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ASHMORE INSURANCE SERVICES
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CLIENTS
EXPLAINING OUR TERMS OF BUSINESS AND INDEPENDENT INTERMEDIARY STATUS
Regulation – Ashmore Insurance Services are authorised, by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), to act as General Insurance Intermediaries under permission 304273. Details may be verified by looking at the Register on www.fsa.gov.uk
Our service – We are Independent Insurance Brokers. We offer a wide range of insurance products and our service includes: advising you on your insurance needs, arranging your insurance cover with insurers to meet your requirements and helping you with any subsequent event or alteration to your insurance that we have placed on your behalf. We place insurance with a number of insurers and we will advise you should we have any special arrangements with them or should you have to deal directly with the insurer for ongoing policy administration. We may issue policies and handle claims on behalf of some insurers.
Insurer solvency – Whilst it is our intention to place your insurance with a financially sound insurer, it must be understood that we cannot guarantee the solvency of any insurer throughout the period of the insurance contract.
Confidentiality – Unless required by law, public interest, virtue of our being members of GISC or you give your consent, all information you supply will be kept confidential to us and parties involved in the normal course of arranging and administrating your insurance. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you have the right to see personal information about you that we hold in our records. Should you have any queries please write to us at the above address.
Disclosure of Information – It is important that you understand that any information, statements or answers made by you to us, or your insurer are your responsibility and must be correct. Your attention is particularly drawn to the importance of the declaration and signature on any insurers’ proposal forms as any failure to disclose facts material to the insurance or any inaccuracies in your answers may invalidate your insurance cover in part or in whole. Facts material to the insurance are matters of information which may influence your insurer as to the acceptability or otherwise or your proposal of renewal and must be disclosed at the earliest opportunity and certainly at each renewal. You are advised to keep copies of documentation sent to or received from us for your own protection. Please do consult us if you are in doubt on any aspect.
Awareness of Policy Terms – When a policy is issued you are strongly advised to read it carefully, as it is that document, the schedule and any certificate of insurance which the basis of the insurance contract you have purchased. If you are in any doubt over any of the policy terms or conditions, please seek our advice promptly.
Charges & Payment – We reserve the right to make charges n addition to any insurance premiums, for the arranging, amending, renewing and cancellation of any policy of insurance. These charges will always be advised to you before you purchase the insurance of they are incurred. Settlement of invoices, on or before inception date, for new insurances or renewal of existing insurances and 14 days for all other transactions. We are paid a commission by insurers for arranging your insurance with them. This is normally paid to us when the premium is paid to the insurer. In the unlikely event that you cancel the insurance before its normal expiry date, we reserve the right to retain all of the commission due to us including that proportion which relates to the unexpired period of the insurance.
Claims – If you have occasion to claim on your policy you must notify us immediately and we will promptly advise you and, if appropriate, issue you with a claim form and pass all details to your insurer. You should not admit liability nor agree to any course of action, other than emergency measures carried out to minimise the loss, until you have agreement from your insurer.
Complaints – It is always our intention to provide a first class service. However, should you have any cause for complaint you should in the first instance contact our Compliance Director orally or in writing. Your complaint will be acknowledged within 5 business days advising you who is dealing with the complaint and indicating when you may expect an answer. We will provide a formal written response within 20 business days from receipt of the original complaint. If the complaint cannot be resolved within this timescale we will write with an explanation as to the progress and the likely timescale involved. You will be advised of any further redress available to you, should you believe the matter has not been resolved to your satisfaction. Your insurer also operates a complaint procedure, details of which are in your policy. Where we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, we are members of the Financial Ombudsman Service and you may wish to consult them. They can be contacted at South Quay Plaza. 183 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9SR. Phone 0845 080 1800.
Documents – With your consent we reserve the right to retain certificates of other policy documents at this office until all payments due under the policy have been made. Any agreed facilities for payment of premiums by instalments through us will be the subject of a written agreement, which will include authority to retain certificates of insurance to us shall constitute delivery to yourself in accordance with statue law. Should we withhold any documents we will ensure you receive full details of your insurance cover.
Notice – Insurers pass information to the Claims and Underwriting Exchange run by Insurance Database Services Limited and the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register run by the association of British Insurers. The aim is to check information provided and also prevent fraudulent claims. Motor insurance details are added to the Motor Insurance Database run by the Motor Insurers’ information Centre which has been formed to help identify uninsured drivers and may be searched by the Police to help confirm who is insured to drive. In the event of an accident the database may be used by insurers and the Motor Insurers Bureau to identify relevant policy information.
Note – Your acceptance of these Terms of Business does not affect your normal legal rights
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