Hastings Direct Smart Miles Reviews

Name: Hastings Direct Smart Miles
Rating: 3.30

3.3 Rating 1,998 Reviews

56 %

of reviewers recommend Hastings Direct Smart Miles

3.3

Based on 1,998 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Courier
On-time Delivery	Greater than 72%
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Under An Hour

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Hastings Direct Smart Miles 1 star review on 12th July 2024

James

Hastings Direct Smart Miles 5 star review on 29th September 2023

Jason Major

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Rated 1 None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Sorry can't tell you what to do if you don't even listen to your customers”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

HI there,Thank you for this feedback, I'm sorry to see you have had such a bad experience with our policy and feel that we haven't listened to your comments.~ Jamie

Posted 5 years ago

“Initial price of policy beat all competition, but problems from start of policy were apparent when black box scores showed my acceleration on 0 out of 100, and NEVER went above for the whole year. All other scores were on 100, setting off slower than a snail didn't help, another named driver with 40+years experience couldn't bring it up either. Had a VW data plug installed showing that my acceleration is more than acceptable, Hastings denied any inaccuracies... Stay clear of this company, reading other people's reviews, I was lucky the inaccuracies only extended this far.”

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Posted 6 years ago

Hi there,Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. I'm sorry to see you have had such a bad experience with our insurance and that your acceleration score didn't increase over 0/100. We do have a dedicated team that could have given you really helpful hints and tips to improve your score. Again I apologise that his insurance policy didn't suit you.~ Jamie

Posted 5 years ago

“This Company is an absolute con. Have got an accident free record of 50 years but their black box thinks it knows better than a proven 50 year safe driving record. Avoid at all costsd”

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Posted 6 years ago

“Faulty system. Admit it Hastings. Nice little con you have going here, maybe this will be the next PPI scandal. Please read the bad reviews people. Wish we had but lesson learned. This insurance is dangerous, maybe once someone is seriously injured, Hastings smart miles will realise their flawed system”

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Posted 6 years ago

“The smart miles box rating is impossible to bring back up if it dips low. Ratings are not given in real time or in any concept of time. Changing your driving does not seem to affect the box.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

Hi Benjamin. I'm sorry that you feel this way. To hear move about how the averages of the box work you can call our team free on 01733 308 380 and they will explain this in more detail for you. I'll also pass on your feedback to help us improve ~ Sophie

Posted 5 years ago

“Bunch of thieves that try and cancel your policy, consistently complaining about everything they can to get rid. Just a con”

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Posted 6 years ago

Hi Marcie. I'm really sorry to hear that you didn't get the level of service that we would expect for all our customers. I'll pass on your feedback for you and I hope this was all resolved for you ~ Sophie

Posted 5 years ago

“absolute rubbish”

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Posted 6 years ago

Hi Susan. I'm really sorry to hear that you feel this way. If you would like to speak to us further about this you can call us free on 01733 308 380 and I'll pass on your feedback for you ~ Sophie

Posted 5 years ago

“Money thieving - absolutely rubbish when dealing with my accident. Just charge you ridiculous amounts of money for everything. Change their minds about the price constantly. Would never waste my money on them again. Avoid at all costs.”

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Posted 6 years ago

Hi. I'm sorry that you feel this way. I hope that you were able to get this resolved for the team and I'll pass your feedback on to help us to improve ~ Sophie

Posted 5 years ago

“I was shocked that Hastings Direct took money for my renewal automatically. I was expecting a phone call or some sort of authorisation from me before they went ahead. I phoned Hastings, and was told that when I took out the policy this would have been told to me over the phone. This is what I call small print speak. Not openly clear and highly annoying as I wanted to use a different method to pay. So I am not impressed...”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

Hi Emma,Thank you for your review. I'm sorry to see you were unaware that we have automatically renewed your policy without your prior notice. We do have a level of responsibility as an insurance company to ensure you are always insured. We would have sent you a renewal invitation 28 days before your policy was due to expire whether in letter form or via email so if this was missed I apologise. ~ Jamie

