Any experience with barclays phone insurance?

grumbler

http://www.lifestylegroup.co.uk/barclays/ >> Claim Process Explained ?

thedrumdoctor

I took out mobile phone insurance with Barclay's Essentials which I now understand as being handled by the Lifestyle Services Group.

In Early May a jam jar fell on to my iPhone and smashed the screen - though thankfully the phone still works. I went online to my Barclay's Essentials customer account where it apparently, was possible to make a claim. That produced an error page on their website so I tried to phone and got through to the LSG who sent me the claim documents out in the post.

Having filled them in, supplied proof of purchase for the phone and authorisation to deduct £25.00 excess from my credit card, I posted the docs back (recorded del) and waited....

And waited....

After 4 phone calls to their call centre, this is the letter I am posting after the weekend has passed:

Ross Carson
Head of Customer Services
Lifestyle Services Group Limited
PO Box 98
Blyth
Ne 24 9DL


Dear Mr Carson

Re: Mobile Phone Insurance Claim Number: 7714978

I am writing to try and establish why, after repeated attempts using surface mail and email, it has not as yet, been possible for the Lifestyle Services Group to deliver to me, the necessary documents I require to proceed with the (approved) repair of my mobile phone.

My numerous telephone calls to the customer call centre seem to serve as a trigger to try the same methods of sending me the documentation, all of which repeatedly fail.

As the situation currently stands, my claim has been accepted, £25.00 excess has been deducted from my credit card and I am still waiting to receive instructions for taking my mobile phone to your approved repair agent.

Without trying to sound facetious, may I suggest that under these strange circumstances, Lifestyle Services Group go that ‘extra mile’ in customer care and post out the elusive documents using Royal Mail Special Delivery service, which is a guaranteed, tracked, next-day service? I do not view this as an unreasonable request considering the extended unnecessary time period my claim is taking.

Yours sincerely

If I don't get a response I'm going to the FSA.

Razaiel

Glad I came here and read this first! Bought my samsung galaxy s3 almost a week ago but told Vodafone I could get the insurance cheaper from Barclays. I was literally on the phone on hold (for ages thankfully) to Barclays and only just got put through when I was reading this.

May cost more going with vodafone but peace of mind will be worth it!

I hope your claims get sorted!

Hammer_Slammer

lol peace of mind.You dont get that with any insurance company.

Btw vodafone aint much better.http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews77237.html#Reviews

wantgoodcustomerservice

This seems to be an old thread, but related to my experience.

My Iphone was stolen in June 2012 in Brussels. My claim was made within 48 hours and have received 2 replacement phones which were faulty and they DO NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THE COLOUR OF THE HANDSET. They send you a "refurbished" phone but have to take pot luck on the colour. Phones are not within warranty from Apple as they dont recognise them (warranty covered by LSG) and cannot be insured elsewhere. 8 weeks and several complaints to LSG later and I'm still no further forward! I have has Orange care insurance in the past, more expensive but worth it as they are excellent. AVOID IF YOU CARE WHAT PHONE YOU GET AS A REPLACEMENT. See my latest email to their customer relations team:.......

Claim No: xxxxxxxx

I wish to make a complaint about the treatment I have received as a customer during a recent mobile phone claim.

My phone (iphone 4s 16GB White) was stolen approx 8 weeks ago in Brussels. I notified my insurance (yourselves) on the same day and was told that I needed to pay an excess for the phone claim when back in the UK. The forms were filled out and I also included delivery note for the phone and invoice for the phone cover which was also stolen.

My replacement phone arrived to replace the iphone that was lost , and was the same colour and specification as the one I had stolen, although it was broken.

I rang your department and a return bag was sent. A replacement phone was issued shortly after and all the paperwork for the phone and box indicated that it was a white iphone, although when I opened the box the phone was indeed black. I immediately rang LSG to inform them and was told that they could not guarantee the colour, only the specification of the phone. I said that I was prepared to wait, but wanted a white iphone; as I had waited months to get a white phone when i upgraded my contract with my phone provider.

