Employment status and PPI 12 October 2018 at 7:04PM in Reclaim PPI & other insurance 9 replies 1.2K views

wookiem

Evening Experts!

A quick question.

I have just had a claim for PPI denied. The letter I received stated that the PPI policy required that I was in 'permanent' employment, I was employed by an agency at the time. My question is, does agency work qualify as permanent work?

Cheers

[Deleted User]

wookiem wrote: »

does agency work qualify as permanent work?

No, but (generally) if the PPI policy would not have paid out because of such circumstance it's normal for any mis-selling complaint to be upheld.

So why was your complaint declined?

wookiem

Thanks MoneyIneptitude,

The letter says that they believe the policy would have been of use to me. In fairness, when they sent the questionnaire I just ticked the 'unknown' box to everything which was the most honest thing I could do. They then kept calling wanting more info but I felt this was a ploy to tie me in knots so I declined - it was actually during one of these calls that they informed me who I was employed by, at this point I argued that they already knew more than me and left it at that.

So, should I contact them (MBNA) again and point out that I was an agency worker or should I go to the ombudsman?

Cheers

[Deleted User]

You should have given them the information you had. It was a 'ploy'' to give you the opportunity to support your complaint.

As you chose not to, they went with what they had.

If you haven't yet had their final response, give them a call and see if they'll give you a second chance. However, it may now have to go to the Ombudsman.

wookiem

Yes, maybe my cynicism got the better of me, I was of the opinion that they were not going to find ways to give me money.

I'll try talking to MBNA but failing that then the ombudsman.

Cheers

Stephenmac

Hi. Glad the experts were able to help and noticed lots of pressing of "thanks" buttons. Such a helpful forum.

MrsG1972

Hi There  - I have received a letter from Santander today regarding my PPI claim.  This has been dragging on now since May 2019 once I first started the PPI claim process and was not convinced I had been charged for PPI as would never agree to such a policy.  It transpires Santander have 2 cards, a Mothercare Card and a Principals Card where they have charged me for PPI.  I was absolutely not aware of this nor did I knowingly agree to this charge.  The letter I received today has requested employment information for 2002 and 1999 when I had these cards, being 21 years and 18 years ago, I believe this request to be utterly ridiculous for me to have this information to hand.  Basically they want me to prove I had benefits with my employer at these times.  I worked as an accountant therefore have always been an office worker and have always had sickness benefit.  If I cannot find my old contract for the company that I worked for then, which I have not worked for since 2006, will this jeopardise my claim?

dunstonh

Note to posters:  This is a 2018 thread that has been revived by a new post from someone that is not the OP.  So, be careful on what you reply to.

 I was absolutely not aware of this nor did I knowingly agree to this charge.

So, when it originally appeared on the statements, what did you think it was?  And why did you not complain at the time?

The letter I received today has requested employment information for 2002 and 1999 when I had these cards, being 21 years and 18 years ago, I believe this request to be utterly ridiculous for me to have this information to hand. 

You need to remember that it is you that is the one alleging wrongdoing from 21 and 18 years ago.   It could also be viewed as being utterly ridiculous for you to make allegations after all this time that you cannot prove.  

Basically they want me to prove I had benefits with my employer at these times. 

Most of the banks had a database of employer benefits built up over the near 20 years of people complaining.  Where you allege you have employer benefits as a  complaint reason and the bank either has no records on that employer or if you claim to have benefits that are different to what they have on their records then its normal for them to ask you for evidence to support your allegation.

I worked as an accountant therefore have always been an office worker and have always had sickness benefit. 

But none of that actually confirms you had employer-provided sickness benefit.  It could easily just be SSP.   

 If I cannot find my old contract for the company that I worked for then, which I have not worked for since 2006, will this jeopardise my claim?

It depends on what your complaint reasons are and if any other complaint reasons exist that can be evidenced or if any other wrongdoing is found.  In reality, without evidence, it will likely be that any wrongdoing alleged by you in that particular area will be disregarded.  However, if you have alleged that you had 6 or 12 months employed provided sick pay and evidence is found that you only had 1 month or none then it could damage you. Obviously it would eliminate that as a complaint reason but it would also make you unreliable.  So, on decisions that need a balance of probability decision to be made (which happens quite often), these tend to go with the most credible side.        You are not expected to remember everything but if you have worded your complaint as if you have perfect recollection but that all falls apart under scrutiny, then that is really the only time it can do any damage in other areas.

brettcta

MrsG1972 said:

Hi There  - I have received a letter from Santander today regarding my PPI claim.  This has been dragging on now since May 2019 once I first started the PPI claim process and was not convinced I had been charged for PPI as would never agree to such a policy.  It transpires Santander have 2 cards, a Mothercare Card and a Principals Card where they have charged me for PPI.  I was absolutely not aware of this nor did I knowingly agree to this charge.  The letter I received today has requested employment information for 2002 and 1999 when I had these cards, being 21 years and 18 years ago, I believe this request to be utterly ridiculous for me to have this information to hand.  Basically they want me to prove I had benefits with my employer at these times.  I worked as an accountant therefore have always been an office worker and have always had sickness benefit.  If I cannot find my old contract for the company that I worked for then, which I have not worked for since 2006, will this jeopardise my claim?

Only giving dishonest information will ‘jeopardise’ your Complaint. 

Have you ever applied for a job? Do you have a CV? That might have your employment details on for the dates but if you don’t know, tell them you don’t know.

[Deleted User]

No.  You just need to answer honestly. If that means saying you don't remember, that's fine.

It's not ridiculous for them to ask in order to find something to support your complaint, especially if it was as weak as saying you didn't know you had it.