# Problems making a claim with getcover.ie



## cerebral

Hi there,

I wonder would anyone have any advise in relation to the above. I took out travel insurance for a 6 month period and ensured that the company I went with paid a reasonable amount for lost baggage/personal effects. I have since had to make a claim since my rucksack was stolen in the middle of Chile, and I feel they are requesting an unreasonable amount of information; receipts and proof of purchase for every single item being claimed for. I have already sent them a police report with a list of contents, the cost of the items and credit card statements detailing the same amount. 

Any advise on how to ensure they pay the claim?


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## serotoninsid

Was discussed on 'The Last Word' on TodayFM a couple of weeks back.  Apparently, they all request receipts for items lost/stolen etc.  Matt Cooper put it to the Insurance Industry Rep that this was unreasonable but he claimed that its to prevent people sticking in a list of imaginery items...


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## cerebral

Hmmm I see, a bit difficult to have receipts for things you buy at a stall in the middle of Bolivia....!!! 

In their first letter they requested receipts OR credit card statements, and I sent credit card statements highlighting each purchase relevant to the claim, but now they are looking for more detailed info. Should credit card statements not suffice as proof of purchase?


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## geecee

HI Cerebral
I have also made a claim against getcover.com...
I only submitted mine this wee

Do you mind me asking how much you were claiming for?
(mine is around €600)

How long did you have to wait from your initial claim until they got back to you looking for further evidence?

Would be oblidged if you could keep us up to date on your progress..
I will do likewise!


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## cerebral

Hi Geecee,

I'm claiming for all personal belongings being stolen while backpacking. They came back to me after a week from when I first sent it in. I have not found them very helpful or efficient and they just keep adding to the information that they need in order to prolong paying the claim. I made a claim with Justcover a couple of years ago and found them much more efficient.

They also would not pay medical expenses incurred while away.

I would not use getcover again and definitely would not recommend them.


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## DublinTexas

My policy is going to expire soon and after reading this I don't think I want to use them again.

Does anybody has experience with other providers in case of claims and can recommend them?


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## bacchus

cerebral said:


> I made a claim with Justcover a couple of years ago and found them much more efficient.


 
Could the timing not explain it?
Would you not not have the same problem today with Justcover as you are having with Getcover as they all tighten their contract to better deal with fraud attempts?


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## Framley

Firstly, as someone who has worked in the insurance industry, I have a different perspective.

For what it's worth, *ALL* travel insurance providers, as far as I know, look for this information.  It's a bit unfair to beat up on one company for an industry wide practice.

The reason receipts are looked for is that a lot of people people add in non-existant expensive items when they make a claim to bump up the payment.  This happens in most areas of insurance.

The important thing is to keep receipts for everything you buy.  Stick them in a drawer - it doesn't cost you anything.  If you haven't got receipts, have a look at the policy document.  I'll bet they pay unreceipted items up to a limit.


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## galwegian44

Framley - I understand the need for insurance companies to protect themselves against this type of fraud (most probably from a very small group of people) but if people held on to all of their receipts (highly unlikely) then what is to stop them from including receipts for items that were not stolen and still are hanging in their wardrobe.

The point I take from this is that Insurance companies in general see this as a cop out and are quite happy to rely on the fact that most people will not retain receipts, thus ensuring that the pay out is low on claims. Not exactly customer friendly but efficient from their perspective.



Framley said:


> The important thing is to keep receipts for everything you buy. Stick them in a drawer - it doesn't cost you anything.


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## cerebral

Framley,

Not *ALL *travel insurance providers include compensation for lost personal belongings for Backpackers and I now see why. It is completely futile to include this in your cover if they DO NOT take in to account travelling for long periods of time and obviously NOT in a position to keep receipts. 

The reason I am so annoyed with this particular company is because they have reneged paying out on a number of very unfortunate incidents which occurred while being away and although it gives you peace of mind before anything happens they are completely useless when something bad does happen. 

Insurance is supposed to cover you for unforeseen circumstances, this company does not cover you for that.


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## geecee

Get cover were on to me today and confirmed that the will be sending on approx half of what i have claimed...

My claim was relating to the loss of my passport

I'm not particularly happy with the outcome... But i guess some is better than none!

The parts they rejected were a claim for emergency phone cals that i had to make to home (in order to get copies of passport, birth cert) calls to theinsurance company and lost salary in work...


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## madmum

cerebral - I have made a previous claim with getcover in galway and found them really good - they accepted my credit card statements as proof of items that were stolen from me. Perhaps you should get back on to them to ensure it isnt a mistake? Was it the galway office you were dealing with because i know they have an office in the UK also?

