Currys PC World Knowhow Insurance Beware!

kig

My wife and I bought Laptops from Currys a couple of months apart, and took out their Knowhow Insurance at €7.50/month each. We signed up to do a standing order, so that we wouldn't miss a payment, and have been paying for the last 3-4 yrs. My battery was giving problems a few months back, so I took the laptop in and they replaced it without charge, at the same time I asked them to do a health check (which is part of the deal), but they never did.
So last month I took it in again, after phoning them to check what's involved and having been told that I could take it to any store and they would do it within an hour, for it's health check. I was then told that it would have to be shipped to the UK and would take 2-3weeks. I can't afford to sit without my laptop for that length of time, so didn't get it done then.
I was then told that the '5yr' Knowhow Insurance was coming to an end on the 26/9/19, even though when we took out the policy no-one mentioned a time limit on the policy, in fact we were told that as long as we kept paying the laptop would be covered. Our policy documents don't mention any time limit or expiry date, and the fact is that I hadn't had the laptop for 5yrs yet.
When I got home we phoned Knowhow to find out what was going on, and were told the same thing. When we checked what the situation of my wife's laptop (which is 2 months older) was, we were told that it's '5yr' policy was also expiring on the 26/9/19, even though it is also not 5yrs since we bought it, and the polcy documents also make no mention of it.
We lodged a complaint, which they have been investigating for the past month? What recourse do we have if they just decide cancel the policy?
I know that others are probably not much better, but I for one will never buy from Currys PC World again, they are a bunch of sharks and I wouldn't trust them!
Be warned!!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

coylemj

You're disgruntled because you can't buy an open-ended warranty with no time limit! You do realise that, like your car, the laptop will eventually reach a stage when it will be uneconomic to repair? Which means that all warranties will have a time limit, after which nobody will offer you cover.

If you ask me, you'd be throwing your money down the drain paying for insurance for a laptop beyond three years. At that stage, you have to tell yourself that you got your moneys worth and if it breaks, it's not worth the expense and hassle of getting it repaired.

Sorry but I can't sympathise with you at all. Buying an extended warranty or insurance from an electrical retailer is generally terrible value for money because the sales guy and the store both pocket a large slice of your money in commission.

For two laptops, your wife and yourself should have banked that money and kept it to cover repairs. You mentioned you bought the laptops 3-4 years ago. After 3 years banking €15 p.m., you would have €540 - enough to buy one of you a new laptop!

jaxxx

This is a wind up, right?

Trigger Happy

Op, back up your data and keep using the laptop until it dies. Then get a nrew one with not insurance, those policies are the greatest ripoff and rarely give any value back.

kig

That's not the point! We bought the insurance in good faith, based on the policy documents and what we were told, and they are now going back on a written and verbal contract!

kig

and what you are saying is that we were suckers for taking them at their word and the written contract. This is not about us making a bad choice - which we realise now. this is about a blatant lie and as a consumer having absolutely no recourse.

kirving

sugarman wrote: »

Has to be.

..and under the sales of good act, your consumer rights can protect you for upwards of 6 years.

Who in their right mind would hand over upwards of €700 for "insurance"

Just because you wouldn't do something, doesn't make it a wind up, and just belittles the OP, who now knows they could have made a better decision.

The shops pressure sell insurance all day long since the margins are ridiculously high, and €7.50 doesn't appear too bad on a brand new laptop.

In reality, when compared with the chances of you damaging it, it's very expensive. Personally I think they should be banned.

I know someone who bought a one off policy for €30 or so. Something like 7 of 9 of the "policy benefits" were already covered under standard consumer protection laws, and the final two were physical and liquid damage - which would never happen to a PC monitor anyway.

Sleeper12

sugarman wrote:

Who in their right mind would hand over upwards of €700 for "insurance"

Sale of goods covers you for faults developed due to a manufacturing defect. It does not cover you for spilling coffee on the laptop, dropping laptop, virus issues etc.

