| The Comments |
A word to the wise really. I,ve had 2 cars insured with Linea Direct in Spain for a few years and have just sold my wifes car.
We are 6 weeks in to this years car insurance but guess what we are not entitled to ANY REFUND AT ALL
as Linea Direct say this is the law in spain-you cancel early-you get nothing back.
This may be correct but I,d like to point this out to others who may be considering using this firm.
They are nothing to do with Linea Direct UK -do not kid yourself they are -and 'normal' rules do not apply.
I dont like to use the words RIP OFF but I,d like to save others being treated in the same way.
There are other firms practising insurance in Spain,I dont want to fall foul of advertising rules by naming them
but Spanish insurance can be obtained via Gibraltar by firms who know how to treat customers.
One very p.....d off expat!!!!
_______________________
Appollo
0
Like
|
I would argue with them. Warn them that you will certainly not use them to renew next year for the other car, and that you would advertise your total dissatisfaction. We pursued a similar line and succeded! Try to suggest at least that the refund due should be held against the other car's renewal next year. Don't forget the two month's notice of non-renewal when the time comes!
I have always found them to be amenable to this argument.
0
Like
|
Firstly lets remember we are in Spain not the UK. The rules, laws and practices which we have been used to in the UK do not apply to Spain, France, Australia, Timbuktu etc. So whilst we may not like the Spanish rules they are the Spanish rules. It is for us to always asked before we sign up to anything, how we will be treated in various situations.
On Linea Directa,
I was insured with them for several years. When I got my renewal reminder I thought the premium looked rather high. I called then using another name but gave all my other details correctly. They quoted me 23% less than the renewal quote I had received. When I told them who I really was, they said I was being dishonest !
Eventually after a couple for exchanges with a senior staff member (following lots of stupid explanations) they offered me the renewal at the lower rate. Of course I went elsewhere.
But they are not the only company who give belter rates to new customers, so always shop around very couple of years. You will probably save money.
Some while later I called them for a quote on a motorcycle. They knew who I was immediately form my telephone number !
0
Like
|
@andy - I understand the frustration but if someone contracts an annual service from my company and they dont want it or need it after a week, I would not give them a refund either. Annual pricing is usually priced so the comitment on behalf of the client is to use the service for a full year. Its like going to a restaurant and ordering a bottle of Dom, drinking half and saying you are only paying for half!
What I would do in your situation if they are not willing to get a refund, is to nicely but firmly request a credit of some sort for next years insurance or at least ask them the possibility to extend the period of the insurance on the other car.
@marcbernard is right also, argue with them a bit and chance your arm, you have not much to lose.
_______________________
Kindest Regards
Craig Edmonds
0
Like
|
Craig, forgive me if I am wrong, but I don think you understand Insurance in Spain that well.
In Spain, car insurance is on the vehicle. Thus, usually when the vehicle is sold the insurance goes with it.
On a Spanish policy the vehicle is covered for any driver, albeit with varying amounts excluded from claims depending on the age and experience of the person driving at the time of a claim.
Unlike in UK where the cover is for the driver (unless extended to other users) and thus in UK the driver is usually insured, third party, to drive any other vehicle not owned by them or on hire purchase to them.
That does not apply to Spanish cover.
In Spain it is also necessary to give two months notice of intention not to renew, albeit, that insurance companies usually don’t `press it.
0
Like
|
Craig, You dont say what your business is, or identify it, and I;m guessing you won't because if you did, I think you stand to lose some business!!!
This is not a product that involves front end costs to the service provider
Insurance represents the cover of risk over a period. There is no front end cost to the insurer which they seek to recoup by front loading the premium.
However its a free country and we all have a point of view and I tahnk you for yours.
What you dont know is I have 2 cars insured and this would have been the 5th 'seperate' years worth of car insurance. I,m not
a new client who has cost LIne a Direct a lot of marketing spend.
Their treatment of clients is shabby and it merits exposing. Thats it in a nutshell!
_______________________
Appollo
0
Like
|
Hi Andy,
Not really mate. I did not mention it as I did not see the relevance to the topic but seeing you are interested then here you are.
