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Contents Insurance Renewal


Jon 1
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We are insured with AXA.

They usually wait until the last minute before sending the renewal notice in an envelope with no post mark.

The renewal is usually dated some weeks prior to sending.

The premium has been steadily rising and a UK insurer is at least £50 cheaper.

The renewal date is 1st August and I still have not received the renewal.

How should I cancel in order to protect myself?

If I called personally at their office and requested an acknowledgement of a cancellation letter, would this suffice?
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Yes all the AXA agents play that game, you are right to plan ahead.

Do a resiliation of the contract from 30 days before and up to the renewal date, best by recorded delivery, you could try getting your agent to sign as having received the letter in his hand but if he is as slippery as mine was he will then deny having done so.

I cancelled all my contracts with them for the reasons that you have cited, they refused to acknowledge them and spent the next 2 years chasing me in vain, some of the letters can be intimidating especially the faux huissiers who in reality are just collection companies that have bought the (non) debt, eventually they will give up, usually after 12 - 15 attempts.

You will definitely not recieve the renewal notice until after the renewal date, they never send them out before that yet they are always dated one month before, the agents pretend that its nothing to do with them, they do not know what your renewal premium will be etc etc etc.

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This may be of some help from Le Code de consommation (http://195.83.177.9/code/index.phtml?lang=uk)

Article L136-1

The service provider shall inform the consumer in writing, three months at the earliest, and one month at the latest, before expiry of the period during which renewal can be declined, of the option to refrain from renewing a contract with a tacit renewal clause that he has entered into. When such information has not been sent to him pursuant to the provisions of the first paragraph, the consumer is free to terminate the contract at any time on or after the renewal date.
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[quote user="Jon 1"]We are insured with AXA. They usually wait until the last minute before sending the renewal notice in an envelope with no post mark. The renewal is usually dated some weeks prior to sending. The premium has been steadily rising and a UK insurer is at least £50 cheaper. The renewal date is 1st August and I still have not received the renewal. How should I cancel in order to protect myself? If I called personally at their office and requested an acknowledgement of a cancellation letter, would this suffice?[/quote]

Check your policy carefully, my previous insurance with Axa required that the cancellation letter be sent to the head office in Paris. And even with the copies, proof of postage and receipt, the local agent still sent the bill for the following year's insurance.

If you take your cancellation letter to the local office, they can acknowledge it, BUT they may then declare that you have not followed the correct procedure laid down in your policy - so it would leave you in no better position.

Also, I have read that some insurance companies "hide" your new premium in the small print of what appears to be standard marketing materials, so you may have been notified about the new premium and not have noticed it.

Check all the dates carefully if you intend to go down the Loi Chatel route.

 

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When such information has not been sent to him pursuant to the provisions of the first paragraph, the consumer is free to terminate the contract at any time on or after the renewal date.

That was what I based my cancellations on but AXA  are fans of  the Gloria Gaynor song "Never can say goodbye..............." [:D]

It takes a couple of interesting years but by sticking to your guns you can finally rid yourself of the annoying parasite.

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We were with Axa since we brought our house many years ago,as they were recommended by the estate agent we used.

As you say they tell you very late what the renewal price is but you have to give 2 months notice,so we have always put it off trying elsewhere.

This year we tried britline who gave us a very good price and also sorted out the cancelation to Axa for us, we had to fill a form which they then sent.

Even then AXA tried to say they had not received it,but Britline sorted it out for us.
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Given that we are an infinitesimal minority compared to the millions of French citizens that AXA do this to year in year out I despair at the acceptance and apathy of the populace.

How they have got away with this for so long amazes me.

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Because it isn't just AXA, with some things it becomes a way of life in France, what I call, being put upon. And yet even in old age, those I know well, still manage to have enough strength left to shrug their shoulders and do that strange little empty gesture with their hands, with a little "qu'es' tu veux" and that after a life time of doing it............. always struck me as remarkable.

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I hope that someone will do me the kindness of shooting me if and/or when I become like that.

One of the deciding reasons that I do not intend to see out the rest of my years in France.

During my long battle of attrition with AXA 100% of people here said that I was crazy, "if they say you must pay then you must", simple as [:(]

Rather like EDF or who-ever when you challenge an incorrect bill, "you must first  pay it and then write to dispute it"

"if they say you must pay then you must"

"if the agent/AXA says you must pay then you must"

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Yes but you dont have to pay it if you appeal, the only reason for doing so is to avoid further penalties if you think that you may lose, if you are found to be correct you lose nothing.

Over here the concept of  "I dont owe it so I wont pay it" is just not understood.

"If they say you must pay then you must"

My response which again is rarely understood is "if they told you to jump off a cliff would you?"

