BA Inertia Selling Travel Insurance
Jan 23, 2008, 11:25 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA GFL
Posts: 133
BA Inertia Selling Travel Insurance
Beware - it seems we are being slightly hoodwinked by BA.
I made a booking online on Friday. Total about £1,300, which I paid online using my trusty BA Amex.
Yesterday I had an envelope from BA with a 'Value Single Trip Insurance' policy in it.
I called BA to say that I didn't remember buying this and indeed wouldn't have selected it because I have a perfectly good annual policy.
The nice BA lady I called in Newcastle told me that I wasn't the first caller on this matter.
On the payment page you now have to 'opt out' by unticking the already ticked box asking in small grey letters 'add travel insurance for this trip'.
She told me to send it back and that they would refund it. She also said she didn't agree with the sales method either.
I made a booking online on Friday. Total about £1,300, which I paid online using my trusty BA Amex.
Yesterday I had an envelope from BA with a 'Value Single Trip Insurance' policy in it.
I called BA to say that I didn't remember buying this and indeed wouldn't have selected it because I have a perfectly good annual policy.
The nice BA lady I called in Newcastle told me that I wasn't the first caller on this matter.
On the payment page you now have to 'opt out' by unticking the already ticked box asking in small grey letters 'add travel insurance for this trip'.
She told me to send it back and that they would refund it. She also said she didn't agree with the sales method either.
Jan 23, 2008, 12:00 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: LON BCN SYD
Programs: BA, OZ, A3, VA, VS, DL, QF, former BD and others
Posts: 1,074
I noticed this making a booking last night - a check box had appeared to include travel insurance and it was pre-checked.
I think that is really cheeky of BA to do this - it should be up to the customer to check the box themselves if they want the insurance. It is all too easy to miss.
Under distance selling regulations presumably they have the obligation to refund, but it's still a lot of hassle requesting and obtaining a refund.
I think that is really cheeky of BA to do this - it should be up to the customer to check the box themselves if they want the insurance. It is all too easy to miss.
Under distance selling regulations presumably they have the obligation to refund, but it's still a lot of hassle requesting and obtaining a refund.
. This is shameful.
Jan 23, 2008, 12:10 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LHR and ZRH
Programs: BA GGL, SQ PPS, HH Diamond, SPG LTP/100, Marriott Platinum, Mucci des Lois Constitutionelles
Posts: 1,007
I saw this too when I booked a trip last week. It's a highly dodgy practice - I almost missed it myself!
Any FSMA experts here?
Any FSMA experts here?
Jan 23, 2008, 12:51 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: London, UK
Posts: 5,105
Disgraceful. I saw it too. Get your own back by selecting Ukraine (by mistake, of course) as your country for the billing address and deprive them of the equally unjustifiable £3.50 pp credit card charge which applies to UK cards only. 
Jan 23, 2008, 1:49 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LON, RUH and DXB
Programs: BA Bronze, GF, EK, WY
Posts: 2,607
The government has asked the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to regulate travel insurance sold with a holiday or related travel(connected travel insurance) from January 2009. These pages will help travel firms prepare for the introduction of FSA regulation.
hth
Jan 23, 2008, 4:29 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LHR and ZRH
Programs: BA GGL, SQ PPS, HH Diamond, SPG LTP/100, Marriott Platinum, Mucci des Lois Constitutionelles
Posts: 1,007
IIRC, and I'm working there on a project at the mo, the FSA don't regulate travel insurance. But they are consulting about doing so in the future.
See here for a little light reading: http://www.fsa.gov.uk/Pages/Doing/sm...el/index.shtml
hth
See here for a little light reading: http://www.fsa.gov.uk/Pages/Doing/sm...el/index.shtml
hth
Jan 23, 2008, 4:55 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,901
Yes this is very sh!t!.
I noted this on Jan 10th
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=777383
I am really pissed off by it still and am at almost the stage of either banning my workers for claiming the xtra expense or banning them from flying BA because of it.*** ** ****
*** because I am drunk so GBOAC you cant conmplain
** It is a piss take that they force you in to it
*** I will think of another reason when sober
I noted this on Jan 10th
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=777383
I am really pissed off by it still and am at almost the stage of either banning my workers for claiming the xtra expense or banning them from flying BA because of it.*** ** ****
*** because I am drunk so GBOAC you cant conmplain
** It is a piss take that they force you in to it
*** I will think of another reason when sober
Jan 23, 2008, 5:08 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LHR and ZRH
Programs: BA GGL, SQ PPS, HH Diamond, SPG LTP/100, Marriott Platinum, Mucci des Lois Constitutionelles
Posts: 1,007
Yes this is very sh!t!.
