Terms of Business

Please read these carefully

West Lothian Insurance Services is authorized by and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and therefore committed to the high standards of professional services and committed to you as our client.

This document sets out our commitment to you in detail and confirms the principles we endeavor to follow in carrying out our business with you.

Our services:                     

• Acting independently on your behalf
• Advising on your insurance needs
• Arranging Insurance Cover with recognised insurers
• Arranging Insurance to meet your particular requirements using other specialist brokers.
• Making clear to you why we have used insurers and the product chosen for you having considered alternatives on your behalf

What we will do for you

Information

We will give you clear, relevant and comprehensive information to make informed decisions including the different types of Insurance and Associated costs to meet your needs. 

Explanations

We will give written confirmation and explain the main features of the insurance proposed describing:

• the benefits
• restrictions
• exclusions
• conditions
• obligations
• period of cover

Where we cannot meet your requirements we will explain why there is a difference between what is proposed and those requirements.

Quotes

On receipt of your information (telephone or other means) we would confirm our quotation to you in writing using E Mail, facsimile or letter whichever is appropriate.

We will advise and help with the completion of proposal forms if appropriate but remember, you have a duty of disclosure therefore it is essential we are informed of all the facts before placing cover on your behalf. You will always, where required, be asked to sign and date the form.

Documentation 

We will endeavour to give you written quotations twenty one days before renewal

We will following commencement of Insurance check and provide you within fourteen days a

• Cover note
• Written confirmation that cover is in place or
• Full policies where appropriate

Policy Terms, conditions and warranties

You should read through all policy terms, conditions and warranties shown on your policy documents. Please ensure you understand them and are able to follow their requirements exactly. If not, please advise us immediately, as a breach of any terms conditions or warranties may enable your insurers to terminate your policy from the date of that breach, and /or repudiate a claim under your policy.

Cancellation Rights

The Mediation Contract is an agreement between you and us for the insurance mediation services that we provide to you in respect of your insurance requirements. 

Once you have entered into the mediation contract with us you are entitled to a period of reflection during which you may decide whether to proceed with the purchase of the contract. The duration of the cancellation period is 14 days and commences from the day on which you receive the full terms of the mediation contract detailing the full contractual terms, conditions and information of the contract.

To cancel this Mediation Contract within the cancellation period, please write to us at the above address. If you do cancel this mediation contract within cancellation period, you may be charged a proportion of any of our fees that we have incurred.

This Mediation can be cancelled at any time by either party in writing by giving 14 days notice. If you do wish to give notice of cancellation, please write to us at the above address. If we wish to cancel the contract we shall write to you at the last known address we have for you on our records.

If you decide to cancel the Mediation Contract with us at any time other than during the cancellation period, we will refund a proportion of any fees you have paid.      

What you must do for us

Your duty

When you become a proposed insured with us you have a duty and the onus is on you to disclose all material information even when proposal forms are not completed or applicable. This duty also applies throughout the terms of the insurance and at every renewal.

Misrepresentation

What we mean by material is whether it would affect the Insurers assessment of the risk involved. This includes misrepresentation or non disclosure which would have affected the Insurers judgment to any particular contract. . Remember Insurers have the right to void the policy and return the premium under conditions where they have been misled so please be accurate and complete.

Changes 

Where there are changes in your circumstances during the term of the policy and the policy requires the disclosure, you should also take note and make us aware as soon as possible.

Premium costs/Payments

Information

We will provide details of the premium costs of each of the policies offered and not charge any additional fee without first disclosing the amount and the purpose of the fee. It is important to remember we are merely agents for the collection of the premiums you owe to the Insurers. All payments owed (excluding direct payments to the insurance company) and received from you will be paid into our separate Non Statutory Trust Client account for onward transmission to the relevant insurer less any commission or amount due to us in remuneration for our services. Under the regulation rules we are obliged to obtain positive consent to carry out this process-your acceptance of these terms and conditions is deemed to be our permission to do so.

We reserve the right to charge for policy amendments, claims handling/ or cancellations and to be paid commission or brokerage for arranging your insurance.

Payment obligations   

Premiums are due from the moment the insurance comes into force therefore payment terms are effectively immediate. Prior to going on cover we will notify you of the total costs and a debit note or separate account will follow within 14 days for immediate payment. Additional Premium arising from changes or endorsements during the currency of the contract will be requested once documents are received from insurers.