I have a horrible feeling that many would [:(]

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Thanks to all contributors.

You may be interested to hear of my experience at the agent's office.

As I said our contents insurance was due for renewal on the 1st August. We were also due to fly back to the UK on the 14th July, so waited until the 13th July for the renewal.

The renewal did not arrive, so we went to the agent's office with a typed letter stating that we wanted to cancel our insurance under the Loi Chatel.

He read through the cancellation letter then said it was not possible to cancel as we required the AXA renewal letter. I asked him to forward the renewal to our UK address. He said that this was not possible because they came from AXA HQ.

Despite me pointing out that AXA had not sent the renewal letter in time, he just shrugged, and would not accept the cancellation.

So to cut a long story short we had to pay up as we were leaving the next day.

For future reference can someone please advise what I must do precisely, in order to cancel the policy before the next renewal?
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[quote user="Jon 1"]Thanks to all contributors. You may be interested to hear of my experience at the agent's office. As I said our contents insurance was due for renewal on the 1st August. We were also due to fly back to the UK on the 14th July, so waited until the 13th July for the renewal. The renewal did not arrive, so we went to the agent's office with a typed letter stating that we wanted to cancel our insurance under the Loi Chatel. He read through the cancellation letter then said it was not possible to cancel as we required the AXA renewal letter. I asked him to forward the renewal to our UK address. He said that this was not possible because they came from AXA HQ. Despite me pointing out that AXA had not sent the renewal letter in time, he just shrugged, and would not accept the cancellation. So to cut a long story short we had to pay up as we were leaving the next day. For future reference can someone please advise what I must do precisely, in order to cancel the policy before the next renewal?[/quote]

Send the cancellation letter (standard format here) to the head office of AXA as detailed on your policy, so that it arrives at least 2 months before the renewal date (check this timescale as I believe 2 months is the norm but your policy may state otherwise.) Send the letter "recommandée avec accusé de réception" and KEEP a copy of the letter and all of the receipts and proofs of delivery.

http://assurance-facile.fr/lettre-resiliation-assurance-habitation.pdf

Once you receive the renewal bill from AXA - which no doubt you will - take your copy of the letter and proof of delivery to the agent and ask him/her to destroy the bill!

If I have forgotten anything, I am sure someone will be along soon to help. Good luck!

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Thanks Tinabee.

Does anyone know if a UK recorded delivery letter will be delivered as such in France?

I ask this because often the UK Royal Mail does not request a signature for a French recorded delivery letter.
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[quote user="Jon 1"]Thanks Tinabee. Does anyone know if a UK recorded delivery letter will be delivered as such in France? I ask this because often the UK Royal Mail does not request a signature for a French recorded delivery letter.[/quote]

I would doubt you could rely on a UK to France recorded delivery, since in my experience, the actual signature and return proof part is a bit hit and miss. However, there is an electronic service provided in France that you may be able to initiate from the UK. You need to make sure you send the letter recommandée AVEC accusé de réception to be sure of the receipt.

here is the link

https://lettreenligne.laposte.fr/lregp/accueil.action

I haven't used this service, so I am afraid I cannot verify its effectiveness, but I believe it will be more reliable than trying to post a registered letter from the UK.

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I have had experience of sending important paper work recommended from the UK to France  and of recieving such things in France.

 

I have had to sign in France for UK recorded delivery letters and as far as I was aware, everything should have been dealt with properly. My postie would knock on the door and we'd sign, or leave a receipt telling us to call at the Bureau de la Poste and sign there.

When I have sent things to France in the last two to three years it has been a debacle. Taken weeks and weeks to get the electronic verification that something has been delivered, if at all. Things have left the UK as quickly as they should have done, but then La Poste doesn't follow up on the international aspect of this. A real worry to us, especially when it is the tax declarations that we need to know have arrived.

 

I have no faith in it working at all. I also have no alternative suggestions which is pains me to say.

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I am insured with Axa, my House Contents Insurance is due on 1st August and I received the renewal papers last Wednesday. I have to say I am totally happy with my Axa branch, if the Agent thinks the price has increased too much he always reduces the premium.
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[quote user="Jacks"]I am insured with Axa, my House Contents Insurance is due on 1st August and I received the renewal papers last Wednesday. I have to say I am totally happy with my Axa branch, if the Agent thinks the price has increased too much he always reduces the premium.[/quote]

It seems from the respondents on this site and in general, that your experience is not the norm.

The UK Insurers telephoned this am to ascertain whether I would be proceeding with my quote. When I explained the circumstances, they said that my experience was fairly widespread.

It seems that business require regulations and laws to ensure proper customer care. However, French companies quite blatantly bend and even ignore the regulations, which is quite unscrupulous.

I had a similar problem when I attempted to cancel my French ISP!
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