Mobile Phone Insurance Claim Advice

marksyx

Gutted as i've lost my phone whilst abroad and looking at my insurance think my claim is going to be rejected though I have tried my best to follow procedure.

I discovered the loss of my phone at around 6pm on 13/01. Due to not have access to a phone/internet I was unable to report it until the following morning.

I reported it to my mobile insurer who told me to report it to my network and also the police as a crime reference number was required.

As soon as I finished the call I reported it to my network who barred the phone and sim and then visited the police station.

Via a translator an officer informed me that as no crime had taken place they could not give me a crime reference number. They also do not take loss reports or give out lost reference numbers. They were even unable to provide me with something to say i'd visited and they couldn't help.
All I was able to do was to take a picture of myself outside of the station.

I have noticed when reading their policy that it has to be reported to the network within 12 hours and the police within 24 hours.
I reported it to the police within 24 hours, but they could not provide me with any reference. I have explained this in my claim form and also attached the picture for what good it may do...

However, when I reported it to the network it was over 12 hours - although I did so at my first available opportunity obviously this was made more difficult by being abroad and not having a phone. The insurer must have been aware of this when I called them and told them I hadn't reported it to my network yet - but didn't raise any issue and told me to do so.

I just wondered if anyone had any advice on this. I'm pretty sure the claim is going to be rejected, which is gutting as I have treid my best to follow procedure as much as I have been able to within my means at the time.

Wintermute

marksyx wrote: »

Gutted as i've lost my phone whilst abroad and looking at my insurance think my claim is going to be rejected though I have tried my best to follow procedure.

I discovered the loss of my phone at around 6pm on 13/01. Due to not have access to a phone/internet I was unable to report it until the following morning.

I reported it to my mobile insurer who told me to report it to my network and also the police as a crime reference number was required.

As soon as I finished the call I reported it to my network who barred the phone and sim and then visited the police station.

Via a translator an officer informed me that as no crime had taken place they could not give me a crime reference number. They also do not take loss reports or give out lost reference numbers. They were even unable to provide me with something to say i'd visited and they couldn't help.
All I was able to do was to take a picture of myself outside of the station.

I have noticed when reading their policy that it has to be reported to the network within 12 hours and the police within 24 hours.
I reported it to the police within 24 hours, but they could not provide me with any reference. I have explained this in my claim form and also attached the picture for what good it may do...

However, when I reported it to the network it was over 12 hours - although I did so at my first available opportunity obviously this was made more difficult by being abroad and not having a phone. The insurer must have been aware of this when I called them and told them I hadn't reported it to my network yet - but didn't raise any issue and told me to do so.

I just wondered if anyone had any advice on this. I'm pretty sure the claim is going to be rejected, which is gutting as I have treid my best to follow procedure as much as I have been able to within my means at the time.

My advice would just be honest with them, anything else will be classed as fraud. To make a claim you'll most likely need proof of purchase and proof of the time and date the bars were applied. If you're not claiming for unauthorised calls I don't see why the 12 hours should be an issue. Provide the insurance company with the location of the police station you reported it to and if you managed to get a badge number give that as they'll often accept them.

As everything has already happened, your phone's been reported to your network you're really too late to do anything about it, all you can really do is submit an honest claim and hope for the best and mention the circumstances relating to your timescale.

marksyx

I was honest and my claim was rejected on the basis that I didn't report it to my network within 12 hours.

They said on the letter I could appeal, which I have done - on the basis that being abroad and having lost my main form of communication made it difficult to do this and also that as I am claiming for the phone and not any charges or phone calls within that 12 hours period makes that factor irrelevant to my claim.

I reported in about 17 hours. I hardly think this is excessive considering the fact that I was abroad and most of the time that elapsed was overnight when there wasn't much I could do!

Fingers crossed