Ecarinsurance 

Awful service. Claims and complaints are dealt with in such a way that I have spent literally hours on the phone on hold and sending numerous emails, none of which get answered.

If you have better things to do with your life stay well away!

Hopefully someone at this firm gives a damn and calls us to sort this out... Case ID - 201901362

By far the worst company i have ever had the displeasure to deal with- min 25 min wait for them to answer the phone, and no-one knows what they are doing- also sent me my NCD for 9 years instead of 12- avoid at all costs- also despite paying extra for "platinum" breakdown service, they only provided a hire car for 72 hours - who can get their car fixed in that time??

Shocking rip off merchant's!
Legal action to follow...far too much to list,
All started within 24 hours...pathetic excuse after pathetic excuse.
WARNING DO NOT USE!!

Dreadful company - a complete joke! There are no stars you can give them. A shambles!! I insured my car with Brightside which was the cheapest available (you get what you pay for!!) but had the same underwriters as most other companies. I paid my initial payment of £52.70 on 27/6/17 and set up my monthly finance and received my payment schedule - next payment 26/7/17. I then received a letter telling me I was in arrears and threatening to cancel my insurance on 25/7/17 - the day before payment was supposed to leave my account!! Tried calling! No answer and on hold for a total of 1 hour 45 mins. They then cancelled my policy on said date. Thankfully I'd already cancelled the DD. They are now threatening to refer me to a debt collection agency. Bring on the court case!! Stay clear of this lot. It's a con!

Gareth ext 38038 (refused to give surname) would not put me through to the manager when I requested a more authoritative person to talk to. I have spoken to numerous insurance companies and never had an issue talking about my Husbands policy on which I am a named driver. Gareth was very unhelpful, seems they don't want your business. They also won't quote on the phone. Very unhelpful company.

First off, check out the other reviews!
Clearly, I'm in the vast minority, insured my first car, cheapest price anywhere, all online nice and simple. This was 9 years ago, so they've probably been consumed by other entities. Just recommended them to find Brightside. I eventually wrote my car off. No repercussions. I didn't bother claiming the rest of the years premiums back. So, they were at least once good. It'd be a real shame if they're as bad as everyone is saying now.

Worst customer services ever witnessed,phoned for over an hour in total and still no reply.

I cannot speak at the moment due to extensive throat surgery so wanted to insure and pay on line. After trying to complete my insurance online and continually being told their systems were down I insured elsewhere. They have taken money from my bank account although they cannot set up a direct debit apparently. I have emailed at least 3 times to their general address and to a person asking for morr details and no response!!! Terrible customer servise

Well its true what they say ... read the reviews. Boy i wish i had... what a joke of a company. Had been with them for a year ... that was fine, the renewal quote arrived 2 days after the policy expired and then they increased it by £100! Wasnt happy but couldnt afford to renew elsewhere with another deposit so stupidly renewed. What a big mistake that was. I missed a direct debit ( which yes was my own fault) but got a letter telling me they would cancel in 2 days! Rang them apologising and stated i could pay in 3 days time ... well no that was not acceptable they wanted it by 6pm on the wednesday. Again explained i didnt have the money till thursday and argued the point of the dates i got the letter but they wernt having none of it. Rang citizens advice who said they have potentially breached 2 contracts (the old and new contract) and to complain which i have. Im pretty sure the response will be the same as what we have already had ... lies and i will be taking it to the ombudsman. Looks like the ombudsman will be very busy and sick of the sight of the name 'brightside'. STEER WELL CLEAR

Have been with brightside for a year. WIth no accidents or offences my premium went up almost £300 and when I cancelled the policy to go with someone else they failed to provide my no claims discount (8 years worth) resulting in my new insurer cancelling my policy, which I must now declare to other insurers, some have refused me on this basis, not interest in the reasons why, others have jacked up the premium.

E-mails were ignored, despite a claim they woll repsond within 2 working days. Phones were never answered (unless you tried to go on the sales line which was answered immiediately but then they transfer you) spent over 3 hours in total on hold over several days with no answer.

Issue has been passed on to the ombudsmen.

Avoid this company like the plague.

