Mobile Phone Insurance: Lifestyle Services Group

mcav

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could give me some information regarding this phone insurance company. I have just had to make a claim, and I'm more than a little nervous about the outcome.

I dropped my Nexus 5, shattering the screen in the process. Prior to this, the phone was absolutely like new. As you'll probably imagine, it certainly doesn't look that way now. One corner is completely ruined, while the tumble down the street (it was a hill) has left the device covered in various scuffs and marks.

When explaining this to the adviser (that the phone was like new before I dropped it) I was told "Your insurance policy does not cover 'cosmetical' damage". I explained again that the phone damage is clearly a direct result of the drop itself. I was then told that they are not at "that stage" yet, so I just have to wait and see what happens.

Hopefully I'm concerned over nothing, but as someone who takes serious care of their mobile phone, it worries me that it might come back in a mess.

I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar situation, and if so, can you please let me know what your experience was?

Thank you in advance.

grumbler

I don't understand.
Are they saying that a broken screen is a cosmetic damage? Or the screen was just slightly damaged?

If your search the board, there is a lot of feedback on Lifestyle Services, mainly negative, but there are some positive bits. I remember mentioning them in Spill the beans... on mobile phone insurers thread.

Tony5101

I've used them recently, when my daughter dropped her SGS3 and shattered the screen.
Filled the claim form in, which was duly accepted and approved. I got an email telling me where to send the phone - and it was all returned within 3-4 days, pretty much as new.
I know that people have had bad experiences - but mine wasn't. In fact it couldn't have gone better.
My brother-in-law used them a couple of months ago too - and his was a similar experience to mine.
I'm not saying that they're a great outfit - but as long as you're not trying to embellish your claim, I can't see that you should have an issue.

mcav

Thanks you for your replies.

@grumbler - At the moment, they are not committing to saying what is 'cosmetical' and what is not. The screen is totally smashed - at the impact corner, a good deal of the glass (gorilla glass 3 btw) is simply gone. As you can imagine, it is this part of the phone with the worst frame damage.

My concerns are mainly surrounding the large amount of negative feedback I have discovered online. I may well be anticipating a problem that will not occur. I'd never even thinking about exaggerating an insurance claim, because I cannot tolerate insurance fraud as a concept.

On the other hand, I baby my devices to the point where they can look like new after years of use. I have an HTC desire and a Galaxy Nexus which are still in great condition considering their respective ages (actually, I have a couple of really old handsets which are still in great condition such as the Nokia 3650). My worry is that the insurance company sees the screen as the only thing they "should" fix with the damaged corners and simply disgusting scrapes as 'cosmetical'. I would post images but I am too new to the forum.


I shall undoubtedly report my experience on the spill the beans thread when the time comes.

Thanks again.

robbies_gal

they might put down the scrapes to cosmetic damage and just fix the screen-doesnt relaly matter telling them it looked as new wecould all say that about our phones and then drop it

mcav

robbies_gal wrote: »

they might put down the scrapes to cosmetic damage and just fix the screen-doesnt relaly matter telling them it looked as new wecould all say that about our phones and then drop it

It is fortunate that I had taken some photos of my phone recently (I took a picture of my last 4 devices for a blog). This shows the phone as recently in an as-new condition.

On close inspection of the damage photos I took, I don't think the corner hit the street first will accommodate a screen anyway.

Having said that, it wouldn't take an expert to see that the only damage on the phone is from the drop.

greenlightluke

I think this group supplied insurance for Halifax and when I had to make a claim it was a horrible process.

Got approved but had to wait 4 weeks before I got a new handset - no communication on their part.

As for the claim, it was on a cracked screen and there wasn't really any dispute - I rang, got my claim forms, got accepted.

Anoneemoose

Cosmetic (not cosmetical) damage is anything that is non service affecting. So if the crack was hairline for example and it didn't stop you using the phone then they're right, it wouldn't be covered.

I used to process claims for Orange and if a customer said they could still use their phone, the claim was declined. If they said the damage stopped them using the phone or was causing a danger (e.g. loose glass) then we would cover it.

Did you say you could still use it?

mcav

Just bringing this post up to date.

I just received my phone back in the post. It looks as good as new. Great eh?

WITH ONE PROBLEM

NFC no longer works at all, nor does inductive charging. I have tested the NFC function and there is simply no response. The same goes for the charging. This implies that a non standard part has been used somewhere (probably the battery). I have made sure that NFC and Beam is enabled. I have other NFC devices which I have tested beam with, and the only device that doesn't work is this Nexus 5.

Needless to say I'm needing to contact the insurer to complain.

BTW

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/367696/Banks-under-fire-for-mobile-phones-rip-off

grumbler

mcav wrote: »

NFC no longer works at all, nor does inductive charging. ... This implies that a non standard part has been used somewhere (probably the battery).

Why?.......

mcav

I posted in haste - I didn't check the N5 teardown first. Looking at the teardown, I have no idea how they have managed to ship the phone without NFC working. (Yes I have made sure that NFC and Beam are on )