Swinton Insurance / Swinton Group
Reviews and Complaints

I have just bought a car on finance and needed to purchase comprehensive insurance cover, I used my old car as part deposit for my new car, I didn't cancel the policy on my old car as there was just a few weeks left on the policy and one more payment, it was cheaper to pay the last payment of £32.00 then a cancellation fee of £75.00 so that's what I opted to do .. Swinton was not the cheapest but were willing to take monthly instalments, I paid the deposit and they were supposed to send me a copy of the finance agreement for me to sign and send back, they didn't send it but did send a letter saying that they were going to cancel my policy as I had not signed it, and they said that they needed my proof of no claims.. Following my contacting them by phone they did send out the credit agreement which I signed and returned along with my proof of no claims, I rang them again and they said that all was now ok, and a week ago they took the first payment from my account .. Today I came home from work to a letter telling me that they were about to cancel my policy, I rang them right away and now it seems that they have found a clause that because I had a slight overlap on my last policy they are going to charge me a minimum of £40 but could be more depending on the insurance company that they have put me with, seems to me that insurance companies know that they have the power to squeeze ever last dreg from you, when you are trying to stay within the law ..
Please can you advise me on this matter
Kindest regards
David Lomas

Like so many others I've had totally useless service from Swintons. I originally insured with them last year and was happy with the monthly price. However, when I changed my car, I went on line at first and the on line quote from Swinton was around the £23-24 mark. However, when I called to change my details the quote had magically become £55.00. When I pointed out the price I'd obtained when registering on line the girl (from the Hitchin office) then launched in to a long diatribe explaining that they could not advise anyone to buy on line due to fraud, theft, etc. I pointed out that the online quote was from her own company. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I couldn't be bothered to argue so went ahead thinking I'd look in to other quotes later. However, I then had a few personal problems pop up and it got placed on the back burner.

A couple of months later I knew I was going to be unable to make a direct debit payment on time so called them and explained and asked them if they could hold off or re-arrange the dd. I was told that they couldn't and that I'd be charged a penalty for late payment. I pointed out that I was letting them know and interest was zero.

Since being with them it seems that they will rip their punters off at any opportunity. I've now gone elsewhere and am about to cancel so this should be interesting.

good morning, we have an insurance cover with you for two cars a PEUGEOT and a MX5 MAZDA both fully comprehensive. on the 7th of may our mazda mx5 was broken into outside our flat on the back drive but dont know what time it happened, we phoned the police. after that we got intouch with swinton insurance to say our car was broken into and all they keep saying is we cant pay you any money out as your car is too old, i said but we have payed you fully comprehensive insurance for the two cars. im sorry they but we cant pay out, so we have got the car on the drive with no cover on car as they ripped if off. so no protection against crooks.

I purchased car insurance via swinton and had to send my no claims bonus documents through to them. I sent them via email and post to the addresses which I found on their website. I received a letter saying they hadn't received them and they were going to cancel my policy with the addition of a £50 cancelation fee. I rang to say I had sent them via two methods but they said the addresses I sent them to were the incorrect ones. The addresses were the only ones on the website and no alternatives were offered to me neither was I told that I needed to send them elsewhere. I complained and said that it wasn't my fault that they didn't have the documents as I sent them to the only addresses available. I have now received a letter saying that I still have to pay the fees and it wasn't their fault. The guys name is Zac Wardle and he offered no help in the matter. I wanted to keep my insurance, they were the company that decided to cancel yet I have to pay the fees. Con company... Stay away !

well they said i cancelled my policy when i never then i got 160 pound taken from my bank i am only part time and dont get alot of money i really needed that so i call swinton and spoke to the manager and she had no manners atoll so i hang up this company is a disgrace i hope they go bankrupt if not the company gets put on fire i am really gutted

