When returning from holiday a few weeks back, we were unfortunate to be on the receiving end of a damaged suitcase, luckily the case was held together with a strap bearing our name, if it hadn’t have had the strap I believe all the contents would have been lost, and as it was my wife’s case that wouldn’t have been good!!! As it was it appeared to be all there and I didn’t feel the need to report the issue to the airline, that was my first mistake! So I quickly zipped up the case and headed off. On arrival back in Nottingham the suitcases were put to one side and I retreated to the sofa for a number of days to recover (aren’t holidays meant to be a recovery period in themselves?). On unpacking the case 2 days later it became apparent that a number of items were missing, the major upset for me was that I had placed the charger for my laptop in that case, the first question you may ask is why I didn’t carry the charger in my laptop bag, and the answer being “It won’t fit!”. Having bought a new laptop just the week before we left and buying a new laptop bag to match, in an attempt to minimize the size of both laptop and bag I overlooked the charger!

So here comes the issue, I telephoned my travel insurance company who happens to be American Express, I’ve used their annual policy for the last 2 or 3 years now, and as you’ve probably guessed, I’m not covered!!! Their strict rules stipulate that I must make a claim directly to the airline within 24 hours of landing and that computer hardware is not covered when placed in a case.

Well looking into claims through Virgin Atlantic it would be inpossible to do within 24 hours as they don’t supply a  telephone number for claims and that you must complete a form and send through postal mail. I would also be suprised if American Express wouldn’t cover any PC parts whether in your main cases or hand luggage, after all they’re an insurance company and I’m sure they’ll get round paying out if they can!

So I turned to my home insurance where I’m covered for items away from the home, they were happy to put my claim forward, so I claimed for all the missing items and the damaged suitcase. Of course there’s an excess, and like many insurance companies they advised that I would receive vouchers and not a cheque, Debenhams vouchers are fine, I can buy a new suitcase from there and replace a lost umbrella. So a week later and I receive a call, the woman confirms all the details I’d previously submitted and then tells me they require a claims reference number either from the airline or the police. I then telephone Nottinghamshire police who give me a telephone number for London and advise me to get a crime reference number from them, I make the call and am informed I’ve come through to Scotland Yard and not Heathrow, so I’m given another telephone number which eventually gets me through to a main Heathrow switchboard and an operator who sounds like she really doesn’t want to be there, I’m transfered to the police department who tells me its not a crime, they can’t provide a reference number and please contact the airline, and so I’m back at square one!

You may have read my previous post about customer service! Here we go again!!!!

Well today I decide to phone the insurance company to break the good news and see if they’ll still pay out, it was 5.10pm, and I’m greeted by “The office is now closed, please call back between 9am and 5pm”. I know we all hate calling call centres but 9-5, I thought that disappeared somewhere back in the 90′s, isn’t it only banks that open 9-5 and you’re lucky if its as late as 5pm!!! 

Well for at least another day the story goes on, if they pay out I’ll let you know, but in the mean time check the small print on your policies, you might not be covered. And just one more thing, if you’ve bought a plasma or LCD TV recently and it cost over £1000, check your home insurance, you may have to declare it as a single item, I did and it cost me another £40, but at least its covered now.

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