Quotations
Our quotations are based upon the information, which is provided to us on the given date. Insurers always reserve the right to decline any proposal or vary the terms of acceptance. We must also reserve this right.

Completion of Proposal Forms
Before you sign any proposal form for a new policy, a change of insurer at renewal of an existing policy or any adjustment to an existing policy, please ensure that all answers given are accurate and complete. This is especially important if the form has not been completed by yourself, or is computer generated.
Please also ensure that you read the insurer’s declaration on the proposal form, that you understand it completely and that you agree to abide by it’s terms and conditions before signing. Please remember that all insurers reserve the right to refuse to pay any claim, or impose additional terms if inaccurate or incomplete information is given, or if all relevant information is not supplied. If you are in any doubt as to what constitutes a relevant fact, please ask for advice.

Policy Documentation
Abacus Insurance Services will release policy documentation to the client once the company has received the completed, signed and dated proposal form, full premium payment, any other requested items connected with the risk and when the documents have been duly received from the relevant insurer to this office.

Policy Documents, Certificates of Insurance & Policy Schedules
On receipt of any of the above we cannot stress enough that you please read and check the documents carefully. If any details are incorrect or not suitable for your needs please advise us at once. Failure to do this could mean that your cover is insufficient or incomplete and that the claim may not be successful or fully met.

Renewals & Duty of Disclosure
All of the insurers we deal with exchange information through various databases to help us check information provided and also prevent fraudulent claims. Insurers also supply details to a database the Police use. This helps them detect people who break the law by not taking out insurance & Insurers pursue claims following accidents etc.
You are reminded that the duty to disclose all material facts (those facts which an insurer would regard as likely to influence the acceptance & assessment of the insurance) is a continuing duty. Therefore, we must be informed of any material changes affecting the policy since inception or since last renewal. If you are in any doubt as to whether certain facts are material, you should disclose them anyway. You should keep a record, including copies of letters, of all information supplied for the purpose of renewal of the policy.
Insurers do not provide a period of grace in which to pay the renewal premium, which should therefore be paid before the renewal date so that appropriate documents may be delivered to you by that date. No obligation rests upon us to accept the renewal premium if paid after the renewal date.

Personal Information Held. Data Protection Act
Abacus Insurance Services will treat all personal information as private and confidential (even when you are no longer a customer) except where law permits us or where the disclosure is made at your request or with your consent in relation to arranging a policy. You have the right of access under the Data Protection Act 1988 to your personal records held.
DATA PROTECTION ACTS 1984 & 1998 Information relevant to your personal finances, insurance policies and your relationship with us will be held in the computer and file records of Abacus Insurance Services , This may be passed to other companies within the group, who may use such information to send you details about other products and services which we consider may be of interest to you. We will also, where relevant, provide your information to relevant third parties in order to achieve your various requirements. If you do not wish to have your information released, please confirm in writing to the Data Protection Officer at Abacus Insurance Services, 191-193 Deptford High Street, Deptford, London, SE8 3NT.

Premium
In the event that the policy’s premium is being paid by a premium instalment method, then documentation will be dispatched as soon as the financial facility have confirmed that all elements are in place and that the mandate is in force. This is usually within first thirty days of cover.
If the annual premium is being settled by post dated instalment cheques then the documents will be dispatched when all post-dated items have been cleared.
In the event that documentation is requested by a third party including the Police we will of course assist by confirming details accordingly.

