Question
Can force-placed auto insurance be removed/refunded from a loan? If so, to what extent?
I took out an auto loan back in 2015 and sent in the current auto insurance I had to the loan company. During that time I have changed providers and was with the understanding that the new provider was sending my current auto insurance to the loan company. I had issues with logging on to the account with my loan provider for many years and was not able to until this month when I saw a much higher amount come out of my bank account for my car loan. I checked the activity on my loan account and saw that the company had been adding their insurance (roughly 6 times the amount of my monthly payment) every year since as far back as I can see, 2017. I never received any notification from them saying they were going to be adding that to my auto loan balance. If I had, I would have sent them my current auto insurance info at that time. I have maintained sufficient insurance during the period of time the car has been in my possession. I bought the car in Washington but reside in Oregon.
Answer
Yes, you should be reimbursed if you were actively insured during that time. I would call the carrier you had and make sure the lien info is listed correctly, and then obtain all declarations and a letter of experience. Take that to the loan/financing company and they should reimburse you on all the insurance charges. As long as you were in compliance with your loan terms, they can not force-place coverage. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.