Holiday insurance. I'm shocked!

cheapskate101

I was aware that paying insurance from a phone quote from some insurance companies was dodgy.... but I hadn't realised that perhaps Britain 's most trusted store was not to be trusted either.

Whether this is a one-off by one employee, or a consistent scam, I don't know, but make sure this doesn't happen to you.


You ring up for a quote, giving your medical conditions, (This may not be confined to illness cover alone and couod be anything extra you want) and are told how much the policy will be.


You are pressurised to pay by credit card there and then.




Don't.




Ask for an email stating exactly what you will be paying for and the T&Cs. If this isn't provided, go elsewhere immediately.


I got an email giving the price of the quote..Most of it was blank, as if parts had been cut out and with no details of the policy.


Puzzled, I rang up and asked for the detailed policy email again and was told the ' system wouldn't allow it'.


I asked to speak to a supervisor and, after some discussion, got the quote.


I was not covered at all for my illness and it was stated that I would have to pay extra to be so.


If I had paid up on the first demand I would not have been covered in a medical emergency if had gone on holiday without reading the policy.


As it was,if I had added the needed illness cover afterwards, there might have been an extra admin fee.


The ' reasonable' quote from this good company was not reasonable at all, when compared to others.


The company concerned is not M&S. I had considered it the most trustworthy company in the UK.


So Buyers Beware.

melb

am I right in thinking you have a 7 day cooling off period with insurance policies?

dacouch

M&S just stick their name to a policy underwritten by Axa who are not the greatest Insurer in the world.

cheapskate101

It's not M&S.. It's the other well known trusted store.



Yes, you do have a cooling off period but it's a wrangle and you have to start all over again.


Not what you want when you are just about to go on holiday.


I phoned another well known company, gave all the details, said could I check the policy and the woman out the phone down on me when I woudn't buy it without checking they policy.


My OH says the same thing happens with motor insurance.

dacouch

John Lewis also use Axa

luci

Most travel insurers have their policy online so you can read it before calling.

I say most as I have yet to find the policy wording for Justtravelcover on their site.

Bob_the_Saver

cheapskate101 wrote: »

It's not M&S.. It's the other well known trusted store.

Didn't know Poundland do insurance!

cheapskate101

Most travel insurers have their policy online so you can read it before calling.



They do - but not if you add something personal.

For instance, you could agree about insuring an expensive camera over the phone but when the policy comes, find no mention of it.

The people who sell the policies seem desperate to do so
and willing to take 'short cuts' just to get custom.

And who wants the long drawn out process of proving what was said in a phone call?

cheapskate101

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Didn't know Poundland do insurance!

I wish they did.

At least it would be a £1.

Starbrite

Personally I wouldn't use anyone other than Insure & Go I've never had a problem with them, they paid out when I needed x-rays in a ski resort without any hassle.

I'd never use a shop for banking, insurance or anything other than buying food/clothes from the store!