Not upheld: policy renewal without explicit consent complaint against Hastings Insurance Services Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mrs B complained that Hastings renewed her motor insurance policy without her knowledge or consent. During a call on 31 October 2024, Mrs B initially said she wanted to cancel but appeared very satisfied when Hastings offered a revised quote of £427.60. The call was cut off, Mrs B did not respond to the quote email or subsequent renewal documents, and the policy renewed on 11 November 2024. Mrs B only discovered the renewal a year later in October 2025 when she realised she had been paying for two policies. Hastings provided a full refund but declined to pay interest or compensation. The ombudsman did not uphold the complaint, finding that Mrs B should have communicated her decision and that Hastings acted reasonably given the circumstances.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Mrs B appeared satisfied with the revised quote and had the option to cancel within the 14-day cooling-off period. Most consumers would have contacted Hastings if they decided not to proceed with the policy, particularly given automatic renewal terms. Mrs B's failure to respond to multiple emails or contact Hastings meant the firm had no reason to believe she was dissatisfied. The ombudsman held Mrs B responsible for not communicating her decision and for not monitoring her credit card statements.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website