Real-life MMD: Should I return £2,000 insurance cash?

mynameisclare

tgroom57 wrote: »

Hang on a mo while I go find an Omega watch to buy. A watch that survives the wash is worth having.

Flik Flak (the Swatch children's range) make a point of saying you can put them in the washing machine. And they cost a lot less than £2000!

datlex

I think you should keep the money and the watch. You sent the watch to the insurer, they made decision to pay out money and return watch. The fact the watch is now working again is irrelevant.

sgt1439hux

If you send it back you will be identifying the person who classed it as beyond repair as incompetent. This person may be married, have children,a mortgage or any other every day responsibilities. As a result of your actions it may result in that persons dismissal from the company. Do you want all that on your conscience ? The answer is therefore obvious if you do not.

deborah007

The money was sent to you to replace the watch but it seems that you no longer need to do that. I think you should be honest and contact them - tell them it has started working again but you don't know if it will keep working and what do they want to do?

You will probably never hear from them again but if you do then say you want to take it to an independent assessor and that you expect them to pay for that or let you keep the £2k. You may not hear from them again as it will then go in the "too difficult" pile!

D x

nanstallon

A good deed seldom goes unpunished! If you returned the money/ vouchers, you would remain on the records as having made a claim. Keep the money/ vouchers, as they were paid on the strength of the situation as at the time that you claimed and you had made no misrepresentation. If you feel uneasy, you can make a donation to charity.

Talent

Shtum.... just keep shtum.

Ebenezer_Screwj

Insurance companies will aways do their utmost to challenge a claim so on this occasion I would take the view that they know best and keep quiet.

pineapple

Even though it is a large claim in individual terms, in the context of a company's annual budget it's not that big a deal.
I rather think the company won't thank someone for
a) it messing up their paperwork and the time taken to sort it
b) calling into question their assessment skills

I claimed off my insurance when the cooker door glass spontaneously shattered - 10 minutes after being switched off. :eek:
I religiously kept all the tiny fragments of glass and was astounded when they didn't even bother sending someone round. I was expecting an estimate for the replacement of the glass - perhaps a new door even. What I got were vouchers to spend at Comet on a brand new cooker. :huh:

crazy_crow

You should return the money but only after having the watch looked at by an expert. It maybe working now but that is not to say it will continue to work or thatit is undamaged.

I can't believe people think its ok to keep the money.

You pay insurance to cover yourself for any losses. If your watch is now perfectly ok you haven't suffered any loss.
Ive been paying car and house insurance for 30 years and have been lucky enough to have NEVER claimed. I don't won't my money to go towards other people profiting from their insurance claims.

True_Blues

Personally I would send them a letter explaining that they have paid out for a replacement watch, however the original watch is now working again – for the moment. If they have examined the watch and decided that it is beyond repair this may mean that it is beyond repair to the state that it was in before the accident, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work.

Stress that there has been a problem and that you are not sure how long it will continue to work and see what they say. It is probably an administrative problem for them to cancel a payout that has already been made and my guess is that they are not prepared to take a long term risk that damage has not already been done (even if it is currently working).

There is a chance that they will want the payment back but with a bit of luck you’ll keep the money, still have a working watch and a clear conscience to boot.