View Full Version : Bennetts refund problems update.
Phoned Bennetts again today (frid 14th).
The system is showing a refund was issued on wednesday 12th (not showing
on my account yet) but SURPRISE ! SURPRISE ! it is only for £28-19 not the
full £125.52 ! they don't understand why the full amount was not refunded
but all they can say is that the accounts department can't cope with the back log of refunds and customer service can't cope with all the complaints.
Bennetts have got big problems which have that familiar smell of a company in financial difficulty prior to going bust.
STAY AWAY FROM BENNETTS AND KEEP SPREADING THE WORD.
going on some of the experiances and views of Bennetts in other threads, i would not touch them with a barge pole anyway.
Maybe this will be an other thread to send to their customr services???
StreetHawk
14-09-07, 05:43 PM
As a comparison to Bennetts (who kept me waiting over 6 weeks for a refund) I was due a refund of £500.12 from Devitt Insurance. I called on the monday to change my policy, new certificate arrived the next day and the cheque the day after that. Excellent customer service.. Bennetts you have a lot to learn!
From what's i've read on other forums, nobody is using Bennetts anymore apart from first timers who don't know any better..
I've been with Bennett's for 5 years...
I've been with Bennett's for 5 years...
Being with them is ok but you try getting money from them, i'm
into week seven waiting for my refund.
I've been with Bennett's for 5 years...
Yeah so was I then I cancelled my policy see here http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=96497
I've been with Bennett's for 5 years...
The question is - will you be with them for 6 after the stories on here?
I wasn't going to renew trust me.
Ollie_07
15-09-07, 08:46 AM
Ive had my letter of cancellation in writing, i sent the insurance cert special delivery and confimed with bennetts that they received it. I asked when i would have the moeny credited too me and they said end of next week.
I mentioned the horror stories and they also gave me the whole backlog story so ill wait until the end of next week which i dont think is too unreasonable, and then ill go from there...
I hope i dont have the same trouble although im not a bit worried now..
John 675
15-09-07, 04:05 PM
There is no way in hell bennets can be that bad guys...
OH wait a minute your charging me an extra £20 pounds because my bike fell over?
"thats correct mr Lyle"
are you insane?
" no sir "
im not paying it...
"do you want to cancel your policy?"
yes i do...
" you will have to pay £250 to fully cancel plus £30 pound admin charge then"
Are you possessed..... by a **** ?
then i get a quote from the BSB sponsers who offer me fully comp for half of what im paying for TPFT ... roll on feb
so yes the bennets are that bad and thats a big + 1 for postively hating bennets :D
NOW INTO THE 8th WEEK OF TRYING TO GET MY REFUND.
Have had £28.19 paid into my account, phoned Bennetts again " where is the
other £97.33". Got the sob story again of the back-log and the computer problems and, "we don't understand why all your money was not refunded,
the other £97.33 is just sitting on the account we will investigate again".
Something is very wrong with Bennetts !
And so the story goes on. :smt013
Alpinestarhero
20-09-07, 10:29 AM
Thats it, I'm going to send an email to them with all the threads showing most customers negative experiance of bennetts. They have to know just how much the world hates them.
Made for bikes?
Made for ****
Matt
Tell them you are in contact with the Financial Ombudsmon Services (Spelling :() and that the FOS have told you to try and resolve the issue one last time before they get involved.
They will sort it out in a second.
I had this exact same problem when I ended my priviledged insurance policy, waited two months, then contacted the FOS who told me to do the above and it was sorted within the hour.
StreetHawk
20-09-07, 11:25 AM
Strange how there isn't a backlog or delay in TAKING money off people. Just giving it back seems to be a problem..
Pedro68
20-09-07, 11:51 AM
Giving it back is a problem because then they can't acrue interest on it LOL and that's the very same reason why they will chase you for money ... the quicker it hits their accounts, the quicker it can be earning interest! It might not seem like much of "an earner" when it's just YOUR premium/money, but if you consider the tens/hundreds of thousands (millions?!) of customers they have it all adds up to a considerable amount of interest.
Tell them you are in contact with the Financial Ombudsmon Services (Spelling :() and that the FOS have told you to try and resolve the issue one last time before they get involved.
They will sort it out in a second.
