refused an insurance quote

biddy123

Registered User
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34
Rang aviva to get an insurance quote last week for my husbands car. I already am insured with them on another car. We are both 48, no points, no convictions, full no claims bonus. Looking to get a quote for an 04 Mazda 3, and was told that they couldnt give us a quote, because we didnt meet their criteria. When I asked what was the reason, they couldnt give me an answer as to why. I thought first it was the year of the car, but on their website it says the car must be not older than 14 years. I was never refused a quote before, and its really bugged me. Anyone had this experience before?
 
Who's name were you looking to insure the car in? They may have data protection if you say that you are Biddy but want to submit details for Miley.
 
The policy would be in my husbands name with me as the named driver, and they told me at the beginning that if I accepted the quote, they would need the go ahead from my husband, and that was grand. But after giving them all the details, then told me that they couldnt quote us. Just doesnt make any sense!
 
did you go online and look at their criteria? It would usually be occupation or use then if its not the car.
 
I looked at their criteria but everything is met. When I rang up yesterday to see could I get any more of an answer, I was told that it was the car, but not what the problem was. Its not an import or modified, basic, bog standard 1.6
 
In that case, I can't understand why they wouldn't tell you what "the issue with the car" is...

General Question - Are insurance companies supposed to explain / give a reason why insurance is refused?
 
They just said it falls outside their criteria, but couldnt specifically say what the problem was. The issue I have is when you look for another quote, and they ask you have you ever been refused insurance, you are supposed to be honest but you cant say why?
 
Could be a number of issues. Aviva are targeting cases recently that they believe are 'fronting' (where one person is insuring a car for another), as you are insured on another vehicle they could think (obviously incorrectly in this case) that you are setting up the 2nd policy for someone else down the road (a young driver maybe). Aviva will have a complaints procedure if you want to follow it up, but I have found a lot of insurers are doing this type of back end underwriting at the minute and they often throw the baby out with the bathwater. The refusal also brings up another questions, some insurers ask on a proposal form 'have you ever been refused a quotation?' so you need to be careful on your disclosures to any new insurer going forward.
 
but on their website it says 14 years
Maybe their website is wrong/out of date and they are applying a 10 year rule now?
Just to clarify - if you enter all of your criteria into their web quotation form does it ostensibly offer cover or refuse it?

With regard to refusals do brokers/underwriters actually record refusals at the "shopping around" stage? I would be surprised if they did. I would also be surprised if a refusal at that stage would impact what other providers do - after all some target specific areas of the market so a refusal often simply means that you don't meet a specific provider's criteria rather than there being something "wrong"...

Maybe somebody in the know could clarify?
 
If in doubt, perhaps use a false name & contact details for the online shopping around stage...
Yes - that's what I do when shopping around online for quotes before homing in on suitable offers.
 
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