[AVOID] Tesco Motor Insurance [RANT]
REF: RANT001
DATE: 22-AUG-2005
AUTHOR: James Vincent (Vini)
TITLE: Tesco Motor Insurance
DRIVING STATS
DATE PASSED: 31/07/2004
DATE CAR PURCHASED: 05/08/2004
DISCLAIMER: All personified views are of my own opinions.
ATTACHMENT: Witness Statement
22nd October 2004, Sheffield
Urban Gorilla, the finest night out in Sheffield, plays host to the god that is James Zabiela and Radio Slave and on a rather normal, Friday night, I park up outside my girlfriends, car full, with the lads. We head inside and flex, 11:30 strikes and we head on up to .Zero where we have it big time, with Zabiela playing an absolute blinder. 6am arrives and we stumble out of the club and make the 500m stroll back to the girlfriends room, where we prat about on Burnout before hitting the sack!
7:15am and we've been gone 25 minutes. The door bell rings... I answer the door to find the security guard to the halls of residence stood in front of me, with a piece of paper in his hand. At first I thought we were in for a bollocking, being a really shocking halls of residence (not mentioning any names -- liberty works, sheffield) the rules permit one person for one night, per week. But anyway, we weren't about to be bollocked, but i was about to be shocked. He presented me with a note he was about to stick on my windscreen.
He's just witnessed the Jacksons delivery lorry hit my 4 week old parked car, Security Guard manages to get out to the driver of the van and explain what he's seen, but whilst the Sec. Guard disappears back to the reception to grab a pen for Mr Van Driver to give his insurance details, he's buckled it, done one!
BONUS However, The legend that is - Security Guard - caught the accident on CCTV. Excellent news!
First thoughts were 'I hope its not bad', so i got up, shoved some rags on and went down to see it.
Whilst the damage wasn't too bad, I was gutted that my 4 week old car had been hit.
After seeing the damage, i called my dad who asked if it was driveable. As damage was just above the wheel arch - stretching from front bumper accross the front wing down the passenger door, I said it was. So i drive the 15 miles (sheffield > rotherham) home. Not much the pair of us could do, so my dad said that the best course of action would be to visit the police station. So with only 25 minutes of sleep we head down there. 4 whole hours later, I get to give my statement (only after being read my rights :o ). Seems quite daft as i was in bed, the damage was done without me being present, how am i to know how it happened, what other cars were around etc? Anyhow, i leave the station with a reference number and all appears to be 'of the norm'.
We arrive home at Midday and I call Tesco, report the accident and explain the above to Rebecca Heppenstall. Who requests police statements and any other documents I have. The call ends with Rebecca stating that as soon as the documents are received they will speak to the Third Party insurers and get the case closed. Cool, behaving just as you'd expect especially for the £1700 a year they were robbing me for, being a new driver.
Weeks pass, I've heard nothing, I get my dad to call them, as i was unavailable. No response has been received from the Third Party insurers they claim, thats fine, they say they'll resend the information, however, disaster, Tesco have lost my documents and request that I resend the note handed to me on the morning and a copy of the witness statement which i received from the security guard in November. They said that they would forward the details to the TPI on receipt and if nothing has been received within 14 days they'll be in touch.
Im in no rush, I just have a dint in my car, which is not a problem. I did however make a call to Tesco claiming expenses, loss of earnings, taxi fares and phone calls were listed.
2 further weeks go by, I call and again speak to Rebecca, she says there has still been no response. This continues through to February (only 4 months further down the line!!) where, I finally get through to Tesco and they actually have some decent news for me:- I being the major factor in this whole thing. I must stress: Tesco never once called me back, never once appeared to be in control and never knew what stage my claim was at.
During what must be the 20th call to Tesco they finally say the Third Party group have accepted liability and I should expect a cheque within a weekof providing an estimate.
