Is anyone watching the Channel 4 prog about Norwich Union claims investigators?

feesh

I'm watching it now and it's leaving a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

I know there are some scumbags out there ripping off the insurance companies and costing us all money, but also I can't believe the lengths Norwich Union are going to to get out of paying claims.

I am in a wrangle with them over my health insurance at the moment. They paid for major surgery for me last year but refused to pay the last 2 consultations I had with my surgeon. On the phone (and apparently when you speak to them everything you and they say is contractually binding and recorded - I was unaware of this) they kept grilling me about why I needed to see my surgeon again and apparently I implied that the consultations were "ongoing maintenance". They are now using this to get out of paying for my consultations.

I feel very upset as (a) I was crying during this phone call when I apparently made this implication and I wasn't sure what was going on and (b) if they hadn't paid for my operation, I wouldn't have needed to go back to the surgeon in October and January to make sure the bone was fully healed. :rolleyes:

Having been through what I've been through, I just find this programme leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

Also I have spoken to my surgeon and my surgeon's secretary about NU and apparently they have really gone down hill in the past 2 years or so since being taken over, and they niggle over every single payment (not just health insurance, but also the car insurance claims my surgeon treats).

FlameCloud

It was a massivly glamourised image of fraud investigation, I can tell you that much!

I didnt have any sympathies though for the couple in hull at the end though- for a policy voidance on a claim that size to stand Churchill must be convinced that the FOS wont rule against them, which would lead me to believe that they have pretty good proof of the fraud. It did amuse me though, in their interview they managed to get in lots of 'what fraudsters say' phrases!

dunstonh

Also I have spoken to my surgeon and my surgeon's secretary about NU and apparently they have really gone down hill in the past 2 years or so since being taken over

Norwich Union havent been taken over recently.

I have found their service levels have been increasing on the whole. They are never going to be perfect on general insurance as thats low profit and a lot of that is farmed out to India (like most of the others) and mistakes are inevitable when that happens but I use them for about 150 proposals a year and have no significant issues with them and servicing.

raskazz

As a policyholder of several insurance policies I absolutely welcome insurers being as vigilant as possible on potentially fraudulent claims. I don't want to pay for others' dishonesty.

Of course, what the programme did not show - because it is not as 'showbiz' as fraud investigation - are the millions of genuine claims paid promptly each and every year.

The couple at the end of the programme got their just desserts - I bet Churchill had a stack of evidence against them. Why would anyone keep white goods in a shed with (presumably) no electricity or water feed?

feesh

feesh wrote: »

Also I have spoken to my surgeon and my surgeon's secretary about NU and apparently they have really gone down hill in the past 2 years or so since being taken over, and they niggle over every single payment (not just health insurance, but also the car insurance claims my surgeon treats).

OK it seems they were wrong about this - I've Googled it and the parent company, Aviva, has cut jobs and moved to take over other companies, but didn't take over NU. I've heard mixed reports about NU, some people love them, I was just going on what my surgeon and his secretary said.

V_tricky

My OH were siding with the couple about thr fridge, but when further detail was revealed, we both were convinced that Churchill (part of thr 2nd biggest insurer in the UK) wouldn't reject the whole of a forty grand claim unless they had very good reason

FlameCloud

Well, that must be right then!

V_tricky

dunstonh = just be glad you don't have to deal with their claims!

I'm talking about people who hold 'sleeping policemen' (ie speed bumps) to blame for the damage - people who switch off their claims phone lines for weeks at a time to be able to catch up on their backlogs, people who don't understand English (and Welsh) or Scottish law, people who don't understand what the memorandum of understanding is,.... I could really go on...

TBH, it wouldn't put me off being personally insured with them at all - if the price was right BUT it certainly WOULD make me wanna ring them every three weeks to make sure the claim was running smoothly.

gazza975526570

When the guy was on about keeping receipts he musnt have been able to substantiate his claim

i must say claims dealt with like this are certainly the exception.

FlameCloud

V_tricky wrote: »

dunstonh = just be glad you don't have to deal with their claims!

I'm talking about people who hold 'sleeping policemen' (ie speed bumps) to blame for the damage - people who switch off their claims phone lines for weeks at a time to be able to catch up on their backlogs, people who don't understand English (and Welsh) or Scottish law, people who don't understand what the memorandum of understanding is,.... I could really go on...

I actually agree with you on this one. NU's biggest problem (from my point of view working for another company) is that their staff in the foreign call centres do not really know anything about insurance principles. If you phone them up and ask them to clarify a CUE result they really havent got a clue what you are talking about, let along trying to get through to them about contributions.

Their UK based staff are though, on the whole excellent to work with and very helpful, its just getting past the first hurdle.

V_tricky

FlameCloud wrote: »

Well, that must be right then!

Oi! I was agreeing with you!

Insurance companies aren't infallible, but I do know (hope) that they wouldn't risk cancelling a claim & voiding the policy over heresay - the FOS would NOT be happy!