Which packaged account?

Daliah

Questions to existing holders of packaged accounts - not a theoretical discuss of the pros and cons of packaged accounts.

MSE recommends Nationwide Select, Halifax Ultimate Reward, COOP Everyday Extra or Virgin Money Club M. All cost about the same, and all come with about the same insurances.

Is there any other packaged account people would recommend?

If you are holding a packaged account, would you mind sharing why you selected the one you did select? If you have claimed on one of the insurances, what was your experience? 

JenB79

"Nationwide Select"? No such packaged current account with Nationwide, I suspect you meant their FlexPlus Account @ £13/m. I have the NW FlexPlus account, primarily for the mobile insurance and breakdown cover, also their debit card came very handy when i was abroad for work recently. I chose NW a) they have decent customer service b) their packaged account is one of (if not the) cheapest around. I've made 2 mobile phone claims with NW (thru Lifestyle Group), both claims were processed satisfactorily subject to paying the excess amounts.

Daliah

Sorry, you are right, I did mean the FlexPlus. I have been using a Nationwide Select credit card for years, so that title must be burnt into my brain....

Good to know they have been processing claims satisfactorily.

williewonder

I have Nationwide Flex-account and had no problems with it. I mainly have it for the phone insurance and no cost using my card aboard which is indeed handy.. Customer services is good, they answerer the phone very quickly. No mess ups with their banking systems like some banks. Online banking is good. 

eskbanker

williewonder said:

I have Nationwide Flex-account...

Nationwide's FlexAccount is a different product from their FlexPlus packaged account, which is perhaps the one you're referring to?

revdfscott

Just switched to NWd select plus a/c (£156/yr) from NatWest platinum (£240/yr) for otherwise identical product. BUT am going to have to switch again as the NWSP A/c requires one of those silly little calculator things for EVERY online payment/transfer, including if you use the app (even though all identity etc checks have all been completed and I’ve logged on with my fingerprint). This is a deal breaker for us as we do a lot of one-off payments (cleaner, window cleaner, coal & wood deliveries, tradesmen, etc) and often whilst at work/ on the train etc. Incredibly annoying and a big waste of time both to have to do this and time involved sitting the switch.
We’ll leave it a few weeks to make sure we get the switch bonus and then switch again probably back to NatWest or maybe Co-op.
Please include this ‘need a card machine for all non-regular payments’ fact in your review to save others having the same very frustrating experience, thanks.

Daliah

@revdfscott Over the years, I had several of the Nationwide current accounts, and I agree, it is a huge inconvenience that they force the occasional use of the card reader even if you use the biometric-controlled app.

Nonetheless, I went for the FlexPlus but I really only use it for the insurances, nothing else. On balance, I found their insurance offer the best of all. I have no issues operating multiple current accounts - to the contrary, I like having accounts with different providers.

jimjames

I don't agree that they are all the same. I have the Nationwide Flexplus precisely because it isn't the same as the other accounts you've listed.

It includes breakdown cover for multi vehicles including European cover. It includes worldwide travel insurance and mobile phone cover. All these are very useful for my purposes but if you don't need some elements it won't be such good value.

I've used the breakdown cover including abroad and claimed for mobile that went for a swim. The mobile was a slow process but they replaced the phone.

WillPS

I have the Halifax Ultimate Reward account.

I completely lost my phone in what can only be described as a drunk incident in November, and I was pleasantly surprised to see my claim was immediately accepted and a replacement phone despatched next working day, delivered the day after. They actually upgraded me from a Fold2 to a Fold3 as well, although that might just be to do with what they had stock of. 

The roadside cover is with the AA. You're able to use their app (without the 'Benefits' section unfortunately) and overall I'm happy with the service.

Have not had cause to use the travel or home emergency insurances yet.

Saver101101

I get the Mobile Phone Insurance (4 Phones), AA Cover (With Hire car etc.), Holiday Travel insurance with Winter sports cover, Home Emergency cover and other benefits for free with Lloyds, the downside is I need to keep £10k in the account or it would be £25 per month, but with the low interest rates I doubt I would earn £25 per month on £10k anyway, and they still pay me 1.5% (I think) up to £5k.

peewhyeff

Saver101101 said:

I get the Mobile Phone Insurance (4 Phones), AA Cover (With Hire car etc.), Holiday Travel insurance with Winter sports cover, Home Emergency cover and other benefits for free with Lloyds, the downside is I need to keep £10k in the account or it would be £25 per month, but with the low interest rates I doubt I would earn £25 per month on £10k anyway, and they still pay me 1.5% (I think) up to £5k.

What is this account called?   Seems like a good deal.