Thats strange, I always thought insurers advised of repair centers, let you book it in and then they settle the bill. A cheque though would be fine. They advise that i get a Quote for the repairs, so i take their advice and head down to Just Car Clinic where im dealt with by Melanie, we have a joke at Tesco's expense and she explains that she had nothing but trouble with them too. Its like a breath of fresh air, the repair company are decent. Seems rare in the vehicle trade...
I take my car in and they quote £451.34 for the repairs, its all insured, at their expense - I dont care. I presume then, they mean the cheque would cover my expenses and that if i book it in, the insurers will take care of it.
I let things lie, I wait the week, still no cheque. I call Tesco back and they say there has been a mistake, the cheque wont come to me, it will go to Tesco and as thought they will pay for the repair and ill get reimbursed for expenses. This should take a further week.
I again let the week pass. We're now into April things are slowly moving, but nothing has been finalised. April the 10th I call and am informed by Peter Bennett that Tesco have not received a cheque and that things have gone quiet on the Third Party side. Getting more annoyed as each week passes, we demand that legal action is taken. So solicitors get involved, a letter is received from Walker Morris, Leeds who would be acting on my behalf for Tesco. Phillip Bradley writes to me (or Mr J Spencer, whoever he may be) requesting a copy of the statement and note and all other documents, just the same as i'd previously sent Tesco TWICE already. Fair enough, The documents get sent to Walker Morris and being solicitors, I believe everything will be fine. Philip advises that after receipt of the documents to give 14 days and that i may be required to visit court should the Third Party insurers go back on their words and deny liability. 2 further weeks pass bringing us into May, one call to Philip and im advised that a cheque is due to be with them in the morning, they will forward it to Tesco and within 3-5 days i could have a cheque in my hand (still presuming the cheque will be solely for my expenses). Excellent.
Out of the blue i get a call from Trisha Keith, Team Leader in the Liverpool Call Center at Tesco, shes calling wanting to know how my claim has been handled and if it has been closed to satisfaction. My eye it has, its time to let rip. I reel off a few 'naughty words' and really let rip. Things calm down and we agree to wait for the cheque, I have her number so that if i get any problems i can call her at any time. Brilliant, a Team Leader who seems willing to help. The conversation ends. And the next day, a letter is received from Walker Morris, my hopes ignite, the letter is empty, stating that the cheque is with Walker Morris and will be forwarded to Tesco. A note on the letter which is very unprofessional, spelling mistakes and wrong dates - amazingly crossed out and edited with hand writing, not like you would have expected from a Solicitor, very very unprofessional. That aside, things are looking up, Walker Morris my solicitors throughout this claim have been very average and another problem is to arise. The letter stated they would forward the cheque to Tesco, so when I receive another letter 3 days later in a Walker Morris envelope im a little shocked. I called Philip to point out his poor spelling and grammar, nothing came out of the phone call mind, apart from a bit of self satisfaction.
I open it up to find a Cheque for £123.73, its a cheque, its money, but its
A] £450 short
B] Addressed to Mr J Spencer (again - who is this guy?)
This cheque arrived on April the 29th, but as it was unexpected and wrong another call off my own back was made to Philip at WM. He apologised for the problem, and assured me that the correct cheque would be with me the following week providing I returned the incorrect cheque at my expense. Obviously, outraged, I just laughed and agreed to return it, hoping that it would be last of it. Philip explained that the correct cheque will be sent recorded and will be with me within 3-5 days, its down to Royal Mail now (uh-oh!)
May the 12th, i receive a cheque for the whole kaboodle, £570 odd quid. Gobsmacked, its over. 8 Months down the line and its over! Finally!
Or is it?
With my cheque in hand the ball is in my court. I call Just Car Clinic stating that i wish to go ahead with the Quote of £451.34... Simple surely. Not so!
As Tesco have paid me out in full, I'm now classed as a Private customer, and will not be allowed preferencial rates. I would therefore have to go for another estimate. Not a chance! Not a Chance!!
