Car insurance, buy cheap buy twice!

[Chancer]

Well they do say if it sounds to good to be true...........................

18 months ago I was dead chuffed to find very cheap tiers risques insurance with the Dutch insurer Ineas, well they have gone Dutch on me [:D]

Votre contrat d’assurance Ineas numéro ********sera résilié le 31 août 2010. A partir du 1er septembre 2010, vous devez donc trouver un nouvel assureur. Aloa Assurances, filiale Internet du Groupe COVEA (MAAF, MMA, GMF …), a été officiellement désignée par les administrateurs pour vous soumettre rapidement et directement une assurance similaire à votre ancien contrat. Une offre personnalisée vous sera donc transmise par email avant le 14 août. Rappel : Le 24 juin 2010, sur la demande du DNB (De Nederlandsche Bank), autorité de régulation des services financiers aux Pays Bas, la Cour du District d’Amsterdam a déclaré que la règlementation d’urgence était applicable à la Société International Insurance Corporation (IIC) NV sur le fondement de l’article 3.161 du «Dutch Financial Services Act». Ineas est la marque commerciale de votre assureur IIC (International Insurance Corporation). La Cour a indiqué qu’International Insurance Corporation (IIC) NV ne répondait pas aux exigences légales de solvabilité et que ses liquidités étaient insuffisantes. La Cour a nommé des administrateurs en charge de la liquidation de IIC et de ses assurances. Le 5 août 2010, la Cour a donné son autorisation pour la résiliation de l’ensemble des contrats d’assurance de IIC à la date du 31 août 2010 minuit.

1. Date de résiliation: 31 août 2010 Conformément à cette autorisation de la Cour, nous mettons un terme à votre contrat. La résiliation de votre contrat sera effective au 31 août 2010 minuit. Après cette date vous ne serez plus assuré par Ineas, même si vous avez payé vos primes pour la période postérieure à cette date et/ou que votre contrat n’est pas arrivé à échéance. Votre contrat d’assurance est toujours actif jusqu’au 31 août 2010 minuit. Jusqu’à cette date, les sinistres survenus doivent toujours être déclarés sur le site Internet Ineas, en suivant la procédure habituelle. A partir du 1er septembre 2010, vous devrez enlever la vignette d’assurance apposée sur votre parebrise dans la mesure où les garanties attachées à votre contrat d’assurance auront cessé. Un relevé d’informations vous sera adressé prochainement.

2. Primes Les primes restent dues jusqu’au 31 août 2010 inclus. Les prélèvements continueront à être effectués jusqu’à cette date. Malheureusement, compte tenu de cette règlementation d’urgence, nous avons pris du retard dans les prélèvements. Nous remédierons à cette situation dans les meilleurs délais. NB : le paiement de vos primes est important. En cas de non paiement, vous n’aurez aucune couverture d’assurance et votre relevé d’informations sera incomplet. Compte tenu de la résiliation de votre contrat d’assurance le 31 août 2010, les primes relatives à la période postérieure à cette date ne seront pas prélevées. Si vous avez déjà payé vos primes d’assurance pour la période du 1er septembre 2010 à votre échéance annuelle, vous avez déjà une demande de remboursement en cours. Pour cela, référez-vous au paragraphe 4 ci-dessous.

3. Souscription d’un contrat à partir du 1er septembre Les garanties de votre contrat cessant le 31 août 2010 minuit, vous devez impérativement souscrire un nouveau contrat d’assurance à partir du 1er septembre 2010. Pour faciliter vos démarches, l’assureur Alo@ a été mandaté officiellement pour vous adresser une proposition prenant effet le 1er septembre. Pour diminuer vos désagréments, Alo@ s’engage à vous contacter avant le 14 août au plus tard, et à vous adresser, vous pourrez le vérifier, des garanties très proches de votre ancien contrat.

4. Paiement des sinistres et remboursement de primes Pour toutes réclamations relatives à un sinistre ou au remboursement de primes sur votre contrat d’assurance, il n’est pas nécessaire d’entreprendre des démarches pour le moment. En effet, les administrateurs vous contacteront prochainement par email. Cette communication et les actions qui en résulteront prendront un certains temps dans la mesure où les administrateurs procèdent actuellement à un inventaire des montants dus à chaque créancier, dans le respect des textes légaux applicables dans cette situation. Vous serez informés de toute évolution de la situation.

Now given that virtually every insurance agent in a large radius of me are closed until September they certainly have picked their time.

I wonder if they are actually going to comply with the law and send a lettre avec accusé de reception? If they dont then I know the answer to the next question, will I get the 6 months premium refunded? [;-)]

Anyone else that is insured with this company or who think that they may be with a subsidiary would be advised to check their paperwork.

