Natwest Travel Insurance

Superted87

HI guys and Gals


Im, after some advice following the so called "Platinum" service supplied (at a fee) by Natwest Travel Insurance (or so I thought!)

On Sat we travelled to Gatwick from Carterton in Oxon (90-120mins). We were going to a 1030hrs departure and left at 0530 knowing that we had to drop off the main road at Didcot for 30 secs to drop an item at a friends house then rejoin the A34 and onwards to the M4.

We pulled on the slip road at the M4 only to arrive 2 minutes later at the scene of a huge crash involving a nappy truck and lots of emergency services etc which resulted in the road being closed for hours. Unlucky for the nappy man and about 3 or 4 other vehicles.

2hrs later and we get moving again very slowly but still made it to the airport a few minutes after the Bag Drop desk closed.

The ladies in red were helpful but admitted that the flight was boarding early and they hoped to be away early too so we had no chance really !! (Read * They had sold our tickets to someone else and boarded them to avoid problems with the no doubt hoards of delayed travellers coming from the west, but this is to be taken up with Branson when I get a sec!)

Basically i called Natwest..... Closed at weekends !!! Pfft !:mad:

We rebooked with Virgin, were delayed 24 hrs , had to use a hotel and eventually had our holiday in Antigua (highly rated, awesome !!)

So, I called them today and they said that because we weren't involved in the accident we aren't covered at all. My GF had elephant insurance, same story and my friends had AXA , same story.

I assumed (wrongly I admit) that with a Platinum acc, you'd get a platinum service, at least better than the £7 service from insure &go and the like.

My argument is with the wording of "involved" which is not defined in the policy wording section of the policy document. I was stuck between two crashed lorries and the police for over 150mins. How was I not involved? I missed a flight to go on holiday!! .... I was quite involved at that point !! I didn't miss it through my non involvement now did I !!!!


Who would you advise I get annoyed, angry or even with to try to exhaust every avenue or pursuance with this? I am out of pocket £1000 as we agreed as a group to pay and I paid on my credit card for all of us !

Has anyone heard of anyone complaining on these grounds and winning anything at all? I know of one with trailfinders and the Telegraph experts stepped in to help them out, funnily enough they got paid out.

Any advice is very welcome, you guys always help me out a treat so thanks in advance :)

dacouch

What does your policy say about what's covered under the relevant section?

Superted87

It says that you are covered in your own vehicle if you are "involved" in an accident or a breakdown.

I get what they are saying, but I have 2 bones of contention ,

1. "Involved" is very subjective, we were involved as we formed the roadblock that led to the M4 being closed for hours etc etc

2. I would have thought that a product called "platinum" and being the higher product in a tiered system of products may afford protection in this situation.

Degrees in hindsight have all been awarded several times to my other family member this weekend so i guess I am just wanting a lovely person to come forward and make my money come back ! but heres hoping hey ;-)

rs65

Superted87 wrote: »

1. "Involved" is very subjective, we were involved as we formed the roadblock that led to the M4 being closed for hours etc etc

The next time you buy car insurance will you declare that you have been involved in an accident?

Superted87

you wouldn't have to, you would state whether you had previously made a claim, to which the answer is no.

So are you realistically supposed to work out every eventuality that may be covered and check in the policy prior to every purchase of insurance? Seems ridiculous that this is also the higher level of cover that Natwest offer. God only knows what exclusions are in the cheaper one !

rs65

Superted87 wrote: »

you wouldn't have to, you would state whether you had previously made a claim, to which the answer is no.

The minority only ask about claims made - most ask for accidents, incidents, losses etc or a combination thereof.

Superted87 wrote: »

So are you realistically supposed to work out every eventuality that may be covered and check in the policy prior to every purchase of insurance? Seems ridiculous that this is also the higher level of cover that Natwest offer. God only knows what exclusions are in the cheaper one !

I think you would be struggling to get the cover you needed from a travel policy. Most cover accidents/breakdown involving the car or delays to scheduled transport. These are things that can be proven. It is possible that someone could have slept in or simply just missed their flight and use a publicised accident as the reason they were held up.

rs65

M&S offer it

We will pay you up to £600 for reasonable additional accommodation (room only) and travel expenses necessarily incurred in reaching your overseas destination or returning to the United Kingdom, if you fail to arrive at the departure point in time to board the public transport on which you are booked to travel on for the initial international outbound and return legs of the trip as a result of:
1. the failure of other public transport or
2. an accident to or breakdown of the vehicle in which you are travelling or
3. an accident or breakdown happening ahead of you on a public road which causes an unexpected delay to the vehicle in which you are travelling or
4. strike, industrial action or adverse weather conditions.