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The GISC GENERAL INSURANCE CODE  (for private customers)

The General Insurance Standards Council (GISC) is an independent organisation which was set up to regulate the sales, advisory and service standards of members (insurers, intermediaries (including brokers), agents and anyone acting for them). Its main purpose is to make sure that general insurance customers are treated fairly.

This Private Customer Code sets the minimum standards of good practice which all members of GISC must follow when they deal with private customers. It gives you important protection and should help you to understand:

• how insurers, intermediaries and agents, and anyone acting for them, must deal with you;

• what information you should receive before you commit yourself to buying any insurance; and how your insurance should be dealt with once it is in place

The Private Customer Code covers all types of general insurance products and services that are sold to private customers, including:

• motor insurance;

• home insurance – buildings and contents;

• insurance for caravans, boats, pets and other property;

• travel insurance;

• private medical and dental insurance;

• personal accident insurance;

• extended warranty and breakdown insurance;

• legal expenses insurance; and

• payment protection insurance for mortgages and other loans.

Within the Private Customer Code, ‘you’ means the private customer and ‘we’ and ‘us’ means the member of GISC (an insurer, intermediary or agent), and anyone acting for them, who you deal with.

Contents:

1  Our commitments

2  Marketing

2.1  Advertising

3  Helping you find insurance to meet your needs

3.1  Explaining our service

3.2  Matching your requirements

3.3  Information about products and services

3.4  Information on costs

3.5  Advice and recommendations

3.6  Customer protection information

3.7  Your duty to give information

3.8  Quotes

3.9  ‘Cooling-off’ period

3.10  Choosing to receive limited information

4  Confirming your cover

4.1  Confirming your cover

4.2  Proof of payment

4.3  Full policy documentation

5  Providing our service to you

5.1  Questions

5.2  Changes to your policy

5.3  Notice of renewal

5.4  Expiry or cancellation

6  Claims

6.1  Information on claims procedures

6.2  If you make a claim

7  Documentation

7.1  Information in writing

7.2  Standards of written information

7.3  Sending you documentation

7.4  Withholding documentation

8  Confidentiality and security

8.1  Confidentiality

8.2  Security

9  Complaints

9.1  Information on complaints procedures

9.2  If you make a complaint

9.3  Dispute resolution scheme

10  Other information

10.1  GISC monitoring

10.2  The Private Customer Code and your legal rights

10.3  Copies of the Private Customer Code

10.4  More information

1

Our commitments

1.1

As members of GISC, we promise that we will:

• act fairly and reasonably when we deal with you;

• make sure that all our general insurance services satisfy the requirements of this Private Customer Code;

• make sure all the information we give you is clear, fair and not misleading;

• avoid conflicts of interest or, if we cannot avoid this, explain the position fully to you;

• give you enough information and help so you can make an informed decision before you make a final commitment to buy your insurance policy;

• confirm your insurance arrangements;

• make sure that our service meets GISC’s standards;

• handle claims fairly and promptly;

• make sure you receive all the documentation you need;

• protect any personal information, money and property that we hold or handle for you; and

• handle complaints fairly and promptly.

2

Marketing

Advertising

2.1

We will make sure that all our advertising and promotional material is clear, fair and not misleading.

3

Helping you find insurance to meet your needs

We will give you enough information and help so you can make an informed decision before you make a final commitment to buy your insurance policy.

Explaining our service

3.1

We will explain the service we can offer and our relationship with you, including:

• the type of service we offer;

• whether we act for an insurer or act independently for you as an intermediary;

• whether we act as an agent of another intermediary or agent; and

• the choice of products and services we can offer you.

Matching your requirements

3.2

We will make sure, as far as possible, that the products and services we offer you will match your requirements.

• If it is practical, we will identify your needs by getting relevant information from you.

• We will offer you products and services to meet your needs, and match any requirements you have.

• If we cannot match your requirements, we will explain the differences in the product or service that we can offer you.

• If it is not practical to match all your requirements, we will give you enough information so you can make an informed decision about your insurance.

Information about products and services

3.3

We will explain all the main features of the products and services that we offer, including:

• who the insurer is;

• all the important details of cover and benefits;

• any significant or unusual restrictions or exclusions;

• any significant conditions or obligations which you must meet; and

• the period of cover.

Information on costs

3.4

We will give you full details of the costs of your insurance, including:

• separate insurance premiums for each of the individual products or services we are offering;

• details of any fees and charges other than the insurnce premium, and the purpose of each fee or charge (this will include any possible future fees or charges, such as for changing or cancelling the policy or handling claims);

• when you need to pay the premiums, fees and charges, and an explanation of how you can pay; and

• if we are acting on your behalf in arranging your insurance and you ask us to, we will tell you what our commission is and any other amounts we receive for arranging your insurance or providing you with any other services.

Advice and recommendations

3.5

If we give you any advice or recommendations, we will:

• only discuss or advise on matters that we have knowledge of;

• make sure that any advice we give you or recommendations we make are aimed at meeting your interests; and

• not make any misleading claims for the products or services we offer or make any unfair criticisms about products and services that are offered by anyone else.

Customer protection information

3.6

We will explain the customer protection benefits under our GISC membership, including:

• our complaints procedures, together with details of who you should contact first if you want to make a complaint; and

• whether any of the products or services we are offering you are not covered by this Private Customer Code.

Your duty to give information

3.7

We will explain your duty to give insurers information before cover begins and during the policy, and what may happen if you do not.