Posted 5 years ago

“I’d give Hastings less than 1 if I could. My Daughter’s policy is about to be cancelled. She has never received a single point for acceleration in 10 months and I believe it’s because of the hilly area we live in (or a faulty/scam of a box) her tiny fiat needs extra acceleration to not stall up our steep hills but Hastings have denied this is correct. I’ve put a formal complaint in and hit a brick wall...I’ve now gone to watchdog and the Insurance Ombudsman. Everyone should do the same so eventually something will be done. These crooks have made my Daughter’s new driving experience very stressful and took the pleasure out of the new car we bought her. Strangely enough a journey after 10pm at night affects the score drastically immediately yet a week of daytime driving only hasn’t affected the score yet...how convenient when she’s been given a seven day cancellation notice. She’s tried on three occasions to call them on the number they left and the recorded message says to call back when they’re open between the hours of 8am and 8pm. She’s phoned at 5pm, 6pm and 7.10pm!”

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Posted 6 years ago

“Excellent”

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Posted 6 years ago

Hi there,Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. Its great to see you are happy with the service we have provided us for you so far.~ Jamie

Posted 5 years ago

“Hastings Direct SmartMiles do not value their customers, they sell the black box as reducing your premium if your a safe driver, yet despite me having a good driver rating score and no insurance claims they more than doubled my insurance this year and refused to reduce this even though on comparison websites they showed a cheaper price! I will never use them again! Their sales agents were rude and the company does not value their customers!”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

Hi there,Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. I'm sorry that you have ha such a bad experience using our SmartMiles insurance and have not received the renewal quote you were expecting. I also apologise that you feel you were mistreated by our staff and found them rude. I hope you have managed to find a policy that suits you and wish you the best with your new provider.~ Jamie

Posted 5 years ago

“I thought the black box wasn't bad at all but I drove at night for 20 minutes one day and it made my score go right down to 35 out of 100 for driving at night. It has now been 3 weeks since and the score is at 85 and I haven't drove at night since. This is unfair as the score should have gone back up to 100 weeks ago. It says avoid driving at night regularly but I have only done this once. This is wrong as I was picking my dad up. I shouldn't be discriminated because of people driving dangerously at night as they would do that anyway regardless of having a black box or not. Something needs to be done about this ASAP.”

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Posted 6 years ago

“Could have been clearer on polices. Were very unhelpful and unsympathetic.”

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Posted 6 years ago

Hi there,Thank you for your feedback. I'm sorry that you are dissatisfied with the service we have provided for you and feel we were unhelpful. We do try to be as transparent as we can with our Smartmiles policy both through our website and any other correspondence. If you have been mislead at all I apologise.~ Jamie

Posted 5 years ago

“Very poor, unresponsive, tried three times to say would not renew yet still they had the temerity to attempt to take cash from my account. The Smartmiles software has some gaping omissions it is aimed at young drivers. For example I was penalised for driving after 22h00 even after explaining that I had to pick my wife up after work from train station due to late trains, cancelled trains, the train station is less than a mile from our home and in recent months I ha? to travel to the airport 25 miles away when no alternative transport was available. Renewal price was outrageous, it was more expensive than some, despite the previous year being inclusive of ?100 telematics box installation fee. Cost 1 year ago all toldwas ?319 this year ?481 therefore old cost must have been 219 (minus cost of installation) more an uplift of greater than 90%! Good deal? I think not!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

Hi there,Thank you for your feedback. I'm sorry to see you have had such a bad experience with our SmartMiles policy. You are correct through in regards to our younger more inexperienced drivers preferring these policies, having a time of day score means that they are less likely to be involved in accidents during this timeframe. We are as transparent as possible when selling these policies and explain that this is a big area we monitor through your driving behaviour score. I do apologise if this was not made clear to you when you took the premium out with us,~ Jamie

