If you have taken out a policy with us, we look forward to providing you with exceptional customer service at competitive prices. Our hope is that you will be so satisfied with our service and products we arrange on your behalf on so that you will need look no further than Orwell for all of your personal and business insurance requirements.
Regulation
Orwell Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our Firm Reference Number is 311566. We act as an Independent Intermediary on behalf of our customers. Our permitted business is arranging general insurance contracts. You can check this on the Financial Services Register by Visiting the FCA’s website https:/register.fca.org.uk/s/ or by contacting the FCA on 0800 111 6768. The FCA is the independent watchdog that regulates financial services. You must read this document and advise us immediately if there is anything you are unable to understand or comply with and to decide if our services are right for you. This Terms of Business comes into force on the date you receive it from us and will remain in force until you are provided with revised terms. Our Identity Orwell Insurance Services Limited, Cristal Business Centre, Unit 4, 47 Knightsdale Road, Ipswich, Suffolk. IP1 4JJ.
Our Service
In arranging insurance, we act as an independent intermediary on behalf of our customers and can arrange a variety of insurance products from a limited number of Insurers covering both personal and commercial requirements. A list of our Insurers is available on request. You will not receive advice or a recommendation from us. We will ask questions to identify your specific needs to then match them to the products we provide details on. You will then need to make your own choice about how to proceed. We will give you full details of any such arrangements before you make any commitment on any product. We receive payment of your premium from you as agent for the relevant Insurer. Any claims money or refund of premium we receive from the Insurer in respect of your insurance is also received by us as agent of the Insurer. When you pay your premium to Orwell Insurance Services Limited, it is held in a ‘non-statutory trust’ client money account under Risk Transfer. Any interest that may be applicable on these funds will be retained as revenue to Orwell Insurance Services Limited. If a policy is taken out through Orwell Insurance Services Limited, you are consenting to us holding your money in this way under Risk Transfer.
Disclosure Requirements
It is your responsibility to provide complete and accurate information to us and Insurers when you take out an insurance policy, throughout the life of the policy and when you renew, vary or amend your insurance. Failure to do so, or any inaccuracies in information given, could result in your insurance being invalid or cover not operating fully. If a form is completed on your behalf, you should check that the answers shown to any questions are true and accurate before signing the document. You are advised to keep copies of any correspondence you send to us or direct to your Insurer. Any changes in information supplied will be accepted either verbally or in writing.
Consumer Disclosure
Consumers are customers who are ‘not’ acting for the purposes relating to a trade, business or profession. It is important that you ensure all statements you make on Proposal Forms, Claim Forms and other documents are true, full and accurate.
Commercial Disclosure
Commercial customers are customers who are acting for the purposes relating to their trade, business or profession.
You have a duty to disclose all material facts that is known or ought to be known by the policyholders senior management, or those responsible for arranging the insurance. This allows us to provide the Insurer with a fair presentation of all material circumstances so that they can determine whether to take the risk and, if so, on what terms.
Awareness of policy terms
Generally, quotes are only valid for the month in which the quote is obtained, unless advised to the contrary. You should read through all policy terms carefully including what you are covered for and any exclusions, limitations or conditions and warranties that apply. The policy document, schedule and any certificate of insurance are the basis of the cover you have purchased. Please make sure that you understand them and are able to follow their requirements. Breach of any terms, conditions or warranties may enable your Insurer to terminate your policy or repudiate a claim under your policy.
How you can deal with us
The language we do business in is English. The laws govern us are those of England and Wales. If you arrange your insurance through our offices, website or over the phone, you can deal with us in relation to that insurance either face-to-face, over the phone, email or by post. If you have provided your email address, you should be aware that we do send important information by this means. The email and contents will hold the same legal ramification as if it were sent by post. By providing your email address, you are consenting for us to communicate with you in this way. If this is not the case, please advise us immediately. Nothing in this document affects your normal statutory rights.
