MSE News: Warning! Check if packaged account perks require activation

steveybp

I upgraded my NatWest a/c prior to going on holiday to Antigua two months ago and saved over £100 on the cost of travel insurance. Unfortunately I had great need of that insurance when my wife fell critically ill but the insurance company took care of everything, including medevac flights, diagnostic procedures, medicines, even arranging hotel accommodation for me to visit her in hospital in the US (where she got flown to) and ensuring our baggage followed us. They got us home safely 5 weeks later, which was a huge blessing. The great thing is, NatWest allow you to cancel even after just one month, so on-going fees are not an issue. I would definitely recommend them.

chillxxx

I had one of these added to my Barclays current account in 2006 when I visited a branch to get my address changed. After having a 30 minute sales pitch which the answers was no thank you, they still went ahead and added it. Admitifdly I was alerted to it when the policy documentation was sent through the post. After a strongly worded letter to Barclays the cover was removed and the two moths premium was refunded.

I did review the policy booklet, the cover did look basic. The Breakdown cover certainly did not include home start or relay. THe phone insurance seem to have a policy limit of only £200 and was subject to £50 xs. At that time the charge was £10 per month so it seemed very expensive.

silvercar

Isn't it obvious that the bank needs to know which phone you are insuring?

michael200276

You do need to register your mobile details for the halifax, emei etc for you to be covered, after you first register, you can't make a claim for 15 days, they have also raised the excess from £30 - £100 and the ultimate reward account from £12.50 p/m - £15.00 p/m, without any notice or correspondence notifying these changes.

opinions4u

michael200276 wrote: »

You do need to register your mobile details for the halifax, emei etc for you to be covered

No you don't. The terms and conditions state very clearly that you are covered even if you don't register. See my post above. Read page 14 on the link provided. Then read the bit that says "Please note that if you do not register with us, you won't receive a certificate of insurance but you'll still be covered".

they have also raised the excess from £30 - £100

Only for the iPhone. I think that tells you a lot about the durability of that particular make of phone.

and the ultimate reward account from £12.50 p/m - £15.00 p/m, without any notice or correspondence notifying these changes.

Strange that. Mrs o4u got a letter in June giving her over 2 months notice of the change. Others posted the same information on here. They also improved the breakdown cover at the same time.

Somebody

What about First Direct's First Directory which includes travel insurance, car breakdown and Mobile phone?

want2bedebt3

It only covers up to £300 accoridng to t's and C's
Smile account covers up to 4 phones inc iphones for £13pm and don't have to register them I think. (£50 excess on iphone from memory)

dawyldthing

ses6jwg wrote: »

It is only something that has come in over the last 12 - 18 months.

I have come across many people in my day to day working who have fee-paying accounts which they had taken out 3-4 years ago, had no idea what the benefits were or didn't need them, and some had no idea that they even had a fee-paying account.

this sounds like one of the lasses at work and i was flabbergasted when she said she didn't realise it was going out the account!