Jewellery gemcard to settle insurance claim?

fluffyboots

Hi All

Further to my old post-I was recently burgled and had antique jewellery stolen plus electricals etc. The non jewellery part is now going to be settled by cheque but for the jewellery they are settling via two gemcards one for £800 and one for £300( necklace and ring) The stolen jewellery was my grans and very old fashioned-I would probably like a necklace but not really to the value of £1100 as I wear a lot of silver but not gold . Is it possible to part exchange gemcards anywhere?Or should I just buy something that will last in terms of value? Dont know where to start..:)
I spoke to LMG and they just said I have to take it into H Samuels or a couple of other jewellers and buy something to match the price of the card. I dont know much about this and I would appreciate any advice.:)

mcjordi

you dont have to accept gift vouchers/card.. im sure the obudsman ruled that they have to give a cash settlement if you ask for it.

fluffyboots

Hi mcjordi-thanks for the reply but they have already agreed to settle the electricals via cheque and were not keen to do it all by cheque...I could go to the ombudsman but in reality this has already taken about 2.5 months and to be honest I thought that they could do this so have accepted it....they made me feel like I was a crminal for asking for the electricals by cheque even though I had provided evidence for most of my claim.

mcjordi

cheque once cleared is cash lol..

i meant you dont have to accept gift cards/vouchers as settlement of your claim.

more experience insurance bods will be along shortly

vaio

Seems strange, according to the FOS electricals can be replaced via vouchers but old/sentimental (& therefore irreplaceable) jewellery should be a cash payout

fluffyboots

Hi All

It was Prestige Insurance they have been a real pain! I had evidence to support most of the things I had lost however I did not have for the jewellery( charm bracelet and ring) as I thought they were under £500 so never bothered having them valued( taught me a lesson_) LMG went through the designs with me to try to confirm the value and they actually came out as £800 for the bracelet( as it had a lot of charms which I could describe most of) and the ring. Prestige were quite arrogant and came back with " this is what you are going to get" rather than would you prefer cheque.
They were almost going to try to get me to take all the electricals as replacements I put my foot down am sure they ripped me off on the laptop anyway. So I now have to find out what to do when I get this gemcard because right now I would rather buy something more useful than loads of jewellery I dont actually wear a lot of jewellery and dont wear gold this was inherited from my gran and just kept for sentimental value.

huckster

Just insist that the claim is settled, as the FOS would expect.

See http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/10/oct-repair-replace-cash.htm

You could always give the FOS a call. Although they won't normally get involved, until you have met deadlock with your Insurers, after 8 weeks of complaining, they can often be helpful.

fluffyboots

Hi there Unfortunately I rang LMG and agreed to take the gemcards Friday so they will send them to me I dont think there is much I can do now. I will see if there is anyway I can do a deal somewhere with the jewellers. What a saga. I think the problem was the insurers sort of tried to intimidate me they always imply you are a fraud even though I had provided so much evidence and never claimed in my life.
I should have been tougher!