CIA Insurance come good

[northwind]

Well, sort of. Those with longer memories might remember that they missold me a policy back in February- they sold it as covering my mods, when the small print made it clear that it actually didn't- despite the fact that they set my value as the modified value, and weighted the policy as such. They didn't send me the full documentation for 2 months after the policy began, so by the time I found the problem I was out of the cooling-off periods. Since then, I've been basically in battle with them.

At first, they claimed they could only offer their usual customer cancellation rates- this would leave me paying roughly half the price of the policy for 3 months of inadequate cover. Told them no.

They then offered a little more, provided I gave them proof that I'd reinsured elsewhere. Strange, and the amount was still too low, but I played along saying I wouldn't accept any less than the exact percentage of the policy to the date of cancellation.

Time passes...

I wrote them a formal letter setting out my stall, and explaining that I was perfectly happy to bring in the Financial Services Ombudsman. At about this point I mentioned I was a fully qualified insurance seller and complaint handler and could quote them chapter and verse as to why it was misselling. I got a very polite letter, "Fair play, but we'll need 28 days to mull it over".

28 days pass, still no response, sent them a final demand- and they've finally come back and offered me the originally requested amount. I'm sure that if I went to the Ombudsman I could get the full value refunded but I don't think it's worth the hassle- after all, it's been 7 months already! They're also paying the interest on my credit card for that £400, which is nice, and carrying on my RAC cover.

So, what's the moral? Eh... CIA, they're cheap, but they don't know what they're talking about, and they have just enough common sense to cave in at the 11th hour when faced with certain doom. This is not a recommendation