After some deliberation, the customer services rep I spoke to said that as the paperwork had indicated a white iphone, I could return the phone and she would try her best to get me a replacement which was white. She said that they get iphones into stock each day and she would try to ensure that a white phone would be dispatched. I said that it was highly unlikely based on past performance, and as it could not be guaranteed I would consider my options. The return parcel was sent out to me last week, so I returned the phone that was sent and didn't meet the delivery note. That being the 17th July 2012.

I rang customer services today and was told that the systems were down and to call back later. After much holding on the line, I eventually got through to customer services to ask for an update on my claim.

I spoke to xxxxxxxx who was very helpful. She told me that one had indeed been found and I should receive my iphone soon. When I asked if it was a white iphone, she could not tell me....

After explaining how many weeks I had waited, how I had received a broken white iphone weeks ago and then received an incorrect iphone to the delivery note and box for the phone, she said that they could not offer a guarantee of colour, only a specification match. I explained that I had many conversations with various people with LSG and had indicated that I would wait a reasonable amount of time for a white Iphone 4s 16GB but was shocked to find out that you are unable to check what colour replacement was being sent!

I explained that I had said that I would wait for a white iphone and explained that when I had upgraded my contract with Orange I had indeed waited months for a white iphone to come into stock; as that was what I wanted..... As xxxxxxx could understand my situation, she went to her manager to see if anything could be done. Her Managers reaction was "No, we don't cover for colour, only the same spec" This was a manager by the name of xxxxx (unable to give his surname)

xxxxxx explained to me that LSG were in the process of trying to change things for customers and although this would not help me now, may assist other customers with the same problem in the future.

My argument is that a WHITE iphone 4s 16gb was stolen along with a capdase cover (which I have not received a refund for in 8 weeks) and it should be replaced with an exact replacement. It's bad enough that we have to accept refurbished phones that will not be covered by insurance elsewhere..... or allow me to have the phone fixed at an Apple store as its not approved by them! To then have to accept "what I'm given as its a like for like spec"..... Not great customer service as I would have come to expect from a provider to Barclays.

The questions I want answering are:

1. Why the phone cannot be replaced like for like including colour
2. Why I have to accept a refurbished iphone and not a new one, which cannot be guaranteed by Apple or insured by Orange - My network provider
3. Why your customer service team cannot ask the despatch the colour of the phone sent, when the claim is accepted.
4. Why I have not received a refund for the capdase cover when the receipt of purchase was sent with the original claim form
5. Why damaged phones are sent as replacements for the phone lost . Where do these forms come from and what quality assurance checks are in place before they are sent?
6. Why a Manager cannot address a customer complaint, leaving it up to a customer service rep to give his definitive answer
7. An update as to my claim from a senior member of staff.

I will also send a copy of this email to Barclays Customer Relations and will await their reply.

Yours faithfully

I don't hold out much hope.....

redster302

wantgoodcustomerservice wrote: »

This seems to be an old thread, but related to my experience.

My Iphone was stolen in June 2012 in Brussels. My claim was made within 48 hours and have received 2 replacement phones which were faulty and they DO NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THE COLOUR OF THE HANDSET. They send you a "refurbished" phone but have to take pot luck on the colour. Phones are not within warranty from Apple as they dont recognise them (warranty covered by LSG) and cannot be insured elsewhere. 8 weeks and several complaints to LSG later and I'm still no further forward! I have has Orange care insurance in the past, more expensive but worth it as they are excellent. AVOID IF YOU CARE WHAT PHONE YOU GET AS A REPLACEMENT. See my latest email to their customer relations team:.......

Claim No: xxxxxxxx

I wish to make a complaint about the treatment I have received as a customer during a recent mobile phone claim.

