Insurance heads up ;)

stumpyjon

Just had a bad ride with an ultimately good outcome. Took the road bike out as I couldn't face cleaning up after an offroad ride and I had to make an effort to get out. Anyway I haven't got a bike computer for the road bike so took my Garmin Etrex Vista hCx with me. Went over a cattle grid and the bl**dy thing fell out of the mount to be promptly run over by a 4 x 4. They're tough little things but not that tough :roll:

Got home and the wife said claim on the house insurance, I looked at her like she had two heads and then checked our policy. Turns out we have personal posession insurance on the contents. Quick phone call to LV and a cheque for £ 179 is now in the post - major result 8)

Thing is I was completely honest with them told them exactly what happened, when asked about value I told them the RRP on the Garmin site is £ 229 (which it is), I also said you can get them cheaper if you shop around but they didn't quibble, and quite happily payed out against the RRP less my £ 50 excees. Turns out I can get a brand new replacement on Ebay for £ 150.

The only thing now is to decide what to get, very tempted to replace the squashed unit with another one but I have been hankering after a GPS with OS mapping. They're really expenisve though and I'm not sure 6 square inches of map, however beautifully rendered is going to be much use. Decisions, decisions :?

angry_bird

I'd get a gps, expensive but useful, plot routes on them and never get lost, unless you are a group of 14 year year old scouts, took ages to find them last sunday despite giving them a gps for emergencies :roll:

Briggo

So the heads up is for what exactly? You claimed and got your money... :?

Anyway, I tinkered with getting a GPS but didnt bother, then for xmas the missus surprised me with a Garmin 605.

Awesome little unit and its extremely easy to navigate new routes with it, alright the detail of the map isnt fantastic but it points you in the right direction perfectly (and I managed to get 'un-lost' using the map anyway so it works) while constantly monitoring and recording your progress to show you how well you're bettering yourself.

stumpyjon

Briggo wrote:

So the heads up is for what exactly? You claimed and got your money... :?

To check your insurance, never occured to me I could claim for something like that. Been paying for it so I might as well make use of it.

ESC

Don't forget to update this thread in the future with details of your policy increases over the coming 2/3 years..........

13ADL1X

Also make sure you are really clear that this is a handheld GPS device and NOT a SAT-NAV. Some companies may try and refuse your claim on the grounds its a motor accessory.

Make it really clear that it is used on bike and for hiking/running etc and you should be fine.

This is from someone who turns down claims on a regular basis!

cavegiant

13ADL1X wrote:

Also make sure you are really clear that this is a handheld GPS device and NOT a SAT-NAV. Some companies may try and refuse your claim on the grounds its a motor accessory.

Make it really clear that it is used on bike and for hiking/running etc and you should be fine.

This is from someone who turns down claims on a regular basis!

OOOooh a claims handler, evil evil.


p.s. I also used to work in insurance, evil evil!!!

13ADL1X

I'm worse than that now! I'm a complaints handler!!

So be nice and polite or I may ruin your life at some point when you don't get what you want.

cavegiant

I do have a claim running through at the moment with Legal and General...

Training in insurance law is so much fun when dealing a claim.

The last good claim I had where they were pissing with me was hilarious.

"Are you aware that your company procedure deviates from FSA guidelines and law"
"Yes, but it is company policy that I have to follow"
"You now have recorded yourself on tape saying you are aware you are breaking the law"
"yes"
"So I have two choices, either your company pays me what I am entitled to under my insurance contract, or I call the FSA and they make you pay me what I am entitled too"

Amazingly i recieved a massive overpayent. I even phoned them up to tell them they had overpaid. I was told it was OK.

I think they paid me off not to report them =-)

So I won't give out e&l's name to anyone, just in case.

yoohoo999

ESC wrote:

Don't forget to update this thread in the future with details of your policy increases over the coming 2/3 years..........

yeah, i can just see the title next year from the same poster:

"Heads Up - claiming even small amounts on your house insurance will send your premiums through the roof"

stumpyjon

Oh you bunch of cynics.

I was pretty clear about it being a hand held GPS, gave the claims handler the model and everything. The only question she seemed to have was whether to log it under pedal cycles or personal possesions.

I only rang up to see if I could claim, ended the phone call with them saying the cheque was in the post. TBH even if the premium does go up I'd probably stay with them. You only know how good your insurance is when you try and claim for something. It's no good having cheap insurance if they battle with you every time you try and claim.

cavegiant

I quite like the battle, but only when I win.