[econ1]

Hi,

I recently lost my mother to cancer, she was only 49. On my way home from the funeral I left my Iphone 4 in the back of a taxi. Luckily my phone was insured with a company called Life Style Services Group on behalf of my bank Lloyds TSB.

On the Monday after my mother funeral only two days later, I rang my insurance company and reported my phone as lost. They told me they were going to send me out a claim form and that I had to report it to my airtime provider and the police and get a reference number. However, the insurance advisor did not tell me that I had to do this in 24 hours after I reported the phone lost. I called my airtime provider the same day and had the handset blocked. However, I did not report the lost phone to the police until 5-7 days later when I received the claim form from the insurance company. I then sent everything they asked for off to the insurance company 1st class as I really need my phone replaced as I depend on it for work etc.

I have just had a letter back from the insurance company telling me that my claim was rejected on the basis that I did not report the phone lost to the police 24 hours after the incident. My reason for this is that I had a lost going on at the time with my mothers death, I only received the insurance claim form explaining what I had to get from the police 5 days later and also I did not report it to the police as I wanted to ring the taxi company to check if it had been handed in at all... The main reason I did not report it to the police is because the insurance advisor did not tell me that it needed to be done within 24 hours otherwise I could have reported it straight away....

I have decided to appeal again the rejected claim as I cannot afford to buy myself a new Iphone and I rely on it for work... I just need some advice on how to write an email to the insurance company before I send it.

Do you think I have a chance of winning the appeal on these basis???

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

James

[jacketpotato]

I'm a trainee lawyer, if I remember tomorrow I will post the form of emails and a letter before claim I used to get an insurance company to back-down in similar circumstances for a pro-bono client, maybe PM if I forget and you still want them

You should check the T&Cs first. Even if the T&Cs say that you need to report your claim to the police within 24 hours its still worth looking into as this sounds pretty unreasonable, I'm not sure whether that kind of requirement is enforceable in consumer contracts.

Its worth getting in touch with the insurance company ASAP. Whilst I think the first email should be quite polite, you should make sure to state at the bottom very clearly that 1) this is a complaint, and that 2) you will refer it to the financial ombudsman if your complaint is not resolved within 8 weeks. This is because there is an 8 week timer from your complaint until you are entitled to complain to the ombudsman, you don't want to get caught up in a dispute as to whether the 8 week timer has started or not which would delay things yet further.

[econ1]

(Original post by jacketpotato)
I'm a trainee lawyer, if I remember tomorrow I will post the form of emails and a letter before claim I used to get an insurance company to back-down in similar circumstances for a pro-bono client, maybe PM if I forget and you still want them

You should check the T&Cs first. Even if the T&Cs say that you need to report your claim to the police within 24 hours its still worth looking into as this sounds pretty unreasonable, I'm not sure whether that kind of requirement is enforceable in consumer contracts.

Its worth getting in touch with the insurance company ASAP. Whilst I think the first email should be quite polite, you should make sure to state at the bottom very clearly that 1) this is a complaint, and that 2) you will refer it to the financial ombudsman if your complaint is not resolved within 8 weeks. This is because there is an 8 week timer from your complaint until you are entitled to complain to the ombudsman, you don't want to get caught up in a dispute as to whether the 8 week timer has started or not which would delay things yet further.

Thanks for all the advice JacketPotato...

I'm planning on writing the email and sending it off today but I'm not very good at the whole complaint thing due to my lack of knowledge on the subject.

If you could forward the emails to me either on here or to my email address that I will PM you it would be great.

I really appreciate your help.

Cheers,

James

[jacketpotato]

Emailed

Good luck

[xtatic8]

Hello both,
I have recently had an exact the same issue with the Lloyds TSB mobile insurance claim.
Econ1 - please could you let me know what was the result of your appeal?
Jacketpotato, I would appreciate it if you could forward me the emails used for your pro-bono client's insurance claim?
Many thanks in advance.
K

[quidwise]

Hi All,

I have also recently had my iphone 4 claim rejected on the basis that the receipt i provided was hand written and was from a foreign company that the insurance company cannot verify.
Can someone give me any advice on this?
I checked the T&C and this does not state the receipt has to be from a company in the UK or not handwritten. It however says a receipt from the till.
I think this is rather silly as there is no where for rejecting my claim. Any suggestions?

