Skip to content

Motorcycle Forums

Search Forums:

You are in... Forums > News > Consumer news > Bennetts Insurance - Robbing B'sss

Got something to say?

Got something to say?

Go to most recent reply

smasherbike

Joined:

Jan 04

Posts: 1

smasherbike says:

Bennetts Insurance - Robbing B'sss

Bennetts Insurance always promote themselves as a biker friendly, quality service but beware of their excessive charges and bullying ways. 

As a member of the Armed Forces I was posted overseas in Oct 07.  I contacted Bennetts and informed them of the move and cancelled my policy as it was only just half way through.  I even gave them an address to send the premium return to.  Nothing was mentioned at the time of charges etc.  A little while later a bill came through from Bennets for £21.00.  Due to their extorionate rates of policy refund all I was due back for the 5 complete months of policy was £9.00, but I was also liable for a £30 cancellation charge.  As I was now working overseas this letter had been slightly delayed and it was quickly followed by a threatening letter from a debt collection service.  I contacted Bennetts by phone and was told that this was normal policy, to which I replied, OK then I will just see the policy through to the end.  "Oh no sir, you have cancelled it now and must pay the £30 fee".  I replied by saying that I was not going to pay for something I was giving up so the unhelpfull/bombastic assistant then gave me the details of the complaints deptartment, to who I wrote a letter of complaint.  Whilst waiting for ther reply I received several threatening letters and phonecalls from the debt collection service, threatening to come to my house (interesting as it was now several thousand miles away) and to issueing a court summons. 

Eventually Bennetts replied and dropped the claim for the £21 stating that it was company policy not to pursue the admin charge if it is over the policy refund.  Strange how non of the company employees I dealt with seemed to know this?

In short do not expect anything except for a bill if you cancel a bike policy with Bennetts irrespective of how long you have had the policy.  This was completely opposite to the service I received from Churchills for my van and car insurance who very quickly returned cheques for my unused policy on a virtual pro- rata basis.  They even sent my proof of NCB as requested, something I am still waiting for from Bennetts.

Reply to this Topic  
  • Posted 6 years ago (23 December 2007 08:51)

Post a message in Consumer news

Fields marked with an asterisk * are required

   

Please note. You cannot submit more than 4000 characters as a message.

Upload image(s) from your computer (up to 3 images)

  1.  
  2.  
  3.  

Terms of use

Use of our community areas and forums is subject to important terms of use. By joining our community and using the features you agree to be bound by these terms. See terms of use below. 

Cancel
shaunyboy1

Joined:

Feb 08

Posts: 11

shaunyboy1 says:

READ

If you had read your documents when they sent you them you would have been fully aware of fees and charges so why winge about it? waste some of  your energy reading the documents!!

Reply to this Topic
  • Posted 6 years ago (17 February 2008 17:05)
riatsala

Joined:

Mar 08

Posts: 1

riatsala says:

Bennetts

I have just had a similar experience with Bennetts. You are right they do list all their charges in their documentation but a consumers are also entitled to a reasonable treatment. I am awaiting a cancellation charge of GBP30 for a GBP110 policy which I cancelled with 2 1/2 months to run. The company with whom I insure my car don't have a cancellation charge; I don't understand why Bennetts are not able to apply a little sensible discretion instead of insisting on payment.

The overall experience in dealing with them is not good, I would be interested to know how helpful they are if you have to make a claim 

Reply to this Topic
  • Posted 6 years ago (18 March 2008 11:05)
gennine

Joined:

Mar 08

Posts: 2

gennine says:

Bennetts backing customers into a corner!