Posted 5 years ago

“Cannot say it enough, avoid forever, worst service and loss of sleep ever! Was involved in a massive accident a few days after signing up. Ring them up day of, and because I hadn’t been able yet to install my black box (because as we know we have to do it ourselves!) they cancelled my insurance, emailed me to say. Ring them up to say it shouldn’t have been cancelled and I haven’t even got the car, and they argue with each other and me for hours about the claims department not properly telling the other departments so can’t decide if it’ll be reinstated or not (without refund!!!). They eventually reinstate, after hours on hold, paying for the phone line, and grief. Next day, they email me, we are cancelling again, not refund of the £1200 policy. Hours more again and no sleep. Eventually told ok the policy will continue to run while you don’t have a car, but you can keep it if you get a car within 6 days. Rush, get a car within 6 days. Obviously stressful, and most insurers would pause the policy and hold it. Ring up to add the new car to insurance policy and they say it’ll only be an extra £35 for that make of car etc, but also £150 for a black box. But we HAVE the brand new in packaging black box from when I couldn’t install it in time from 4 odd weeks ago. They say no, have to buy a new one as this has updates on etc. Despite the fact this older one would’ve been on my car currently for the next year with no updates if I hadn’t crashed. I ask for a refund then on my £150 black box that I already own, but after a lot of arguing they agree to let me use the one I was sent. Until, the next day when I ring again to finish making the changes, and they say “well although the £150 fee is now gone, we misspoke the price and it’s actually £150 more expensive - £185 now”. Spent a few hours getting them to listen to their own recorded phone call, until the manager changed their minds back. Absolutely. Awful. Horrific. Never use this company.”

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Posted 6 years ago

“Beware before committing yourself to this black box with Hastings!! I have cancelled after 14 days at a cost of £125.00 + insurance cost for 14 days to me. Spent more time looking at the speedometer than the road. Wish I had read these reviews before I signed up to this insurance policy. Hastings Customer service said they didn't expect people to leave good reviews, really? wonder why that is? No need for a reply to this review Hastings I will have a better experience with my new insurer!.”

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Posted 6 years ago

“Poor score keeping. Does not explain the how the score system works or a way of tracking scores for each time you travel”

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Posted 6 years ago

Hi there, Thank you for your feedback. I'm sorry to see that it is unclear how the box data is calculated, sometimes this can really make a difference to how you drive as data is collected through the G-Force put through your vehicle with potential late breaking or accelerating too quickly. We do have a dedicated team called the First Response Unit that would be more than happy to help you with any questions you may have and also to give you hints and tips to improve. Their number is 0800 048 2955.~ Jamie

Posted 5 years ago

“Awful customer service, extremely rude.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

Hi there,Thank you for your review. I'm sorry to see you have had such a bad experience with our Customer Services team. We strive to be as professional as possible when dealing with our policy holders so its disappointing to we have not achieved this when dealing with yourself. If you feel we have mistreated you please raise a complaint by clicking on this link: https://www.hastingsdirect.com/quotehisle/views/common/RequestForm.jsf?reason=feedback.~ Jamie

Posted 5 years ago

“Reading through all the reviews regarding Hastings direct insurance. Not just this site but others as well. I still think there wrong. Every review is the same regarding the smart box. It's time something should be done about it. No everyone can be driving wrong. I think hasting direct should have an open day enquiry. So we can all attend there office at bexhill on sea to put our cases to them to prove that these smart boxes are wrong. So come on Tasting put out a date so we can all come.”

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Posted 6 years ago

Hello, I'm sorry to hear that you've had a poor experience with the smart miles telematics box. I will pass this message to the team so that they are aware of your request. I must advise however that Hastings Smart miles is a sister company of Hastings Direct and is not based in Bexhill. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review with us and I hope that your overall experience improves where this is concerned -Theo

Posted 6 years ago

Hastings Direct Smart Miles is rated 3.3 based on 1,998 reviews