[Skyla]

Hi All,

I have recently had an exact the same issue with the (Barclays) LSG mobile insurance claim.
Econ1 - please could you let me know what was the result of your appeal?
Jacketpotato, I would appreciate it if you could forward me the emails used for your pro-bono client's insurance claim?

Many thanks in advance.
Skyla

[Special K 7]

Hi,

I'm having this exact issue at the moment. Would be greatly appreciated if someone could forward me the emails mentioned to help with me appeals.

Thanks, Kenny.

[Movingforward]

I worked for an insurance company for a while, I'm sorry to say that my response toany of the above complaints would be:

I'm sorry for your loss, however the term and conditions are there to be followed and you didn't.

I'd take much less of a threatening pose and go for the emotional response:

I reported into my airtime provider but due to my emotional state didn't consider all other options.

[cheq27]

(Original post by jacketpotato)
I'm a trainee lawyer, if I remember tomorrow I will post the form of emails and a letter before claim I used to get an insurance company to back-down in similar circumstances for a pro-bono client, maybe PM if I forget and you still want them

You should check the T&Cs first. Even if the T&Cs say that you need to report your claim to the police within 24 hours its still worth looking into as this sounds pretty unreasonable, I'm not sure whether that kind of requirement is enforceable in consumer contracts.

Its worth getting in touch with the insurance company ASAP. Whilst I think the first email should be quite polite, you should make sure to state at the bottom very clearly that 1) this is a complaint, and that 2) you will refer it to the financial ombudsman if your complaint is not resolved within 8 weeks. This is because there is an 8 week timer from your complaint until you are entitled to complain to the ombudsman, you don't want to get caught up in a dispute as to whether the 8 week timer has started or not which would delay things yet further.

Hi JacketPotato, can you forward the claim to my email too? Im recently in this exact situation and came across this thread.
Need your help.

Thank you.

[jacketpotato]

Don't still have it I'm afraid

Best of luck

[dom99]

(Original post by econ1)
Hi,

I recently lost my mother to cancer, she was only 49. On my way home from the funeral I left my Iphone 4 in the back of a taxi. Luckily my phone was insured with a company called Life Style Services Group on behalf of my bank Lloyds TSB.

On the Monday after my mother funeral only two days later, I rang my insurance company and reported my phone as lost. They told me they were going to send me out a claim form and that I had to report it to my airtime provider and the police and get a reference number. However, the insurance advisor did not tell me that I had to do this in 24 hours after I reported the phone lost. I called my airtime provider the same day and had the handset blocked. However, I did not report the lost phone to the police until 5-7 days later when I received the claim form from the insurance company. I then sent everything they asked for off to the insurance company 1st class as I really need my phone replaced as I depend on it for work etc.

I have just had a letter back from the insurance company telling me that my claim was rejected on the basis that I did not report the phone lost to the police 24 hours after the incident. My reason for this is that I had a lost going on at the time with my mothers death, I only received the insurance claim form explaining what I had to get from the police 5 days later and also I did not report it to the police as I wanted to ring the taxi company to check if it had been handed in at all... The main reason I did not report it to the police is because the insurance advisor did not tell me that it needed to be done within 24 hours otherwise I could have reported it straight away....

I have decided to appeal again the rejected claim as I cannot afford to buy myself a new Iphone and I rely on it for work... I just need some advice on how to write an email to the insurance company before I send it.

Do you think I have a chance of winning the appeal on these basis???

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

James

I think you have a case. Finaqncial institutions have to comply with FSA guidlines on a piece of documentation called TCF (treating customers fairly). It is a legal document and companies get charged millions for not complying to its rules. It says you are entitled to all the relevant information before and after you take out insurance and basically a right to FAIR treatment. If the conditions of a claim and terms of insurance were not made clear to you (small writing in their terms and conditions DOES NOT COUNT) then you go for it

Look it up on the internet TCF, phone uo the insurance company and quote some things and threaten to take them to court. They will bend over a barrel to not have their name slurred.

good luck, here is a link

http://www.fsa.gov.uk/doing/regulated/tcf

"Outcome 6: Consumers do not face unreasonable post-sale barriers imposed by firms to change product, switch provider, submit a claim or make a complaint.
"

[Happydude]

Good luck. As unfortunate the circumstances are surrounding the rejection of your claim, an insurance company has found a way to reject your claim. You will never get your money from these heartless vultures. They are vermin.