Background, October 2012 seen a ducati 1098 I wanted, went home, got an online quote and paid for the bike the following day. Returned home and attempted to change the quote into a policy. Quote has vanished from their system and they then started quoting me double and treble what I initially had been quoted. After much arguing on the phone there was no joy. I finally hit another price comparison site later that night and MCE popped up again at a similar cost to the original quote, I had no choice but to go for it as I was collecting the bike the next morning. When the documents arrived the pillion cover had been removed, I rang them and a female on the phone said "no problem" I shall reinstate it now. After hardly using the bike for the last 6 winter months I am ready to take the girlfriend out on it so remembered the pillion episode with the insurer and decided to double check. Rang one of the muppets at MCE and am told their is no pillion cover on my policy. I explained the scenario and he said nothing he can do other than take another £70 from me. To say I am fuming is an understatement. How MCE get away with blind robbery time after time is criminal.
Unfortunately thats one of the problems with doing the deed online. Always best to speak with them in the first place.
Insurance companies are a nightmare, i hate dealing with them, I need to renew my insurance and not looking forward to it.
Every time I get an answer I don't like/want, I hang up and phone back immediately, get someone else and without fail get a different quote. I repeat this until I get a quote that suits me, then I stay on the phone with the rep until its all on the system and paid for. Its the only way I've found to get their call centre operations to work in my favour.
I've been with Carole nash for the best part of 20 years now. Every year the "renewal" quote that comes through the door at a silly increase over the previous year. I then make around 2-3 calls to other insurance companies/brokers to get a better price on a like for like basis. I then call CN and they normally beat the best price I've had. I know that you shouldn't have to go through the rigmorole every year but it doesn't take too long and CN have always come up trumps. MCE and Bennetts never ever come close to getting my business.
when you took the insurance out they must of sent you out a paper copy ie with the policy details written down within a couple of days? Did they and what does that say?
Yes they emailed it Andy and pillion cover was not included hence me ringing them and being told "no problem I will amend it" by them.
Perzakkerley...........Quote comparison sites are nearly always a lot more expensive than just talking to them. Likewise doing it on the insurance company's own website seems to be more expensive and then you find out about the hidden stuff after you signed up. Carole Nash in my case, were bl**dy useless.........the thickos wanted to know if the bike had been modified.so I told them: the parts fitted are from basically the same model (900SS) but still uses the 750 engine.... Quote was at least three times for than what I pay now......https://www.biketeam.co.uk/Default.aspx AL
so within a couple of days after that did they not send you the amended policy? my point is i agree with you. Any massive company you deal with these days is generally piss poor, held on the phone, contact centre in outer gurgistan, they miss details on forms, they forget to send forms, they send the wrong details on forms, they send 10 x the forms, but the bottom line is you should of checked at the time... especially when your suspicion was aroused by the initial cock up....
because it was ...................modified! ( and yes i understand the bits of different models are the same or bigger better)
I got a quote in feb from Bennetts for £95 ish fully comp and declared my accident and no claims Well I didn't insure until a couple weeks ago and called them :-O £176 jesh That's without anything else so back to Carole Nash only two companies will insure me and £470 was quoted OMG now I was stressed so told them what Bennetts quoted next quote was £207 Finally we agreed on £172 fully comp with legal protection/breakdown cover home and abroad Inc homestead and a free security (like smartwater) pack I'm insured with red star Should have renewed in February lesson learnt
Mce at your peril my friends,a very long story on the previous Ducati website,and best not put into text here,got the ombudsmen involved,at your own peril is all I can say.i am happy to pay double their estimates(they are not quotes).
Also beware their (and poss others) RAC "recovery". You'll be recovered to the Bus Stop and that's it, unless you pay for the proper recovery!
Been with MCE for 3 years with no problems, not had to claim so it may be different if I do, just upgraded there RAC breakdown to full national recovery for £36 extra, not bad I think. Steve
I agree with what your saying Andy but to be honest, if I correctly fill my forms in I should receive what I applied for whether I ring them the next day or 6 months later. MCE admitted to me that the pillion cover cannot be added on their own online form and will not carry across from the money saving websites, to me that's an admission that they made the mistake as they did not advise me of such. I did check the specifics on the policy but damn, have you seen the length of the things and the way the free breakdown cover is worded to ensure its totally useless. The reason I decided to sit down and thoroughly check it the other day was my mate who purchased his identical ducati at the same time as myself was pulled in Nazi north wales recently. He was stopped as his bike was flagged as uninsured. Guess who he was insured with? Yep MCE. He was held up for an hour or so and read his rights. He was worried sick for days about it as he drives for a living. Turned out it was an insurance cock up, possibly MCE put the details on the askMID website incorrectly. As I say Andy, I do see your point but it beats me how these companies can continuously mis-sell their products time after time and not be challenged. There are so many implications and Insurance is so important yet MCE feel its fine to email any old bollox on their policies and employ ignorant uneducated teenage morons to answer the phone when it all goes pear shape. Do we know who actually owns MCE?
MCE website customer review score 4.5/5 205 reviews. Independent Insurance review website 1.7/5 201 reviews. Says it all really. The internet is full of complaints about MCE. Makes you wonder why we have the Ombudsman and fair trading policies etc. Maybe Watchdog should check them out.
I had a massive row with then over the recovery issue. Threats of ombudsmen etc. It is not clear at the quotation (on-line) stage that the recovery element is a pruned down version. It is only when you pay your money and have access to your policy that this becomes apparent. Again only if you sieve through the fine print! I wasn't even aware there was such a thing! I wonder how many riders/drivers are out there rolling along under the same misconception? Is it their own fault for not reading the small print, or is this deliberate mis-selling by the insurance company? At what point does an individual have to stop assuming honesty and fair play and assume lies and trickery instead? IMO in this case the seller knows damn well what they are doing! How long before there is a caveat in the small print for rain/snow/poor lighting in the small print of your policy.