My phone (iphone 4s 16GB White) was stolen approx 8 weeks ago in Brussels. I notified my insurance (yourselves) on the same day and was told that I needed to pay an excess for the phone claim when back in the UK. The forms were filled out and I also included delivery note for the phone and invoice for the phone cover which was also stolen.

My replacement phone arrived to replace the iphone that was lost , and was the same colour and specification as the one I had stolen, although it was broken.

I rang your department and a return bag was sent. A replacement phone was issued shortly after and all the paperwork for the phone and box indicated that it was a white iphone, although when I opened the box the phone was indeed black. I immediately rang LSG to inform them and was told that they could not guarantee the colour, only the specification of the phone. I said that I was prepared to wait, but wanted a white iphone; as I had waited months to get a white phone when i upgraded my contract with my phone provider.

After some deliberation, the customer services rep I spoke to said that as the paperwork had indicated a white iphone, I could return the phone and she would try her best to get me a replacement which was white. She said that they get iphones into stock each day and she would try to ensure that a white phone would be dispatched. I said that it was highly unlikely based on past performance, and as it could not be guaranteed I would consider my options. The return parcel was sent out to me last week, so I returned the phone that was sent and didn't meet the delivery note. That being the 17th July 2012.

I rang customer services today and was told that the systems were down and to call back later. After much holding on the line, I eventually got through to customer services to ask for an update on my claim.

I spoke to xxxxxxxx who was very helpful. She told me that one had indeed been found and I should receive my iphone soon. When I asked if it was a white iphone, she could not tell me....

After explaining how many weeks I had waited, how I had received a broken white iphone weeks ago and then received an incorrect iphone to the delivery note and box for the phone, she said that they could not offer a guarantee of colour, only a specification match. I explained that I had many conversations with various people with LSG and had indicated that I would wait a reasonable amount of time for a white Iphone 4s 16GB but was shocked to find out that you are unable to check what colour replacement was being sent!

I explained that I had said that I would wait for a white iphone and explained that when I had upgraded my contract with Orange I had indeed waited months for a white iphone to come into stock; as that was what I wanted..... As xxxxxxx could understand my situation, she went to her manager to see if anything could be done. Her Managers reaction was "No, we don't cover for colour, only the same spec" This was a manager by the name of xxxxx (unable to give his surname)

xxxxxx explained to me that LSG were in the process of trying to change things for customers and although this would not help me now, may assist other customers with the same problem in the future.

My argument is that a WHITE iphone 4s 16gb was stolen along with a capdase cover (which I have not received a refund for in 8 weeks) and it should be replaced with an exact replacement. It's bad enough that we have to accept refurbished phones that will not be covered by insurance elsewhere..... or allow me to have the phone fixed at an Apple store as its not approved by them! To then have to accept "what I'm given as its a like for like spec"..... Not great customer service as I would have come to expect from a provider to Barclays.

The questions I want answering are:

1. Why the phone cannot be replaced like for like including colour
2. Why I have to accept a refurbished iphone and not a new one, which cannot be guaranteed by Apple or insured by Orange - My network provider
3. Why your customer service team cannot ask the despatch the colour of the phone sent, when the claim is accepted.
4. Why I have not received a refund for the capdase cover when the receipt of purchase was sent with the original claim form
5. Why damaged phones are sent as replacements for the phone lost . Where do these forms come from and what quality assurance checks are in place before they are sent?
6. Why a Manager cannot address a customer complaint, leaving it up to a customer service rep to give his definitive answer
7. An update as to my claim from a senior member of staff.

I will also send a copy of this email to Barclays Customer Relations and will await their reply.

Yours faithfully

I don't hold out much hope.....

Any news on this?
My wife just got a Black refurbished iphone 4s as a replacement for a white one, and is raging!:mad:
Why can't they email/phone to ask if a different colour is acceptable?

