Awful communication,awful holding music, awful service

Just cancelled my policy with elephant.co.uk due to very poor customer service and non existant customer communication.

I recieved no written notice of renewal through the post that my renewal was due, its was only by chance that i found an email (which i dont check very regularly) telling me my policy was due for renewal, 3 days BEFORE i had read the email. This is my first gripe, i find it unacceptable for this to be the only form of renewal notice, i never declared that i do not wish to recieve paper notifications from elephant.co.uk.

Then when i rang them to question the renewal quote and tell them i had a better quote (to the sum of £300) with admiral they informed me i had got my NCB details incorrect when i quoted with admiral as admiral are infact a sister company of theirs and they would quote me the same price as elephant if i entered the correct NCB details.

So i requoted online with the correct NCB details and was displayed the same price, even though they are elephants sister company apparently! So I rang up again, and waited again for over 15 minutes to get through to somebody being tortued with their awful holding music to cancel the policy. I was told it was done, and no refund was due as no payment had yet been taken. Fine.

So when i checked my bank the next day to find out a payment had been taken that morning i was somewhat annoyed. I rang back again, another 15 minute holding session, and asked for a refund and was told certainly, not a problem, it will be 3-5 working days before its back in my account.

1 week later, still no refund. Again i ring, again i hold before getting through. Its finally established that the refund is showing on their system as processed, the day i rang, 8 days after i was told the refund would be processed!! And then to top it off i was told as it was only processed today it would be another 3 - 5 days before the money will be back where it belongs...in my account!

Terrible customer service, will not use elephant.co.uk ever again.