Missed renewal date

[financially]

Hi,
this is a little long winded so please bear with me. I am wondering if I have any grounds to make a formal complaint to whoever...

I had car insurance for a good few years with 123.ie, I had 2 claims in 2014 (only claims ever..IO still have 5yrs NCB) one was large for €20000. My insurance was due for renewal in July, I got 1 email and 1 sms about it. No docs in the post. I called other companies but decided because of the claims I had to stay where I was, the renewal price was €575. I was sure I had renewed but actually I hadn't, was on hols for 3 weeks and it slipped my mind. I think once I had decided to stay with 123 I thought job done!!
Next I know on Aug 4th I get a mail to say as you have not renewed policy lapsed etc. I rang them in almost heart failure saying I'm sure I did renew, but I hadn't. So then I asked can I renew now but as I was now 'new business' I needed a new quote and their normal underwriter wouldn't quote me as I had 2 claims. But they put me on contact with another company they deal with who quoted me almost €900!!!

Now I accept that it was up to me to renew, but in other years I definitely got more than 1 email and 1 sms. I think they did not want my business any longer so decided to not call me close to the time as they usually did. I am furious that I cost myself €300 by being forgetful. But if I had gotten any reminder in the 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after I would have instantly renewed.

Do I have any grounds to complain to a regulator?

Also another odd thing is neither of my claims were accidental damage to my car but this is what is written on the NCB cert, and when I asked they kind of gave a half explanation. I was too busy trying to get insurance from anyone to argue much. This is why RSA would not quote me as I had 2 of the same claims. Even though the accidents were vastly different

 

[peteb]

No. you have no grounds for complaint to a regulator. An insurer is obliged to issue your renewal terms by whatever the agreed method is. I gather in this case for you its email. They dont have any obligation to issue a reminder. Its obviously in their interests to renew policies so they should contact you. But they also did by text to you anyway.

I dont understand how they referred you to another company they deal with as 123.ie are a wholly owned subsidiary of RSA. Are you sure they didnt just quote you with Sertus? (another RSA company)

In any even, if you still insist on going down that road of complaining, you need to start with a letter to the complaints officer of 123.ie

 

[emeralds]

I have my car insured with Aviva. When I took out the policy last year they asked what way I wanted to receive documentation - either email or in the post. I chose email. So nothing comes in the post. How could you be sure you renewed if you had not made a payment??

 

[Ravima]

one of the benefits of paying on the installment system with insurer, is that renewal rolls over automatically, UNLESS you cancel. Its an added protection against this happening.

 

[mathepac]

I agree with @Ravima. My insurance is with AIB/AXA and I pay 12 equal instalments with no finance charges or 30% upfront deposit unless I cancel.