I noted this on Jan 10th
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=777383
I am really pissed off by it still and am at almost the stage of either banning my workers for claiming the xtra expense or banning them from flying BA because of it.*** ** ****
*** because I am drunk so GBOAC you cant conmplain
** It is a piss take that they force you in to it
*** I will think of another reason when sober
I noted this on Jan 10th
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=777383
I am really pissed off by it still and am at almost the stage of either banning my workers for claiming the xtra expense or banning them from flying BA because of it.*** ** ****
*** because I am drunk so GBOAC you cant conmplain
** It is a piss take that they force you in to it
*** I will think of another reason when sober
Jan 24, 2008, 2:26 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LON, RUH and DXB
Programs: BA Bronze, GF, EK, WY
Posts: 2,607
The six TCF outcomes
We have defined six consumer outcomes, which explain what we want TCF to achieve for consumers.
Outcome 1: Consumers can be confident that they are dealing with firms where the fair treatment of customers is central to the corporate culture.
Outcome 2: Products and services marketed and sold in the retail market are designed to meet the needs of identified consumer groups and are targeted accordingly.
Outcome 3: Consumers are provided with clear information and are kept appropriately informed before, during and after the point of sale.
Outcome 4: Where consumers receive advice, the advice is suitable and takes account of their circumstances.
Outcome 5: Consumers are provided with products that perform as firms have led them to expect, and the associated service is of an acceptable standard and as they have been led to expect.
Outcome 6: Consumers do not face unreasonable post-sale barriers imposed by firms to change product, switch provider, submit a claim or make a complaint.
We have defined six consumer outcomes, which explain what we want TCF to achieve for consumers.
Outcome 1: Consumers can be confident that they are dealing with firms where the fair treatment of customers is central to the corporate culture.
Outcome 2: Products and services marketed and sold in the retail market are designed to meet the needs of identified consumer groups and are targeted accordingly.
Outcome 3: Consumers are provided with clear information and are kept appropriately informed before, during and after the point of sale.
Outcome 4: Where consumers receive advice, the advice is suitable and takes account of their circumstances.
Outcome 5: Consumers are provided with products that perform as firms have led them to expect, and the associated service is of an acceptable standard and as they have been led to expect.
Outcome 6: Consumers do not face unreasonable post-sale barriers imposed by firms to change product, switch provider, submit a claim or make a complaint.
If the FSA adopt a similar approach as they do to the general insurance market, it will at least be more difficult for BA to "hide" this on the booking page. I guess this will be treated similarly to such products as extended product warranties, payment protection and other insurances that used be sold by stealth.
Jan 24, 2008, 2:42 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA Blue, VS Red
Posts: 346
It's for your own good
I suspect that BA would say something along the lines of
I'm sure that the commission that they "earn" from the sale of the policies is not even in their minds 
.
...Research has shown that at large proportion of travellers do not purchase travel insurance to protect themselves should they run into difficulties whilst overseas. We want to protect our customers from the potentially significant financial impact and this measure increases the likelihood of our passengers having the high quality protection they need should things go wrong.
.
Jan 24, 2008, 3:36 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newcastle, UK
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Gold, Hilton Gold, Hertz 5*, Avis Preferred Plus, Amex Plat
Posts: 2,080
The most bizzare thing is that some (presumably intelligent) person has weighed up the pros and cons of this, and decided that tricking people into buying insurance is an acceptable strategy.
I can see why Ryanair do it - we all know when buying from them that's it's a constantly evolving game of wits - but it doesn't make me feel particularly warm and fuzzy about BA. They may as well just nick your wallet as you board and, if you complain, say "Oh, if you want it back just ask".
I can see why Ryanair do it - we all know when buying from them that's it's a constantly evolving game of wits - but it doesn't make me feel particularly warm and fuzzy about BA. They may as well just nick your wallet as you board and, if you complain, say "Oh, if you want it back just ask".
Jan 24, 2008, 6:05 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,773
The most bizzare thing is that some (presumably intelligent) person has weighed up the pros and cons of this, and decided that tricking people into buying insurance is an acceptable strategy.
I can see why Ryanair do it - we all know when buying from them that's it's a constantly evolving game of wits - but it doesn't make me feel particularly warm and fuzzy about BA. They may as well just nick your wallet as you board and, if you complain, say "Oh, if you want it back just ask".
I can see why Ryanair do it - we all know when buying from them that's it's a constantly evolving game of wits - but it doesn't make me feel particularly warm and fuzzy about BA. They may as well just nick your wallet as you board and, if you complain, say "Oh, if you want it back just ask".
- Chief Exec engages Management Consultants to fnd ways to boost profits/save his job
- Management Consultants (who do not truly understand the business or environment) produce some "blue sky" thinking
- Management Consultants "estmate" increase in profit from their suggestions
- Leadership team see £££ and forget the consequences of what they are being asked to do
- Implementation tasked to management
- Management see stupidity of suggestions but the increased profit has already been mentally banked
- Management do their utmost to fight the most stupid proposals spending much time gathering data and evidence to illustrate the consequences of implementation
- Management too tired to fight the very least stupid proposals so give up and allow them to go ahead