Means of Providing Information
All information we provide will be made clear and accessible to you. You will also be given the choice to receive the information relating to any insurance products in paper format, free of charge. If you would like a paper copy at any time then please let us know. At renewal we will rely on your existing choice.
Receipt of instructions
We do not consider instructions to arrange or change cover sent to us by post, electronic mail, or facsimile or left on answering equipment to have been received until they reach the relevant personnel in our offices. We do not accept responsibility for instructions which do not reach us due to failures in postal, electronic or telecommunication systems.
At Renewal
Shortly before renewal, we will contact you by letter\email setting out your renewal price and terms. We reserve the right to automatically renew your policy and take payment by the same method as the previous year’s cover. If we exercise this right, but accept no responsibility to do so, we will endeavour to automatically renew your policy for your protection and to ensure there is no break in cover. If you previously paid in full or over 2 or 3 instalments by debit\credit card we will use the most recent payment details we have to process the payment on the same intervals as last year. If you are paying by direct debit we will endeavour to place you with a similar or the same premium finance plan as your existing credit agreement. The figures will be set out in the renewal letter and we will attempt to process the payment up to 5 business days prior to the renewal date. Should you not wish to renew the policy for whatever reason or wish to arrange a different payment method please contact us your earliest convenience in order that we may stop the payment process (direct debit renewals require a minimum notice period of 14 business days to prevent the payment from being collected. We also reserve the right to automatically renew any additional policies such as breakdown assistance cover. If we do not hear from you to the contrary, we will treat it that you agree to this.).
IMPORTANT – Until we receive payment no cover will be in force beyond the expiry of your current policy.
How to make a claim
Instructions on how to make a claim are included in your policy booklet and policy summary. You will find the insurance undertakings address, telephone number or other point of initial contact. Additionally, you will find the information which you must provide when notifying a claim (if this is not the case please use you policy\certificate number on all contact). All claims need to be reported as soon as reasonably possible. If any document or keys relating to a claim need to be submitted to the Insurer by post, they need to be sent recorded delivery. All outstanding premiums must be paid before any claim payment can be made.
Conflicts of interest
Conflicts of interest may arise where we or one of our clients or Insurers have a potential conflict of interest with business being transacted for you. If this happens and we become aware of a conflict, we will write to you to obtain your consent before we carry out your instructions and detail the steps, we will take to ensure fair treatment.
Insurer Security
Whilst we monitor the financial strength of the Insurers, with whom we place business it should be noted that the claims-paying ability of even the strongest Insurers could be affected by adverse business conditions. We cannot therefore guarantee the solvency of any Insurer or underwriter. A liability for the premium, whether in full or pro rata, may arise under policies where a participating Insurer becomes insolvent.
Transferred Business
If we take over the servicing of insurance policies which were originally arranged through another broker or intermediary, 2ker, intermediary or Insurer, nor for any errors omissions or gaps in your current insurance protection. We would ask you to contact us without delay should any aspect of a policy which has been transferred to us cause you concern or if you need an immediate review. Otherwise, we will endeavour to review all transferred policies as they fall due for renewal.
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
We are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and therefore you may be entitled to com- pensation from the FSCS if we should be unable to meet our obligations. This depends on the type of business and the circumstances of the claim. For most types of non compulsory insurance, protection will be provided for 90% of the claim with no upper limit. For compulsory classes of insurance 100% of the claim is covered, without any upper limit. Further information about compensation scheme arrangements is available from the FSCS.
How to make a complaint
We strive to ensure that the service we offer is amongst the best in the industry. Consequently, if you have a complaint about Orwell’s staff or its services please contact us by writing to: Complaints Officer, Orwell Insurance Services Limited, Cristal Business Centre, Unit 4, 47 Knightsdale Road, Ipswich, Suffolk. IP1 4JJ or by phone on 01473 292 800 detailing your dissatisfaction and if possible, the member of staff you have been dealing with. If you have a complaint against your Insurer, please refer to the policy booklet for details of your Insurer’s complaints procedure. We expect the majority of complaints will be resolved at this stage, but if you are not satisfied, you may be entitled to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk. If you are not entitled to refer the complaint to the FOS we will handle your complaint and nay redress out of court.
