In 2022, a young driver, referred to here as CO, passed his driving test but later faced complications due to an administrative error – one that more than doubled his premium.
According to a report in The Guardian, CO was initially insured by General Accident, but encountered an issue when the insurer mistakenly logged two accidents on his record instead of one. This oversight significantly impacted his insurance costs when he switched to WiseDriving, as the new insurer increased his premium by £860, pushing his total to £2,000.
Despite attempts to rectify the situation, CO found communication with General Accident challenging, it was reported, after the initial 28-day window that allowed for direct contact. Subsequent interactions were limited to email and website forms, which delayed the resolution. When CO moved his policy to WiseDriving in 2023, attracted by a £500 cheaper quote, the problem arose again. WiseDriving detected the double entry for accidents on his record and was set to increase his premium unless the error was proven.
The situation escalated when WiseDriving debited the additional premium directly from CO’s bank account.
In an effort to correct the error, CO finally contacted General Accident via a newly discovered phone number. After several calls, the insurer acknowledged the duplication and agreed to update the records. However, WiseDriving demanded more concrete evidence than the provided email confirmation, expressing concerns about potential tampering with digital communications.
General Accident, owned by Aviva, eventually took responsibility after the issue was escalated. It admitted to a mistake in logging the accident and not cross-referencing dates properly, which led to the erroneous duplicate claim. Aviva committed to rectifying the mistake on the motor insurance database and confirmed the removal of the erroneous entry. It also reached out to WiseDriving to adjust CO’s premium and offered £300 in compensation for the inconvenience and stress caused.
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