I had this exact same problem when I ended my priviledged insurance policy, waited two months, then contacted the FOS who told me to do the above and it was sorted within the hour.
The probem with telling them I am in contact with the FOS is that they
will not let me talk to a Team Leader or Manager, I just can't get passed the call center operator. They all say the same thing " don't worry I will get it
sorted out". the most annoying thing is how powerless you are in this situation.
10 seconds to take it off you debit card and !!!!!! weeks to get it back.
John 675
20-09-07, 12:12 PM
The probem with telling them I am in contact with the FOS is that they
will not let me talk to a Team Leader or Manager, I just can't get passed the call center operator. They all say the same thing " don't worry I will get it
sorted out". the most annoying thing is how powerless you are in this situation.
10 seconds to take it off you debit card and !!!!!! weeks to get it back.
Dont hang up untill you speak to there Team leader, trust me they cannot hang up on you so just persist even if it screws there no escilation bonus.. i had to demand to and eventually i got some squeeky kid on the line lol,
DO IT !! lol, :D
Dont hang up untill you speak to there Team leader, trust me they cannot hang up on you so just persist even if it screws there no escilation bonus.. i had to demand to and eventually i got some squeeky kid on the line lol,
DO IT !! lol, :D
I don't want a sqeeky Kid I want the 'Organ Grinder' and you must be very
careful hanging on cos certain of their telephone numbers are high cost.
I go through to the sales freephone number and get diverted but am never
sure if i'm paying 10p per min or more (must check my bill).
Bluewolf
20-09-07, 01:22 PM
*Bluewolf goes into a cold sweat*
Oh.
Dear.
I take it I should have renewed with anyone but Bennetts then..? :pale:
Ollie_07
20-09-07, 03:48 PM
I take it I should have renewed with anyone but Bennetts then..? :pale:
Got it in one mate. Ive just come off the phone from them again. I decided to be lenient/reasonable and give them their 7 working days to refund me my money, which would have been today/tomorrow, but after reading this again i thought it was in my best interest to chase it.... to which i get the following excuse;
"There has been a problem with our refund procedure so unfortunately it has not been processed although i can promise that it will be in your account within a further 7 working days"
So im looking @ next friday now, and my patience is starting to wear thin.
I also mentioned the horror stories ive heard about Bennetts and refunds and the old "there was a problem with the refund etc"and asked if he was lying to me, which he strongly denied. I then asked if there was a reference number for the call, to which he replied with "yeah the date and time". Im not impressed at all with the very poor service when im just trying to get back whats mine.
Ill leave it till next Friday, as he could be telling me the truth, although i doubt it, and i told this moron i would be calling next week if i still dont get my money back.
The wait continues, note to all, avoid Bennetts!:smt013
John 675
20-09-07, 04:03 PM
i will never use them again ever... the problem is that you see the adverts and all the publications that they send out saying how good they are and #1 in bike insurance.. but its bo-lax there not good at all they are completly useless, and damm right rude when you speak to them..
i went with them on there own given reputation... i should have looked around.. more fool me, they sent my dad a higher premium on his Daytona 650 than the year before.. like a mug he took it so i practicly coersed him into canceling it within the 14 days and made him shop around.. he saved a further £78 and this one included his leathers in the package too!
DO NOT BUY FROM BENNETTS.... IMHO
Got it in one mate. Ive just come off the phone from them again. I decided to be lenient/reasonable and give them their 7 working days to refund me my money, which would have been today/tomorrow, but after reading this again i thought it was in my best interest to chase it.... to which i get the following excuse;
"There has been a problem with our refund procedure so unfortunately it has not been processed although i can promise that it will be in your account within a further 7 working days"
So im looking @ next friday now, and my patience is starting to wear thin.
I also mentioned the horror stories ive heard about Bennetts and refunds and the old "there was a problem with the refund etc"and asked if he was lying to me, which he strongly denied. I then asked if there was a reference number for the call, to which he replied with "yeah the date and time". Im not impressed at all with the very poor service when im just trying to get back whats mine.
Ill leave it till next Friday, as he could be telling me the truth, although i doubt it, and i told this moron i would be calling next week if i still dont get my money back.
The wait continues, note to all, avoid Bennetts!:smt013
The problem is, when you trust them and don't phone for another seven days they then talk as though this is the first time you have called and
you start from first base again but a week later.