Its comforting to know that its not just me that has been badly treated by Bennetts (sorry guys). I took out insurance last October for my bike, me on a provisional licence and my husband on a full. I checked that i was insured to ride, which i was with certain conditions that i was happy about. I asked "would i be due a rebate" when i obtained my full licence. I received a very sharp and quick NO! But the advisor didnt tell me the full details, they just asked me to ring and let them know when i had passed.......My orignal policy was £311. When i passed, i thought i would do the right thing and update the records by telling Bennetts. It was only then that they informed me there was a further £109.00 to pay because i had now passed!!! I was so annoyed that i hadnt been informed of this before, i rang around other companys to see if this price was fair. I managed to get a fresh quote for a further 12 months from ebike for £334. There were also cheaper quotes with less well known insurers. Obviously Bennetts price had proven to be extortionate. I rang them back to tell them i wished to cancel on principal and if i had been correctly advised from the start that my policy was actually £420 and not £311, they wouldnt have got my business. They said that was fine but there would be a cancellation charge for the pleasure. They are now pursuing me for a £84.57 cancellation fee and are threating to send me to a debt collecting agency. Ive written to them on 5th March stating that they expect their customers to pay up or shut up which is wrong....i still await their response. In the meantime, the computer generated threats still keep coming. How unfair??? :mad:

[This Reply has been modified by the Author]

Reply to this Topic
  • Posted 6 years ago (20 March 2008 14:02)
gennine

Joined:

Mar 08

Posts: 2

gennine says:

And just another thing!!

I have read though other people comments on this site and im amazed at the amount of bad press on Bennetts. I cant understand why they are still getting away with it. So ive decided to email Watchdog in the hope that they will be interested. Maybe if we all do the same they will look into it.

Reply to this Topic
  • Posted 6 years ago (20 March 2008 14:54)
gazkwak

Joined:

Mar 08

Posts: 680

gazkwak says:

bennetts

i,m insured with bennetts i brought an american import 1993 zx6 which is like for like zzr 600. bennets would only insure it as a zx6r ninja. just charge me for a r1 and be done with:doubt:

Reply to this Topic
  • Posted 6 years ago (20 March 2008 19:20)
bigtripper11

Joined:

Mar 08

Posts: 3

bigtripper11 says:

Bennetts - Avoid at all costs

I am shocked to google the problem I have just had with Bennetts Insurance, to find so many others whio have had a similar experience. I made a genuine mistake on the online quote/ purchase system, realising this, I called Bennetts to check my error.

The reponse was "I warn you you are not insured, and it may take up to 4 weeks to resolve" ("but you have my money, I said, surely 4 weeks is a bit excessive?")

I was then (on my first phonecall to them as one of their customers) threatened, as 'Smasherbike' was, that if I cancelled my Credit card payment, a debt collection company would come round to my home. I was really concerned for my family, so I asked for a refund.

Absolutely unacceptable Bennetts. You have my £30 cancellation fee (which I will continue to pursue), but by god, I will put what happened to me on every forum I can find.

Perhaps the management will invest in some Customer Service Training for themselves and their staff.

 

Reply to this Topic
  • Posted 6 years ago (23 March 2008 16:27)
bigtripper11

Joined:

Mar 08

Posts: 3

bigtripper11 says:

Bennetts Insurance - Avoid

Me too. Check out my last post, Bennets really shafted me.

Reply to this Topic
  • Posted 6 years ago (23 March 2008 16:29)
kahoonabob28

Joined:

Dec 08

Posts: 5

kahoonabob28 says:

watchdog

:laugh:thats a great idea,,
they have taken so much money of me (£500)
im also going to contact watchdog
read what i said about bennetts

Reply to this Topic
  • Posted 5 years ago (02 January 2009 12:38)
ricwood

Joined:

Feb 05

Posts: 1

ricwood says:

Bennetts Insurance - It's all about the MONEY!

Awful company, appauling customer service. Charges they levy are all at the maximum of what they are 'legally' allowed. Only interested in making money from you and not about being 'biker friendly' as they like to make out. Avoid.

Reply to this Topic
  • Posted 2 years ago (27 May 2011 11:32)

Page

 
 

Compare Insurance

Save money by comparing quotes. It's quick and easy

Get motorcycle insurance quotes

Motorcycles for sale

Search motorcycles for sale
 

It's only £13.99 to advertise your motorcycle on MCN

Sell your Motorcycle

Most popular