BA Insurance "Scam"?
 

Has anyone had problems in getting BA/GE Insurance to pay a claim? I left something on an aeroplane and now, about three months after I sent them all the forms etc that they wanted they've not told me that as I didn't get a written report within 24 hours they won't pay the claim. I called BA luggage tracing within the 24 hours but they didn't confirm the loss in writing until I asked them a couple of weeks later.

Having worked in the insurance industry (and even having appeared on Watchdog to defend a complaint) I would advise you to stick at it.

Many insurance companies routinely look for ways of avoiding paying claims and when they do most people go away. Don't, keep writing and if you are not happy take them to the Insurance Ombudsman - ask them for details of the scheme - they have to tell you by law.

Thanks, edi-traveller. It was a rather expensive jacket so I'll chase them.

I was robbed back in early May on a family holiday. The event in itself was rather traumatic but dealing with GE is even worse!! I spent hours putting the claim together as they ask for every little detail and need proof of purchase and so on. It took them over 6 weeks to at least acknowledge the case and after almost 3 month I still had no payment.
To cut a long story short, their service is lousy. Now finally after loosing the first check in the post, at lease 10 calls chasing the second one and I finally received payment after over 6 months. But I only got half of what I claimed with no explanation.
I wrote in again and of course I am still awaiting a reply. Keep bothering them, I will not leave them alone until I get a decent payment.
Very dissappointing customer service and very incompetent staff (in my experience). BA should reconsider working with such a partner.

[This message has been edited by Swiss Spice (edited Nov 21, 2003).]

It's now escalated up to the Financial Ombudsman (the Insurance Ombudsman doesn't operate any more), so now we wait up to eight weeks for the BA / GE Insurance response.

I claimed a missed departure via a very crappy Lloyds TSB policy underwritten by GE back in the summer and had no problems at all- acknowledged within a couple days, cheque within 4-6 weeks. They did try to screw me for the excess though- it wasn't listed as applying to that section of the policy but following a quick call I had the extra £40 within a week. Even though a LTSB policy it was GE that I dealt with on the phone and I found them to be reasonable... but then again I do have an excessive attention to detail and I sent them just about everything they could possibly ask for with the initial claim form (signed letter from BA ticket desk & public transport that failed, photocopies of timetables etc etc...) maybe that helped.

Just goes to show that not all experiences are the same!

Many thanks for the advice, edi-traveller!! They've now reconsidered the matter and settled the claim in full (subject to the single item claim limit, which was always going to apply).

BA Board wins again!

Excellent news - the insurance company will have also had to pay the FOS £500 to handle the case - so they should be out of pocket for trying to screw you.

Definitely excellent news! Thanks again.