Monthly payments by direct debit
Payments can be made in full by credit\debit card or bankers draft or monthly by direct debit. For full details of the terms and conditions and interest charges, please ask. Availability is subject to status. A deposit is required. Quotations given on request. If you choose to pay by direct debit, you will be provided with an agreement from a Credit Provider, which may require to be signed and returned. This agreement will be with an external finance company and sets out the amount and number of your direct debit payments. If you default on these payments, the total outstanding bal- ance will become due. If the policy is cancelled midterm, these payments must still be made until any return premium is notified to you. Any return premium is notified to us by an Insurer. This refund will be returned to the finance company to go towards any outstanding balances on your credit agreement. Any remaining balance will be returned to you. If the return premium does not cover the outstanding balance on your credit agreement, you will be liable for the remaining balance. Some of our direct debit arrangements require a deposit to be paid on inception of your policy. Policy inception is followed by 1,4,6,9,10 or 11 monthly direct debit payments (depending on
Refunds
Where the full payment has been made by credit/debit card, we will, wherever possible, make the refund to that card. All other refunds by cheque will be made to the policyholder, unless specifically authorised otherwise by the policyholder
Confidentiality & Data Protection
We take protecting our customers data very seriously and abide by the rules of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Please refer to our Privacy Notice for information on how we hold and process your data. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force on the 25th May 2018. It replaced the Data Protection Act 1998.
You’re right to cancel your insurance
You are entitled to a period of reflection during which you may decide whether to proceed with the purchase of the contract. The duration of the cancellation period is 14 days and commences from either:
1. The date of conclusion of the contract; or
2. The date on which you receive the terms of the contract detailing the full contractual terms, conditions and information of the contract whichever is the later.
If you exercise your right to cancel the policy within the 14 day cancellation period we will refund the premium minus the following:
1. Our administration fee for advising/arranging your insurance
2. Any charges applied by the Insurer for the service provided up to the point of cancellation. If you exercise this right, any Legal Protection policies that accompany your policy will also be cancelled and a charge made by the Insurer for the period of cover. Please note – where a claim is reported it is unlikely any refunds will be made until the full extent of the costs of the claim are known.
Where a policy is cancelled after the 14-day cancellation period then we will retain our full commission and fee in addition to a £25 cancellation fee. For policies with a shorter term of six months or less then the full premium is non-refundable. To cancel a policy after the 14-day period please write to us at the above address or email us at support@oisonline.co.uk. Once we are in receipt of your written instruction, we will cancel your policy and confirm this to you.
Our right to cancel your insurance
If you choose to pay by monthly direct debit or instalment scheme, you will be provided with an Agreement with a Credit Provider to sign. You are reminded that it is a term of both agreements that you authorise us, as your agent, to instruct the Insurers to cancel your insurance, if any monthly direct debit or instalment payment, or any other amount due under those agreements, is in arrears and not paid by the due date.
Our service charges
You will be charged a fee for our services when your policy commences, at renewal, cancellation, or any midterm adjustments. Fees are also charged for instalments, direct debit payments\arrangements. These charges are listed below and in the ‘Statement of Price’, which is given to every customer and relates to every incepted insurance policy. Insurers will also pay us a percentage of the annual premium as a commission.
Our fees for new business or renewal cases, which are incepted, are charged at 10% of the insurance premium (after insurance premium tax has been added), subject to a minimum charge of £30.00, unless otherwise advised. An administration charge of £10.00 will be applied for arranging the finance of policies which are paid by monthly instalments and £20 on any changes to the policy (midterm adjustments). These charges are in addition to any Insurer charges. Quotations are free of charge. We reserve the right to change our fees from time to time.
It is not economic or practical to issue refund cheques of very small amounts. Accordingly, where a transaction would result in a refund to you from us of less than £1, this nominal amount will be retained by us as an additional service