Can I request a copy of a telephone call recording?

baz8755

Last week our cloakroom toilet appeared to be blocked somewhere in the drains outside our house. My wife called our insurance company to find out if we were insured for this.

The woman on the phone checked with her supervisor and said that we were covered but that we should try plunging first as that is not covered and we would be charged a call out fee. If plunging does not work then she could arrange for the work to be done under our insurance.

We tried plunging and it did not work so yesterday my wife called back to get someone out, this time we got someone different and were told it is not covered. My wife explained that we were told that it was last time we called, the woman at the insurance company said she would check the call recording and get back.

Later in the day the insurance company called back and said that the telephone recording showed that we were covered as an uninsured loss (whatever that is) and that we would have to pay if we claimed, she also said that the woman we spoke to last week was new.

My wife says that is not what she was told so I was wondering whever or not we can request a copy of the original phone call and whever it is worth taking the case up with the ombudsman as she is certain that in the first instance she was told we were covered.

Cheers

Baz

FlameCloud

You can do a DPA request from the insurers. Phone them up, ask them where to send the £10 fee and ask them to either send you a transcript of a copy of the cd.

Annisele

Although the point isn't so much whether you were told that you were covered, it's whether you actually are covered.

If you were told you were covered when you weren't, then the most you'd get in the way of compensation is (I think) a small distress and inconvenience payment. If you actually are covered, then the insurer will have to pay for the work. Check your policy terms and conditions.

By all means request a copy of the recording, but from the point of view of getting the blockage fixed you need to work out whether you really are covered or not.