TV insurance repair gone wrong - what are my options?

svens

This was the protect plus plan bought through John Lewis.

The policy says:
"Accidental damage (during and after the manufacturer’s guarantee) If your product suffers accidental damage (so that the product is no longer in good working order, including TV screen burn-in) at any time while the policy is in force, we will (at our option) arrange a repair (see ‘Repairs’ below) or arrange a replacement (see ‘Replacements’ below)."

"Exclusions We shall not be liable for:
<snip>
• cosmetic damage such as damage to paintwork, dents or scratches;"

So I guess this is what they're claiming the exclusion as, but they haven't given me the specific details about how they classify cosmetic damage on TVs, despite me asking a few times now. These exclusions apply to other appliances, so I think it's talking about damage to cosmetic surfaces.

At this point, the insurance company is ignoring my emails. I politely asked them for a final response twice now and no response. I will try calling them up again this week, but I feel like it's not going anywhere. It's really disappointing, as it cost me 140 quid and their actions have put me worse off.

Do I need to wait the 8 weeks before contacting FSO? Or can I take their phone conversations as a "final response"? Do I need to send them a request in writing, or are emails/phone calls good enough? I also wonder if I should contact John Lewis directly. I want to make sure I take the correct steps. Thanks for the help.