Travel insurance - transfer of annual policies by your bank

fraudfinder

My parents have had an annual travel policy for years as part of their banking account. However, unbeknown to them the bank had transferred the policy to a well known insurance provider. No letters, no emails etc. Parents booked a holiday and then subsequently one of them became ill necessitating a cancel and claim. Found that they were not covered as none of the pre-existing and informed health conditions were covered as under data protection the bank could not inform the new insurer. Now, due to a new illness, they can't get one of them covered until it is resolved and they have another holiday now not covered. The bank was still taking the same premiums which were higher than standard premium because of their pre-existing conditions. I think this is shoddy and underhand practise by both parties here. Thoughts?

TadleyBaggie

Is this Nationwide by any chance? They transferred from UKI to Aviva about 12 months ago, but I got plenty of communication about it.

DullGreyGuy

So this is Nationwide going from UK Insurance (aka Direct Line) to Aviva?

Based on the many comments on here, letters were certainly sent. 

Ayr_Rage

Thoughts, if it is Nationwide then your parents missed the notifications of the changes.

fraudfinder

Nope. Natwest

born_again

fraudfinder said:

My parents have had an annual travel policy for years as part of their banking account. However, unbeknown to them the bank had transferred the policy to a well known insurance provider. No letters, no emails etc. Parents booked a holiday and then subsequently one of them became ill necessitating a cancel and claim. Found that they were not covered as none of the pre-existing and informed health conditions were covered as under data protection the bank could not inform the new insurer. Now, due to a new illness, they can't get one of them covered until it is resolved and they have another holiday now not covered. The bank was still taking the same premiums which were higher than standard premium because of their pre-existing conditions. I think this is shoddy and underhand practise by both parties here. Thoughts?

Banks are not insurance companies. Any of these policies are with 3rd party ins companies. So bank would not have any details on pre existing conditions.

Given the mention of parents, they had not reached the max age that the policy covered had they?

sheramber

They could ask NatWest when and how they were notified of the change of insurer.

Are they perhaps signed up for paperless and would need to check their messages for information?