2010-11 Winter Plans

I think the time has long past since insurance companies looked at customer loyalty when considering claims. It's all just business for them, and so it should be for consumers too.

Well, I am sorry to be such a nuisance everyone, but I am still confused about what Bandit is saying. I don't understand the grounds her insurers used to deny her claim.

Bandit,
Were the insurers saying that your knee was a pre-existing condition that you had failed to report, or what?

Ally

Dave Mac wrote:I imagine that when you submit a claim, they can see on the screen strong repeat business, with little claim history. They may then take a view that the claim generally will have merit.

You'd like to think so woudln't you? However, having worked in the general insurance market, and having friends who still do, I can assure you this is not the case. Only claims which have been DECLINED previously flag up. Many people jump from insurer to insurer year after year to save a few quid, and therefore often either forget to or choose not to disclose any previous claims history, if there is one.
Each individual claim is dealt with on its merits these days, although the down side to that is that the length of time and the trouble involved in making a claim puts many potential fraudsters off.
Sadly, I am now on the receiving end of this with my bank's gold account travel insurance (free with the account) as they are being a pain in paying out the genuine claim for my damaged skis. My guess is that they hope I will give up and discontinue with the claim.

People who renew year in year out should be given some kind of loyalty bonus, in the same way you do with car insurance IMO.

I have booked travel insurance the day before travel on a few occasions and had no trouble claiming when my oh broke his collar bone. I am a little unclear as to what bandit is talking about.

snowb4ndit wrote:I have booked travel insurance the day before travel on a few ocasions and had no trouble claiming when my oh broke his collar bone. I am a little unclear as to what bandit is talking about.

It's about insurers taking back their umbrella's at the 1st hint of rain. From your example,the timeline for your OH's claim is clear, it's an unforseeable event after the insurance was purchased. Try booking a flight 6 months in advance, buying travel insurance a week before travel and then make a claim for cancellation costs, and see what happens.

snowb4ndit wrote:I have booked travel insurance the day before travel on a few ocasions and had no trouble claiming when my oh broke his collar bone. I am a little unclear as to what bandit is talking about.

Snowbandit,
Did your OH have to pay his medical expenses on the spot? And how long did it take to get the money back from the insurers?

I am still worrying about my overdraft facility. I have appealed it, but apparently it has to go to the underwriters (whoever they are!). It seems my bank cut it just because they got taken over by another bank - it wasn't anything that I did wrong. If I can't get it back I think I will be forced to take out a credit card.

Tony,
I'm sorry you haven't had the money for your skis yet. It's a good job it wasn't a really large claim for being rescued off the mountain, or medical care, or something. I hope you get it soon.

Ally

We didn't have to pay a penny up front and I have no idea how long it took the insurers to pay. He had the treatment, we gave the insurance details and a few days later went home. A week or so later we were sent a bill and I forwarded it to the insurers who said not to worry and then we didn't here anything else about the claim again.

Thanks Snowbandit :D
That's very reassuring. Maybe it's just the rescue services who sometimes demand payment up front, whereas the medical people are okay as long as one is insured.

I am planning on double insuring again this year, and buying the French carre neige insurance with the lift pass, in the hope that they will trust their own insurers and not demand a pile of money off me should we be so unfortunate as to need rescuing.

Ally