Rip-off artists, Domestic & General trying to short change me

FLY_GUY_2

Hi fellow money saving experts,

I took out an extended warranty with Domestic & General for a top end designer television which cost me a lot of money.

The TV broke down and unfortunately the Domgen insurers are writing it off but only offering me a fraction of what it is worth towards the cost of a replacement.

They argue that the newer, moderately priced televisions have the equivalent technical specification as my 3 year old model, due to the rapid progression of technology, blah blah blah.

However, my television has a very significant technical specification, albeit an old specification (multiple component input instead of HDMI input), which the newer models do not have. With the exception of one particular new model of television which does have this spec but it costs slightly more than the original price I paid for my previous insured television.

Also the design specification of my television can no longer be found (it was a high end designer telly), however the same one model mentioned above is the closest matched in terms of aesthetics.

Does anyone think that both technical and aesthetic/design specs can be argued to reach a fair settlement? And can they pick and choose what is or is not a valid technical specification in order to make the outcome favourable for them?

They have used underhanded tactics to cajole me into accepting their first offer and any offer as unfair as it is.. They also maintain their position on this and it is working out extremely difficult and traumatic to gain a fair and just settlement from them.

Has anyone experienced similar from a cover provider, whoever they are? What were your circumstances and what was the outcome?

Any advice or pointers from any learned and experienced forum users please????

:beer:

Quentin

See what it will cost for you to get it repaired. It may be that you can accept their offer, and get it repaired yourself with the settlement you receive.

OshayAway

Get an expert opinion from a unbiased third party. You could try avforums for info on comparable spec and brand, there have been similar threads on there. Does your cover state like-for-like and new-for-old?

FLY_GUY_2

Hi,

The policy document reads that if they cannot repiar it they will:

'replace it with equipment of the same or similar make and specification'

I am sure the wording does not just limit this to solely technical specifications but should also include design specifications too?

what do you think?


Also with reference to expert opinion ; on two occassions I had two senior managers of sony centre call domgen with their opinion of the model which will be a fair replacement. However, the domgen team insist that the managers are sales people and only interested in selling the more expensive television set.

OshayAway

FLY_GUY wrote: »

Also with reference to expert opinion ; on two occassions I had two senior managers of sony centre call domgen with their opinion of the model which will be a fair replacement. However, the domgen team insist that the managers are sales people and only interested in selling the more expensive television set.

Find an independant repairer who will put in writing what would be an equivalent replacement and why. They will probably charge a small fee for doing so but it could pay dividends. You could also ask the sony centre to do the same.

Build quality, range, brand, features etc should all be taken into account to decide relacement. Check things like viewing angle etc if LCD.

I would advise you speak to domgen and ask them to put in writing what they are prepared to offer as replacement and why they feel this a similar specification.

FLY_GUY_2

Hi there,

DOMGEN have proposed to cover only a third of the original price paid.

They have also proposed a model which in terms of resolution is just as good if not slightly better (but that is down the the rapid progression of technology). Even a very cheap entry level television now wud have similar resolutions.

They have cited that the specification of their proposed model is better, however they have not factored in the specifications which are required by me: for example the seperate media box for clutter free wall mounting, the 2x component in, to run my multiple components on, components in which i have invested in heavily.

The policy did say that replacement with the same or similar. If replacement is with an item which resorts to making my other expensive components non functional or causes and inconveniance in connecting them - should that not also be considered?

Experts called in twice and gave their opinion, should that not be enough to convince them?

As for viewing angles, my television was a plasma, which are currently all being replaced by LCDs anyway..

Baz_2

I am assuming you had a pioneer 436 or 506 with the media box. What are they suggesting they replace it with?

I have heard that D&G will give you what you want if you can find a fundemental feature on your set that is not on the new one. For example, I have heard people with Denon amps being offered replacements from Comet. Since when have Denon amps been sold in Comet? Anyway this guy argued that his old amp had multi-room, a feature he didn;t use and was quite secondary really, and that none of the amps available in comet did. For some reason this feature strook a chord with D&G and they stumped up £800 (more than he paid originally) just like that.

You have to accept that pioneer no longer do a media box with their plasmas and that you will need to compromise a little but if you can find a killer feature on the pioneer that there suggestion does not have then you may be in business.

FLY_GUY_2

Hi Baz,

it weren't the pioneer, but it was the sony KDE-P42MRX1, which I believe is a stunning design piece from sony and still looks the business.

In terms of seperate media boxes, they still do them in certain models to maintain that clutter free conveniance for wall mounting and switching over components. However the models now with the media box have elegant looks but not the same look that my prvious tv used to have i.e the floating glass design.

Domgen have argued that 'modern' tvs come with the integrated media box, however, even 3 years ago when i purchased my tv they had integrated media boxes within the tv, but the seperate media box was a design feature which I chose.

I am after the Sony KDL X series as it has the same floating glass design, it does not have a media box but it has those essential mutli component inputs, as well as the HDMI inputs. It is those component input which other models only have one of, the point which I am arguing against their proposal. The X series does not have a seperate media box, however the models which do have this seperate unit does not have 2 component inputs.

Therefore the X series wud be the closest match in terms of spec and looks.

Or maybe the seperate media box is a more profound spec similarity for them to ignore when settling?

Its turning into such a difficult and time consuming effort in order to reach an amicable but fair resolution. I never paid a premium for the extended warranty to experience this and the other failures along the way!!

Anyone experience anything similar and what was your eventual outcome?

I will keep u posted on my outcome.

in the meanwhile any advice or banter appreciated..

:beer:

OshayAway

Sounds like you have a strong case. Clearly it isn't a similar spec. I'm sure they are just trying it on. Do everything in writing from now on, get their response in writing and enquire about their complaints procedure.

FLY_GUY_2

It would seem a strong case Ashayaway, however it seems so far that domgen do not want to play fair.

What counts as or considered as a technical specification is up to domgen, so either way the verdict would work out in domgens favour.

It seemed at first that they emphasised on the point they do not cover like for like or similar product replacement based on anything to do with the aesthetics and design of the equipment. (although their policy document does not make clear this point, it only mentions specification, not technical nor otherwise).

However when it transpired that there is a difference between their model offered- with its technical specification which is imperative to my normal functionality and use of my television set, they seemed to change their tune to making this difference insignificant or maybe even pretending not to understand its importance to me as a user of my television set.

Anyway, what would you do if you were in my shoes now?

regards

OshayAway

FLY_GUY wrote: »

Anyway, what would you do if you were in my shoes now?

Exactly what I said. Get it in writing with an explanation why they feel it's equivalent, then you can challenge it.

Check your PM, I've sent you a details of someone who got £1,100 out of domgen for a replacement 7 year old CRT! Originally they tried to fob him off with a cheap LCD.