I call Trisha Keith, my friendly Team Leader, we come to an agreement that I would pay the private rate and that I would be reimbursed for anything that goes over the original estimate value of £451.34, it seems like the only way im going to actually close the case. Tesco converse with JCC and both confirm this, So i book in for another quote at JCC again being dealt with by Melanie (re-quote booked for 10th June, so i can relax, get my Holiday out of the way and just generally flex!)
10th June, i take the 30 second drive down to JCC and within 15 minutes the estimate is done. The guy explained that Melanie would call in the afternoon with the new estimate price. No call was received so i left it, a week passed without a call. I called Trisha to see if she had heard from JCC, she had and advised me to call Melanie to book my car in for the repairs. So i do just that, call Melanie, hoping im able to book it in. Nope. Melanie needs some confirmation re-sending from Tesco, to confirm theyre willing to pay the difference should it go over £451... oh joy, Im some kind of Medium here, I call Tesco explaining what Melanie has just said and it will be done, apparently. I give it a few days, 22nd of June i call all is good, my car is booked in for repair on August 15th, 10 months down the line! 10 bloody months.
15th of August was last week, I dropped my car in on the Monday and it was due for collection 4 days later.
Thursday: I called Trisha explaining that i was going to pick my car up and wanted to verify that the difference would be taken care of, well, this is another twist. Im told bluntly that i would have to settle the whole bill myself, because Tesco understood that the Cheque of £570.00 was to cover the repairs. No mention of my expenses in there!! A heated discussion kicked off between myself and Trisha, and she was very rude and seemed unwilling to proceed with the verbal agreement we had. I requested recordings of calls, but as she's a Team Leader she explained there would be none - giving the impression that as Team Leader she is the Almighty and doesnt make mistakes. I then mentioned that JCC should have written confirmation surely, as thats what they requested was re-faxed. Nope, Trisha never faxed anything, meaning i was lied to by both JCC and Tesco and also left in the lurch for 2 weeks whilst these ''documents'' were passed back and forth. The call ended, amicably. Though i mentioned i would be cancelling my policy!
I realised that i was not going to get my car back unless i bit the bullet, i explained the happenings of the day to my dad who advised to pay the fee (which i learnt when i arrived at JCC to collect) of £543.00 settle up, then work at Tesco to reclaim the loss in expenses.
I did just that. Thursday 18th i collected my car. But boy was the whole process been a struggle.
few small notes:
Friday 19th: speaker in the door playing up. call JCC who advise to take it back in, easy if im at work, its 2 mins away, but in Rotherham, its a bit out of the way. I decide to check my amp before setting off, and sure enough, some scrote at JCC has whacked the Gain and 80hz Freq up to max on both channels. Slightly peeved, but easily resolved. Why cant they leave alone?
Saturday 20th: i notice my arial is bent, damn JCC!
Sunday 21st: lovely weather so wash my car, seemed a good idea at the time, probably wasnt, the JCC trollopes hadnt fitted my door rubber sealant properly!
as a private customer i'd expect perfection. i decided that as all three were quite small problems and rectified easily by myself to drop it. let it be. move on.
this is my final piece on the whole incident.
and my advice, never ever deal with Tesco insurance, dont opt to go with them, theyre cheaper than some for a reason, and ive found out the hard way!
monday 22nd, ive cancelled my policy as promised. ive opted to insure with direct line and am making a saving of £7 a month over my recently revised policy at £87 a month with one years no claims.
I could go on, i could go deeper, but thats pretty much the whole story off my chest!
IN SHORT
Dont choose Tesco for your Motor Insurance:
- cheap for a reason
- the lack of any action by tesco
- 10 months from start to finish
- poor legal represenation
- the cock ups - incorrect addressed mail, wrong dates in letters, wrong cheque sent
- arguments
- the 'agreement' that never was
- more denials
- poor unfriendly, staff with attitudes
- what do you pay them for?
please, spread the word, and refer people to my site should there be any questions
regards,
Vini
www.vini.co.uk