Payment of Premium, Fees & Service Charge
You are advised that the total price quoted to you may include a fee and/or service charge. These will be identified to you as separate to the insurance premium and are non-refundable. Fees charge amounts which would be generated (if at all) would be based on the individual circumstances.
All premiums quoted include the government’s insurance premium tax, which is presently 5%, although in the event of being a Travel Insurance the tax is 17.5%.
In the event that any duplicate documents are required, this includes Insurance Certificates, then a £10.00 fee is payable*.
Any policy adjustments made are applicable to a £10.00 fee*.
Any dishonoured payments are subject to £10.00 representation fee & £25.00 for items not paid and returned completely.
*In addition, some insurers make their own small charges for these adjustments. Please note that should our charges alter from those confirmed, we will advise you.
Please note that in the event that we need to write to you by recorded delivery or special delivery a £10.00 charge is payable.
If you pay for your insurance premium by credit or debit card, the following charges are applied : Master & Visa Cards @ 1.5%, American Express @ 3.75% and switch payments are 50 pence.

Cancellations
If you are not forthcoming with any requested documentation or payment including proposal form etc within 30 days of inception of your policy, then the cover will automatically lapse with effect from inception. In addition you may be liable to time on risk charges from insurers.
Please note, if you wish to cancel your policy, you must first contact this office to advise. You may be due a refund for the part of your premium as long as no claims have occurred during your time on cover. You must send us your Certificate of Insurance or a lost Certificate declaration together with a letter confirming your cancellation request before we can cancel your policy. Cancelling your direct debit mandate does NOT cancel your insurance policy. If you do not pay in full for your time on cover a debit recovery agency may be used to collect any money owing. Any costs incurred will be added to the debt. No refunds would be given on ‘short term’ policies (which last for 6 months or less). Limited mileage policies or if a claim has been made or is pending. Uninsured loss recovery and legal expenses policies run concurrently with the main policy and cannot be cancelled therefore no refund of premium is possible.
The insurers cancellation table may be found within the policy document, or would be advised upon request from this office following your insurers advices or indeed direct from your insurers themselves.

Making a claim
Details of how to make a claim are shown within your policy document/wording booklet. Normally your insurer would operate a 24 hour emergency telephone service as the first point of contact. The relevant details would be provided within your policy documents, schedule and/or Certificate of Insurance. In the event of any problems in obtaining this service or indeed if you have further queries please contact Abacus Insurance Services during office hours, we will be more than happy to assist in any way that we can.

Complaints Procedure
Abacus Insurance Services are totally committed to customer care and customer satisfaction. Our intention is to be the company that puts the customer first. However, if you consider our services to be unsatisfactory, we have put the following complaints procedure in place, to assist you in bringing any problems to our attention and in resolving these as speedily as possible. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, you should contact the Managing Director either by phone, fax, e-mail or mail. This will be acknowledged by letter within 5 working days, a full written response would be received within 14 working days. A more formalised complaints procedure will be found in your policy document, or upon request. As independent intermediaries we act as your agent and accept responsibility for advice given and the arranging your insurance. We undertake to comply with the ABI code of conduct for selling of general insurance. A copy of the code is available on request.

Non payment of premium
Further to our premium information shown, we would like to clarify the company’s procedure in the event that a client owes an insurance company premium for whatsoever reason.
We would firstly contact the client to advise that a premium is outstanding, the amount, who is it owed to and what that money is in respect of.
In the event that we have not received a response from the client, we would then follow this up with a recorded delivery letter giving seven days notice of action to be taken.
Following the expiry of the seven days if still no response, we then pass the debt to our debt collection team, which is administered by a third party professional debt collection company on our/insurers behalf. It should be noted that any additional costs, fees and interest incurred are also added to the amount outstanding and are requested to be additionally collected by the debt collection team.

Business Hours
Our offices are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm and Saturday 8:30am to 1:00pm. We are closed on Sundays, Bank & Public holidays.
Please ensure therefore that you contact this office beforehand in the event that you need to make any changes to your policy, if your renewal is due etc. We cannot extend cover past a renewal date without prior confirmation from the policyholder.
You are able to forward an e-mail to us outside business hours, although this would be read and actioned at the commencement of the next working day. Alternatively please visit our web sites for further information, our addresses are www.abacusinsuranceservices.co.uk for insurance and www.absibee.com for mortgage business.