What is really funny is that when I saw the header "resiliation of insurance contract" (I think it was in English actually) my first thought was "bother, they have sussed me out" before thinking "hang on, I am legit this time!"

[AnOther]

Bummer [:(]

You must be able to get cover pretty instantly elsewhere, the French insurance industry cannot be closed until September

Can we safely assume that you won't be calling AXA though [Www]

[Chancer]

Never say never Ern.

The other AXA agent in town was very keen for my business but was not permitted under the terms of her license.

I had a soupçon though that it was monkey business that was her main interest [;-)]

I will have a schlep around town to see who looks to be open but I know from bitter experience that those who dont have the means to go to the côte d'azur either hide indoors until the rentrée or if they get bored they open their shop/bureau whatever for the pleasure of scolding anyone that crosses the threshold "c'est fermé jusq'ua la rentrée!".

Still at least I have a vignette until next Feb [6]

Anyone know of any other dodgy internet car insurers? I dont want a good steadfast insurer or a price comparison site, trop cher!

Laughing aside Ineas was the only on line insurer that actually came out with a quote instead of ramassing reams and reams of unnecessary personal details before saying I had to phone for a quote, not only that they are the only insurer I know where I dont have to lie about when I got my license, never a good idea to lie but computer says pas possible to someone passing their test at 17 years old.

Their customer service was also excellent and decidedly unfrench.

[tinabee]

Chancer - you are not alone [:'(]

[Chancer]

Sorry to hear that Tina, did I recommend them to you perhaps?

Still better to be one of those that know, the bulk of the Aoutiens will only find out when they get back for la rentrée, possibly after an uninsured journey.

[dave21478]

Have a look at assuravenue.

www.assuravenue.fr

Service is not great - well, I suppose its about average by French standards - but it can all be done online and they were the cheapest I could find at the time. I wanted to go with Ineas a while back, but they didnt cover commercial vehicles, so I went with the second choice of assuravenue.

I hate insurance and insurers. I really detest it. Past experience has taught me that it doesnt matter if I go with the cheapest of the cheap, the household names or the dearer companies  - they all screwed me over and welched out when I needed them, so nowadays I pay the absolute minumum I can get away with to whichever company will provide the wee green square of paper that gets me though a roadside check. My cars are cheap, so I run minimal cover to be legal and I dont give a toss if the claims procedure is hellish - I will cross that bridge if and when I come to it, and besides, its probably someone else that will be claiming, not me. If I thought I would get away with it, I would print the papers out for myself.

[Chancer]

Thanks for that Dave.

Often when I read your postings I wonder whether we are related, we certainly think the same way.

You echo the sentiments that I have had for decades, gained like yours by bitter experience, the words could have come out of my mouth.

Even if I had the money,or when I will have again I will not change my atittude towards minimum legal cover, when a sinistre occurs that is the time you want assistance not to start yet another battle.

I have always been someone that when there is a problem I resolve it, quickly and economically with my own hands and resources, I simply cannot see the point in having to live with a situation that I am capable of resolving whilst battling with or jumping through hoops for the very people that have taken my money with the promise of being there when I need them.

[woolybanana]

what about French Direct Line?

[AnOther]

[quote user="Chancer"]I have always been someone that when there is a problem I resolve it, quickly and economically with my own hands and resources, I simply cannot see the point in having to live with a situation that I am capable of resolving whilst battling with or jumping through hoops for the very people that have taken my money with the promise of being there when I need them.[/quote]Amen to that.

Surprisingly some of us are quite capable of managing our own lives and affairs and when we want or need help we'll ask for it.

Until then we just want to be left alone so please butt out !

[cooperlola]

Hmm.  Well although I'm not a great defender of the insurance industry, I've been delighted with both my car and my house insurer in the past couple of years (MAAF and Pacifica respectively).  Since my accident my car insurer has paid up for my car, as well as organising and getting the money for a private room in hospital/rehab; help in the house and the garden; a new adapted bathroom; lots of kit to help me around the home; plus a fair few thousand euros in interim compensation whilst everybody waits to find out how I'll turn out eventually[Www]. 

When we found a problem with our bathroom ceiling whist the works were being done, Pacifica sent an inspector round within a matter of days and the money to pay for the repairs was in our account 48 hours later.

I'm sure a lot of them are rubbish, but certainly not all.  It's fine saying you can manage on your own and don't need any help but just you wait until you're stuck in hospital for months and can't get around any more like you used to be able to and the you'll be grateful you had good insurance!

