Do you have -'POLICY ADMIN SERV 1@ £7.99' on your bank statement?

ITRUK

Just to bump this thread with my recent discovery that i was also unknowingly paying for this insurance.
Mearly rang them up and said that i wasn't aware of the insurance and that i had sold the phone on after a few month's and that any phone would normally be put onto my house insurance as it cover's upward's of £2000 item's away from the home.

That was that, one short on hold tone, he came back to say that i was entitled to the full fortynine payment's back as well as any bank interest i would of missed, calculated at 8%.

I should be receiving two BAC transfer's adding up to £316 :T

Delta9er

Hi All
Glad I found this site. Just found the same thing on my Wife's statement. I've seen other threads here about this very subject. I'm really shocked to see this 'SCAM' is still going on today (17/2/2013) In some ways I'm hoping this has gone on for a while, as a cheque for a £500/600 would be very welcome right now!

bobbuild

I also recently noticed this charge on my bank statement. It had been there for 13 years!! I know I should have realised sooner what it was but they are very clever about making it discrete. I cancelled the policy immediately and then discovered this thread.
To cut a long story short after a phone call and a letter of complaint from myself I got a reply by mail stating my complaint was being dealt with and 10 days later a phone call to say that ALL payments would be refunded and interest at 8% would be applied. Payment went into my bank account a couple of days ago £902.87 + £279.29 interest!!!! All I can say is thanks to those who have gone before me and persevere to anyone who finds they have made this payment in the future.

marshy9892

I recently discovered I had been paying 11.99 a month for the best part of 18 months. However, the contract is still going ahead; I broke the phone around 6 months ago and have been living on a duff phone for the best part of 6 months, unaware that I had this insurance. I vividly remember the visit into phones4u and definitely didn't sign for any insurance. What would be the best way to go around this?

Thanks for any help.

frostyfrost

Had policy admin service charge coming outta my account for about 8 years thinking it was card insurance.After a half hour phone call they agreed to refund the whole amount minus tax without too much persuasion.Im recieved the money into my bank account after 5 days as explained so give them grief if you phone them up.They told me my refund amount was to get taxed which i am not sure about since i was taxed on this money when it was taken as wages??Think i'll phone them again.you never know....

Vix_89

I have been charged £4.99 each month since March 2010 from Policy Admin Services - I'm not aware I ever signed up for any insurance from them in the first place, but they assure me I did!!!!! (My own fault for not realising that it was coming out of my account for so long, I thought it was an Admin fee from my bank each month!!) - As this has been going on for 3 years they were only able to offer me 1 year two months worth of my payments back as they did not get in contact after my mobile phone contract had ended, so they automatically carried on taking the payment out of my account for a phone I no longer have.
I would recommend anyone that is getting a new phone contract to NOT take out their insurance service.
Also, each time I've called their office (0844 871 0600) the staff have been nothing but rude and tried to get me off the phone as quickly as possible.
I don't know why this has been allowed to go on for so long, I am absolutely disgusted. No wonder more and more people are getting into so much debt with companies like this being able to trade...But then again if they were to go into Administration they would still find a loop hole to re open their business in a different name...Something needs to be done sooner rather than later!!!!

mogwai

Just wanted to add my experience - my dad had been paying £7.99 a month for the last 6 years thinking it was something to do with the bank account (he pays for his account). I chased this up for him, and they managed to produce a signed direct debit with his signature on it for the service.

I still pushed for a partial refund though saying that they should not continue to take out beyond the duration of the contract, this they agreed to and are refunding £650 (payments plus 8%) to my dads account tomorrow.

Just to let anyone know even if they produce a signed DD, if theyve been continuing to take out money for years without notifying you they will refund you. In the letter they sent they wrote 'We have recognised that it is unfair and unreasonable for Policy Administration Services to allow a policy to continue indefinitely without such a reminder.'

So dont be deterred by signed contracts/DDs!

Buzby

Anyone reading this thread will have an acute sense of d!jà vu. In each case the hapless consumer left his wits behind and let DD after DD leech out of his account with the firm belief they'd done nothing wrong.

It is easy to say 'I had no idea', but it begs the question why they gave out their bank or CC information in the first place. Have they no control over heir actions - pr are they happy to see money coming out of their bank account in the mistaken belief the money is for something else?

This is no excuse. Being cavalier with your money is one thing, shouting SCAM and how you'd somehow been 'cheated' misses the source of the problem. People have to be responsible for their actions, never assume - if there is a special offer or deal on anything, find out why you've been so lucky - better yet, find out when the deal ends and you start paying for it.

Better yet, just say no - and keep all DD's to an absolute minimum.

ayayay

To be aware that phone insurance is a regulated financial product. If you are dissatisfied then you should complain to the firm in a letter headed COMPLAINT setting out what you want eg your money back (or if you've been !!!!!!ed about compensation for inconvenience). If you dont get want you want then complain to the Financial ombudsman, which is free and easy to do.

Cham1

My husband had a 7.99 policy admin direct debit, I assumed it was important so didn't cancel it. After going on this sight to see what it was I was horrified to learn it was phone insurance for phones4u. He has been with 02 for 9 years and this 7.99 has been coming out for 10 years!

I wrote a letter asking for proof of authorisation for the debits and i quickly realised they obviously didnt have any for that long ago, so they swiftly called up and refunded us a huge £950! They were very efficient with the complaint!