Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 24 total)
  • Profile photo of Nathan BirchNathan Birch
    Participant
    @nathan-birch
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 189

    After getting loan 4 my recent property i have had a look in my bank account 2 find there are direct debits for home and contents insurance through CGU, i never authorised them, i have my own insurance.
    the woman who signed me up didnt even seem that interested in me she just ate me like a shark, and then used me 4 reffereals, and she never even returns my calls….

    The question here is… has anyone experienced this siimilar sort of thing where they do the direct debt without consent.

    I am furious.

    Profile photo of TurismoTurismo
    Member
    @turismo
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 23

    String ’em up!!

    One a year is my plan!!

    Profile photo of JetDollarsJetDollars
    Participant
    @jetdollars
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 2,435

    I deals with similar (not really) situation for my brother IPs. Last year he found a better building insurance so He ask me to write a quick letter to cancel the CGU insurance. I rang and called them for 3 months but the money still direct debit from his bank account no matter how much you try to cancel it. I hated CGU insurance and will not use them never ever.

    Kind regards

    Chan Dollars
    [Retire Young, Retire Rich] [strum]

    Profile photo of Nathan BirchNathan Birch
    Participant
    @nathan-birch
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 189

    these assholes better stop the payments and refund me because i never ever asked for it.
    never signed 4 it!
    i said from dy 1 id get my own insurance…..
    did ur brother cancell his after all?

    Profile photo of JetDollarsJetDollars
    Participant
    @jetdollars
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 2,435

    Yeah my brother eventually cancelled this bloody CGU insurance after a long drama and several months of payments been direct debit.

    To stop the direct debit you need to ring your bank and ask for instruction of how to stop direct debit because CGU won’t stop it. This is the fastest way to stop them from direct debit.

    Kind regards

    Chan Dollars
    [Retire Young, Retire Rich] [strum]

    Profile photo of CeliviaCelivia
    Participant
    @celivia
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 886

    That’s terrible, Nathan, what a bunch of idiots![axe]

    I am with CGU, so thanks for the warning!

    Chan do you mind telling me which insurance you found that was better than CGU, so I may join them before I need to renew my insurance.

    I will watch them like a hawk from now.

    Profile photo of nemonemo
    Member
    @nemo
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 38

    To avoid this problem I just pay the amount up front by cheque and don’t reveal my bank account details to anyone

    Profile photo of AdministratorAdministrator
    Keymaster
    @piadmin
    Join Date: 2013
    Post Count: 3,225

    Chan, the second best way to take things further is to make a formal complaint to the following :

    (a) The Insurance Commissioner

    and

    (b) Consumer Affairs

    And if you really want to have a bit of fun, the best way to take things further is to make a formal complaint to the Manager at CGU you spoke to before about all this.

    That is, I would write a letter and state on the bottom the words ‘C.C. The Board’

    ‘C.C.’ stands for ‘Carbon Copy’.

    Thence send a copy of the letter to each individual member of the Board of CGU.

    In the letter I would detail the facts and ask them whether they will respond to your concern before or after you have reported the matter to Today Tonight.

    I would think that the Manager in charge, whom you have dealt with before, will sure as hell act very quickly by supplying your brother with both a refund and an apology as I doubt he would want the Board to make a scapegoat out of him by firing him.

    Pisces

    Profile photo of MinxiiMinxii
    Member
    @minxii
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 18

    CGU eh? I just signed up with them [eh]

    Chan, who would you recommend for the usual house & contents insurance??

    Profile photo of blondie_becblondie_bec
    Participant
    @blondie_bec
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 91

    The best way to stop them staright away from getting one more dollar is what Chan said.

    Go into your bank and ask them to deny CGU Insurance permission to direct debit your account and they should be able to do it for you right there and then.

    If CGU have been misinformed and truly believe that they are entitled to payment they will soon ring you!! Then you can proceed with the….. “WEEELLLL, EXCUUUUUSE ME!……” Wish I could be there have had nothing but problems with insurance and lending companies[agro3]…. had to get bit nasty with one before and stand my ground…. I WON!

    Good luck!

    -Blondie[cowboy]

    You’ll never know if you don’t give it a go!

    Profile photo of AdministratorAdministrator
    Keymaster
    @piadmin
    Join Date: 2013
    Post Count: 3,225

    To be fair and balanced I really believe that Nathan somehow got his details wrong.

    CGU couldn’t possibly have issued a policy unless Nathan had filled in some form to start off with. How else could they possibly know his bank account details ?

    I am all for insurance companies’ bashing but only for the right kind of reasons.

    Pisces

    Profile photo of elveselves
    Member
    @elves
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 507

    Agreed

    I cant see direct debits happening without some authorisation, it leads to all sorts of issues both for the insurance company and person concerned but also the bank.

