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Meteor Mobile Phone Insurance

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  • 08-12-2009 10:14am
    #1
    Steve.N
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭


    Could someone offer me an opinion this:-

    I have been a bill paying customer with Meteor for 3yrs and insured my phone with them.
    I got my usual upgrade last December when I renewed my contract and took out the phone insurance as per usual. For the first time ever I misplaced my phone and couldn't find it anywhere. I went straight into my local Meteor store and informed them the next day where they gave me a claim form to fill in for an English Insurance company (the one they sell insurance for) which I filled in and faxed away there and then.
    The insurance company phoned back the next day saying that the phone I gave details for (my upgrade) was not the one on their system - they still showed my old phone, so therefore I'm not covered by the policy. They said Meteor or I should have informed them as it's not a new policy but a 'rolling' one as I'd been with the same company for years.
    Meteor were no help! I've made a couple of calls to their customer service department to get no where - they just say it's my place to inform the insurance company even although Meteor sell the insurance, take the money from my account and list the insurance on my bill and have never informed me that it was my place to contact the insurance company directly.
    How can an insurance policy be a rolling one, surely it renews every year that I renew my contract?

    Has anyone else had this sort of issue?? what did you do (if anything)!!
    I'm hitting my head against a brick wall here.:mad:


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    #2
    smelltheglove
    Registered Users Posts: 4,503 ✭✭✭smelltheglove


    I found with meteor that if I have a problem as soon as I get to anyone in authority they are quite reasonable and easy to deal with. If they were not in a position to help you out I would be requesting a refund of all the insurance paid to date which most likely would cover the cost of a new phone anyway.

    It looks like you are due an upgrade anyway if you upgraded last December so I would be pushing for the refund of insurance premium.


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    #3
    funkyjebus
    Registered Users Posts: 1,547 ✭✭✭funkyjebus


    I can tell you that both vodafone and o2 automatically update your details for you if you upgrade. I used to work for both.

    I would have thought that they should at least inform you that you need to do it yourself. Go to the meteor store you bought it in and explain the situation and ask them why you wern't informed, hopefully they say something stupid like it not our problem. Get their names (always get names). Then ask for the name of the area manager's name (the man who will get you your new phone) and give them your number and ask that they call you tyoday to discuss this matter further. Explain the case, use o2 and voda as refs, and ask flat out, what are you going to do for me. I fhe won't help ask for the next up.

    Thats all anyone had to do to get new phone when i worked there. If you getting no where I'd threaten to make this public for all meteor customers and potential customers to know.

    Good luck, don't back down, they will.


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    #4
    Steve.N
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭Steve.N


    I spoke to the customer service guy yesterday when he called me to discuss the matter - all he kept saying was it was my responsibility, I kept telling him the same facts about them taking the insurance money etc etc but all I got was it was down to me.
    In pure frustration I told him that I would not be renewing my contract and neither would my wife so he put a note on my account and said it would be cancelled a month from now. I told him that when I told initially Meteor that I'd lost my phone I asked about their cancellation procedure, the manager of the Navan store told me that not to bother as it will just terminate if I don't renew it. I pushed him further and was told that giving 30 days notice was 'old fashioned'. The guy on the phone said that wasn't the case and said the 30 days notice stands.
    I explained very calmly that I had spoken to the manager but told otherwise - he just kept saying it stands!

    Oh, when I spoke to Meteor after getting my claim denied with the insurance company the girl asked what I would accept in compensation - I told them that just refund my insurance premium and that would do, when I took the call yesterday the guy told me there's no way that Meteor would offer this.

    What can I do????? Any advice???
    Think I'll go into the Navan branch and speak to the manager tomorrow!

    One more point - when I got my upgrade, Meteor had none left in their store so send me to the '3' shop. They called Meteor and completed the changeover - would this matter????


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    #5
    funkyjebus
    Registered Users Posts: 1,547 ✭✭✭funkyjebus


    It might or it might not matter.

    Firstly you need to understand that Metor teh network and Metor teh shops are different entities owned by the same company. Therefore teh are run seperatly (eg: they have a CEO for each)

    Second: you bought the upgrade in a 3g store not 3 (thats a different network)

    The people who's responsibility it was to notify your insurance company was meteor the network. The fact that you did not uprgrade in a meteor store that them out of this (except for teh 30 day thing / that guy was stupid and I wouldn't let this go as a seperate issue).

