Is this fraud?

Trish canavan

I bought a washing machine and insurance for it 3yrs ago. In April this Yr I noticed my machine was making a strange noise. I suspected a bearing needed replacing. I contacted domestic and general who my insurance policy belong to and 1st thing the lady said she could find my policy, then it was out of date. It was to expire on 9th July this yr, then the lady found out that my insurance was mixed up with a woman in England. I live in connemara. The lady that spk to me apologised and said it was straightened out. She said that indeed my policy was still valid. I got a date for the repair man to come out and everything was fine.

The repair man rang on the date he was due to arrive and asked me what I thought was wrong with my machine and I explained. I said was not in but my husband was in and gave him his number. He arrived and looked at the machine with he had it working and confirmed that it was the bearing. He took the serial number and said he would be bk with the part the following Thursday. He also said he had seen worse and that we could continue to use it. We never heard back from him.

3wks later I email domestic and general and ask what is going on. I explain I am going from my in laws and my dad's house to keep up with the washing and I was mixed up with another woman in England on my policy. They answered me back with a phone call saying they were sorry to hear this and they would compensate me with 95e for my troubles and a repair man would be out to me. She checked what had happened with the 1st call out and apparently the repair man said he replaced a pipe and closed the case!! I told her what my husband told me and she said that someone would be out. I was OK with this as long as my machine got fixed I was happy.

A few days later I get a policy form with the same lady still mixed up on my policy. Nobody had got in contact and there was no compensation in my account. I got in contact with the ombudsman and explained everything. Domestic and general got in contact through email and apologised for not putting the compensation in my account and said that they would give me an extra 10e on top of the previous 95e for my troubles, asked for my bank details again. I was angry so I ignored them and asked the ombudsman should I talk to them through their people. I never got a reply to this but a few days later I received a cheque for 105e from domestic and general.

So the ombudsman has sent me out forms I filled in to the best of my ability as I have a sick husband who is yet to be diagnosed with a condition to do with his brain and heart. He keeps passing out and has symptoms of a heart attack.. He has been referred to Beaumont hospital. I have 4 children on top of it all so it's hard to remember exact dates with my daily dramas!! I told the ombudsman that I don't trust them to repair my machine as God knows when that will be, I want a new machine as all I have to do is plug it in and I am bk in full swing again. I would be delighted with that. They said that I was to give domestic and general 8 weeks to put it right with me and if they don't then contact them again.

This is where I am at now. Almost 4 months without a machine and I had bought I insurance to avoid the nightmare that I am in. Advice greatly appreciated.

Cabaal

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Wesser

put in paragraphs firstly

i dont think this is fraud. maybe poor customer service. suggest you buy a new washing machine and then deal with your insurer in retrospect.

Del2005

Why are you dealing with an insurance company and not the retailer? A washing machine should last more than 3 years and the retailer is the one you have the contract with. Since the insurance company people have done nothing to the machine I'd be contacting the retailer to get them to resolve the issue

Markcheese

That's what I was thinking, warranty with the shop you bought it from, they'll say to take it up with the manufacturer, but you're contract (purchase) was with the shop you bought it from,
Don't get stressed, you've enough on your plate already, I wouldn't worry too much about the ombudsman just yet... You just want your machine fixed ASAP, tell the insurance crowd that, get a name of person on the phone (get a supervisor), get them to take responsibility for following up..
If they're being dicks go to the shop, don't let them fob you off