For the non tec savy this insurance can be worthwhile. Personally I wouldn't be able to tolerate a five year old laptop, tablet or phone so I could care less if they last five years nor would I pay for the insurance as after let's say three years I wouldn't want to repair it. I'd want a more modern and faster one

coylemj

kig wrote: »

That's not the point! We bought the insurance in good faith, based on the policy documents and what we were told, and they are now going back on a written and verbal contract!

Do you mean that your wife and you were prepared to pay €180 p.a. .... forever?

That only makes sense if the cover is similar to what you get when you buy a 'whole of life' life policy i.e. where there is a guaranteed payout when the laptop eventiually dies. But that isn't what your cover entails, it only covers accidental damage or electronic failure. Which means that at some stage, your insurer will withdraw cover because the risk of a claim increases when the machine reaches a certain age.

I realise that you were probaby not told this at the time but you really can't believe anything that a sales guy in an electrical retailer tells you, especialy when they're selling highly profitable add-ons like expensive cables, antivirus s/w and (especially) extended warranties.

lawred2

Can't believe people actually buy those policies.

Darc19

Advice for anyone reading this thread...

Never ever ever ever take out retailer "insurance" policies.

The sales person gets 30% commission, the store gets similar and the actual insurance company gets the rest.

Just say no and if they persist, walk away and buy from a retailer that does not screw their customers.

Nodster

lawred2 wrote: »

Can't believe people actually buy those policies.

When purchasing a new laptop the Curry's salesperson convincingly said it automatically included 3 months Knowhow Insurance free (2013) and of course they set up a debit for monthly deductions after the 3 months. I phoned up the UK call centre and told them I was cancelling as I 'sold' the laptop. Sales con in my eyes!

L1011

Had to do the same cancellation myself in 2011 after a "free" bundle that was inescapable, but it was the Lisburn store so I assumed it was just a UK practice.



In the OPs case they have now paid more in insurance than a device of that age is likely worth...

lawred2

Nodster wrote: »

When purchasing a new laptop the Curry's salesperson convincingly said it automatically included 3 months Knowhow Insurance free (2013) and of course they set up a debit for monthly deductions after the 3 months. I phoned up the UK call centre and told them I was cancelling as I 'sold' the laptop. Sales con in my eyes!

sharp practice that alright...

Slippin Jimmy

It states both on your receipt and on the documentation regarding the warranty how long you are covered for. These types of policies are not worth getting. It's up to you as a buyer to ensure that you read the documentation and know exactly what you are covered for. Currys/PC World are not going to do anything for you.

slave1

sugarman wrote: »

Has to be.

Youre covered under standard a 1 year warranty with Currys.

Beyond that, youre covered under manufactures warranty for 2 years.

..and under the sales of good act, your consumer rights can protect you for upwards of 6 years.

Who in their right mind would hand over upwards of €700 for "insurance"

Don't mean to be harsh but that's a bit misleading, Curry Warranty period and Manufacturer's Warranty period all irrelevant and there is no mention of 6 years in legislation.
Your contract is with Currys and any recourse you have should be directly with Currys and not under manufacturers warranty and depending on the product your rights extend past 6 years, that is why the Irish legislation is open ended without reference to time periods (reasonable to the product in question)

Further reading here
https://www.ccpc.ie/consumers/shopping/faulty-goods

Xterminator

sorry slave 1 but your partly wrong.

The Sales of Goods and Supply of Services Act, 1980 entitles the consumer to 6 years to bring a action against a the seller, however it doesn’t mean that the goods have a 6 year warranty.

http://warranty.ie/2016/06/27/your-rights/
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/faulty-goods-know-your-rights-if-things-go-wrong-1.3450322

the six years is clearly mentioned and enshrined in the law above.

L1011

It comes via the Statue of Limitations, it doesn't need to be re-stated in law

You would have a case rejected by the small claims clerk if >6

Postgrad10

The pc world staff go hot and heavy to get you to sign up to that insurance. One of them whispered to me to sign up and cancel straight away. So they must be on commission to get people signed up.

Vic_08

Postgrad10 wrote: »

The pc world staff go hot and heavy to get you to sign up to that insurance. One of them whispered to me to sign up and cancel straight away. So they must be on commission to get people signed up.

Whisper back: Only if you split your commission with me.