Extortion or a Business Model

Here is the synopsis of my story:
On 4/18/2021 I received a letter from INTRUM attorney's office, acting on behalf of RESO Balcia Insurance SE [Spolka Europejska]. The letter threatened court action, and demanded a payment of 595,08zl to cover my apparent 'debt' to their client - RESO Balcia. RESO Balcia Insurance SE [Spolka Europejska] had provided an insurance cover for my truck through 2020 with the policy ending on November 5th 2020.The letter demanded that the debt be cleared by 4/20/2021 ( giving me 2 days), or the court summons will be issued against my person. The fact is, in Nov 2020 I had switched my car insurance to another provider. Accustomed to the way my car insurance covers were voided past their expiry dates, I had assumed the same should occur in Poland. Not so. I telephoned the INTRUM attorneys on 4/19 to ask why they had waited 5 months to act, and had not informed me of the need to serve RESO Balcia with a cancellation note. Katarzyna and Krzysztof who answered my two calls, stated that 'an entry was made in their system' to say that 'a reminder letter was sent to me in November 2020 but was returned to RESO Balcia Insurance SE [Spolka Europejska], citing "resident no longer at the address" (???)...'. This is most odd since throughout the last 5 years it had not crossed my mind to move anywhere. Neither have I been made aware of any other post going astray for such reasons. It is also curious that in full knowledge of the "Client no longer at the address" Balcia, through INTRUM attorney's, had no problem instructing their attorneys to post a new letter to the very same address the whole 5 months later!. Krzysztof and Katarzyna from their HelpDesk informed me that if I were to wire RESO Balcia Insurance SE [Spolka Europejska] 261.00 zl immediately, the instruction to issue court summons would be dropped. No one at Balcia offered to explain the origin of the notion formed by them in November 2020 that I no longer lived at the address. The fact is, my insurance cover contract was started in Nov 2019, ran for 12 months, ending in Nov 5th 2020. There is no way I should be liable for any payments to Balcia for their service after that date. Am I wrong? My gut feeling is that RESO Balcia could be running something I know exists under the name 'extortion racket'. Extortion is I think outlawed in western countries. Can someone correct me if I err on this but extortion occurs when someone levies charges and enforces payments (typically using threats), for goods or services which had not been ordered by the end client. Having spoken to a couple polish lawyers I was dismayed to

hear that extortion does not exists in Polish law, and the notion has no distinctive name in Polish language.

I hope you still have a copy of your original contract somewhere. Assuming you do then it will be quite clear if it's a contract that ends after 12 months or is automatically renewed unless otherwise cancelled by yourself.

If you don't have a copy of it then ask for a copy. If they don't have a copy well there is no contract then.

Everything should be in writing so there is clear evidence of what has been said.

Well; Even if it is, how come that none of my past car insurers in UK Admiral, Canada AllStates, US Geico, did this type of autorenewal? This really looks like a deliberate setup to trap and milk money out of people. If Balcia ploicy is valid without me paying for it I wonder if they would honour a claim? Am I to understand that the Polish way of doing insurance effectively moves responsibility for insuring vehicle from me - the driver, to whoever underwrites the outstanding costs? This is absurd, since the names of such guarantors had never been mede known to me.

In UK it is autorenewal.
As mine is up in few weeks here is the message:

Your Car Insurance policy is due to renew on 24 July 2021, but don't worry, to make your life easier and to ensure you remain covered, we will automatically renew your policy for you, including any additional products you have selected.

This is obviously something new. When I insured my cars in UK 1985-2001 I do not recall any such caveats. And it is a very bad idea too. Especially, with Balcia. At least Admiral sent you a note, I got nothing, except a verbal that "owner not at the address" 6 months later, ( cooked up - I suspect,) with the legal notice, conveniently whole 6 month later. I wish I had asked if they would honour a claim in the overhang period. Cause if not, then it is a straight money for nothing scam. Beats me why the regulators do not make it illegal. Also interesting that the message you got does not say anything about the charges, or instruct you how to cancel.

If the car is registered in Poland you are bound to have insurance always and Insurance companies automatically renew there policy.If you have renewed your policy just send them the renewal policy of that period with another company and you will be off the hook or get insured for that period with cheaper company or you will owe them legally.