I just wish I could contact all the poor s-ds that at this moment are buying
insurance from these con-merchants and put them right.
Ollie_07
20-09-07, 06:21 PM
The problem is, when you trust them and don't phone for another seven days they then talk as though this is the first time you have called and
you start from first base again but a week later.
I just wish I could contact all the poor s-ds that at this moment are buying
insurance from these con-merchants and put them right.
I know - irritating isnt it!:smt013
the way i see it is, im new to biking but i know say several groups of bikers, for arguments sake, 3 or 4 different groups, with around 20 to 30 ish in each, so thats a minimum of 60 people that ill be telling how poor Bennetts have been with sorting my prob out, they will then tell their mates, or anyone they come across looking for insurance, and they will tell their mates etc etc....
So just because of a mistake that Bennetts arent hurrying to resolve, they are potentially loosing hundreds of policies and thousands of pounds and that is just down to one persons experience.
I take it you lot are doing exactly the same thing, so basically Bennetts are seriously shooting themselves in the foot by their poor after sales service..
Like i said, im prepared to wait until next week and then ill ring again if needs be, and thats when ill be pointing them in the direction of this thread..... although im hoping it wont come to that.
We shall see:rolleyes:
That's dead right ! I was in a dealers showroom last week and just heard a new biker
saying he must sort the insurance out. Oh boy did I put him right about who he should
NOT go with.
Phoned Bennetts again this morning (Mon 24th).
"The £97.33 is showing as 'authorised' on 20th but not credited, if you don't
have it by the 27th (7 days) we will investigate again".
THAT'S ANOTHER WEEK THEY'VE HAD MY MONEY.
THEY REALLY DO TAKE THE P**S. :smt013
Pedro68
24-09-07, 11:44 AM
Tommy, if you have to wait another 7 days, that would be enough time to get them to provide that "in writing" wouldn't it ;-) If they ask why ... tell them that your solicitor will need to see some solid evidence of their incompetence at your appointment next week :-P
northwind
24-09-07, 07:54 PM
Personally I find the term "I've been advised that..." can be very useful when dealing with any regulated business, like an insurance company. You don't have to tell them who advised you :thumbsup:
I'm not sure from the thread, but have you made a formal complaint or been denied the right to do so verbally?
Personally I find the term "I've been advised that..." can be very useful when dealing with any regulated business, like an insurance company. You don't have to tell them who advised you :thumbsup:
I'm not sure from the thread, but have you made a formal complaint or been denied the right to do so verbally?
I have tried all legal suggestions but it's water off a ducks back.
I think they are so inundated with compaints that this together with
their policy of a fixed time scale for issuing refunds so as to hold on
to the money for as long as possible, has put them in a position they
just can't cope with.
Sorry to bore you guy's with this again but I need to let off steam.
Phoned Bennetts today 27th and said it's now the 27th and you said
the seven days would be up today and I would have my money, but
I haven't!
Started to get the same old story about computer system etc so blew
my top and said I would not go away or would ring every ten minutes
until I could talk to a manager.
Three phone calls later after I had "They are on the phone at the moment"
"They are not at their desk at moment". " I will get her to phone you back
when she's available". I got a phone call from 'THE LINE MANAGER'.
She admitted that they have big problems and were loosing the reputation
Bennetts had built up over the years, she will again email accounts department but knows that they just can't cope and as they are at a different address she can't talk to them direct with my refund history, but she can say,"there are many many people in the same situation as me".
She is now on the case with all the promises as before, but I won't be holding my breath !
I have written to the OFT and FSA with my complaint.
And so it goes on.
Phone them on Friday if you don't have it, and tell them that you're now not interested in the £97. You've decided that it would be far more theraputic for yourself, and far more damaging to them, to write a letter to Bike, Ride, MCN, and all the other motorcycling publications you can find on a Google search, describing in detail just what's been going on.
You may find that bad press gets the big-wig's attention faster than an Ombudsman... Legal process takes months. MCN is out weekly :D
StreetHawk
27-09-07, 03:28 PM
Bennetts pay a huge amount of money to MCN for adverts. I wouldn't expect them to print anything.