I have been with this company for 5 years now, yes, stupid to you out there who quickly realised what scam artists they are...
I honestly trusted them when they called each renewal date(well actually a few months before) with the "lowest policy price they could find for me" and that I could "get cash back if I renewed now, now NOW!" What a scam! I never until now questioned their extortionate prices, I thought it was how things are now with insurance prices on the increase rather than going down in price as they used to when I first started driving. I went with them when I decided to earn my own no claims discount, I had always been the second driver on another policy so hadn't earned any bonus of my own over the years.
What a mistake.
Now, 5 years on I looked at a price comparison site, never had before because of the worry I might make a minor mistake on the form causing my insurance to be invalid. Wrong, I now know because I have just got off the phone with a lovely person who went through the form with me and assured me all was correct with the information I submitted online. Besides, Swinton had compared they told me, I was paying a fee for them to check wasn't I so no need for me to do that and check again? Hmmm.The biggest shock is the cost. Last years insurance cost me just short of £600, the quote I've just had is less than £200! I'm so cross, with myself for not checking before but mostly with Swinton because of their lies. I called my current insurers to discuss the price they gave Swinton for me last year but of course they refuse to disclose that information but the woman's hesitation and manner on the phone said everything. Swinton now tell me I have to pay them over £100 to leave early. I'm disgusted and would advise anyone out there to avoid them at all costs. Do not trust them at all. If this saves just one of you out there from the clutches of Swinton then this will have been worth the type. I have learned an expensive lesson and will now check online every year on one of the price comparison web sites.

swinton insurance...ha...dont get me started. Just called them to ask why they are charging me £50, 00 cancelation fee...in total £97.00. There customer service on the phone is shokin! when i told her that there insurance was high, she got snotty with me on the phone...and didnt seem to want to believe that they are ripping customers off my upping the costs while you are still with them. After all, i phoned them, it was my phone call, and in business...isnt the customer always right. They told me in october, that my cancelation fee would be £25.00...never told me then that if i left it over 14 days, that there will be another £25.00 to pay!
After all, not all customers can read the small print, and woudnt it have been nice to have good customer service on the phone swinton...maybe i would have payed you there and then over the phone? Dont use swinton insurance!

Following a claim due to third party hitting our parked car outside house, we have endured non stop problems with a terrible standard of service from Swinton. As a broker they do nothing and simply frustrate the process. Taken two months and still not completely resolved. Given incorrect settlement figure for outstanding balance that is not outstanding as insurance terminated following write off, unable to release any information from system as not there, basically continual incompetence. Charged £50 cancellation fee following termination of insurance from insurer due to write off. Unable to get proof of No Claims Discount for new insurers. Avoid Swinton at all costs, absolute joke company.

Car insurance automatic policy renewal not due for 6 weeks.
Not even rec'd any policy documents or paperwork yet.
Charging £50 cancellation fee. 14 day cooling-off period hasn't even started yet!
Avoid this company at all costs. After two phone calls, it is obviously that offices are staffed with young salesmen being pushed to reach targets at all costs, rushing over financial details in phone calls, adopting aggressive attitude if customer dares to query them.
Complaint currently with Financial Ombudsman service.

dear sir im writing to tell u ur branch in blackpool the staff r rude and dont give u the proper answer then lie to u about what u said and they said im diabled and i need my car and now the going to stop the insurace on it if i dont pay 300 pound for they mistake . i tryed to soered it out with them all i got was a lot of shouting at of some woman telling me im a lier i was very upset as i had just come out of hospital at the time and didnt need this i tryed to talk to customer advice but they dont want to know . please help as i need my car for all my hospital appointments and my kids

Just a quick rant to say Staff unhelpful and even tho told twice details on policy incorrect still incorrect! cancelled first policy without my knowledge due to house move (was uninsured for 3 weeks as they had been sending letters to old address!) then refused to reinstate policy even tho it was there error as i had sent no claims and change of address set up new policy and refused to give me original price new policy £15 more a month! also had house insurance with them when told for second time we had moved they never even asked about new house as details on policy would be different. Helped themselves to money out of my account above what I was quoted when they cancelled policy (There mistake!) and took extra first month of new policy and changed amount on house insurance and did not inform me until 3 weeks after direct debit had been taken! this all happened in january by then pretty annoyed so cancelled direct debits and got insured elsewhere since then my partner has been harrased at work by phone constant letters which i have ignored why should i play by there rules if they cannot keep to there side of the contract ie fineing me for there mistakes, Now june the 8th just seen a debit card transaction from them they have helped themselves to nearly £60 of my money illegally. Also policy documents show wot a robbing company this is why would I need a credit agreement for £2000 if my insurance is only £300? Also reading small print they are more interested in fines and gimmicks than good service I never signed anything and cancelled policy within the first month so why have they the right to help themselves to my money.? Very Irate ex customer !

