charging me extra for information on old quotes

A question about : charging me extra for information on old quotes

i took out an admiral car insurance policy last week. yesterday they emailed me to say they would be taking almost Ј80 from my account because of some information I had put in an old quote (i had done it quickly a while ago to get an idea of price and had made a mistake in my haste).
they don't consider they have done anything wrong, and of course legally they have covered themselves, but i think its really underhand of them to basically accuse me of lying and then financially penalise me for it. i then have to chase them and prove it's a mistake?!
why can't they put their energies into chasing people who don't bother taking out insurance at all, instead of coming after honest people trying to make ends meet. at the very least they should have called me to ask me about the inconsistency - instead of just sending an email. they claim not to have the man power to do this, but their complaints department seemed pretty well manned - i wonder why....
this has really put me off using comparison websites.

Best answers:

• So was the insurance policy correct, or was the old quote correct? Which one had the mistake?
• the insurance policy was correct.
  in any case I disagree that it's right they should go on a fishing expedition to try and catch me out. they happily took my money for what I put in the insurance policy so that should have been that.
  I believe this is a process these companies are using to increase their profits
• They took you at your word.
  Then discovered your earlier application which was different.
  You do agree when submitting details for a quote that you are telling the truth.
  As both applications held different information both can't have been correct.
  Write to them and explain why your later application was correct and the earlier one incorrect ask them to honour the later price.
• Just start the complaints procedure and on to the ombudsman.
  It's the only language they understand.
• If you want to play with your details to see what difference changing them makes you need to do so anonymously!
• Quentin is right. Keep it anonymous (but surely that breaks the T&C's!!!!)
  Can the OP share what details were different in the earlier quote?
  Seems very unfair to me and remember Joe Public doesn't read all the T&C's and could also very easily make a genuine mistake.
  If quote taken up has all the right details then what difference does it make if earlier ones had errors.
  By all means send a letter that points out the difference (if it's material to the quote) and ask the poilicyholder to check all the details because it might invalidate their policy if they have made a mistake.
  Innocent until proved guilty last time I looked. But then again it's Admiral so it doesn't surprise me.
• What exactly is the Ј80 charge for?
  Basing the price on the incorrect earlier set of details?
  The OP didn't sign up to that quote how can they take the money?
• my husband has 3 points. on the quick quote I did to get an idea of prices I inadvertently put the points on mine instead of his, so in my real policy they added the identical offence as my husbands to mine too.
  I'm really disappointed that a few of you seem to side with the insurance companies on this. I genuinely think its out of order for them to be using my previous research against me - they aren't the police and would be very quick to wiggle out of honouring a claim if it came to light I had omitted something.
  of course they have covered themselves legally though - I never disputed that
• What some companies do is to write to you asking you to confirm which version is correct and get you to sign a piece of paper affirming that you know the insurance is invalid if you have lied.
  No need for them to charge you extra.