I sympathise mate. I had exactly the same thing although I got my money after 6 weeks. Keep trying and try not to get too annoyed. It will only wind you up even more.
Where is Bennetts account office? If its even remotely local, just go down there and knock on the door. Its a lot harder to ignore someone standing in front of you....
Yep, have told them I will pay them a visit, they said " You will not get
passed reception and they will tell you the same as us".
Have now sent letters to the bike magazines.
On Monday this will have been going on for two months
HALLELUJAH !!!
My refund from Bennetts finally arrived !
All it took was :
9 weeks or 64 Days.
Countless phone calls.
4 letters from me.
8 lies from Bennetts saying I will have it in seven days.
One final over-the-top (no swearing) rant from me.
So, if you take a policy out with Bennetts you can cancel in 14 days but
you will be charged £30 plus a percentage of the remaining premium and will
have to go through all of the above to get your money back !
Take a little advice from me Bennetts, spend 10% to 20% less on advertising
and spend the money on better computer systems, staff training and staff
levels. Also change your attitude to the bikers who are giving you your profits, because your reputation is very quickly going down the pan.
THAT ENDS MY RELATIONSHIP WITH BENNETTS FOR EVER.
Ollie_07
03-10-07, 08:40 AM
Well done Tom! just waiting for mine now!
had a voicemail last night from Jackie @ Bennetts who does seem to be the only one there that actually wants to try and help and has given me a bit of confidence in me actually getting my cash back!
Cant wait till ive got back whats mine, then ill never be going near them for a quote EVER again!
northwind
03-10-07, 12:19 PM
So, if you take a policy out with Bennetts you can cancel in 14 days butyou will be charged £30 plus a percentage of the remaining premium
Ooh, hang on... Did you cancel the policy within 14 days of taking it out?
Alpinestarhero
03-10-07, 12:24 PM
Can we have a sticky thread advertising the fact that bennetts are crap? And to discourage people from having to go through hell? Newbie bikers need to be warned
Matt
Ollie_07
03-10-07, 12:26 PM
Can we have a sticky thread advertising the fact that bennetts are crap? And to discourage people from having to go through hell? Newbie bikers need to be warned
Matt
Good call - would of saved me a lot of hassle when i was starting out!:(
RhythmJunkie
03-10-07, 12:37 PM
I'm with Bennetts and haven't had a problem but after reading this lot I'm not insuring with them again....just to be on the safe side......tooo risky!
ASM-Forever
03-10-07, 03:36 PM
Can we have a sticky thread advertising the fact that bennetts are crap? And to discourage people from having to go through hell? Newbie bikers need to be warned
Matt
It wouldn't be very fair for the owner of the site(John?), when he cops the blame/lawsuit!
Pedro68
03-10-07, 03:40 PM
Just stick a BIG disclaimer on it. No need to actually actively discourage people, but if anyone with half an ounce of sense reads the "sticky thread", then they may think twice about using Bennets as their insurers.
It needn't be offensive either - no "Bennets are crap" title.
Something like ...
"Looking for insurance? Read this first!" would suffice.
Ooh, hang on... Did you cancel the policy within 14 days of taking it out?
It was for an upgrade to the policy which was cancelled within 12 hours
and prior to the date the new policy was to take affect, so it never actually
came into effect. This all due to Bennetts inflexibility and incompetence in not being able to move the start date forward by 19 hours.
They took £97.33 straight away and should have returned it within 7 Days
maximum !
northwind
03-10-07, 11:13 PM
Ah. That makes it pretty complicated, I've got no clue at all how the cooling off legislation would work in that situation. Just thought it was worth checking because most scumbag insurers will neglect to mention the cooling-off period, and they often try to charge a cancellation fee even when legally forbidden, unless you challenge it. But this one, I don't know.
suicidesam
04-10-07, 08:43 PM
Few months ago when i was doing all my changing of bikes i got 2 good quotes from them for both my bikes, which were taken. After a few days i got a letter telling me that i had been given an extra years ncb from my previous insurer.. received a refund for the reduction in price 4 days later and never had to contact them.
I have been with many insurance company's over the years most have been ok to deal with.. some of the worst have been the major company's. Direct line and Admiral were a total pain to me. Most of the problems show when a company's starts to grow but fail to take on more experienced staff to deal with complaints etc.
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