My company is 123 Marbella Internet Services and I have been providing Internet Services since 1999 to companies along the Costa Del Sol, UK, Ireland and USA. I do very well from it because I am basically an internet ninja and look after my clients. I don't need to advertise anywhere, go to networking meetings or do any seo or ppc or marketing of any sort, or do commission deals with people, I am one of the best at what i do and my clients know it. Thats why people come to me and not the other way around. So for your comment about me losing business...I dont think so mate.
Now, as mentioned previoulsy, if a client orders some hosting, domain name or any type of service for a fixed period of time, contracts it for a year for example, and then after 6 months decides that they do not want it anymore for whatever reason, then they are free to leave and the service stays in place until expiry date but I most certainly will not give them a refund. Any sensible person will understand and accept that policy. They might not like it, but thats the way it is.
Back to the topic at hand though.
Sure, Linea Directa, due to what they have told you has obviously left a bad taste in your mouth, but if they did have a policy whereby they state they WILL refund you for any unused coverage after the cancellation period, which obviously they don't, then you can ask for a refund but dont be upset when you don't like the answer, just try and be nice and reason with them and see if you can get some kind of recourse, not call them "shabby" or "ripoff" because you don't like what you have been told.
They are probably not doing themselves any favours but its not right to scream "ripoff" when all they are telling to you is their policy which is probably being read off a script by a junior agent anyway.
Any normal person with some life experience will tell you to read the fine print and ask questions when contracting a service, whether its insurance or not.
I think my point is that its standard fayre that when you pay a company or anyone for that matter, some money for a service for a fixed period, then you HAVE to read the terms and conditions beforehand, whether its insurance (which @johnzx has rightly mentioned that I don't understand....as my wife sorts all of that out...but this is not the point anyway), buying a domain name or a television.
If you complain, then they might decide that it makes more financial sense just to succumb to your whims and do what you ask, but you only get a good result when you complain properly.
Good luck with it.
_______________________
Kindest Regards
Craig Edmonds
0
Like
|
Johnzx is right , here in spain it is the car that is insured and not the driver. When we bought our first furgonetta ( van ) privately here 6 years ago we drove it for 6 months on the previous owners insurance before having to contract our own and the price of this is normally allowed for in the sale price. We have used Linea directa to insure here as we were insured with Direct Line in the UK and they ( Linea Directa ) have always given us good service, we also get quotes from other insurers before we are due to renew and if the quote is lower for the same coverage we inform them and they have always price matched or gone lower so that is why we have stuck with them.
_______________________
Life is an adventure so live it.
0
Like
|
I am insured with Linea Direct with the last few Years I have a new VW Passat Diesel and they charge me €420 Full Comp., I can travel anywhere in Europe as well with the green card they give, is this a good price or is it to much, the car is worh €20,000
0
Like
|
Looks good to me! My Mercedes 190E2.3 is 23 years old and worth sod all really; my TPFT plus cover for one own fault event per annum on my own vehicle is €311.45 Green card the same. I am 75!
0
Like
|
Thanks for that I am doing alright so, the suma is so cheap or car tax as we know it here €50 for the Year here in Ireland it is €500, that's 10 times dearer...what a rip off
0
Like
|
ob123
Yes I know. My daughter and her husband lived in the Republic before coming to Spain to join us. Things differ widely throughout!
Of course the car tax here is set locally, and some townships charge rather more than €50.
0
Like
|
O really I thought they all charge the same, thanks...
0
Like
|
yes , your passat would cost at least 3 x more here in Lorca ! All dependes on the horsepower & what each local council charges.
_______________________
Todos somos Lorca.
0
Like
|
That is some diffenence amazing.... Torrevieja must be far cheaper, I drive down to La Manga and Mojacar a lot and have been in Lorca nice place, but where I am is still very cheap 28 Oranges for €2.50 and a 4 couse meal in a Chinese including drinks and Snaps with the bill total €.5.95. and with my Irish pension of €850 can live like a King.....
0
Like
|
My experience with Linea Directa ended on a sour note. After having insurance with them since 2007 I was changing my car in January of this year. My premium falls due, fortunately for me, in January. After advising them of the car I was looking to buy, I requested a quote, and explained that I wanted to renew the cover on my old car and then transfer cover to the new one on the day of purchase. No problem, they said. Shortly afterwards I was advised that Linea Directa would not cover me at age 57 on a Seat Ibiza Cupra, even after they had contacted their underwriter. I advised them again that I would only want cover for what turned out to be a few days on my old car. They did not tell me that I wouldn't be able to claim a refund on the unused portion and were happy to take my money with me being blissfully aware that the insurance stays with the car.