[Russethouse]

[quote user="AnOther"][quote user="Chancer"]I have always been someone that when there is a problem I resolve it, quickly and economically with my own hands and resources, I simply cannot see the point in having to live with a situation that I am capable of resolving whilst battling with or jumping through hoops for the very people that have taken my money with the promise of being there when I need them.[/quote]Amen to that.

Surprisingly some of us are quite capable of managing our own lives and affairs and when we want or need help we'll ask for it.

Until then we just want to be left alone so please butt out !

[/quote]

 That's fine, unless for some unforseeable reason you are the person that causes accidents like Coops.......[:(]

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Russethouse"][quote user="AnOther"][quote user="Chancer"]I have always been someone that when there is a problem I resolve it, quickly and economically with my own hands and resources, I simply cannot see the point in having to live with a situation that I am capable of resolving whilst battling with or jumping through hoops for the very people that have taken my money with the promise of being there when I need them.[/quote]Amen to that.

Surprisingly some of us are quite capable of managing our own lives and affairs and when we want or need help we'll ask for it.

Until then we just want to be left alone so please butt out !

[/quote]

 That's fine, unless for some unforseeable reason you are the person that causes accidents like Coops.......[:(]
[/quote]Too true.  Even the state is getting all its costs back from the insurer of the guy who caused my accident (and he's not being prosecuted so it was only an everyday mistake that caused it, not a massive sin!) so your costs would be approaching the half million mark by now.  I'd have had your homes for starters![:D] 

[elamessa]

you can try

 http://www.amaguiz.com/assurance-en-ligne-@/index.jspz?id=52

Good prices and all done on line.

HTH

STeve

[AnOther]

I'm not saying that I would not have insurance if it were not compulsory, of course I would, it's more a comment to the effect that I hate the nanny knows best state mentality where everything is dumbed down to lowest denominator and where we all need 'looking after' in one way or another with little allowance or quarter given to those who are indeed capable of walking and breathing at the same time without some sort of interference or advice.

Liken it if you will to strolling along a beautiful tropical beach in glorious sunshine, at peace with yourself and the world, whilst at the same time the sand flies are continually nipping at your ankles [:D]

I know I'm a dreamer [blink]

[Chancer]

[quote user="cooperlola"][quote user="Russethouse"][quote user="AnOther"][quote user="Chancer"]I.[/quote][/quote]

 That's fine, unless for some unforseeable reason you are the person that causes accidents like Coops.......[:(]
[/quote]Too true.  Even the state is getting all its costs back from the insurer of the guy who caused my accident (and he's not being prosecuted so it was only an everyday mistake that caused it, not a massive sin!) so your costs would be approaching the half million mark by now.  I'd have had your homes for starters![:D] [/quote]

So it wasnt you that caused the accident this time? [;-)]

You have misinterpreted my posting and possibly ANO's reply, I certainly wouldnt drive without insurance but having only tiers risques insurance means that I will never be making a claim to find out how good or bad they are.

If I do make an everyday mistake, and I came quite close this morning it would be my insurers covering the other parties losses, medical treatment etc, my house doesnt come into it.

I was given a camping car in New Zealand which I repaired and CT'd (called a W.O.F.) 6 months license fee cost about £40 and included compulsory legal minimum insurance which covered  3rd party risks, injury to others, damage to property (fences crash barriers etc) but not the repairs to a 3rd party vehicle, I spoke to many people who all warned me that if I were to have an accident and damage someones brand new BMW it would cost me dearly, they all said that for that reason they had taken out extra comprehensive cover.

My reasoning was that I could drive with a clear conscience knowing that others in a situation like Coops's caused by me would be looked after, if they had a new BMW yet had taken the same decision as me in having only tiers insurance then one of us woud learn a lesson from the experience [;-)] My then Kiwi girlfriend whose ex gave me the car allowed me to register it at her auckland address, I felt uneasy using the address of the hostel where I had been staying like most travellers did.

We talked about the ramifications of what would happen were there to be a claim and she quite reasonably said once I had left then she would say that I was on my travels.

[Will]

Chancer, not wanting to worry you unduly, but most insurers ask you if you have ever had an insurance policy cancelled or refused. An answer of 'yes', as you would need to do in your case, would, I fear, signal the end of cheap insurance. That, it seems, automatically makes you a bad risk.

[Chancer]

Yes you are right Will, the on line quotes that I have done have already asked if I have ever had an insurance resiliéd - apologies for the Franglais [:D]

Not unreasonably I choose not to view the current situation, every policy being withdrawn, as me personally having insurance cancelled.

