VHI - Total ripoff tactics

craichoe

So,

I've been with VHI since 1997, each time i've moved company and i've received a letter stating that my insurance policy has been terminated and that I would need to sign up to continue cover. I just ignored it because the next company i moved to, i would go onto their group policy.

Not this time however, i left my employer (and Ireland) in October 2007, i was filling out the forms to the sign up with my new insurer in the Netherlands and they needed the cessation date on my previous policy.

Rang VHI,

They said i owe them 635 euro .... and that they couldnt help me out further until i gave them credit card details or bank account details.

Basically, my employer advised them that i had left in November 2007 and took me off their group policy. They then automatically put me on some other policy without any notification or signature/payment details from myself.

I was told on the phone that i could either pay the 625 to be covered for a year, or pay 220 euro to cover the insurance from November till now or legal action would be taken.

After an hour of running the girl on the phone around in circles she finally agreed that i wouldnt have to pay anything, but kept saying that really it was my fault because i should have rang to make doubly sure that the policy was cancelled. I kept saying "ITS A COMPANY GROUP POLICY, how am i supposed to cancel it!"

Anyways long story short, i don't have to pay anything, but i must admit this is the worst rubbish i've ever experienced with any company, i've told my family and friends about this and a couple of them are switching.

Strange thing is, a friend of mine recently got a letter from them after leaving his company for .. guess what .. looking for 625 euro or legal action will be taken against him.

Is this a recent thing or have VHI just gone downhill in the last 3 years.

Ah well ... at least it only took me 2 months to get my dutch health insurance forms translated !!

Screw VHI .. shower of cowboys !!

MrVostro

more or less the exact same thing happened to me.
They tried to make out it was me who should have cancelled rather than the company. i told them i had not requested to go on any insurance policy other than company group policy and that it was between my old copmpany and them.
havent heard anything since

watna

Wow, that's really bad.

I have VHI in work and will be leaving my job (and the country) in two months. After seeing this I'll definitely call VHI to ensure I'm completely cancelled. Thanks for the heads up!

jor el

That's madness. You'd think that once the payments stop then the policy would lapse and you wouldn't be liable for any payments. That's how every other insurance works. I didn't renew my car insurance last year with the same company, but they don't go ahead and renew my insurance anyway and NOT bill be at the same time.

Glad it worked out for you in the end.

MrVostro

jor el wrote: »

That's madness. You'd think that once the payments stop then the policy would lapse and you wouldn't be liable for any payments. That's how every other insurance works.

Im sure that if you had to claim anything off them you would find its lapsed alright

DubLegs

Have to say VHI are the most akward to deal with! Anyone notice that when your policy ends they send out a mountain of paper work, mainly repeating themselves.

they did the same to me - automatically transfered me to a different policy, then started to hound me with more paperwork demanding money. I was willing to stay with them but not after all the demanding letters they send.