Name: Collingwood
Address: Collingwood House Earl Grey Way, North Shields
Rating: 2.01

“Learner Driver Policy - Hidden £40 charge: This is the scam: When you pass your test you have to cancel the insurance and pay £40 even though you have paid the annual policy insurance cost in total. It’s like paying for a meal at a restaurant and then having to slip them £40 to let you out afterwards - if a business did that to you, you’d just take it to the police as extortion wouldn’t you! When you buy the policy and navigate through online nowhere does it tell you what the extra charge is (you have to optionally select to open and read the “terms of business”) which literally no one does hence the other 1 star (but really 0 star) reviews. They could quite easily put the £40 charge ‘as-clear-as-day’ on the main page next to the ‘initial’ cost. We identified the insurance through compare the market, and if the quote had included the inevitable and unavoidable additional £40 it would not have been a competitive quote and we’d never have purchased the product. That’s deliberately misleading and acquires new business under false pretences. The positive reviews for this company have not considered at all this because they have not yet experienced the unscrupulous business practice. There are even 5 star reviews from some individuals then a subsequent 1 star (really 0 star) from that same person when they encounter the reality of this business model. Finally as for their comments on people’s reviews “unfortunately we don’t have the details….” - that’s idiotic no-one is putting their name, address, policy number and phone number on here! I have made a formal complaint to them, I’m sure others have too. Clearly from the other reviews all identifying the same issue they are well aware of the issue and the deliberate lack of transparency about additional hidden charges and therefore its patently a deliberate operational choice to act unethically. Don’t give unethical businesses your hard earned cash. Shop elsewhere. Remember GoCompare etc are a price guide not a final quote. Read reviews before you buy - I wish I had. I know you guys out there are smarter than me. Lesson learned.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 days ago

“Awful - everything seems fine at the start, but buried within the contract is a HUGE UNNECESSARY FEE! After passing my test, I rang them up to let them know and they gave me a fee of £155! No claims, no nothing but a clean track record. Garbage scam of a service.”

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Posted 2 weeks ago

“AVOID! Wish I'd read reviews before buying learner insurance for my son. Bought annual cover as no definite test date and didn't want to buy short term and keep extending. Website made it sound like it was simple to cancel after passing test. Son passed after only 2 months but with all cancellation fees have ended up paying pretty much full annual premium. Misleading sales journey in my view.”

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Posted 1 month ago

“Very high fees. Policy cost £255 for 8 weeks only refund £52. Ripoff avoid avoid avoid”

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Posted 1 month ago

“Horrible service with hidden fees had to pay £140 to cancell the policy after passing my test”

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Posted 1 month ago

“Don’t use this company, they use hidden fees, £40.00 cancellation which you have no option but to pay if you pass your test, total ripoff.”

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Posted 1 month ago

“AVOID AT ALL COSTS! had the policy less 30 days, son passed his test and have been told that despite the policy annual cost was £209, he HAS to pay £175 due to all their cancellation costs. So we have paid 2 x £30.76 costs, then another £40 cancellation because they DON'T insure full drivers, then another £50 administration charge! What a joke and scam of a company and will be reported to insurance ombudsman and to trading standards.”

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Posted 1 month ago

“My daugter passed her test with 3 months remaining on policy. We cancelled and were charges £40 fee to cancel. It might be hidden jn ts & cs but is sharp practice. Wont use again with younger siblings”

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Posted 1 month ago

“Total rip off, DO NOT BUY LEARNE DRIVING CAR INSURANCE with this company. Cancellation policy is a total rip off, 40.00, plus 60% off remaining policy, I ended up having to pay 136.00 to cancel poilicy , totally disgusting!!! In this day and age when everyone is struggling it is a total rip off!!!”

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Posted 2 months ago

“Absolutely disgusting they charge to cancel a policy once passed of £40 plus 40% of the remaining term disgraceful to a new driver who’s insurance is already high so basically cost her £250 for 2 months insurance should be ashamed not all kids have parents who pay everything definitely won’t recommend”

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Posted 2 months ago

“Collingwood insurance has good customer services and very easy to get car insurance for learner and old car drivers. Thanks”

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Posted 2 months ago

“I wish I had read the reviews before taking out the insurance. Started off great- competitive quote and reasonable customer service. However, then when you have taken out the insurance it all changes. The final blow is being charged at least £40 for the privilege of passing your test. Would never use again.”

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Posted 2 months ago

“Would definitely not use again. Once I had passed my test they then charged me £40 just to cancel the policy! I have younger siblings and will be telling them to go elsewhere. Absolute rip off. I wish I had read more of these reviews before signing up.”