Quotes

3.8

If you want to consider the products or services we have offered you, we will:

• confirm how long you have to take up your insurance on the terms we have quoted to you;

• give you a written quote if you ask for one, including all the information you need to make an informed decision; and

• give you a sample policy if you ask for one.

'Cooling-off' period

3.9

Under the Private Customer Code, we have to give you certain information before you make your decision. If we have not given you this information when you buy your insurance (and you have not told us you do not want it), we will allow you a ‘cooling-off’ period of at least 14 days from the time you receive the information. If you do not want to continue with the insurance, you may cancel your cover within this period and get all your money back (as long as you have not made any claims).

Choosing to receive limited information

3.10

If you want to buy your insurance without receiving all the information about the products and services that the Private Customer Code requires, we will keep a record of your agreement to this and there will not be a ‘cooling-off’ period.

4

Confirming your cover

We will confirm your insurance arrangements and provide you with full policy documentation.

Confirming your cover

4.1

When we put your insurance arrangements in place, we will give you written confirmation of cover, including:

• enough information so you can check the details of your cover;

• the date when your cover starts and the period of cover;

• any certificates or documents which you need to have by law; and

• details of any ‘cooling-off’ period.

Proof of payment

4.2

We will make sure that you have proof that you have paid the premiums, fees and charges.

Full policy documents

4.3

We will send you full policy documentation promptly.

5

Providing our service to you

We will make sure that our service meets the GISC’s standards.

Questions

5.1

We will answer any questions promptly and give you help and advice if you need it.

Changes to your policy

5.2

We will deal with any changes to your insurance policy promptly. We will:

• give you written confirmation of any changes to your policy;

• give you full details of any premiums or charges that you must pay or we must return to you;

• give you any certificates or documents that you need to have by law;

• make sure that you have proof that you have paid extra premiums, fees and charges; and

• send you any refunds of the premiums, fees or charges that are due to you.

Notice of renewal

5.3

We will tell you when you need to renew your policy, or when it will end, in time to allow you to consider and arrange any continuing cover you may need. We will:

• explain the renewal terms (if offered);

• tell you about any changes to the cover, service or insurer being offered;

• explain your continuing duty to give insurers information; and

• send you any certificates or documents that you need to have by law.

Expiry or cancellation

5.4

When your policy ends or is cancelled, we will send you all the documentation and information that you are entitled to, if you ask for it.

6

Claims

We will handle claims fairly and promptly.

Information on claims procedures

6.1

When you first become a customer, we will give you details of how you can make a claim and tell you what your responsibilities are in relation to making claims.

If you make a claim

6.2

If you make a claim:

• we will respond promptly, explain how we will handle your claim and tell you what you need to do;

• we will give you reasonable guidance to help you make a claim under your policy;

• we will consider and handle your claim fairly and promptly, and tell you how your claim is progressing;

• we will tell you, in writing, and explain why, if we cannot deal with all or any part of your claim; and

• once we have agreed to settle your claim, we will do so promptly.

7

Documentation

We will make sure you receive all the documentation you need.

Information in writing

7.1

We will give you information in writing, especially if there is a lot of information or if it is very complicated.

Standards of written information

7.2

We will make sure that all the written information and documents we send you are clear, fair and not misleading.

Sending you documentation

7.3

We will send you all the documentation you need promptly.

Withholding documentation

7.4

We will not withhold any insurance documentation from you without your permission, unless we are allowed to do so by law. If we do withhold any documents, we will make sure that you receive full details of your insurance cover and any documents that you need to have by law.

8

Confidentiality and security

We will protect your personal information, money and property.

Confidentiality

8.1

We will treat all your personal information as private and confidential to us and anyone else involved in providing your insurance, even when you are no longer a customer. We will not give anyone else any personal information about you, except:

• when you ask us to or give us permission;

• if we have to because we are a member of GISC; or

• if we have to by law.

Security

8.2

We will take appropriate steps to make sure that any money, documents, other property or information that we handle or hold for you is secure.

9

Complaints

We will handle complaints fairly and promptly.

Information on complaints procedures

9.1

When you first become a customer, we will give you details of our complaints procedures in our policy or service documentation.

If you make a complaint

9.2

If you make a complaint:

• we will acknowledge it promptly, explain how we will handle your complaint and tell you what you need to do; and

• we will consider and handle your complaint fairly and promptly, and tell you how your complaint is progressing.

Dispute resolution scheme

9.3

We are a member of a recognised independent dispute resolution scheme. If you are not happy with our final response to your complaint, we will tell you how you can contact this scheme.

10

Other information

GISC monitoring

10.1

We are monitored independently by GISC to make sure that we meet the standards of this Private Customer Code. If we do not satisfy the requirements of the Private Customer Code, we may face a penalty.

The Private Customer Code and your legal rights

10.2

The Private Customer Code forms part of the Membership Contract (which is governed by English law) between GISC and us. Nothing in the Private Customer Code or in our Membership Contract with GISC will give any person any right to enforce any term of our Membership Contract which they would otherwise have under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

Copies of the Private Customer Code

10.3

You can get a free copy of the Private Customer Code if you ask any GISC member, or from GISC at the address below.

More information

10.4

If you want to check that we are members of GISC, or if you have any questions about the Private Customer Code, you can contact GISC at the address below.

General Insurance Standards Council
110 Cannon Street
London
EC4N 6EU
Phone: 020 7648 7810
Fax: 020 7648 7808
E-mail (general enquiries): enquiries@gisc.co.uk

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