Hastings Direct has been fined GBP735,000 by the FSA (Financial Services Authority) for treating its customers unfairly. The car insurance company was found to have cancelled over 4,500 policies following a pricing error.
The problem was caused by the Hastings Direct car insurance quotation system, which generated quotes that were lower than the market rate. The insurer then decided to cancel these policies, a step that was not acceptable according to the FSA.
Although a cancellation clause was included within the policies the FSA felt that Hastings Direct should have considered other options first rather than invoking the cancellations. They believe that it is not acceptable to cancel cover because of what is simply a pricing error.
The car is being blamed for most of the pollution of the world, though this is far from reality as far as many are concerned. However Budget Insurance are on hand to help make it all better with their new emissions offsetting car insurance policy.
The insurer claims that one hundred percent of the customers carbon dioxide emissions will be offset for the duration of the policy. How this will work is that a contribution will be made to projects organised by the Carbon Neutral Company, who are overseeing different eco friendly activities across the globe that are helping clean it up.
This initiative from Budget Insurance is seen by some as a practical solution to going green, recognising that the car is a much needed mode of transport in many parts of the UK, but wanting to do something to mitigate its effects on the environment.
Drivers who omit to mention previous drink driving convictions could well find their car insurance is invalid should a claim be made say Norwich Union.
A Norwich Union representative understood that a conviction for drink driving would increase a drivers car insurance premium considerably but by choosing not to declare it at all would cost much more when the cover was deemed invalid. Such a conviction would certainly come to light when a claim was made so it is in the drivers interests to declare it upon buying the insurance cover.
Should a person be found not to have declared something such as this and then had their cover terminated this information would be held on a central car insurance database explained Norwich Union, which would increase the premium still further.