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Posted 2 months ago

“Like other reviews. feel this company should be avoided due to their excessive internal fee's when you pass and policy gets auto cancelled. £40 cancellation seems standard, but a £70 broker fee (who are internal) is way over the top. On top of this, they took payment of £136.48 within 12 hours of my daughter passing her test and with no warning. This is due to them storing debit card details. If payment was by dd they would have been required to give 10 working days notice. I have complained and am still waiting for a response. I wont hold my breathe”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 months ago

“I certainly won't be using Collingwood again. Please be aware that if you cancel your policy for any reason after month 9 they charge an extra £40 fee to the card that you took out the original insurance on. My son passed his driving test with enough time to actually claim some money back on his policy but I forgot to cancel. I spoke to a Collingwood advisor today and it seems that they actually monitor the driving licence status of the learner (so she told me) which is why I was sent a reminder in the last 3 months of the policy. If you act on that reminder and cancel the policy at that point a £40 charge is due. If they have all the information about when you've passed your test, then as far as I am concerned there's nothing stopping them sending a reminder to cancel the policy in good time. This would not only to save the £40 fee but also allow you to claim any rebate owing for the unused insurance. In my opinion this company is dishonest in not sending the reminder sooner and they know full well that if people receive a reminder in the last 3 months of the policy they will enact upon that reminder and cancel thus making them liable to the £40 charge. I have 2 other children who will eventually need to take out learner insurance and I certainly won't be insuring with this broker due to their devious business practices. BE WARNED, EITHER CANCEL IMMEDIATELY IF YOU PASS YOUR TEST WELL BEFORE THE LAST 3 MONTHS OR JUST LET THE POLICY LAPSE IF YOU PASS AFTER MONTH 9. Don't let these Charlatan's take more of your hard earned money than they're entitled to! Here's a list of all the fees they charge as a Broker for anyone contemplating Collingwood Learner Insurance as of 26/07/2024 by email from Collingwood. 1. New Business and Renewal Insurance services processing. Fee £75 2. Insurance services monthly administration Fee (administration fee when paying for the policy by monthly automatic card payment option). Fee £4.50 3. Card processing fee (all card payments). Fee 0.00 (Only because it's been illegal since 2018) 4. Mid-term adjustment fee. Fee £35 5. Cancellation fee. Fee £40 6. Hard copy of policy documentation. Fee £35 Their trumped up excuse for charging all these fees in their email to me was stated "We, as the insurance intermediary have our own fees, which includes our non-refundable cancellation processing fee of £40.00" Neither the actual Collingwood Learner Motor Insurance Policy Document on the Collingwood website or the Product Info Summary on the Collingwood Gibraltar website show any cancellation fees whatsoever. Because Collingwood UK is acting as a 'so called' intermediary Broker for their own insurance company based in Gibraltar they think that it's OK to add on Brokerage fees to administer their own policy! The real insurance company is Collingwood Insurance Company Ltd, 7.02 World Trade Centre, Gibraltar, GX11 1AA. I have copies of their full Policy Document and their Product Summary for the benefit of the Financial Services Ombudsman. There is a Telegraph article entitled "Insurers Flock To Gibraltar" which requires a subscription but you can read the Cached version. It's interesting reading. Companies like Collingwood do this primarily as a tax dodge but more importantly they can also side step the heavy regulation UK based Insurers are subject to and the solvency requirements they're obliged to carry in the UK.”

Helpful Report

Posted 3 months ago

“I certainly won't be using Collingwood again. Please be aware that if you cancel your policy for any reason after month 9 they charge an extra £40 fee to the card that you took out the original insurance on. My son passed his driving test with enough time to actually claim some money back on his policy but I forgot to cancel. I spoke to a Collingwood advisor today and it seems that they actually monitor the driving licence status of the learner (so she told me) which is why I was sent a reminder in the last 3 months of the policy. If you act on that reminder and cancel the policy at that point a £40 charge is due. If they have all the information about when you've passed your test, then as far as I am concerned there's nothing stopping them sending a reminder to cancel the policy in good time. This would not only to save the £40 fee but also allow you to claim any rebate owing for the unused insurance. In my opinion this company is dishonest in not sending the reminder sooner and they know full well that if people receive a reminder in the last 3 months of the policy they will enact upon that reminder and cancel thus making them liable to the £40 charge. I have 2 other children who will eventually need to take out learner insurance and I certainly won't be insuring with this broker due to their devious business practices. BE WARNED, EITHER CANCEL IMMEDIATELY IF YOU PASS YOUR TEST WELL BEFORE THE LAST 3 MONTHS OR JUST LET THE POLICY LAPSE IF YOU PASS AFTER MONTH 9. Don't let these Charlatan's take more of your hard earned money than they're entitled to!”

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Posted 3 months ago

“Would give 0 stars if I could. This company is the worse insurance company I have delat with in my 30 years of driving. No flexibilty in helping customers, rde staff who interupt you. AVOID AT ALL COSTS”

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Posted 4 months ago

“Guys, don't get this insurance; you'll be trapped! They cancelled my insurance, which I had paid for the entire year, and I am still on an early cancellation catheter after passing my test!! Such a scrap.”

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Posted 6 months ago

“Charge £40 to cancel the policy when you pass your test. Complete rip off”

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