I've calmed down a bit - but still a scam

As of this moment, I've calmed down a bit regarding the car insurance scam Marks & Spencer have going. I've surfed the web and found a few sites.

Some people actually think tacit renewal is an excellent idea! It probably is to them, like direct debit, it helps you to remain up to date with payments. However, unlike direct debit, you don't have as much of the law behind you. The real problem is that in car insurance, you may find you are not correctly insured.

Car insurance companies insist on YOU giving them correct information, but after 12 months they renew, are your details exactly the same as 12 months ago?  have you changed jobs, husband/wife, street, less mileage?  Here's a section of my complaint letter. 

"I have quickly checked and agree that tacit renewal is specifically allowed for in the FSA's Insurance Conduct of Business. However, I believe you may not have acted correctly as you have not confirmed any changes to my insurance circumstances before my policy was due to be renewed. This may/would have left me in a falsely insured state."

Another thing, the quote they give me was over £100 more then my new car insurer. This was the reason to leave Marks & Spencer Money in the first place. If you automatic renewal your insurance, isn't to the benefit of the insurer that he charges you higher quotes knowing you are unlikely to change.

So, tacit renewal, in my viewpoint is a scam. If it should be used, you should implicitly OPT-IN, rather then out-out. You will never find a bargain and you will pay over the odds for it.

Lets see what happens to my re-imburstment....I've plenty of time for complaints.

Marks & Spencer Car Insurance warning

Today is Monday 11th May 2009. My new car insurance started on Friday 8th May 2009. Usually if all goes well, I either renew existing policy or change to cheaper car insurance. This time I got a great deal with Admiral car insurance. My previous insurer was Marks & Spencer Money. 

The postman came fairly early today and dropped a letter in the door. I opened the letter to find renewal documentation from Marks & Spencer! What?! I never renewed. They had renewed my previous policy (without my verbal or written consent) and took a large ammount of money from my credit card.

I gulped. I was bewildered. I was ANGRY!

I went on the internet and looked up my Credit card status, there and behold was a few hundred pounds pending on my credit card statement. Immediately I phone Marks and Spencer Money to demand why they had renewed my policy and took money from my credit account without my permission.

According to them, there is a statement in my previous original policy agreeing to Automatic Renewal. What?!?

I read the policy and there it was! In the middle of a page full of gumfph. 

This was for MY PROTECTION! Give over...This is Marks and Spencer Fraud!

So I had to read this statement, along with the other 8 pages of crap they sent, then call them to OPT OUT of a highly dubious scheme designed to lock you into paying higher prices.

Tacit renewal, as it's called, is customer unfriendly and on the edge of fraud as after 12 months you soon forget, they don't and soon take your money without your knowledge. You then have to fight to get it back. Many people change credit cards, move house, etc...so only find out they owe hundreds of pounds many weeks or months later.

Please BOYCOTT any insurance company that has Automatic Renewal.