“i recently took out car insurance with Hastings which was due to start on 4th June
i tried to add on no claims protection which is normally around £40 but was told i had to cancel policy and take out a new one which the wanted to charge me an additional £276 for how can they justify this , i have cancelled the policy”
Hello Mr J Jamieson, I am sorry to hear that you were not happy with our process for protecting the no claims. We are a broker team, and have to work off the insurers instructions, and in regards to no claims, we cannot protect them is a policy is live or pending start, it has to be done at the quote stage. Nicole, Customer Care.
“Cheapest out of all other insurance quotes, making Hastings Direct car insurance the most competitive.
This is the second year I have been Insured with them .”
“The absolute worst insurance company. If I could give -10 stars I would.
I’ve been with Hastings since 2019 and I’m outraged by their complete incompetence.
I called them up to make a very standard adjustment of changing my car and adding a driver (one with over 10 years experience and never had any claims or convictions) not only did I have to spell this drivers name and license number 7 times (very simple easy to spell name) but then told ‘the quotes been declined we can’t add the driver’ when I asked why I was then told ‘we cannot disclose this information’
When I asked to speak to a manager I was then told ‘they’re only going to say what I’ve said’ absolute number one rule of customer service is you never argue with a customer who has asked to escalate something.
Finally get through to a manager and granted not much help, said computer says no basically!! So I’m forced too cancel the policy but am made to pay a cancellation fee for something that’s completely out of my hands!!! Disgusting to be told there is no movement on this fee- complete rubbish. I’ve worked in the insurance industry for 10 years I know there’s movement for certain circumstances.
Anyway, after I cancelled I went on compare the market to get a new quote and guess what!!!!! A quote appeared from Hastings direct, so clearly i was right and someone had put in the wrong information and I’ve lost a years no claims bonus, a cancellation fee of £37 and a deposit for a new policy with someone else for £60 for absolutely no reason whatsoever
I will be putting a formal complaint through to this company for the money I’ve lost from their mistake.
I will never go back to Hastings and will be telling everyone to avoid them.”
Hello , I'm very sorry to read about the poor experience and to see that you didn't get the level of customer service you deserved. I appreciate that you will be raising a complaint concerning this. If you haven't already done so, you can by visiting www.hastingsdirect.com/about-us/customer-complaints or calling us on 0333 999 8904. When we’ve logged your complaint, we’ll get back to you within five working days. You can find further information about this process here: www.hastingsdirect.com/help. ~Theo. Customer Care
Hello, I can appreciate the frustration this can cause and I'm sorry that the terms and conditions of the underwriter aren't able to cover your requested modification. If this is something that you would like to add to the vehicle and need to cancel the policy as a result, please let us know. You can continue to speak to us on X (formerly Twitter) @HastingsDirect or on Facebook. ~Theo, Customer Care
“I took a policy and cancelled within 14 days of the policy, when discussed by phone with customer service, was advised, that no cancelation fees, and will be refunded (£54.00) from total paid of £100.00 for the 2 weeks period, the refund was (£14.18)
send several messages to customer service to give breakdown of their charges, no reply!! send complain, still no reply.”
Hello, I'm very sorry to read about the experience you've had. A breakdown of the cancellation would have been emailed to your online account, however if this hasn't arrived, you can request a copy by emailing customersupport@hastingsdirect.com. If you have already sent an email, please expect a response in 3 working days. I hope that you have since been able to find suitable cover for your vehicle. ~Theo, Customer Care
“Went through all the time taking rigmarole of drivers numbers etc, only to be told that we can't provide a quote at this time. What a total waste of time and next time I won't bother. Service isn't good.”
Hello, I'm very sorry if we were unable to provide cover for you on this occasion. When we work out the price of our policies or if cover can be provided, we consider various things, including your vehicle, address, drivers and personal details. On this occasion, it seems we can’t offer cover based on a combination of the above. I can appreciate the frustration this can cause and I hope that you have since been able to find suitable cover for your vehicle. ~Theo, Customer Care
“First of all I have reapetedly asked for my email to be changed so I can read my new policy. You HAVE NOT DONE THIS. HOW DAM DIFFICULT IS IT FOR AN EMAIL ADDRESS TO BE CHANGED? I HAVE RECIEVED NO NOTICE OF PAYMENT AND EACH TIME I TRY TO LOG ON TO READ THE POLICY - YOU DO NOT RECOGNISE ME!!! YOU TOOK MY MONEY......SO SOMEWHERE OUT THERE IS MY POLICY”
Hello Dione, I'm very sorry to see that you struggled to have your email address changed and I hope that you've since been able to arrange this. If you still need help with this change, please email us at customersupport@hastingsdirect.com. We'll do all we can to help you. ~Theo, Customer Care
“Disappointing call line. Tried to contact home insurance for a quote on 3 different occasions and hung up after waiting for over 20 minutes on each occasion for someone to pick up the call!!!! Gave up in the end and will look elsewhere.”