Knowing  that forums are have many black and white legal experts  (I dont count you as one Will) no doubt someone soon will tell me that I am breaking the law.

Thanks to Dave21478 for the recommendation, it was close to the deal that I had so if it lasts more than 6 months better value!

Woolybanana, Direct Line France does not exist, if you meant directasurances.fr then shame on you!

15 minutes into the 5 minute devi when their questions became even more bizaar and unrelated I had a sense of deja vu, and sure enough when I finally got a price for tiers risques that was higher than any I have had from any of the town centre brokers want for multi-risques I knew that I had wasted my time with them before, I now await all the e-mails and telephone calls asking me why I have turned my nose up at such an exceptional deal, and it sure is exceptional.

[Russethouse]

Not unreasonably I choose not to view the current situation, every

policy being withdrawn, as me personally having insurance cancelled.

 For the sake of every other road user I hope your new insurers are happy to agree [:)]

 I 'm sure you don't mean this but the more I read your posts the more I get concerned that you are playing ducks and drakes with the system - which may not know your rules - I hope I'm wrong.

[Chancer]

[quote user="Chancer"]

.

Knowing  that forums are have many black and white legal experts  (I dont count you as one Will) no doubt someone soon will tell me that I am breaking the law.

[/quote]

I didnt have to wait long, 22 minutes [:)]

[AnOther]

[quote user="Will"]Chancer, not wanting to worry you unduly, but most insurers ask you if you have ever had an insurance policy cancelled or refused. An answer of 'yes', as you would need to do in your case, would, I fear, signal the end of cheap insurance. That, it seems, automatically makes you a bad risk.[/quote]Surely within the context and meaning of that question an insurance company going broke on you mid term doesn't count as cancelled or refused. I would feel no compunction in answering 'non' to such a question.

The circumstances would be recorded in your dossier anyway would they not ?

[Gardengirl]

In my experience, when an insurer gives up it doesn't count as having an insurance policy cancelled. I took out the Norwich Union (now Aviva) 'pay as you go' scheme a few years ago, paying monthly. It worked out at about half the price I'd been paying for full comprehensive cover with maxium no-claims discount.

Norwich Union stopped doing that policy a few months later, and my letter from them definitely stated that there would be no problem obtaining further cover, as it was the company that had the problem. That was exactly how it was viewed by insurance companies I contacted for cover from the date given.

 

[Chancer]

Absolutely, its hardly failing to declare, or a misdeclaration of, a material fact.

In any case I am only getting quotes and one cannot explain circumstances to a computerised quoting process, especially a French one so I have to play the game and put that I was 18 not 17 when I passed my driving test etc, goodness knows 9 out of 10 sites wont even spit out a quote you jump through all the hoops and are then told to phone up, probably the 3rd week in September!

I have a price and a devi reference number, its a good price (thanks again Dave) but I shall wait until I recieve the offer from the insurer tasked with offering continued cover to the victims by the liquidator, probably his brother in law!

If and when I do take out this insurance I will do it by phone as the web_site wont give the 5% discount offered for a annual payment, at that time I will declare the resiliation.

[cooperlola]

I believe, RH, that one's insurance company is pretty much stuck with paying up third party claims, even if you have misrepresented yourself, thus other road users have less to worry about than one might imagine.  Not that I'm defending anybody who fibs to an insurance company (or do I mean lies?), but it's my belief that insurers have a kind of back-up association for just this scenario.  Still - anything is better than not being insured at all.

Chancer/ANO - of course I don't believe that either of you would advocate driving uninsured.  I figured that if you did then you, Chance, wouldn't have posted in the first place asking for help with this one!

[Russethouse]

Even if they don't theres always 'uninsured loss' in the UK is it the MIB ? Is there something similar in France ?

Personally I hate insurance companies, as they do everything they can not to pay out - missing something out when making out the application just gives them another excuse...

[just john]

Johnathan Ruskin 1819-1900 - all that time ago said,
''There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper,
and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey.”
he also said
''It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money — that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot — it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.''

My experience of insurance companies are that they are only interested in their bottom line, in a recent instance I paid a lot of money to insure a low mileage exceptional runabout, which was subsequently stolen and written off. A well known -aga Insurance Co, then delayed payment until they had employed an 'assessor' to value the vehicle, they were not interested in the price I paid or the replacement cost, only in what the current trade depreciated value of an average was, despite providing details of the cost of the car and costs of equal replacements, they only offered and stuck to their assessors valuation, so I lost money.

So my view of Insurance Companies pretty low and it probably is worth all the hassle of shopping around.