Unhappy with insurer's replacement phone

Poppy9

My DD 2 year old iPhone 5 replaced by insurance as Unrepairable following liquid damage. Told she would get grade A refurbished phone which was fine though would have preferred repair as phone had been well looked after. Phone has arrived and looks in poor condition with the case dented and scratched and marks on the screen. I thought grade a was excellent condition. I would rate this a C. Does she have to accept it.

csgohan4

What does your insurer say when you asked them?


No harm in asking

Poppy9

csgohan4 wrote: »

What does your insurer say when you asked them?


No harm in asking

I've emailed them as office closed for weekend and phone arrived 5pm Friday!

Would just like to know if the phone can be rejected and if insurers refuse to replace with better quality phone what my next move should be.

FutureGirl

If you are going to dispute the phone, I wouldn't let DD use it. Once you've used it they won't take it back.

What does your policy documents say about replacement phones?

Poppy9

FutureGirl wrote: »

If you are going to dispute the phone, I wouldn't let DD use it. Once you've used it they won't take it back.

What does your policy documents say about replacement phones?

It hasn't even been switched on as DD was due a contract renewal so has upgraded and has a new phone.

Policy says:

Repair or replacement to the same or similar specification of the insured phone if the insured phone is subject to accidental damage

Should add this policy was a student contents insurance policy with additional mobile phone insurance added.

FutureGirl

I wouldn't have bothered claiming if she was due an upgrade anyway, as now the claim has do be declared for 3-5 years and will push premiums up for just as long.

Is it a new for old policy?

If the policy stipulates you'll get a new phone, or that you'll get a grade a refurbished phone then you can complain to them.

Poppy9

FutureGirl wrote: »

I wouldn't have bothered claiming if she was due an upgrade anyway, as now the claim has do be declared for 3-5 years and will push premiums up for just as long.

Is it a new for old policy?

If the policy stipulates you'll get a new phone, or that you'll get a grade a refurbished phone then you can complain to them.

She was in final year of uni, living in private accommodation, so policy finishes Sept 16. though in reality the contents bit ended when she moved out at end of term. The mobile phone insurance was an add on and cheaper than a stand alone mobile phone insurance like protect my bubble. There is no issue with increased premiums as no longer a student and.

I want the phone for myself as I don't take out contract phones as I have a brill sim only deal from Virgin that don't make it cost effective. DD phone was immaculate and I'm sure would have done me for a couple of years and saved me spending £100 on a phone.

The policy states new for old on contents etc. but I've quoted what it says for the additional mobile phone insurance. The mobile phone insurance for accidental damage anywhere is an optional extra on policy.

FutureGirl

You should raise a complaint with the insurers about the phone. If it is a new for old policy, then you should be entitled to a new phone.

She will still need to declare the claim for 3-5 years. If she is going to live back with you, you may need to declare it as well depending on the questions asked when taking out new home insurance policies.

csgohan4

Poppy9 wrote: »

There is no issue with increased premiums as no longer a student and.

For the sake of a phone your premiums for the next 5 years are going to being increased. That is not money saving.


If you had to claim because of large leak in your house causing your ceiling collapse, fair enough.


Just because we have insurance, doesn't mean we need to claim on it, as there are consequences, expensive ones.

missbiggles1

If you haven't even switched it on yet, how do you know whether it works well or not?

Kim_13

Whether it works well or not is immaterial I'd say, given the unacceptable cosmetic condition.

A similar condition replacement would be difficult if not impossible on an iPhone 5 as it has been out of production for almost 3 years now. OP are you sure it's a 5 and not a 5s?

If the insurer will not say replace 5 with a 5s (if they can still get one, as they too are out of production since the SE was introduced in March) then they should offer a cash sum. I'd guess that this is the only 5 they could get. While you shouldn't necessarily expect a 5s of the same condition as DD's 5 as that would be an improvement, I'd say a cash settlement is more reasonable than a battered 5 which is clearly worse than the DD's was.