“300-12-025659
So a Hastings policy holder writes my car off...
My vehicle is a personal lease where the registered owner is the finance company and the keeper is me
My finance company wanted £21k to settle and the market value of the Vehicle is £25k
I've made 19 payments of £334 plus a £3k deposit for the vehicle in question and Hastings have stated that because I'm not the keeper I am not owed the £4k difference meaning I have lost the £3k deposit paid plus the deposit I've had to pay on a new vehicle of the same value after the HASTINGS policy holder wrote mine off!!
What kind of insurance company is this? A cowboy one it seems
Do the right thing Hastings or I'll see you in court!”
“I have had my car converted to LPG and duly told Hastings Direct as this is a change to my policy, sadly I was dealt with by someone who knew nothing about LPG and so she cancelled my policy, I have now insured myself with a company who have a system which understands cars!”
Hello Robert, I'm very sorry to read about the poor experience you've had and to see that we were unable to provide cover for this change. I appreciate the frustration this has caused you. I'm glad you were able to find suitable cover for your vehicle and thank you for having been insured with Hastings Direct. ~Theo, Customer Care
“Very poor experience today with extremely rude staff who kept taking over me while I was trying to ask open questions about why it had taken them 6 months to check a detail on my policy then come back with additional costs basically holding me to ransom as a customer (wow not in a good way!!!) I was shocked at the level of complacency and lack of care when all I wanted was a clear explanation, I was basically told if you don’t like it make a complaint (which you then have to register with the same employee you had poor service from) seeming like a great way to cover up poor communication and poor service closing ranks! I intend to formally write to the CEO and insurance ombudsman.”
Hello Edward, I can appreciate the frustration that can be caused by the validations process. I'm sorry that you had such a poor experience during these checks and that the advisor didn't provide you with the customer service you deserved.
Our New Business Review team pick a handful of policies at random, checking all details and updating them when necessary. This is our standard business practice and we apologise if you weren't aware of this. We need the information to make sure an insurance policy is valid, fit for purpose and that there is no chance that you are not covered in the case of an accident or claim. This check can be done at any point in the policy.
If you believe that this was incorrectly handled and if you wish to raise a complaint concerning this, please visit www.hastingsdirect.com/about-us/customer-complaints or call us on 0333 999 8904. This can be done as an alternative to doing so with the advisor. When we’ve logged your complaint, we’ll get back to you within five working days. You’ll find more information at www.hastingsdirect.com/help. ~Theo. Customer Care
“ha, what a joke,"IN YOUR REVIEW ,PLSE TELL US HOW HAPPY YOU ARE". Ok,ive been with you clowns for a number of years ,suddenly i'm being told ,we can't renew your policy because of your postcode area ?? HAS ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS ??”
Hello, I'm very sorry that we were unable to offer you cover this year and I can appreciate the frustration this would have caused you.
To work out the price of our policies or if cover can be offered, Our underwriters consider your vehicle, address, drivers and personal details. On this occasion and maybe because if a change in the acceptance criteria, it seems we can’t offer cover based on a combination of the above.
Once more, I’m sorry this is the case and I hope that you have since been able to find suitable cover for your vehicle. ~Theo. Customer Care
“What a disgusting company you are, stoping my lads insurance just like that, only had 2 months to go for his second years no claims, lost that, tried to speak to someone, no joy, I would stay well clear of this company, 0 out of 10.”
Hello Steve, I'm sorry to read about this and to see that your son's policy has been cancelled. I hope it has been disclosed why the policy has been cancelled. If this has not been explained or if he needs to discuss this with us further, he can email us at customersupport@hastingsdirect.com and we'll do all we can to help. I hope that he can find suitable cover for his vehicle soon. ~Theo, Customer Care
“Terrible insurance company, I recently took a policy with Hastings this month. The policy included their driving tab (black box) which I agreed to when taking the policy out. I hadn’t received the box so called to query this and was told to wait 7-10 working days for the box to arrive and if no sign to call back for a new one to be sent. 7-10 working days from the 9th of May 2024 brings you to 23rd of May 2024 yet I received an email this morning to advise that my policy had been cancelled and that I’m due to pay £825 cancellation fee on the 29th of this month!!!! I called to query this and the gentleman on the customer service line was helpful in contacting the relevant department to query the matter and try and resolve but was told as they had sent emails which went to my junk folder asking me to get in touch (funny how these went to my junk yet the cancellation email didn’t) that they won’t reinstate my policy. I was miles away from my son working and had no insurance!!! I had to take a new quote out today which cost me and arm and a leg and they are expecting £825 of me this month! Not only did they say due to the emails being sent that they couldn’t reinstate the policy, they said the app had the email documents so I should have checked and read these there even though the app has no notification to advise you had documents awaiting review. Complaint raised as seriously unhappy and will be going to FOS if cancellation fee isn’t waived and compensation paid for conflicting information provided.”
