Privilege Insurance has been rapped on the knuckles by advertising watchdogs for misleading the public over a car insurance quote, writes Christopher McKevitt.

It has also been taken to task for failing to act on an earlier adjudication by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The offending advertisement was headlined 'Paying over £300 to insure your 4x4?'

A Surrey newspaper reader objected to the ASA on the grounds that the advertisement misleadingly implied that Privilege would insure a 4x4 vehicle for less than £300.

The company had actually offered a £316 quote to insure a Land Rover for which another company was able to quote £229. Privilege claimed that the statement did not imply that it would actually insure for under £300 rather that it was looking to attract people who would normally pay more than that sum for their insurance. The insurer also found itself apologising to the ASA for failing to implement an earlier complaint adjudication.

It said internal changes in the company had meant that a planned advertising review was not implemented. The ASA said it was concerned that this was the case but accepted assurances that the advert would not run again.

The complaint against Privilege was upheld.


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