Quite a poor company in my opinion

jh787

I have just had the misfortune of having to make a claim on my Barclays phone insurance which was made available to me via a tech pack on my Barclays current account.
It was handled by Lifestyle Services Group..
My experiences/comments are as follows.
From my initial date of reporting the incident to the date i received my repaired handset took 18 days. (although Christmas holidays were part of the delay)
LSG insisted everything was done by post which in today's day is stupid and unpractical.
First they posted out the application which took a few days to arrive
( Why not email it to me?)
I then had to post back the form with my receipt for phone which took another couple of days plus a weekend.
(Why not allow me to send via email?)
But the most ridiculous waste of time was the next letter they sent that told me where to send the phone for repair. It merely stated an address and not a lot else. I had to provide my own p&p.
The whole process was deliberately dragged out when it could have been resolved in a few days via email.
I cant for the life of me work out any benefit for them by dragging their heels like they did.
Once i received the phone they had done a decent job of repairing it minus the fact that they messed up the imei sticker on the back of the phone and the packaging the phone came in left a lot to be desired.
The phone was placed in a box with no cushioning or protection whatsoever. It was a good thing that the screen wasn't broken by the time i received it back.
I immediately phoned Barclays to complain about the service and cancelled my tech pack with immediate effect.
To summarize, if you dont mind waiting for your phone to get back then the service may be suitable but i am thinking of going to my network provider which is more expensive but provides next day replacement.
A few points that everyone should remember.
1. They will not process your claim without a valid receipt showing imei number of phone. If this is not available they ask for a proof of usage from your network but i have requested this on 2 occasions and both times i have not received anything.

2. All claims MUST be reported within 48 hours and lost/stolen claims must be reported to police within 24 hours.

3. When calling to report claim, ask if the claim form can be emailed to you and if you can send the form back by email.

4. Send the phone via special delivery.

5. If the phone has been repaired, on receipt of phone ensure you check it is not damaged before signing for it.

Hope this helps someone

sylwuniao

My husband's iphone 4s fall out of his pocket while getting off the cab. Was left on the street for around 30mins (until he realized that his phone was gone and went to look for it). We only assumed that it must have been run over by at least two cars as It was totally smashed :eek: no display or anything but still ringing!! we thought that there is no way they could repair it and they will just give us a new one but surprise surprise ...

23 08 2012 late that evening we made a claim online (I think the best and quickest way to do that)

24 08 2012 received an email that they've sent a claim form that we need to complete and send to them via post

27 08 2012 an email that they received our claim form and excess amount of 75£ (!!) :mad: and next they will send us a letter explaining what to do next (letter came the next day with an address where to send the iPhone! like they could not just use an email to do that)

04 09 2012 an email: Good Afternoon,
Your phone is scheduled for repair. Once your phone has been received at the repair centre, repairs are completed within ten working days. If your phone is repaired it will be despatched within three working days by Royal Mail Special Delivery, which will need to be signed for.

18 09 2012 an email: Good Morning,
Your handset has been repaired (:T) and will be despatched within three working days by Royal Mail Special Delivery and will need to be signed for.

20 09 2012 'repaired' iPhone arrived but screen was sticking out :eek: hahaha experts forgot to put some screws back in place but luckily my hubby knew how to do that so we didn't have to go through all that again.

In overall : i've experienced much better (carphone warehouse mobile insurance) and heard about much worse scenarios so my rating would be 6 out of 10

One thing we've learned is that the iPhone 4s is immortal :rotfl:

ucon

Please do not use the Barclays Phone insurance! its a complete scam, I have been with them for 3 year "Additions Plus", paying £6.50 a month. once i tried to claim for my lost iphone 4 - i was asked to pay £100 excess fee This is a complete scam. iphone 4 doesn't even cost that much any more.
Over 3 year i paid just over £200 to them and i now have to pay an extra £100 on top.
There are much better and reliable insurance companies out there.

Cycrow

This excess is written into the policy, did you not read it ?

beside, from apple, the iPhone 4 costs over £300 still.