Hello, I'm very sorry to read about the poor experience you've had and to see that the policy has been cancelled. I can appreciate the inconvenience and frustration this would have caused. You would need to raise a formal complaint internally before referring to the ombudsman. If you haven't already done so, please please visit www.hastingsdirect.com/about-us/customer-complaints or call us on 0333 999 8904. When we’ve logged your complaint, we’ll get back to you within five working days. You can find further information about this process here: www.hastingsdirect.com/help. ~Theo. Customer Care
“Would give 0 stars if I could. Had no end of issues with the app working. Had the company threaten to cancel my insurance for the app not sending them data across (but it being recorded on my end). When you do go to stop auto renewal, they’ll try to convince you otherwise and then put you on hold for over 20 minutes and then say they’re shut now. But you cannot stop the auto renewal without ringing (whereas other companies you can). Shocking customer service and have never had issues like this elsewhere. Wouldn’t recommend them to anyone”
Hello, I'm very sorry to read about the poor experience you've had with us. Going forward, you can read about automatic renewal in your terms and conditions, as well as find this in the very first document that is sent to you. This document will inform you how to remove the auto-renewal, and this can be done by the customer online at any point during the first eleven months of the policy. This would ensure you don't need to call and arrange this in the final month of the policy.
If you would like to discuss this or need any help with your policy, please contact us at customersupport@hastingsdirect.com so we can help you. ~Theo, Customer Care
“Absolutely disgusting way to treat hard working young people! To just cancel a policy 2 months before 2nd year no claims just like that! Terrible company.”
Hello, I'm very sorry to read about the cancellation of the policy. I can appreciate the frustration this would have caused and I hope that the policyholder is able to find suitable cover for their vehicle soon.
If there is a belief that the policy was incorrectly cancelled, and you wish to raise a complaint about this, please visit www.hastingsdirect.com/about-us/customer-complaints or call us on 0333 999 8904. When we’ve logged your complaint, we’ll get back to you within five working days. You can find further information concerning this process here: www.hastingsdirect.com/help. ~Theo. Customer Care
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Liam Chamba
0 reviews
GB
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Honestly I am not surprised to see…
Honestly I am not surprised to see similar comments for the exact same issue. As a new driver, I was never informed that I needed to cancel my policy. This company "policy" is preying on this lack of understanding which they do nothing to inform you about.
To give context, Sabre insurance, my old insurer, informed me my policy would be cancelled on report of theft unless I would like to insure a new vehicle, which is the right thing to do.
After 45 minutes on the phone and being passed around like a hot potato, Hastings agreed to refund me and waiver my cancellation fees for not having informed me.
When the line cut out and I called up again after having been left a voicemail promising a refund, I was passed around 5 times between claims, customer service department and 5th Dimension, each telling me I had been passed on to them incorrectly, eventually to be told I was not eligible for a refund, despite having specifically being told I was.
This megabucks company are institutional scammers, I cannot recommend this company for its underhanded rent seeking strategies making you pay for substantial fees for thin air. Disgraceful & criminal in today's economic climate.”
Hello Liam, I'm very sorry to read about the poor experience you've had going through a claim with us. I can appreciate the frustration and I hope that despite this you were able to get the help that you needed in the end.
If the service wasn't what you deserved or if you believe this was handled incorrectly, you can raise a complaint about this. Please visit www.hastingsdirect.com/about-us/customer-complaints or call us on 0333 999 8904. When we’ve logged your complaint, we’ll get back to you within five working days. You can also find more information at www.hastingsdirect.com/help. ~Theo. Customer Care
“I cannot praise the team at Hastings Direct enough. My daughter had her car stolen and straight away they were understanding, considerate and the process and communication from start to finish was outstanding. I would 100% recommend.”
Hello, we really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us and it’s fantastic to hear you received such a great level of service. If there’s anything else you need assistance with, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. ~Theo, Customer Care
“After a comfortable start to trading with them, problems started to appear in June of last year. When I asked for a withdrawal in September, they began requesting pointless paperwork and adding withdrawal fees, which caused delays. Their dishonest tactics were exposed when my account became unreachable by January. Finding out about K E Z O O K was a game-changer since their team of experts helped me get my money back from these unscrupulous brokers.”
