3 now, so I rang Sky to switch the insurance over to the M3 for the remaining 2½ months of my policy. However I was told by the young lady at Sky that the company I was currently insured with (on a 500bhp highly modified Supra) wouldn't touch me for insurance on a bog standard M3. How does that work then?

 

But it's not all bad news, she said. They can refund me £120 for the remaining 2½ months and use that against a new policy for the M3 with another company.

Hmmm, that would be alright I guess. How much?

£780 ! Less the £120 "refund" though so that's "only" £660, she said.

 

I told her that I can get it loads cheaper than £780 and that I'd already had a quote from another company for £620.

 

"Well £780 is the best we can do for you"

 

"I'll just take the £120 refund then please"

 

"Ah, that's only if you're taking out a new policy with us. You just lose that if you go elsewhere"

 

 

Funny how they can only manage to give a really uncompetitive quote when they think they've got you by the balls due the BS "refund" you're getting.

Not impressed.

 

 

Is this sharp practice common when changing cover between cars mid-policy? Surely they don't all try to shaft their customers like this, do they?

[RiceRocket]

Have you already a lot of years NCB cos you'll be losing this one won't you?

[RedM]

Not in the same league but when I got rid of the Supra for the Pug 306 I rang Sky to see about a refund. Despite having about six months left on a premium of just over £800 I would only get a refund of "about £70" but they did say they could insure the Pug on the existing policy.

 

Okay I said and they worked it all out. It turned out to be TPF&T only and even then, despite the massive difference in the cars, I still only got a refund of "about £150"....

 

...which I'm still waiting for. Nearly a month on.

 

Can anyone from Sky who might read this please give 'Richard' a prod before I have to pick up the phone and play the angry customer.

[Jake]

Have you already a lot of years NCB cos you'll be losing this one won't you?

 

Yeah, loads. I haven't made an insurance claim since the 1980s. I've also got a spotless licence and I'm in my forties. My insurance should be about 50p if you ask me.

But that's all by the bye, I'm not complaining about the price of insurance - it's the dodgy business practise that Sky are indulging in that this thread is about.

[supra-lover]

sky sound like a load of crap to me....

[michael]

Mmm, not good - I'm about to swap my daily driver for another one and am insured with them on it (as well as the Supra) - I hope they don't play silly buggers with me.

[paul2supra]

I rang them for a quote and they never even called me back...sounds like a good thing from this thread!

 

Ended up going with Adrian Flux

[jazz1]

all insurances are like that i got scammed by adrian flux by 650 for just have the policy out for 1 half months when i cancelled

[jazz1]

I rang them for a quote and they never even called me back...sounds like a good thing from this thread!

 

Ended up going with Adrian Flux

 

lol good luck they are worser

[michael]

lol good luck they are worser

 

I found them to be more gooderer when I was with them.

[Pete]

In the past when I've had to swap cars mid policy I've had a similar problem. Insurance companies just don't like handing money back.

[jazz1]

I found them to be more gooderer when I was with them.

 

thats because you didnt cancel, im on about cancelling

[JustGav]

In the past when I've had to swap cars mid policy I've had a similar problem. Insurance companies just don't like handing money back.

 

You don't say? Can we have that as Insurance Lesson #1 (Sorry )

[Angarak]

Check your insurance documents - it is probably in the small print somewhere. If not, you could always make a complaint to the Financial Services Authority and see if you get anywhere with that.

[Jake]

In the past when I've had to swap cars mid policy I've had a similar problem. Insurance companies just don't like handing money back.

I didn't want money back though, I just wanted to transfer my insurance over to a less powerful and totally unmodified car.

 

Sky just treated it as an opportunity to get another year's business out of me and one that they could charge top dollar for.

[Homer]

I don't beleive this is something specific to Sky, I've had the same problem with several insurance companies in the past.

 

When I swapped from the Supra to BMW this year I got a very good deal, they matched my best quote so renewed with them anyway...

 

It's a shame that it works this way, but it's just the way the industry works...

[merckx]

That's bad, surely you would get something back if you cancelled 2 1/2 month before the policy ends.

 

In my experience the refund is pro rata only if they cannot insure you for the new vehicle.

[michael]

thats because you didnt cancel, im on about cancelling

 

I cancelled a policy mid-term, so I'm also on about cancelling, get your facts straight.

[jazz1]

I cancelled a policy mid-term, so I'm also on about cancelling, get your facts straight.

 

well you should of said, they are a con as far as im concerned i paid them 1k deposit and when i went to cancel mine month later they only refunded me 360 now thats what i call greedy basta*s

[Homer]

Check your insurance documents - it is probably in the small print somewhere. If not, you could always make a complaint to the Financial Services Authority and see if you get anywhere with that.

 

In the policy it normally states something about cancelations, e.g:

Cancel after 3 months you get 50%

after 6 months 25%

after 9 months 10%

 

It's normally imposed by the policy rather than by the broker.

[Pete]

I didn't want money back though, I just wanted to transfer my insurance over to a less powerful and totally unmodified car.

 

Sky just treated it as an opportunity to get another year's business out of me and one that they could charge top dollar for.

Oh I see what you mean. Sorry.

 

Weeell...I don't think for one second I'd approach Sky with a standard car - you can get far superior deals by shopping around. I'm sure you'll save much more in the long run.

 

I can't abide insurance companies.

[gaz1]

well you should of said, they are a con as far as im concerned i paid them 1k deposit and when i went to cancel mine month later they only refunded me 360 now thats what i call greedy basta*s

 

you tell im jazz they must be worserer, but when i went to them they were gooderer than adrian flux:)

[RedM]

you tell im jazz they must be worserer, but when i went to them they were gooderer than adrian flux:)

 

Oh dear God! There is no such word as gooderer.

 

You need to use bettererer.

 

HTH.

[Class One]

I don't beleive this is something specific to Sky, I've had the same problem with several insurance companies in the past.

 

When I swapped from the Supra to BMW this year I got a very good deal, they matched my best quote so renewed with them anyway...

 

It's a shame that it works this way, but it's just the way the industry works...

 

I got a good deal when swapping to the MX5 as I was due about a £30quid refund.

 

It's not SKY as they're only the broker, its the company you hold the policy with, check the small print Jake, you're probably only due about a 10% rebate if that with around 2 months left to run so not much change from £50.

 

Are they offering you free insurance for the 2months left to run, or offering you the £120 discount if you take out a new 12 month policy? If it's the latter I would cut my losses and go elsewhere if you can make the savings.

[hoff]

I couldn't swap my celica to the supe on one my previous but one insurer. Granted not quite the same as Jakes sittuation though. I think most companies want to exploit the situation, ie cancel mid ploicy and you have to pay and if not bump up the premium.