I have had 2 very bad experiences with Swinton Insurance, the first being in 2009 they owned up to it being their fault after they didn't take the payment when they said they were going to and then told me I was in arrears and tried to cancel my policy.
Today I received a letter saying I owe £157 when on the 6th Jan of this year I received a letter saying due to me cancelling the policy the debt had been settled and that no further payment was due.
My new insurer are now wanting proof of no claims which Swinton are refusing to release as I allegedly owe them money.
I am furious, and they wonder why people go elsewhere.

i have paid for a 24hr emergency in my home policy
on the 12th november at 4am i have had no heating or hot water i rang them at 8am to report it as an emergency they told me not to call them as they no longer deal with swinton since 1st nov 2010.they were very abrupt and did not help me with my query i waited until 9am for swinton to open and to explain? they said it was incorrect and have dealings with this company so they rang this same number i had called to tell me i had selected wrong option and an engineer will attend to me within 2 hours! i waited no1 came i called them and was told an engineer will attend in 2 hours and told me this throughtout the whole day no 1 came! we are freezing here and no hot water after a number of calls to them someone rings me at 7pm! to let me know engineer is on way! then i recieve a call at 9pm to say cant get engineer out to me until sometime tomorow! imy children and i have waited over 24hrs for help! and today is the 13th of november at 9am and still no call was promised a call at 8am! absolutly appalling disgusted and feeling very ill!

My car insurance was due to expire so phoned Swinton to get my renewal quote, was far more than i had been quoted elsewhere so informed the Swinton phone agent that i would not be renewing and set up insurance at nearly half the cost with the AA, today get policy renewal docs from swinton, called them to tell them that it should not have been renewed only to be told that it had to be cancelled at a cost of £50.00, it appears that swinton takes a renewal deposit via direct debit about 6 to weeks before renewal date from every customer, this way they have your money on deposit even if you do not renew, and then they try to keep the money by Lying about whether the policy has been renewed or not, fired up by the massive amounts of complaints against Swinton, i have today started a complaint against them by sending a recorded delivery letter to the local office and a copy to head office, i intend to fight Swinton all the way and am fully expecting to have to escalate the complaint to the chief executive and ultimately to the Ombudsman, also as i have never signed the credit agreement for the premiums i believe that Swinton does not have the proper authority to take the direct debits and so have asked Swinton for a copy of the credit agreement with my signature upon, if they fail to produce this i will also make a complaint on this basis as well.

If you are having dealings with Swinton i would suggest the following, when speaking to anyone at Swinton ensure you get a full name of the person you are dealing with, the request for the full name of the person will usually be met with just being given a christian name and that they are the only person of that name there, insist on a surname before you continue the call, if possible record the phonecall, tell the swinton operator that you are recording the phonecall, this will usually get the response that it is not legal to to record the phonecall, that simply is not true you can record the phonecall if you wish, never believe anything that any one at Swinton tells you and ensure whatever they tell you is followed up by them in writing.

Everyone who has a swinton policy should write to Swinton and tell them that they do not want there policy automatically renewed and do not want the "renewal deposit" taken by direct debit.

I can only warn everyone to ensure that they are careful in there dealings with the liars at Swinton, otherwise it will cost you dearly.

i just wondered if anyone else had ever had problems with swinton insurance.
i recently canceled a policy with swinton insurance for my car as i no longer use it and was told for 11 days insurance i had to pay £176.04 which i refused to pay as i thought it was way to much.
when i set up the policy over a year ago i used my debit card to make the payment and obviously gave the long number off the card, my expiry date and the 3 digit security number off the back of the card...i have now found out that swinton record all your card details.
i had canceled my direct debit so they could no longer take payments as my policy was now no longer needed but without my permission swinton used to my card details to take the £176.04 from my bank without my permission.
i checked with my bank who said the payment was either a telephone or internet transaction...i never made that payment so they illegally took money from my account.
surely if you owed a company money they should pursue you the right way...either through a debt collector or the small claims court so then at least you can dispute the money owed...well with swinton they just help themselves so beware if you have made a card payment at swintons they record all your card details and use it as they please.
if anyone has had similar issues let me know.
i am at the minute in contact with the trading standards office and the insurance ombudsman about swinton who i think have acted illegally.