I'd give them a ring or send a letter detailing that you are not happy with the result of your claim and you'd like it to be reassessed...if they have declined your claim then they have to take another look when you send in a letter of complaint.

if they really did decline your whole claim because of lack of original receipts....and you've provided credit card statements for the items instead....i'd say you have a good case to be reassessed.

you said in your second post that they are "looking for more detailed info" so is it that they havent declined your claim- they just want more info on it? You've also said that you bought items at a market stall in Bolivia - how on earth did you use a credit card there?  just asking because your posts all seem to contradict each other.

I know in the whole that people feel insurance companies are out to get you...but they have to answer to the ombudsman so if you are seriously not happy about a decline you do have other avenues to go down


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## madmum

galwegian44 said:


> Framley - I understand the need for insurance companies to protect themselves against this type of fraud (most probably from a very small group of people) but if people held on to all of their receipts (highly unlikely) then what is to stop them from including receipts for items that were not stolen and still are hanging in their wardrobe.
> quote]
> 
> good morality? The fact that doing so would be fraud?


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## MugsGame

> good morality? The fact that doing so would be fraud?



I think the point is that being able to produce receipts doesn't mean you aren't claiming fraudulently. So the insurance company don't prevent fraud by requiring them.



> Its main purpose is to pay for emergency medical treatment while abroad and to facilitate repatriation home in the event of death or serious injury.



Yes, and VHI (and some credit cards) cover for these situations, which is why I never buy travel insurance.


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## madmum

MugsGame said:


> I think the point is that being able to produce receipts doesn't mean you aren't claiming fraudulently. So the insurance company don't prevent fraud by requiring them.
> quote]
> 
> I didnt say that the insurance company was preventing fraud by requiring receipts- I answered galwegian44's question where he asked what was stopping people from sending in receipts for items that were not lost/stolen.


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## cerebral

Hi Madmum,

No I didnt use my credit card on the Bolivian stalls!!! so unfortunatley I could not claim for things I had bought along my travels. The credit card statements only provided proof of purchase for things I had bought before I went: rucksack, camera, medicines/toiletries and some clothing. These were the only things I was claiming for. 

The information they were requesting was to break down my credit card statements to single items, ie: pair of socks, bought on 19/08/07, in Dunnes Stores, cost 1.99...!!! etc etc.

Although, since I have posted this thread I received a call from getcover to say that they no longer require this information and will send a cheque for the full amount claimed. The lady was very polite and helpful and even though my call wasnt taken when I  first called back, they returned the call within 5 minutes..


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## galwegian44

And while I'm sure that you and I fall into this category madmum, I'm also sure that there are people who fall outside of it...unfortunately.

The insurance companies would not survive very long if they depended on the good morality of their customers. However, it would be refreshing to see an insurance company implement procedures that were more customer friendly whilst protecting themselves at the same time.



madmum said:


> galwegian44 said:
> 
> 
> 
> good morality? The fact that doing so would be fraud?
Click to expand...


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## galwegian44

Glad to see that you have been compensated cerebral, although I'm sure it's frustrating (and even annoying) to have to deal with a company that  with a company that doesn't seem to understand its own claims policies.

Nevertheless, I remain a customer of getcover.com 



cerebral said:


> Although, since I have posted this thread I received a call from getcover to say that they no longer require this information and will send a cheque for the full amount claimed. The lady was very polite and helpful and even though my call wasnt taken when I first called back, they returned the call within 5 minutes..


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## LDFerguson

I wonder is the Financial Regulator reading Askaboutmoney?  See here.


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## ClubMan

LDFerguson said:


> I wonder is the Financial Regulator reading Askaboutmoney?


Well I suppose they have to do something with their time since they do little else on the individual consumer complaint front in my experience.


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## CreNaCille

The requirement to produce receipts automatically excludes items which you own but did not buy i.e. gifts such as jewelery, electronics etc

I'm going on holiday soon and bringing an expensive camera which was a gift.  I have no (documentary) way of proving it was a gift however.  I'm not sure how I can prove that I owned a camera in the event of it being stolen.

Is it pointless for me to buy travel insurance in this example?


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## simon44

I'd be very cheeky if they really persist on getting all the information. I'd charge them for all the petrol, food (energy) spent running around getting all the info and add that to the bill. I'd certainly say that to them before I did go running around all the same. If you dont have it then say you dont or at least contact the insurance ombudsman responsible and get them to help you. They were not like that for me but really they should have paid more in my case


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