mustbnuts
New User
Dear all
I feel that I have to share with you this information as I would not want
anyone to be placed in the same situation that I am. This story is true - I
am living through it right now - please feel free to pass it on to any
friends/contacts you have.
On 13/5/2011 our trailer was stolen from its parking space outside our
house. We immediately rang both the police and our insurance company. We
completed all the necessary paperwork and waited for our claim to be paid
out. Weeks later we were still waiting. We never received any direct
correspondence from the underwriters and the broker never returned my
frequent calls.
On 26th July I received a copy of a letter from the underwriter stating that
the insurance company had decided to void my policy "ab initio" and return
my premium. This is because, nearly a year after the policy was bought and
paid for, they have decided that they offered cover in error and are in
effect denying that the policy ever existed. They have returned my initial
premium (but not the interest on the payments) in an attempt to avoid
liability for the claim.
The underwriters' stance is that they assumed the trailer was parked in my
drive (which I don't have) despite the fact that their own recording of the
conversation shows me stating "it is kept in an off road parking spot. I
don't have a drive." And in fact then repeating this statement quite
emphatically. "it is an off road parking spot at my home address but as I
say it's not on a driveway or in a garage or in a barn because I don't own
such a thing." Their letter states that had I disclosed that the trailer
was parked in an off road space they would not have offered cover and that
by giving the information above I was misleading them into believing that
the trailer was stored on my drive. They have made no attempt to address my
complaint to them and refuse to enter into a dialogue about why they
interpret what I said in this way.
The broker has told me that he has now been advised that this company has a
policy (which is NOT in any policy documents) not to cover trailers whilst
in a "car park", which is what they have defined the residents parking area
of my street as. I find this very worrying as there are plenty of times at
events/rallies/camps when my trailer has been parked in a "car park" at an
equestrian centre or farm. I have had no assurance from the company that
they will cover trailers in such circumstances.
Now of course I am going to the Financial Ombudsman (and if I'm honest I
really don't think the company has a leg to stand on) but in the meantime I
am paying interest on a loan to replace my trailer and am having to deal
with an awful lot of hassle that I could well do without. If a reputable
and large insurance company can attempt to wriggle out of liability to me on
such an unbelievably flimsy excuse then I believe that they could easily do
it to someone else.
The broker in question is 4 Counties who have apologised to me verbally now
for the appalling service and actually have also stated on more than one
occasion that they believe my claim to be entirely valid. The insurance
company who underwrites the policy is Equity Red Star and unfortunately this
is the only trailer insurance which 4 Counties offer as they have a special
arrangement with them. Equity Red Star are a major underwriting company who
offer insurance products of all types, both in and out of the equestrian
market. I have now made sure that I have no other policies underwritten by
this company as I have no confidence at all in the protection their products
offer. What you choose to do with this information is up to you.......
I feel that I have to share with you this information as I would not want
anyone to be placed in the same situation that I am. This story is true - I
am living through it right now - please feel free to pass it on to any
friends/contacts you have.
On 13/5/2011 our trailer was stolen from its parking space outside our
house. We immediately rang both the police and our insurance company. We
completed all the necessary paperwork and waited for our claim to be paid
out. Weeks later we were still waiting. We never received any direct
correspondence from the underwriters and the broker never returned my
frequent calls.
On 26th July I received a copy of a letter from the underwriter stating that
the insurance company had decided to void my policy "ab initio" and return
my premium. This is because, nearly a year after the policy was bought and
paid for, they have decided that they offered cover in error and are in
effect denying that the policy ever existed. They have returned my initial
premium (but not the interest on the payments) in an attempt to avoid
liability for the claim.
The underwriters' stance is that they assumed the trailer was parked in my
drive (which I don't have) despite the fact that their own recording of the
conversation shows me stating "it is kept in an off road parking spot. I
don't have a drive." And in fact then repeating this statement quite
emphatically. "it is an off road parking spot at my home address but as I
say it's not on a driveway or in a garage or in a barn because I don't own
such a thing." Their letter states that had I disclosed that the trailer
was parked in an off road space they would not have offered cover and that
by giving the information above I was misleading them into believing that
the trailer was stored on my drive. They have made no attempt to address my
complaint to them and refuse to enter into a dialogue about why they
interpret what I said in this way.
The broker has told me that he has now been advised that this company has a
policy (which is NOT in any policy documents) not to cover trailers whilst
in a "car park", which is what they have defined the residents parking area
of my street as. I find this very worrying as there are plenty of times at
events/rallies/camps when my trailer has been parked in a "car park" at an
equestrian centre or farm. I have had no assurance from the company that
they will cover trailers in such circumstances.
Now of course I am going to the Financial Ombudsman (and if I'm honest I
really don't think the company has a leg to stand on) but in the meantime I
am paying interest on a loan to replace my trailer and am having to deal
with an awful lot of hassle that I could well do without. If a reputable
and large insurance company can attempt to wriggle out of liability to me on
such an unbelievably flimsy excuse then I believe that they could easily do
it to someone else.
The broker in question is 4 Counties who have apologised to me verbally now
for the appalling service and actually have also stated on more than one
occasion that they believe my claim to be entirely valid. The insurance
company who underwrites the policy is Equity Red Star and unfortunately this
is the only trailer insurance which 4 Counties offer as they have a special
arrangement with them. Equity Red Star are a major underwriting company who
offer insurance products of all types, both in and out of the equestrian
market. I have now made sure that I have no other policies underwritten by
this company as I have no confidence at all in the protection their products
offer. What you choose to do with this information is up to you.......
hope you get it all sorted - what buggers they are 