Dear Sir/Madamme

My name is Gemma Davis and i have recently taken out car insurance for the 1st time with Swinton car insurance, when i was speaking to the advisor i was made an offer of aroud £1600 which was too much and i declined, the gentleman then said if you hold the line i will seeif my manger can do it cheaper, he then came back and offered me the price of £1380.43 which i said i will think about can you call me back, the advisor didnt call me back so i then called up again, spoke to another advosor told him what i was offered and he said yes thats fine i will do it at that price he also wanted a deposit of £290 which i paid over the phone.
Later that week i recieved the confirmation through the post which totalled to over £1600, i then made a call to swinton yet again an explained the letter is charging me too much, the advisor agreed they hade made a mistake he said do not sign or send anything back, i will send you the new documents out which should be the correct offer of £1380.43.
Two weeks later i have recieved a letter explaining as i have not returned the documents my insurance will be canelled unless i sign (the incorrect price) and send back.
Again i called an explained i was waiting for the new documents with the correct price only to be told there was nothing being sent out and that the price i will be paying is the over £1600.
i told them i wish to cancel as i have been totally misold this insurance by more that 1 advisor now they are telling me if i cancel i will be charged, i feel this is unfair as they have not give me what i have agreed can you please help me.

thank you very much

Gemma davis

contact number [protected]/ [protected]
[protected]
email becky.[protected]@bt.com

I needed car insurance and went with ABC insurance their Brokers being Swinton, I filled in the form on gocompare. I realised next day that I would need to talk to Swinton to check my no claims bonus was OK, apparently not as I had been on my husbands policy I did not have a no claims bonus, and was told that ABC Insurance would not cover me and I would have to cancel my car insurance with them, they offered me a new quote of nearly £800.00 for the year so I declined and cancelled, the told me there would be a charge of £50.00 for cancelling, I argued this out with them and they offered to deduct the legal fee and would settle for £29.00. I returned motor insurance certificate when it arrived with a cheque for £29.00, only to find they have taken £37.01 from my account and will not refund, I have paid £66.00 for two days cover. Watch out Ludicrous!

My parents are pensioners and were due to collect a new car. They rang Swinton and told them they needed to transfer their insurance and wanted a quote for the new car. Swinton, knowing the date they were due to collect the new car, said they'd ring them back. Three days later Swinton hadn't rang them back so I had to quickly get them insurance for their new car over the internet (which was probably a lot cheaper anyway). We didn't hear anything from Swinton until a month later when they wrote demanding a cancellation fee of £50! They now refuse to even tell us on what date they cancelled the insurance - I suspect it would have run out by then anyway and this is just a way of obtaining £50 from us as they lost the business because they couldn't be bothered returning a phone call.

I will be complaining to their head office, then FSA and possibly asking Age Concern to help, the customer service is non-existent, they are very aggressive in demanding money and refuse to answer basic queries. They certainly shouldn't behave in this manner towards pensioners.

Purchased insurance online with Swinton via the MCN website (cost £65)then had to wait 2 weeks for documents to turn up.
Upon receipt of the documents I noticed they had my 1996 Honda as a 1979, and got my name wrong !
Rang them up to correct the errors only to be told its going to cost you more to correct their mistakes.
At first it was £45 to update the details or £50 to cancel .After a second phone call its £33 to update or 50 to cancel.
Every other insurance company at the time have quoted for the correct year of bike via the MCN website except swidleton, sorry swinton.
Swinton adamant not their mistake !
Can't ride the bike now as insurance is not valid, can't insure the bike elsewhere as its already registerd insured under the reg plate!
Rock and a hard place.
Certainly wont be using swinton again ("computer says no" robots on a phone line)