    When you took out the insurance you should have recieved some form of docs, find them see what it says about upgrading (not changing / ie: buying a prepay and putting your sim in). If you didn't receive them (be sure now) then you've got them. I would ring them explain that you never recieved you policy doc therefore could not have know it was a condition that you must inform and ask for them to pay out, If they don't then I would threaten to call the financial regulator. And if that doesn't work then call the finacial reg as it is your right to have a policy doc.

    You couldn't have picked a better subject matter for me. I used to manage an o2 and worked in mobil retail for 5 years, i've now worked as an insurance broker for 3. So trust me;)

    Ps. sorry for crap spelling, I'm up to my eyes in work and if i didn't reply now i'd forget!


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    #6
    Steve.N
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭Steve.N


    Thanks Funkyjebus for the swift reply!

    I never received any policy docs, neither did my wife who also upgraded on the same day in the same '3' shop. Her phone got smashed a few months ago and she got her claim sorted with no hassle - her policy had been updated??
    The twice I've spoken to Meteor I've explained that I never received any policy documentaion explaining the terms and conditions - he told me it didn't matter as I had signed the contract.

    Is it worth speaking to the Navan store do you think or just phone customer services again and try to speak to a supervisor or manager?


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    #7
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    You need to speak to someone in authority - dealing with the frontline staff won't help fix this. They don't have the authority for this.

    Contact Customer Services and ask for a Supervisor/Manager - go as high up the chain as you can.


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    #8
    Reaganomical
    Registered Users Posts: 218 ✭✭Reaganomical


    Steve.N wrote: »
    Thanks Funkyjebus for the swift reply!

    I never received any policy docs, neither did my wife who also upgraded on the same day in the same '3' shop. Her phone got smashed a few months ago and she got her claim sorted with no hassle - her policy had been updated??
    The twice I've spoken to Meteor I've explained that I never received any policy documentaion explaining the terms and conditions - he told me it didn't matter as I had signed the contract.

    Is it worth speaking to the Navan store do you think or just phone customer services again and try to speak to a supervisor or manager?

    Hey Steve N., I'm currently having the exact same issue with Meteor...just wondering did you manage to get any acceptable outcome in the end?


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    #9
    Steve.N
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭Steve.N


    Hi,

    No never did! I took it as far as I could. My wife later had the same issue so we took our business elsewhere, never to return!!


    Best of luck, they are complete con-men!!


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    #10
    slowmoe
    Registered Users Posts: 561 ✭✭✭slowmoe


    i would have thought it would be up to the consumer to contact the insurance company? if i moved house i would tell my insurer and have the policy details updated. Is this not the case?


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    #11
    DrumSteve
    Registered Users Posts: 10,798 ✭✭✭✭DrumSteve


    I agree with slow moe... it really is up to you to update your details with the insurer. Meteor sells on behalf of the insurer and collects on their behalf... surely as above if you got a new car you would update your details with your insurance company?


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    #12
    Steve.N
    Closed Accounts Posts: 115 ✭✭Steve.N


    I Agree but that wasn't made clear to me. Both myself and my wife bought a phone that day and we asked in detail about the insurance - we were told that since Meteor sells the insurance then they deal with all the paperwork!!!
    Also, what insurance policy just rolls on year upon year? If you take out car insurance then it's your responsibility to renew each year or at least you'll be informed that it's due for renewal and have to option to review your details and price - Not so with phone insurance!! It just rolls on and on until you contact them!
    Obviously something was wrong with Meteors procedures as they have now changed the way they deal with and sell the insurance.
    Nuff Said!!!


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    #13
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    funkyjebus wrote: »
    The people who's responsibility it was to notify your insurance company was meteor the network.

    No, it's not.

    When I bought my phone the guy in the shop gave me a leaflet detailing what the insurance covers and it clearly says at the bottom that you should notify them of any changes to your handset so they can update their records, if you don't do this then your new phone won't be covered.

    Sucks but that's life.


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    #14
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    funkyjebus wrote: »
    I can tell you that both vodafone and o2 automatically update your details for you if you upgrade. I used to work for both.

    I would have thought that they should at least inform you that you need to do it yourself. Go to the meteor store you bought it in and explain the situation and ask them why you wern't informed, hopefully they say something stupid like it not our problem. Get their names (always get names). Then ask for the name of the area manager's name (the man who will get you your new phone) and give them your number and ask that they call you tyoday to discuss this matter further. Explain the case, use o2 and voda as refs, and ask flat out, what are you going to do for me. I fhe won't help ask for the next up.

