Again, this is very bad news. As with the Consumer Rights Act and previous to that, allowing cash refunds for delays etc - customers really don't realise that this all costs FAR more in the long term. In response to being forced to refund in cash (and other factors), the majority of Train Operating Companies (TOCs) amended their unregulated Advance fare products, removing the cheapest tiers or severely restricting the number available. Some TOCs amended their regulated Off Peak fares, not through fare increases, but by applying the very maximum time restrictions permitted by regulation, resulting in customers having to now purchase a higher priced Anytime (peak) fare. The Consumer Rights Act has made the situation far worse - it's early days yet, but expect to see things like withdrawal of catering, seat reservations, possibly first class accommodation on borderline or low profit margin services - because if they don't provide (or advertise) a particular service, customers can't claim when it isn't there! This results in the QUALITY of the service being degraded. As for the delay compensation - all that TOCs will do is artificially increase journey times. They'll add longer dwell time at stations, pad out journey times, if a journey can be done in 10 minutes, they'll schedule it for 15, maybe 20. If a train is running 10 minutes late, it will then magically arrive early because the advertised timetable is padded out. This will result in the customer being shown artificially higher journey lengths, (which can affect what onward connections are offered etc). This is most evident with CrossCountry. The 06:01 Glasgow to Plymouth currently has around 40 minutes extra incorporated for "performance", AS WELL as long dwell times at stations, for example, this one sits at Edinburgh (6 minutes), Newcastle (9 minutes), Birmingham (13 minutes), and 2-5 minutes at every other station. If the TOC and passenger wasn't motivated by money/compensation - just think how much quicker this service could be! Finally, Rail franchises are obviously commercial ventures awarded by the government. A TOC will obviously have an idea of what profit/return it needs to make to be viable. The reality is that all companies interested in rail bidding will want a very similar return on their investment. If the government is telling them to pay out compensation after 15 minutes, the TOCs will just reduce how much they pay for the franchise in the first place, (by £millions), which results in less money being returned to the taxpayer - same with the CRA. (For info, a Train Operator normally only makes a single low- digit percentage profit).

Firstly, your wife should contact her card company and cancel any future payments, otherwise the same amount will be taken every month, forever. Secondly, cast your mind back to the purchase and see if you can remember signing the form. If it was signed, then, as a previous poster said, it is legal, even if you didn't read it. For the amount involved, it wouldn't really be practical to take it to court I don't think. However, what I would do is go to the branch, ask for a manager, and explain what's happened. Trust me, you are DEFINITELY NOT the first person in this situation. Keep calm, talk to the manager on the his level, don't go ranting and raving, tell them you "feel let down", and you've "always trusted Currys", and that it's "left a bad taste" and you "feel like not shopping here any more". Play it right, blow smoke at him a little, make him feel important, and although you probably won't get your money back, he will quite likely offer you some small gift or incentive, or a percentage off a future purchase "to restore your faith in the company". Play it right and you will walk away with something of more value than the £6.50 you have been charged. Go in there shouting and talking legal and they will probably just show you your wife's signature on the form and give you the middle finger. Your choice... Best of luck.

Yes you can claim directly with the third party insurers, by providing them with full information of your loss. 1) market value of car, 2) other consequential losses e.g car hire, finance interest remaining. BUT you need to get the finance company to put something in writing confirming the amount from the date of loss up to the end of the finance agreement. So it can be seen what interest you are liable for, when you don't still have the enjoyment of the car.