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Having difficulty changing French holiday home insurer.


Rtony
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Hello all.

I've had AXA France holiday home insurance for 20 years and every year it's got more expensive. The renewal date is 1st February and this year I asked my local AXA agency if they could offer a cheaper policy. They agreed and sent me a new, cheaper, contract to look at, sign and return, if I wanted it.

After correcting anomalies I said I was interested and as it was overdue I tried to pay online using the AXA website which still had the previous more expensive price showing. I asked the agency to correct this and asked if I could email the forms to them. They didn't reply so I asked again. On the 6th Feb. they replied saying there was no rush, I had until the 15th. The 15th came and I still couldn't pay so on the 16th, thinking I was no longer insured I took out a policy with an English insurer, Intasure.

On the 17th I received an email from the AXA agency, telling me to send them a cheque as I was not allowed pay this on line. I replied saying they hadn't replied for a week, it was passed the 15th and I'd decided to insure the house with somebody else.

I've given them the name of my new insurer and my policy number, but they still say the money for the policy with them is due and my new insurer must send them documents before they'll even consider cancellation.

I would appreciate any help with this.

Thanks.

Tony.
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That sounds about right.

Insurance contracts in France don't lapse if you simply don't renew them when the 'renewal date' arrives. They are renewed by 'tacit agreement' and stay in force until you cancel them, following the correct procedures.

So if you didn't officially cancel the policy before its renewal date then it is still in force, hence the premium is payable. There was no urgency about paying by a specific date, in fact - the policy is in force and payment follows in its own sweet time, they're not to a week or two.

It's a good system in a way because it avoids the risk of discovering you're not insured because you forgot to send the cheque on time, which can happen in the UK. But it does make for more hassle when you want to change insurers or cancel a policy.

If you'd taken out a new policy with a French insurer they would have automatically dealt with cancelling the previous policy, presumably Intasure will be able to do this if you ask.
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I had a very similar issue with the same company.

They are obliged to send you a reminder 30 days before the end of the policy and in my case the 'reminder' was posted 2 weeks after the expiration date!  They too were getting very expensive and I found another/better/cheaper with an online comparison site.

I wrote back to the agent (sent A/R) stating that they didn't remind me so they could go fish, I sent photocopy of the dated letter and the franked envelope too.  Never heard another peep out of them.

There is a very good sample letter somewhere on this forum.  If I get a chance later I'll search for it.

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Thanks for all the replies.

The renewal date was 1st February and the renewal notification was received in mid January dated the 8th January.

I'd already sent them an email in early January telling them that they were too expensive and I was looking elsewhere for a cheaper deal. Does this not count as cancellation?

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They company may deny receiving the email. I think there is a set letter which has to be used, and it has to be sent with accuse de reception. Othewriwse they will also deny receiving it.

Twisters? Yeah, that particualr company has something of a reputation, I am afraid. Try Mutuelle de Poitiers
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I have changed insurance companies more than once. Each time they have given me a letter to sign which they have sent to the old company cancelling my insurance. The only time this did not work the new company refunded the payment because you can't insure the same thing twice. I had to wait till the following year to change. The new rules make it much easier.

 

Emails don't count it has to be done in writing as others have said.

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