Somebody Mentioned Insurance?

[planenut]

In another thread on insurance (car) I mentioned that I had encountered difficulty when talking to Insurance companies about a claim. And since reading those posts, I again had a problem; I currently have a travel insurance claim "live". I was told about twenty minutes ago by one person that they cannot receive emails as "that address is not monitored". I explained that there was no other email address provided and therefore had to go over all of the detail I had sent them during the last month. Five minutes ago, different bod tells me that that was wrong, and then read aloud the text from those emails I had sent.

The last email I had from them today was that if I didn't send the information requested then my claim would be closed.

It can be difficult.

[Darcydog]

Originally Posted by planenut

In another thread on insurance (car) I mentioned that I had encountered difficulty when talking to Insurance companies about a claim. And since reading those posts, I again had a problem; I currently have a travel insurance claim "live". I was told about twenty minutes ago by one person that they cannot receive emails as "that address is not monitored". I explained that there was no other email address provided and therefore had to go over all of the detail I had sent them during the last month. Five minutes ago, different bod tells me that that was wrong, and then read aloud the text from those emails I had sent.

The last email I had from them today was that if I didn't send the information requested then my claim would be closed.

It can be difficult.

Sounds like you are being given the run around - I would consider getting them to focus properly on your claim by submitting a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act.

Loads of info on how to do this if you Google it - but in summary it will enable you to demand from them your entire file be it on paper, electronic or recorded phone calls.

It wraps them up in knots and they have just 40 days to send you all your details.

The information you get will tell you if they are employing delaying tactics and armed with that (if they are) then you can make a complaint under the FCA’s “Treating Customers Fairly” rules.

Believe me ! - using the power of a Subject Access Request with Insurance Companies who use “dirty tricks” will get them to treat you with respect.

[planenut]

Originally Posted by Darcydog

Sounds like you are being given the run around - I would consider getting them to focus properly on your claim by submitting a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act........................
..............
Believe me ! - using the power of a Subject Access Request with Insurance Companies who use “dirty tricks” will get them to treat you with respect.

Many thanks for that. They also claimed that the travel company that I had had to contact to allow access to my details, had not confirmed with them. Now I'm told that the travel company will forward documents which I then have to forward to the Insurance company. At least I have had it confirmed that my contacts are all on the file now.

[Darcydog]

Originally Posted by planenut

Many thanks for that. They also claimed that the travel company that I had had to contact to allow access to my details, had not confirmed with them. Now I'm told that the travel company will forward documents which I then have to forward to the Insurance company. At least I have had it confirmed that my contacts are all on the file now.

That’s good - if you have more trouble - do consider submitting a SAR. We have used them on a few occaisions with great success. The most notable was against Homeserve who told us our boiler was too old. We said that we had provided all the info and that they had been accepting the premium.

They said that they had written to us three months before to tell us and that their continuing to take the full premium was “an oversight” and they would refund us the three months overpayment - about £40.

Needless to say we had received no letter and asked for a copy but got nothing so we sent in a SAR.

They were not happy!!

But we insisted and on the 39th day received a huge file complete with transcripts of all our telephone conversations!!!

It must have cost them thousands£’s in man hours to get that all together - and you know what?

No letter of three months ago informing us that our boiler was now too old to be covered.

A threat to take it all the way to the Financial Ombudsman Service resulted in them refunding our entire premiums over the years the policy had been in place plus interest.

SayNoto0870

We also spooked them by checking out alternative tel numbers using the “saynoto0870” site.

If you have not used it before it is worth a look - just Google it

As an example try inputting “Aviva” in the Company name box and see all the tell number listings you then get!

You can usually get straight through to the dept you want by going down the list.

We used a number from the “unverified number” section and got straight through to the Compliance Dept. - the chap on the other end kept asking us how we got his direct dial number

I said we were given it by a colleague.

Again - like SAR’s, this resource is worth using.