Tesco £100k house insurance coverage quote leaves couple baffled | EUROtoday

A pair have been left reeling after getting a house insurance coverage renewal quote of just below £100,000.

Peter Cunningham and his spouse Patricia from Newry have insured their bungalow with Tesco for quite a lot of years paying £580 for final yr’s premium.

This yr’s quote for £99,999 left the couple baffled.

Tesco insurance coverage and cash providers advised BBC News NI that “incorrect information” had been despatched to Mr Cunningham, however stated the corporate was “unable to renew” his house insurance coverage cowl.

When he acquired the renewal quote, Mr Cunningham stated he thought the determine was a typo so referred to as the Tesco helpline.

“The gentleman I spoke to in the customer call centre was able to confirm that I had been sent out a policy renewal.

“I bought one other letter afterwards, sending me the coverage paperwork. So if it was an error, it was an error occasions two.”

Patricia Cunningham said she saw the funny side: “I simply laughed – I couldn’t imagine it.”

But she was also worried by what may have happened had the couple not paid attention to the routine letter.

“If we had been away on vacation and it had mechanically renewed, I do not know what would occur,” she said.

“It’s completely, completely outrageous.”

Tesco insurance and money services said the letter had been an isolated error and it was “actually sorry”.

“The error was recognised virtually instantly and an up to date letter despatched explaining that we have been sadly unable to resume the shopper’s house insurance coverage cowl this yr,” the statement continued.

“Insurance suppliers frequently evaluation underwriting standards to make selections based mostly on quite a lot of danger components.

“Unfortunately, this meant that Mr Cunningham was declined for a renewal quote this year.”

Mr Cunningham stated he believed the refusal to supply insurance coverage cowl for the yr forward was as a result of he made a declare after Storm Éowyn.

“First insurance claim we had in nine years, and it was a storm that nearly blew the whole island to a different position in the Atlantic.

“So you would make the belief that you just’re being penalised for making a declare.

“We had an electric surge which blew all the electrics in the house.

“Tesco Insurance have been improbable, handled it extremely properly. It was simply over £3,000 and it was paid out in a short time.”

Tesco Insurance said the denial of a policy for this year was “not associated to him having made a earlier declare”.

It has left the couple “disenchanted” in the company.

“They’ve let themselves down in my eyes on this scenario and as soon as belief is gone, belief may be very troublesome for them to rebuild up once more,” he added.