Insurance companies scam?

GSPBASSES

Not exactly a scam, as theoretically, you don't lose any money, but still not right.

 A few years ago I purchased a washing machine it was quite expensive, I was offered an extended warranty half price so I took it out.

 Nearly 5 years later I get a phone call to say my warranty was just about to run out. They offered me what I thought was a good price to extend it for another three years, which I did.

 About three weeks later, I get another phone call telling me my washing machine warranty is just about to run out. I explained to the guy on the phone,  I've already extended it with them. He assured me that I hadn't. It turns out that it's a different company that phoned me up first. Both companies are household names, so not fly by night insurers companies or agents. I'm presuming that Currys that I got the machine from sell data to anyone who wants to buy it. Lesson learnt.

 Yesterday I received a letter from an insurance company telling me my insurance cover other Canon lens is about to run out. With the letter was normal direct debit form to fill out. I’ve had this lens at least three years, cost well over £1000, but my household insurance covers it for accidental damage or theft when I'm away from the house. At the time of purchase I didn't take out an insurance policy on it. Remembering  the scam on the washing machine, I decided to ring up the company. I asked this character on the phone to give me my previous policy number, which he couldn't. I asked him for the serial number of the lens, which he couldn't. He insisted that I had insured the lens with them, a quick check on my bank accounts direct debits showed I have never made any payments to this company. Again, this company is a household name so is this the new type of scam for want of a better word that these companies are now employing to get business. I did telephone Jessop's where I purchased the lens from to ask them if when I purchased the lens was there an insurance policy that come with it, no was the reply unless I paid for one. I asked if they shared their customer data with insurance companies. He said he didn't know but thought that it would against data protection laws.

 I decided to ring up Currys to ask them if they share customer data or sell it to anybody, they said no, and why did I want to know. I explained what happens, at which time I was transferred to a different department. The guy explained to me that my extended warranty was not with Currys but with an insurance company. As many of these companies are linked together. It may be that my details are passed around. He also said it’s definitely not Currys policy to give customer details out to third parties.

Conclusion, I will make sure when I renew a policy it is with the original company and not one trying to jump in.

Roland

A couple of years ago I had four different people call me, three on the same afternoon. Each said that they were my Vodafone account manager, and I needed to renew my contract. I doubt that Vodafone appointed four agencies, so presumably an employee passed on the details.

ICBM

Ever since I broke my arm, I've been getting calls from numbers I don't recognise which I ignore and then when checked on Who Calls Me, turn out to be ambulance-chasing claims firms so I block them. Since I didn't get them before, I can only conclude that there is someone in NHS Scotland selling personal information to these fuckers...

skunkwerx

I dont know the legalities around selling on details but I’ve had loads too. 

All started when I did my back in at work around 7 years ago. 

I filled out an accident at work form and took myself off down a walk in centre. 

Had loads of calls from compensation parties. Blocked em all. 

Since then its multiplied. Get all sorts of numbers calling me, atleast 2 a week now which is a record low. 

Was about 8-9 per week at one stage before I signed on to the list that I forget the name of.

Allsorts of ‘companies’, from all over the UK, to really weird places like South Africa and fucking Ascension Island, which I had to google because I’d never pissing heard of.. 

I never answer, because one time I did, I got charged by 3 mobile for accepting the call, and it werent cheap! 
Eventually they refunded me but they werent keen to, as it showed up on my bill that I called the number!! 

I’ve thought about changing my number but man, I’ve got such a unique one by happy chance that I refuse to give it up! 

Sporky

skunkwerx said:

I’ve thought about changing my number but man, I’ve got such a unique one by happy chance that I refuse to give it up! 

Very wise. Nothing more annoying than having a non-unique phone number. 

Roland

ICBM said:

Ever since I broke my arm, I've been getting calls from numbers I don't recognise which I ignore and then when checked on Who Calls Me, turn out to be ambulance-chasing claims firms so I block them. Since I didn't get them before, I can only conclude that there is someone in NHS Scotland selling personal information to these fuckers...

Have you thought of calling their fraud department?

FelineGuitars

My mum used to take out insurance on domestic appliances with a company called Domestic and General.