This truly is the darkest pit of hell of a company with no noticee cancelled my policy from day 1 fir no reason

Claims v5c was not received when it takes 3 weeks to get it from dvla

Two weeks I have been waiting to get my NCD out of this bunch! I have had lies after lies, yesterday morning I was told by Grant in a smarmy tone that the email had been sent to confirm it, yet yesterday afternoon I spoke to a female who advised me that it has not even yet been typed up! This morning Grant said "I wouldn't lie to you" again in a very smarmy way. They can send seven reminders to reinsure but they cannot supply the NCD! Says it all. Furious to say the least. 23 years of NCD that I have the fundamental right to have and they have refused (or blatantly lied) to issue me. The worst company ever and I am STILL waiting for the NCD. Next stop is the Ombudsman!

Thank you Brightside for replying to my review but please note I tried everything and I replied to that same final email you are referring to. The final advice was to go to Ombudsman. Unless there is another email titled final, although final should be final this is not in my box. Why do I still have a bill of £111.40, which is what I have been contesting about and still contesting? The bill was reduced to £111.40 from £278.00 on ‘good will’ but I did not cancel the insurance. Brightside cancelled and then had the gut to charge for an insurance that turned out days later to be still active????. I had no knowledge of this at the time of taking another insurance cover. And most disturbing thing I had been driving illegal and exposed! Wrong use of the word ‘good will’ and now at this stage contesting all other monies paid because I was not insured and just fed-up.

Let me repeat my experience again. I check my letter box before I leave and when I come back. If you need prove that your letter arrived late I have another letter that arrived late but for some reason there was a hand written date on the envelope. After the many emails back and forth or maybe your credit department had no idea of what was going on and making sure the letter got to its destination in time? I arrived very early morning after midnight from work, checked my letter box as usual.

There was a letter from Brightside advising of a cancellation. It had no explanation as to why the insurance was cancelled. All documents received and on the outstanding column nothing but when I looked at it further I had been driving without a cover because the deadline of whatever I was supposed to send had not reached Brightside?
Repeating again for almost the 50th time and I don’t mind repeating because I have decided to remain cool or else I meet ‘my maker’ .I did not need another insurance cover I took one because I had been driving without an insurance cover and your letter was rather final. ‘Get cover elsewhere’, remember no explanation why the insurance has been cancelled. I quickly bought insurance without thought of cost and of course I was going to deal with Brightside but what a nightmare.

Allow me to copy word for word of the letter am talking about maybe it found its way into a bin because to date that has not been addressed even in the final response (its looks generic). In addition the final response was a lot to read my only question still remains on the letter below.

Dear ……
Unfortunately, we have not received all of the documents required to confirm your policy.

As we are yet to receive all required documents, we may cancel your policy 7 days from the date on this letter on…….in accordance with our Terms of Business.

Documents Received Documents Outstanding
Photo Card Front
Photo Card Back
Licence Proof
No CLAIMS Discount Proof

We recommend that a clear photography or scan is taken and emailed to .......... alternatively sent via SMS to 07…….. Quoting your policy number. You can also upload your documents via your online account.

Please do not send the original documents,. We cannot accept responsibility for any or non-return of original licences.

You will no longer be insured to drive after …..and you are advised to obtain cover elsewhere before using or permitting your vehicle to be used on the public highway.

Yours Sincerely,

The Customer Services Team
Brightside Car Insurance

I went onto Money Supermarket mid June 2016 to get a quote to renew my car insurance before it had even run out with Allianz and Brightside Insurance came up as the cheapest quote. I took the quote out with Brightside and paid in full for the year. It was then that my nightmare began. Everyday for 2 weeks on a daily basis I was sent text messages and emails to send my documents, which I did, I then kept getting even more demands to send more documents, a check code from DVLA, Utility Bill, log book and sent these off again and again, I then received further text messages and sent them all off again. Via SMS which was costing me quite a bit of money. Finally I called Management at Brightside, by the way it is really hard to speak to them or get any numbers, response or support and was persuaded not to cancel and the man Mark would deal with it. Next day I got more demands for further documents looked on line for reviews and found this site. I then stressed and cancelled immediately. I then went back on Money Supermarket and started a new quote this time Autonet Insurance came up, so I then went with them, but had to wait for my money to be returned by Brightside so took out a direct debit to pay monthly while awaiting my refund from Brightside. Autonet Insurance started doing the same to me, asking daily for documents etc., I was thinking OMG bring back the old Brokers on the High Street! I then received an email off Autonet and letter to say they were cancelling my Insurance because 'Brightside Insurance' had put a black mark on me and said that I had not declared I had insurance cancelled previously which was not true. Premier Underwriters were the same underwriters used by both Insurance firms, and they have said I had an insurance company cancel my insurance and are declinging me. I have made a complaint to Money Supermarket and Brightside and Autonet and am awaiting a response from the first two. Autonet got in touch with me today to try to resolve this problem and am now waiting to hear. This has taken virtually every day of my life since taking out this insurance and I WOULD URGE YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM THEM.

