Last updated: 2nd May 2024
1. Your contract with Bennetts ('we/us')
Bennetts is a trading name of Bennetts Motorcycling Services Limited, registered in England and Wales (company number 11453343) with its registered office at 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX. Bennetts Motorcycling Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA registered number is 913949). You can confirm Bennetts Motorcycling Services Limited's address and statutory status on the Financial Conduct Authority website at register.fca.org.uk or by contacting the Financial Conduct Authority on 0800 111 6768.
You will also enter into a separate contract with the insurer for providing your insurance. Details of the premium charged and the terms and conditions relevant to the insurance policy are set out in your Policy Document. When you purchase additional products or pay for your policy by instalments using a running account credit agreement, you will enter further contracts with each insurer or supplier for these services.
Our permitted business is selling, administering and renewals of general insurance contracts.
2. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
The FCA is one of the bodies that regulates financial services.
3. Whose products do we offer?
Bennetts work with the following insurers/underwriters to provide your cover:
- Ageas Insurance Limited
- Aviva Insurance Limited
- Axa Insurance UK PLC
- Highway Insurance Company Limited
- Premier Underwriting Limited
- Sabre Insurance Group PLC
We offer products from our panel of insurers for motorcycle insurance
We only offer products from a limited number of insurers
We only offer products from a single provider for:
- Legal Expenses Cover – Underwritten by Financial and Legal Insurance Company Limited and administered by 4th Dimension Innovation Limited
- Personal Accident Cover – Underwritten by UK General Insurance Limited on behalf of Watford Insurance Company Europe Limited
- Helmet and Leathers Cover – Underwritten by UK General Insurance Limited on behalf of Watford Insurance Company Europe Limited
- Breakdown and Breakdown Plus – provided by RAC Motoring Services
- Breakdown EU – provided by RAC Motoring Services and RAC Insurance Service Limited
- Premium Finance – provided by PremFina Limited
- Premium Finance – provided by Premium Credit Limited
4. Bennetts is an insurance intermediary and provide the following:
Our service
We do not provide you with any advice or recommendation. We ask a number of questions to narrow down the selection of products that we can offer you to suit your needs. You will then need to make your own choice about how to proceed.
When purchasing your policy through Bennetts, if you notify us of a claim, we may be working on behalf of the insurer.
We will be acting on your behalf for services which include:
- Arranging your motorcycle insurance by searching our panel of insurers and selecting a range of best prices that we can offer, arranging your cover with the chosen insurer based on your requirements, dealing with your payment and providing you with the details and documentation relating to your policy
- Deal with your requests for adjustments you make to your policy, such as changes to the cover required, the use and/or motorcycle insured. We will notify the insurer, deal with any amendments or adjustments of premium required and provide you with confirmation of any changes to your policy. We may arrange cover with an alternative insurer if the amendments to your policy are not acceptable to your original insurer.
- We will also arrange the cancellation of your policy at your request, notifying the insurer, dealing with any refunds of premium, confirming the changes to your policy and arranging for the return of documents.
- Deal with your requests for any duplicate or replacement documentation relating to your policy and/or additional products.
- We will arrange optional additional add-on products where you consider these products meet your needs.
- We will also arrange the renewal of your insurance and additional products based on your requirements (see Automatic Renewals section below). Where given permission, we will search our panel of insurers to find the best deal, otherwise we will renew with your current insurer.
5. What will you have to pay us for our services?
Please note: If your Finance Provider is Premium Credit Limited, they will advise you of any fees applicable to your Finance Agreement.
Cancellation Fee
If either you or we cancel your policy within 14 days, we will charge a fee of £30.00.
If either you or we cancel at any time after the first 14 days, we will charge a fee of £50.00. For further details on cancellations, refer to the "Meeting your needs" section of this document.
Payment Default Fee
If we need to resubmit a request for payment to your bank, you will have to pay us a fee of £20.00, as shown in section Payments Defaults in your loan agreement.
Policy Amendment Fee
Policy amendments are subject to a policy amendment fee of £32.00.
New Business Arrangement Fee
All new business policies are subject to a non-refundable arrangement fee of £20.00.
Renewal Arrangement Fee
All renewal policies are subject to a non-refundable arrangement fee of £20.00.
6. Remuneration
We retain a percentage of the annual premium to cover our operating costs and profit, the balance of which is paid to the insurer.
We earn income from the following activities:
- commission earned on insurance policies we sell
- a renewal administration fee applied at renewal
- interest earned on instalment policies
- various administration fees
- income for mitigated and unmitigated claims services
- other sources such as bonuses when a certain volume of sales is reached
Employees who work for Bennetts are remunerated in different ways for processing insurance contracts, using a combination of fixed and variable rewards that are designed to ensure they act in customers’ best interests at all times. All employees receive a basic salary and they may also be eligible to receive various financial rewards including company shares and a bonus, these are based on several factors, including the achievement of sales and quality targets.