    Thats all anyone had to do to get new phone when i worked there. If you getting no where I'd threaten to make this public for all meteor customers and potential customers to know.

    Good luck, don't back down, they will.

    Don't think so, I had the same problem with Vodafone, the insurance company, Phonecare i think it was had some phone down from 3 years before. Got a refund on the Insurance for the 3 years though.


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    #15
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    slowmoe wrote: »
    i would have thought it would be up to the consumer to contact the insurance company? if i moved house i would tell my insurer and have the policy details updated. Is this not the case?

    Would you tell your insurance company, or your broker? My car is insured with AIG, but I bought the policy through a broker, the AA. When I changed my car, I contacted the AA, not AIG. It's the broker's responsibility to change the details with the actual insurer.

    In the case of the mobile phone insurance, I would see Meteor as the broker, and since they sold the new phone, they should have changed the insurance details. The only time the customer deals directly with the insurer is when making a claim.
    schnellimbiss wrote: »
    Hey Steve N., I'm currently having the exact same issue with Meteor...just wondering did you manage to get any acceptable outcome in the end?

    If you get nowhere with Meteor, you should consider filing a Small Claims Court case against them for the value of the phone. It was their responsibility as the insurance seller (broker) and phone seller to make sure the details were correct with the insurer. The Insurance Industry Federation may also be of some help.


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    #16
    slowmoe
    Registered Users Posts: 561 ✭✭✭slowmoe


    jor el wrote: »
    Would you tell your insurance company, or your broker? My car is insured with AIG, but I bought the policy through a broker, the AA. When I changed my car, I contacted the AA, not AIG. It's the broker's responsibility to change the details with the actual insurer.

    In the case of the mobile phone insurance, I would see Meteor as the broker, and since they sold the new phone, they should have changed the insurance details. The only time the customer deals directly with the insurer is when making a claim.



    If you get nowhere with Meteor, you should consider filing a Small Claims Court case against them for the value of the phone. It was their responsibility as the insurance seller (broker) and phone seller to make sure the details were correct with the insurer. The Insurance Industry Federation may also be of some help.

    I get what you're saying but if it were me knowing that meteor is a phone company, i would have taken the two mins to call the insurance company myself and be sure


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    #17
    honest fran
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭honest fran


    Hi Steve.N

    For what it is worth you should not leave it go.I am an insurance broker myself and I feel that the phone insurance market and the travel insurance market is two areas that badly needs to be looked at by the regulator.I know you have changed provider but you should take up the matter with the insurance ombudsman.If you feel Meteor as selling agents for the insurance company did not advise you correctly then follow it right through.I would expect that if someone contacts Liveline someday the whole switch would light up with complaints.The problem is look at the amount of premiums they are collecting from the public.They seem to always look for a reason not to pay the claim.This seems to be the way for all the phone providers not just Meteor to be fair.One area of this is the fact that it is sold over the phone to you.Another fact is the person selling the cover is not qualified to advise you on the policy as they have not the knowledge on the product they are selling so they cannot advise you on same.The one issue here is if you did not get any policy docs etc then you did not have your chance to read your policy and excercise your cooling off period!!!


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    #18
    DrumSteve
    Registered Users Posts: 10,798 ✭✭✭✭DrumSteve


    honest fran wrote: »
    Hi Steve.N

    For what it is worth you should not leave it go.I am an insurance broker myself and I feel that the phone insurance market and the travel insurance market is two areas that badly needs to be looked at by the regulator.I know you have changed provider but you should take up the matter with the insurance ombudsman.If you feel Meteor as selling agents for the insurance company did not advise you correctly then follow it right through.I would expect that if someone contacts Liveline someday the whole switch would light up with complaints.The problem is look at the amount of premiums they are collecting from the public.They seem to always look for a reason not to pay the claim.This seems to be the way for all the phone providers not just Meteor to be fair.One area of this is the fact that it is sold over the phone to you.Another fact is the person selling the cover is not qualified to advise you on the policy as they have not the knowledge on the product they are selling so they cannot advise you on same.The one issue here is if you did not get any policy docs etc then you did not have your chance to read your policy and excercise your cooling off period!!!

    as far as im aware the agreement is between the insurance comapny and the customer... Meteor collects the payments but dont dont decide on payouts. On signing up to something in store or over the phone you would receive a copy of the forms, no?


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