iPhone insurance with EagleStar

knox1664

All, I just have a quick query in relation to making a claim with this crowd of "insurers". I recently had my iPhone stolen from a jacket while in a nightclub and immediately got onto both o2 and eaglestar (Zurich) in relation to claiming under theft however, after a period of 5 weeks I'm still trying to get someone to clear my claim and get me my new iPhone. The claim was rejected due to "undue care" which is surely a con artists way of saying "we dont want to pay out because we'll lose money even though we cover for loss and THEFT".

If anyone else has been in or knows someone who has been in this situation before and has gotten a replacement from this crowd then I would appreciate any advice on what Im doing wrong hugely! Im losing hair by the day ringing Zurich.

Thanks. kn0x.

Tom Dunne

knox1664 wrote: »

I recently had my iPhone stolen from a jacket while in a nightclub

Were you pick pocketed, or was the jacket left down on a chair?

You know what insurance companies are like, their terms and conditions are watertight and they will do everything possible to get out of paying a claim.

WizZard

First: Check your policy details.
Second: If you have shown "due care" under your policy Ts & Cs then you can force the issue with them (speak to a manager/higher-up)

As an example, with car insurance contents are covered only if the car is locked and the contents are not on show (difficult to prove) and they do check to see if the car has been "broken in to" as opposed to forgetting to lock the doors.

Gillo

Where was the jacket in relation to you when the iphone was stolen?

strecker

Gillo wrote: »

Where was the jacket in relation to you when the iphone was stolen?

Exactly!?
If you don't have witnesses and, hey, videoevidence that that iphone was in your coat pocket, out of sight and while you were wearing the coat at all times, they won't pay. Case closed.
Insurers!!! They mean it when they say 'peace of mind'! They don't mean real peace or 'want some of our bonusses?'!!!

Random

As the others say OP, give us some more information. What "undue care" did you show? Was the jacket left unattended? Was it in a cloak room? was it on your back?

What has gone on over the last 5 weeks? Can you give us a breakdown of the timeline?

Thanks

knox1664

Hello all! Thanks for the inputs and very sorry about the lack of response.

The jacket was in a pile of jackets where we all were it wasnt in the cloak room as it should have been i know but it wasnt unattended at any point during the night. The jacket was thieved unknown to anyone however and the phone was in the inside pocket. No video evidence unfortunately and I was told the management are not responsible etc which is fair enough as I presumed that the insurance company would understand as Im paying their wages. Wrong.

Over the last five weeks Ive had to make numerous phone calls and emails asking them for a replacement. the initial claim was declined so I appealed it and then that was declined too so I was told I have to get onto Zurich head office and put the claim through them in writing only (moving higher up the food chain and still not getting anywhere) I also told the lovely people at eaglestar that I could not send a letter as Im at sea quite a lot and didnt have the provisions to do so but lo and behold the people in Zurich have no phone lines and no email addresses that I can deal with.

Im now wondering how I would stand going to the small claims court as I cannot afford the 560 quid its going to cost me for a new one.

Is there something Im not saying right to these people that will magically make them say oh actually this guys telling the truth and is a genuine claimant?

Thanks

kn0x

theteal

knox1664 wrote: »

Is there something Im not saying right to these people that will magically make them say oh actually this guys telling the truth and is a genuine claimant?

unfortunately, I fear you may have said too much, knox. I've dealt with these kind of situations before. I assume they know about the phone left in the coat out of your possession scenario? The fact that the handset wasn't on your person at the time it went walkies constitutes "undue care" with any insurance companies that I've had the pleasure of dealing with. It does make sense but it still feels like a kick in the monkeys. I wouldn't think that they doubt your claim but the undue care clause is a nice money saver for them.

worst still, because of such clauses being pretty water tight, i fear the SCC would find in their favour

apologies amigo

Gillo

In fairness then you weren't exactly taking great care of the phone, think about it this way if you'd had 560 cash on you would you have left it in the same place???

Our man in Havana

If you threaten to take then to court they will most likely cough up. They don't want the grief.

Mobile insurance is a big scam, like selling snake oil, impossible to claim on.

ucd.1985

Gillo wrote: »

In fairness then you weren't exactly taking great care of the phone, think about it this way if you'd had 560 cash on you would you have left it in the same place???

Will you get off your high horse.

The OP is looking for help and your comments in no way add to the tread.

Idiot.

Tom Dunne

ucd.1985 wrote: »

Will you get off your high horse.

The OP is looking for help and your comments in no way add to the tread.

Idiot.

Right, you are new here so I will go easy on you.

Calling somebody an idiot is not acceptable on this forum. If you have a problem with a post, report it and let the Moderators deal with it.

If you have any issues with this, send me a Private Message, let's not get into a discussion on this thread.

Random

Mobile insurance is a big scam,

This is nonsense. Yes, it does have a long list of T&C like all insurance - but I have made a number of successful claims and never had one declined. You get to read the T&C and then you decide if you want it. Nobody is forcing it on you.

Our man in Havana

Nobody is forcing it on you.

You haven't been in my local phone shop lately.

3DataModem

[Not intended as OP-bashing, just trying to answer the question asked.]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I can tell you for a fact that "due care" of a small item in a nightclub will include;

(1) Keeping it on your person
or
(2) Putting it in the cloakroom

It will not include;
(3) Leaving it in a pile of coats

I've worked in insurance, and they pay out a LOT of phone claims every year (this is not a huge profit generator for them either, as most of the risk and margin is laid off).

Their view will be that you could have done either (1) or (2) above but chose not to for whatever reason (you thought it would be safe etc).

If the nightclub didn't have a cloakroom (or it was closed on that night) then you might have a chance (and they will check!). But only a chance as you could have kept it in your pocket ("due care").

Whether the coat was attended or not is irrelevant. If you said that your friend was watching the coats all night like a hawk it would not make a difference. You did not (in their view) take reasonable steps to ensure it wouldn't be stolen.

Hypotheticals;
(2) if you lent it to a friend and he left it in a pile of coats (where a cloakroom is available) whose fault would it be if it was stolen?
Answer: his.

(2) If you lent it to a friend and he put it in the cloakroom whose fault would it be if it was stolen? Answer; the nightclubs... unless they had a sign saying "no valuables" or similar. You'd probably have a shot at a claim then (he showed "due care").

(3) If you lent it to a friend and it was pickpocketed from him on the dance floor whose fault would it be?
Answer; nobodies => insurance claim.

(4) If you'd asked a friend to specifically watch the coats all night like a hawk and it was stolen whose fault would it be?
Answer: his.


Sorry mate. Hope you somehow get it back (or some other good luck that makes up for the bad).

Kotek Besar

Old thread I know but, OP, what happened on this end, I'm curious?