I was very sceptical as it seemed quite a lot of money going out each month for cover on different things.

Well one appliance went down, and the bastards tried (and succeeded) to wriggle out of their cover quoting some loophole or innocuous wording that meant it didn't cover this circumstance.

I was furious and whilst I understood that my mum who had felt high and dry on a previous occasion when a washing machine broke down  and she couldn't afford to replace, I said she was no better off having a policy that couldn't or wouldn't pay out in her hour of need.

I suggested that in future maybe she get the quote for the monthly premium from them, but not take out the insurance but instead transfer that money every month to a savings account. Then she would be her "own insurance company" and should an appliance expire then she may have enough saved to pay out herself and replace it, and should nothing blow up then she'd be quids in.

ICBM

Roland said:

Have you thought of calling their fraud department?

I have no idea if they have one, but I may find out...

JAYJO

The Mrs is nuts that goes without saying. Insured a table and chairs from Harveys infact when they offer her insurance i have to step in and say" NOOOOO Thanks Dude do i look stupid? Just because im carrying 2 bags of shopping ,pushing a pram with another kid kicking my backside does not mean i am going to insure a Kettle,Toaster,Hoover,Telly . 12 months is fine anything else i will consider a bonus."

jellyroll

ICBM said:

Ever since I broke my arm, I've been getting calls from numbers I don't recognise which I ignore and then when checked on Who Calls Me, turn out to be ambulance-chasing claims firms so I block them. Since I didn't get them before, I can only conclude that there is someone in NHS Scotland selling personal information to these fuckers...

That is an outrageous data breach. 

ESBlonde

Usually those 'insurance' guarantees are almost worthless (que a selection of people here who have had some joy/benefit)! Mostly they provide commission to the retailer/salesman to top up thier income or earn brownie points with the boss. If you work out what they cost over the life of the policy you are typically halfway to buying the next replacement anyway.

Also never give the cashier your real email or mobile number - that just guarantees junk mail/calls down the line. Have a disposable email for that purpose so they can 'email the receipt and guarantee' which the don't have to but sometimes it saves twatting the robot member of staff.

thermionic

I've been very sceptical about extended warranties on household goods from the very beginning and never buy them. I did one time though, when my dad offered to buy me a washing machine when I bought a house. The extended warranty was sold on the fact I could claim it all back if I hadn't made a claim by the time it expired after 5 (or maybe it was 7) years. So I bought the cheapest washing machine for £200 with the £180 warranty. By the time the warranties were up, most people had misplaced the original letter which you had to return within two weeks and missed out on the refund. This is how the scam worked of course - super stringent conditions with no leeway and no reminder from them that the warranty had expired. I had kept the letter and had the date marked on the calendar, so I played them at their own game and got my money back.

The cheap as chips washing machine by the way, lasted for 20 years!

ThePrettyDamned

I tend to buy expensive things from John Lewis as their extended warranty is super no quibbles and I've had good experience.

My sigma lens is insured by a camera insurance company @RaymondLin recommended and they said if it broke it would be replaced with the latest art version. Hope it doesn't break because I don't want to have to claim, but it's nice to know it can be sorted.

@icbm you need to call the hospital... Sounds dodgy.

maltingsaudio

Two more things in life are certain, 1 whatever you do someone will find out about it and try to profit. 2 GDPR was a waste of time and effort.

ICBM

ThePrettyDamned said:

@icbm you need to call the hospital... Sounds dodgy.

I'll try to find who I can report it to. One problem is that I've been at three hospitals... the initial put-me-back-together job was done in Glasgow, and the assessment and surgery at two different ones in NHS Lothian. All of them have my phone number of course.

I can't imagine this is anything unusual - but it's just too much of a coincidence otherwise. One call was from Latvia... I don't know anyone from there. The UK ones were flagged as known claims chasers on Who Calls Me. They do seem to have stopped again now though.

Nitefly

@ICBM - I don't suppose you signed any kind of consent form prior to the surgery?  The kind that have a double-negative "Don't tick this box if you don't want to hear from our third-party partners" tick-box hidden on the reverse where you can't see it while you're trying not to faint from the pain?