I arranged cover for the Seat with another insurer and arranged a collection date with the Seat dealer. I then contacted Linea Directa to cancel my policy with them, with effect from the date of collection of the Seat. That's when they told me I would not get a refund. I tried to politely explain what had happened, and that the Linea Directa operators were well aware of my requirements. I also told them to check the recordings of our conversation (Insurers, among others, are legally required to record the conversations as they form part of the agreement). They rang back shortly afterwards to tell me that there would be no refund so I told them that I wanted to cancel the cover with immediate effect. They laughed at me, then hung up on me. Now that’s not what I call Customer Service!
To the unaware: if you pay for something from your Spanish bank by direct debit you are legally permitted (as far as the bank is concerned!) to reverse it within 28 days. So I did exactly that. After a day or so I received a call from a reasonably polite lady in the cancellations dept. who wanted to know what was going on. I told her and she seemed happy enough. I then received another call from someone different who said that they were, in fact, able to cover me for the Seat and that I should reinstate the policy for my old car and they would then allow me to transfer the unused portion to the Seat. I asked for details on the cover they were offering on the Seat - they could not provide anything definite, not even the cost of the premium. I advised that I had arranged cover with another company and that I was not happy with the service I had received from Linea Directa. Give her her due, she was politely persistent, but I wasn't changing my mind.
Shortly afterwards I got yet another call, from a polite and apologetic gentleman at Linea Directa who wanted me to reinstate my policy with them. I told him that I was not interested, and that I had "explained all this before." He told me that I had taken out a contract for the insurance for the year, and that if I didn't reinstate my policy he would have no choice but to refer the matter to his legal department. I told him I was not bothered.
A couple of days later I received a call from Linea Directa's legal department. The man on the phone said that he was ringing to advise me that if I didn't reinstate my the policy and take out cover with them for the Seat there and then, he would summons me to court for breach of contract. When I asked him what were the details/premium he was unable to tell me, except that it was "generous and competitive." No details of cover, no excesses, no premium - no info at all! He went on to tell me how difficult and expensive it would be for me to go to court and that I would also have to pay all the costs borne by Linea Directa. I said that I would see him in court and advised him that if I received any more calls from Linea Directa I would sue them for harrassment. I haven't heard from them so far....
I got cover with a (Spanish) company who are happy to transfer unused portions of insurance between vehicles, despite there being a lot of money to be made by effectively providing two separate covers for the same vehicle when it changes owner.
This message was last edited by Scooby2 on 22/09/2012.
0
Like
|
That story is really sceary they were not very nice to you, I am worried not the same might happen to me.....what a way to treat a good costumer like you.....
0
Like
|
To Scooby.
Your experiences with Linea Direct are even worse than mine but the essence is the same-if you cancel you cant expect a refund.
I was told (without even asking) that I could speak to a lawyer, complain, contact the Ombudsman, I would not get a refund .
When I asked to speak to a 'supervisor' the operator told me there was no point and refused!!!
_______________________
Appollo
0
Like
|
Hey guys, sorry to say this yet again. We are not in another country, UK etc, we are in Spain. Every country has its own rules and practices. Remember, When in Rome ……..
Stop thinking about what they do elsewhere, it does not apply.
OK we accept we are in Spain,
So:-
In Spain, car insurance is on the vehicle not the driver. That is why when you sell it you do not get a refund. Usually when the vehicle is sold, the insurance goes with it.
In Spain it is also necessary to give two months notice of intention not to renew, albeit, that insurance companies usually don’t `press it.
This message was last edited by johnzx on 23/09/2012.
0
Like
|
Johnzx, you are absolutely right about us accepting that the rules, laws and customs here are different. We chose to live here, we should accept this. However these forums are here to advise - exactly what we are doing here - and the fact that there are insurance companies that will give refunds on unused portions of cover, and that Linea Directa doesn't. I'm not complaining about the differences here - I just want to raise people's awareness.
0
Like
|