7. What to do if you have a complaint?
If you wish to register a complaint directly with Bennetts contact us:
By phone: 0344 412 2171
In writing: Customer Relations Manager, Bennetts, Unit 3, Swan Park, Kettlebrook Road, Tamworth, B77 1AG.
By email: complaints@bennetts.co.uk
If we cannot settle your complaint with us you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.
By phone: 0800 023 4567
By email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
For full details of our complaints handling process please see the section marked 'Service Standards' in your policy booklet page 16.
8. Claims
Should you wish to make a claim under your motorcycle insurance policy, you should call the Claims Helpline on 0330 018 9166. You must not settle, reject, negotiate or agree to pay any claim without our written permission.
Full details of how to claim are included in section 8 of the policy book. Should you wish to make a claim under one of the optional policies please see the how to claim section in the relevant policy terms and conditions.
In the event of a claim on your policy, your insurer will be responsible for the claim. Your insurer may delegate the management of the claim to the Bennetts Claims Team who will act on behalf of your insurer.
9. Automatic Renewal
This section only applies if you selected our auto renewal service. To ensure you stay covered and to save you time, your policy (including any optional products) will be automatically renewed on your renewal date using the same payment details as previously captured. We will always notify you prior to any payments being deducted.
If you wish to opt out of automatic renewal, then providing it is before your renewal date, you can make a change to your preference by visiting your online MyAccount, by contacting one of our online webchat agents or call customer services on 0344 412 2171.
10. Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
Bennetts and the Insurers are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). You may be entitled to compensation from this scheme if Bennetts or the Insurer cannot meet their obligations. This depends on the type of Insurance and the circumstances of your claim. Further information about compensation schemes arrangements is available from the FSCS www.fscs.org.uk.
11. Duration and Choice of Law
These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales unless you and we agree otherwise, and such agreement has been put in writing between us.
The minimum duration of this contract with us is the duration of your motorcycle insurance policy. This contract will terminate simultaneously with the termination of your related motorcycle insurance policy.
We are entitled to change any of the fees under the terms of this contract between you and us, (i) with 30 days’ notice during the term of the policy, if required by law or regulatory authorities, or (ii) at renewal.
12. Handling your money
When collecting or refunding premiums, we act as the agent of your insurer. However, your insurer treats the payment as having been made directly to them, meaning that your money is protected.
13. Meeting your needs
This product meets the demands and needs of those who wish to insure their motorcycle as required by law to drive a motorcycle on a public highway.
When purchasing your motorcycle insurance, you told us about specific requirements and provided us with the details shown in your Statement of Fact. Based on the information you have provided and with your own requirements in mind, you have selected Bennetts insurance as being suitable for your needs.
Consequently, the Schedule sets out the cover you have selected and therefore you agree this is appropriate to your requirements. Please check your Schedule to confirm that it fully reflects your needs.
How to cancel your policy.
You must contact us if you wish to cancel your policy. Our contact details are on the reverse of your Certificate of Motor Insurance. We will cancel your policy either from the date you contact us, or from any later date you specify. The policy cannot be cancelled from an earlier date. If you are paying your premiums by instalments, you must still pay us any balance of premium due for time on cover, for example if you pay on the 1st of the month and cancel on the 18th you need to pay for the 18 days cover.
Cancelling any Direct Debit instruction does not mean you have cancelled the policy. You will still need to follow the instructions above. In the event of cancellation, a cancellation fee as detailed above, will apply.
Cancellation by you within the first 14 days.
If you cancel your policy within 14 days of the date you receive your policy documents we will refund a percentage of the premium calculated on a daily pro-rata basis equivalent to the period of cover left unused, unless you have made a total loss claim, in which case no refund of premium will be given and full payment would be due.
Cancellation by you after the first 14 days.
If you cancel your policy after the 14 day period, we will refund a percentage of the premium calculated on a daily pro-rata basis equivalent to the period of insurance left unused providing no claims have been made. If a claim has been made, or there has been an incident which may lead to a claim, no refund of premium will be given and full payment would be due.
Where your insurer cancels your policy
Your insurer reserves the right to cancel your policy when there is a valid reason to do so. Valid reasons include but are not limited to:
• you provide us with false or incomplete information
• you make a change to your information which renders the risk no longer acceptable for your insurer to cover
• you act in a fraudulent manner
• you fail to supply requested validation documents (proof of no claims discount, driving licences, vehicle registration docs etc.).
Where your insurer cancels, we will provide seven days’ prior written notice to your last known address unless your insurer is required to cancel earlier. If we cancel your policy we will refund a percentage of the premium calculated on a daily pro-rata basis equivalent to the period of insurance left unused, providing no claims have been made. If a claim has been made, or there has been an incident which may lead to a claim, no refund of premium will be given, and full payment would be due.