The worst company I've ever delt with ever, scammers

Staff seemed genuinely willing to help...

If I could put minus stars then I would, what ever you do DO NOT TAKE OUT INSURANCE WITH THIS SO CALLED INSURANCE COMPANY !!!!!

Worst insurance I have ever had.

I HAVE HAD A VERY STRESSFUL EXPERIENCE WITH E CAR INSURANCE WHICH IS BRIGHTSIDE NOW. E CAR QUOTED ME A REASONABLE PREMIUM AND THEM PICKED ON EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE MISTAKE I MAY HAVE MADE TO REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL PREMIUM. IN MY CASE E CAR HAD AMPLE TIME BEFORE MY INSURANCE CAME INTO EFFECT TO POINT OUT TO ME POSSIBLE MISTAKE I MADE AND RE DISCUSS MY ONLINE QUOTE. INSTEAD THEY WAITED UNTIL MY INSURANCE CAME INTO MOTION AND APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AFTER THEY STARTED TO HASSLE ME. MY CAR SUFFERED A HIT AND RUN DAMAGE. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, I WASN'T AT FAULT AS MY CAR WAS STATIONERY AND PARKED PROPERLY, WHEN IT WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. THE CAMERA IN PLACE FAILED TO IDENTIFY THE OTHER PARTY CLEARLY .EVEN THE POLICE LET ME DOWN. I DECLARED THE ACCIDENT AS A NOT AT FAULT ON MY INSURANCE QUOTE. I DO AGREE THAT I MADE A MISTAKE. BUT SINCE I CONTRACTED MY INSURANCE WITH E CAR WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE EXPIRY OF MY PREVIOUS INSURANCE CONTRACT, E CAR HAD AMPLE TIME TO VET MY INSURANCE DETAILS AND RENEGOTIATE MY PREMIUM. THIS WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME A CHANCE TO GO BACK ONLINE TO FIND A BETTER PREMIUM FROM ANOTHER INSURANCE COMPANY. INSTEAD E CAR WAITED UNTIL I WAS WELL INTO MY INSURANCE CONTRACT WITH THEM AND THEN THREATENED ME WITH CANCELLATION OR ADDITIONAL PREMIUM, WHICH I FIND VERY CALLOUS AND BELOW THE BELT. I HAD NO OPTION THAN TO CAVE IN TO THEIR DEMAND SINCE I WAS IN NEED OF MY CAR. CANCELLING MY INSURANCE WITH THEM WOULD HAVE COST ME AN ARM AND A LEG. THEIR PHONE CALLS ARE EXPENSIVE AND EMAILING THEM IS A DRAG. SO MY ADVICE IS : BE VERY CAREFUL WITH E CAR/ BRIGHTSIDE INSURANCE COMPANY.

We have recently bought car insurance from Brightside. The quote was good so my husband went ahead with it. When the paperwork arrived I noticed it only covered us to go to a specific place of work. As we both work at different venues we had to change - added another £200+ onto the deal.

Brightside sent out the new details and I noticed my husband's date of birth was wrong. I phoned them and they asked for a copy of his photocard driving licence. Neither of us actually have one so he sent a copy of his passport instead. Not good enough. Eventually they seemed ok re having a copy of his paper licence.

Then today we get an email as below:

"We have noticed a difference between the documentation supplied and the information provided when the policy started. This is detailed below.

Discrepancy - Incorrect date of birth for the named driver.

Additional Premium - The correct details have now been added to your policy, and revised documents are available in your online account. This has resulted in an additional premium of £25.00 to pay".

I phoned them and said it was me who told them of the discrepancy and not they who noticed it. Also I think they made a mistake with the birthdate - after all, husband has lived with that for 62 years! After a lot of wrangling they offered me a "goodwill gesture" - only having to pay £10!

Three times at least I asked to speak to a supervisor. Each time I was put on hold for anything up to 4/5 mins and the same guy came back to me. Eventually I was told they would waiver the £25 altogether and send out the new documents. The guy then asked me if there was anything else he could do for me. I suggested giving me an apology might be a good start .............. then put the phone down.

Please do not make the same mistake as we and lots of others have made. If Brightside look a good deal, check it out. For us they have been nothing short of total rubbish. All change next year.

Hope this helps someone

Clare of Milton Keynes