Credit searches by Aviva Central Services

A question about : Credit searches by Aviva Central Services

Hi,

This isn't specifically credit card but it seemed to fit best in this forum.

Short story, we paid off a Mint card just before Christmas that had defaulted and is basically killing my credit rating - I want to BT an MBNA card with a crazy interest rate so was just checking my rating to see what has happened. I know the default will not be removed was just being thorough and looking.

I used callcreditcheck to get the free report (sign up for 30-days and cancel before payment is due). Anyway I noticed a whole load of Aviva Central Services searches, about 3 a year for the last few years with the last on 26/12 - which is odd as I never made any searches then that I recall and I never use Aviva anyway. Just as an aside, I have a 20 years+ clean driving record, I'm over 40 - every other insurance quote is usually around Ј250-300 - Aviva - over Ј900! I asked them once why it was so bad and they couldn't explain it.

Anyway as you can see their quotes are so wildly out of whack as a point of principle I never use them so why are they making searches unprompted? I'm not sure it makes a fundamental difference on my report anyway just wondered if anyone knows why they would make these searches? I'll have a check and make sure I didn't instigate that but it was Boxing Day and I'm pretty sure I never used my computer at all that day.

Ta.

Best answers:

• They wont be credit searches, they will be insurance quote searches and will NOT affect your credit file.
• @dundtonh - sorry I should have been clear, I know they were probably comparison sites but I didn't do any searches on the 26th, other days I couldn't be sure but that was a memorable day and I don't have any need of a quotation right now which is why it was curious.
  Well, so long as it has no impact on the credit rating no matter.
  Thanks for the replies.
• Hi all
  I have come across this page via a Google search for Aviva Central Services, which I did because of searches that they made on me.
  I have online access to my credit report and there are 2 Aviva searches on there. They are listed as credit searches, not other searches, unrecorded entries or enquiries.
  I have shopped around for car insurance, but not for credit/installment payments to pay for the insurance.
  Credit searches do lower your credit rating/score, while other searches don't, so I am going to complain to them and I will update on my progress.
• After being on the phone since the last time I posted here, and being transferred to 4 different people, of whom the first 3 seemed to be in India, I got through to the switchboard in Norwich, direct phone number 01603 622200.
  The nice lady there took down my details to arrange a callback.
• Did you get any further with this?
  I have one on my file, it says General Insurance (Credit). I'm unsure what this type of search is and if it effects me, as it states credit in brackets..
• Since Aviva are not on any comparison sites, I can't see how using one triggers an Aviva search.
• Try emailing the big boss. david.barral@aviva.co.uk
• i've also just got a credit search on my file from aviva. its not on equifax or experian just callcredit. so i'd also like to know the answer to this question as i haven't requested any quotes etc.
• I also have these aviva searches on my account, once a year, in march, and i have no policies that renew in march, grrr. let em know if anyone gets to the bottom of why they are doing these/ under what guise.
• I've had the same on my credit file, wrote to Aviva to complain and they confirmed it was an RAC insurance quote through confused.com.
  You need to contact confused.com to remove the yearly insurance reminders from your account as when it is triggered it automatically searches your credit file to quote the installments options. Apparently confused.com's T&C's authorise this.
  Hope this helps.
• I have just checked my Noddle account and am really p'd off. Last month my credit rating through them was rated as 3/5. I had a default drop off my file as well, so was looking forward to seeing this months report. The default has dropped off and my rating has dropped to 2/5
  I have asked them to explain this to me and have scoured the credit report myself. I have another months worth of green ticks against my credit card accounts, which is positive. Then I see one of these AVIVA searches on my file dated 20 September. So I reckon that it is due to this that my rating must have been affected. I have not applied for anything from AVIVA to the best of my knowledge, it says it is for Insurance(Credit)....... I don't have any insurance due!!!
  So I am doing everything I can to rebuild my credit history and they come along and do a search that I haven't asked for or authorised and my rating drops, this is not right.
  Can I do anything about it? There are other searches on my file from them every few months.
  Thanks
• Damn dunstonh 50,664 posts, you spent half your life on here mate ? :P
  And yes as said above insurance quotes do not affect scores, there quotations only not credit searches, if you did not authorise it take it up with the CRA and they should investigate.
• Hello...Hello.... did anybody read my last post........!
  They are CREDIT SEARCHES and therefore they DO affect your credit rating. I have this in writing from Aviva.
  Go on CONFUSED.COM and email there customer services to say that you do not want these searches carried out in your name in future
• Well I had a reply back, despite it static "credit search" on my report this s what confused had to say
  Thank you for your feedback. I'm sorry you were unhappy to find quotation 'footprints' on your credit report.
  Some of our partners may use credit searches before providing a quote. These searches are conducted as part of their quotation process in order for them to give an accurate quote for your details.
  The credit searches are classified as 'general insurance searches' and it is important to stress!they do not count as the same type of search as if you apply for a financial product, where a large number can affect applications for finance. These insurance searches will have no effect on your ability to obtain credit, but you may see these searches on your record as!a 'footprint'!if you apply for your file.
  Additionally, after using Confused.com, our system will resubmit your details each year just before your policy renewal date so that we can obtain a list of up to date prices for you.
  The quotes we submit are based on the same information you entered!the!the last time you used our website. We roll on certain!information such as the age of the drivers, the length of time the drivers have held their licence, the amount of No Claims Bonus!you would have if no claims have been made, and so on.!
  To stop these renewal quotes occurring, I have unsubscribed you from our price alert and renewal services. If you would like to resubscribe to this service in the future, you can do so by clicking on the 'Edit Communications' tab on the left hand side of the 'My Account' page after logging into your account. You should then click on 'Subscribe' next to the 'Price Alert' heading to receive further renewal quotes.
  I hope this information has been of help, Mr X. Further details can be found in the 'Credit searches' section of our Privacy Policy.
  Case Resolved
• It's just from search comparison sites and will NOT affect your credit.
• Hi Everyone,
  Thank you for your comments regarding credit searches in insurance applications. Here is a link to information regarding credit searches on the Aviva.co.uk website:
  https://www.aviva.co.uk/legal/car-home-and-travel-insurance.html
  Aviva are not on comparison websites such as Confused.com, however there are companies underwritten by Aviva who are on such sites. This will be why you may see a search taking place under Aviva's name even if you have not had any quotes directly from ourselves.
  As you go through a direct quote with Aviva, we may undertake a credit search to ascertain credit worthiness and affordability of repayments. This search will leave a footprint visible to you and other lenders (who use the same credit reference agency)
  Should you have any further questions regarding this subject, please contact our web support team at the below email address, as they are the team that can directly help you and resolve your query. Any emails that have been sent to David Barral at the email address posted in this thread have been, and will be, passed to our web support team so please do contact them directly at UKDIsupport@aviva.co.uk
  When emailing the web support team, to assist in resolving the queries as quickly as possible please include the following details:
  Full Name
  Address (please ensure this is the address you were living at when the search took place)
  Date of search
  For all other Aviva based queries please feel free to contact me directly at david.hyam@aviva.co.uk and I will be happy to help.
  Kind regards,
  Dave Hyam