Renewal Premium paid by instalments

At the point of arranging your insurance we will offer credit terms with reputable finance companies or monthly instalments can be arranged payable directly to the insurers. We will not take commission for the arrangements offered or so established. If it is your intention to renew the policy, no action is required by you and the policy will renew automatically. We shall send your new certificate of insurance to you. If you do not wish to renew the policy, please let us know as soon as possible as we will advise you to cancel your direct debiting instruction with your bank prior to renewal date.

Other broker fees

We may use other brokers who can respond to you and your instructions where we believe this to be of benefit to you. Unless a separate fee arrangement has been agreed they will usually be paid brokerage which will be the premium charged. We will be entitled to any other earnings we are able to generate through management of cash balances not identifiable to any individual Client.

Disclosure of commission  

If you would like to know the amount of commission that we are paid in respect of you insurance contract this is available on request

Business Introducers

Where a firm introduces business, and an introducer status is agreed, we shall share our commission received from the insurance Companies.

Claims

We require to be informed of any incident of any incident or circumstances likely to give rise to a claim. When we receive Notification of an incident that might give rise to a claim under your policy we will inform the insurer without delay and in any event within 5 working days. We will use best endeavors to handle all elements with due care, skill and diligence.

We will give guidance or pursue the claim on your behalf at all times acting:

• Fairly
• Promptly

And

• Keep you informed of progress
• Inform you in writing if we are unable to pursue the claim or any part of it
• Account to you timeously once it has been agreed and settled

When notifying us of the detail you must disclose all material facts. Insurers share information with each other via the claims and underwriting exchange register and the Motor Insurance Anti Fraud and Theft Register to aid in the prevention of fraudulent claims. In the event of a claim, the information you supply on the claim form, together with any other information relating to the claim, will be put on the registers.

Under the Regulation rules we are obliged to inform you of a potential conflict of interest in that we have delegated authority from certain insurers to deal with claims on their behalf and that we are acting on behalf of the insurance company. In the event of a claim, Your Acceptance of these terms and conditions ids deemed to be our prior informed consent to also act on your behalf given this disclosure.

Where you cease to be our Client but want us to handle your claims (and we agree) we reserve the right to charge a fee for doing so.

Retention and custody medium of documentation

We will keep your placing and claims records on computerized medium for three years after which we will automatically destroy these and provide this service free of charge

Market Security

Whilst we actively monitor and take into account on your behalf the financial viability and other risks involved with using the range of insurers we are associated with in providing your insurance requirements, we cannot guarantee the future viability or ability of any insurer to meet the policy obligations.

Uses of the internet and other means of carrying out business.

Internet

We will use modern mediums of communications and marketing like E-mail and the internet but we will not proactively send unwanted marketing material

Standards

We take pride in complying with the relevant standards laid down by the FSA. You can visit the FSA website at www.fsa.gov.uk

Data Protection

Generally

We are registered with the data protection register and the office of fair trading .West Lothian Insurance Services (General) will not use information provided by you for any purpose other than for progressing the insurance service provided .we will treat all information provided with the utmost confidentiality. From time to time we may consider passing your reference on to a third party but we would inform you of this in advance or, where you prefer otherwise, we will adhere to your wishes. You have the right under the data protection Act 1998 to a copy of your personal data held by us on written request and on payment of a fee.

Use for marketing purposes

We may use information held about you, to provide you with information about other products and services which we may offer and we feel may be appropriate to you, by E-mail, Telephone, Post or other means.

Motor insurer information centre

Insurers are legally required to provide details of motor insurance policies to the MIC. The information describing your insurance cover will be added to the motor insurance database (MID) to which the police and other Government agencies have access. This helps the pursuance of claims following accidents and assists in the detection of people who drive uninsured.

Complaints

Our aim is to provide you with a high level service at all times. Where there are occasions when we do not meet the standards expected please contact the person you were dealing with earlier verbally or in writing. Where you feel you want to talk to someone independently of the person you were dealing with please contact (currently Joyce Coleman) our complaints handling officer. Details of your concerns will be taken and we shall acknowledge in writing who will be dealing with the matter. In any event a copy of our complaints handling procedure is available on request.

We may have to allow access to your records by a regulator or a complaints resolution body or their appointees or representatives, who have been appointed to undertake monitoring or investigatory activities.

Our Obligation

We will deal with any complaint quickly and fairly and clearly indicate what you will need to do. We will give you an acknowledgement within seven days and confirm at any time the progress of the complain

Where the dispute is not resolved to your satisfaction we agree to participate in the independent dispute resolution facility of the financial ombudsman

Legislation

West Lothian insurance services are bound by UK law and European Community directives and undertakes its activities within that framework.

Any questions?

Where you have any questions about the contents of this document please contact us.