    If Nathan did not sign a direct debit form, and someone else did…then you know where that leads you!

    If Nathn accidentally signed something without full disclosure then there are avenues you can pursue also.

    I would also have a word with department of fair trading.

    Direct debts are difficult to stop. My brotherin law gave credit card details for some site and they could not cancel it at bank level. WHat they had to do was to say their card was stolen. Card cancelled. Debits also cancelled. Not an ideal situation.

    I follow the suggestion of others though. Letters letters…copies here there an everywhere. Dont just get on a phone and tell them, put it in writing. I would fax it too. Infomr the bank that it is to cease, inform the company it is ended. Then pursue avenues to recouperate those funds.

    Personally, I pay Bpay. I dont believe in cheques, but thats my personal opinion

    cheers
    Elves

    ” a blind man may see what a sighted man may not”

    Profile photo of SiboSibo
    Participant
    @sibo
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 126

    I like pisces method of the letters, plus insurance commisioners etc with the threat of today/tonight. Great stuff pisces!

    Regards,
    Si

    Profile photo of JetDollarsJetDollars
    Participant
    @jetdollars
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 2,435
    Originally posted by Celivia:

    Chan do you mind telling me which insurance you found that was better than CGU, so I may join them before I need to renew my insurance.

    Celivia,
    For building insurance I used NRMA coz they seem to be cheaper than other.

    Minxii,
    For building & contents I used Comminsure coz I am the wealth package member and get quite a lot of discount.

    Kind regards

    Chan Dollars
    [Retire Young, Retire Rich] [strum]

    Profile photo of CeliviaCelivia
    Participant
    @celivia
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 886

    Thanks Chan!
    [cowboy]

    Profile photo of Nathan BirchNathan Birch
    Participant
    @nathan-birch
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 189

    Thanks for your replys guys.
    i never ever give out my details, i have never asked 4 insurance thru cgu bcoz they r expensive i use NRM<A, as i said i got loan through my back and they have me direct debit out of my normal account.
    stgeorge use CGU thats why i saying it my bank, never filled anything of the sort out.

    i will go ballistic 2morrow at them, they have no right!

    Profile photo of Nathan BirchNathan Birch
    Participant
    @nathan-birch
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 189

    Thanks for your replys guys.
    i never ever give out my details, i have never asked 4 insurance thru cgu bcoz they r expensive i use NRM<A, as i said i got loan through my back and they have me direct debit out of my normal account.
    stgeorge use CGU thats why i saying it my bank, never filled anything of the sort out.

    i will go ballistic 2morrow at them, they have no right!

    Profile photo of melbearmelbear
    Member
    @melbear
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 2,429

    Elves, I wish I could do the same with my credit card….

    The bank (and the ombudsman when I rang them) said that even though I have cancelled my card!! the credit card is a worldwide thing, so they can’t stop it being debited. Apparently with a bank account, you can just close it and they can’t come after you anymore, but not with credit card.

    The only thing I can do is call the bank every month (it’s a $2083 debit from a Henry Kaye course I never got to finish, so they can get stuffed if they think I’m going to pay the rest of the $8K or so), and say I dispute the charge. then they send me a letter, and every month I have to provide the SAME details to the bank as to why it’s an unauthorised transaction. I faxed the company taking the debit, and told them to stop, which they ignored.

    Nathan, first approach is definitely the company taking the direct debit. If they persist, perhaps go with the other options. Make sure you demand a refund of payments too.

    Cheers
    Mel

    Profile photo of cobra8272cobra8272
    Participant
    @cobra8272
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 54

    Melbear
    I don’t know what creditcard you have but i assure you the information given is incorrect.
    I had a problem with a company debiting my c/card a year ago. My bank cancelled my c/card issued anew one and i had no further problem.
    The law is pretty straight forward- if you do not authorise a deduction the company may not debit further amounts.
    This would become fraud if you instructed the bank not to allow further debits to the new c/card.
    Any bankers / legal people can confirm this?
    rgds
    Cobra

    Profile photo of MonopolyMonopoly
    Member
    @monopoly
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 1,612

    Hi Nathan,

    Sorry to hear about your direct debit issue with CGU; hopefully you will manage to stop it, and organise insurance, maybe as a “pay upfront” method without the need to give out banking details.

    Anyway, one thing no-one in here touched on….

    You said that all of this happened while you were setting up your (home?) loan; perhaps…it is a condition subject to approval for same. Did you read the fine print before you put pen to paper. Most lending institution ask you to take out insurance cover on property that they will obviously have a vested interest in. As you did not specify an insurer of your choice, she (the shark) may have been obligated to appoint CGU whom the bank/lender (may) have a contract with.

    Look to your paperwork before you hurl abuse….you don’t want to end up with egg on your face! [blush2][blush2]

    Good luck,

    Jo

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