Thursday 10 September 2009

Insurance Premiums - Why are they so high?


Regular readers of this blog will be familiar with my photographic efforts and that I had a wee accident during the Devil's when my Nikon D50 DSLR camera was inadvertently dropped and damaged.
I took it into a Glasgow camera repair company who, a week later, gave me an estimate of £262.00 including Vat for the repair of the camera and lens,both of which were damaged but repairable.
I decided that it was time to finally make a claim on my home contents insurance that fortunately included accidental loss or damage outwith the home. All I was expecting was a go ahead on the repair and for them to send me the cost of repair, less my excess.
I contacted Aviva gave them all the details and they passed my claim to another firm IVAL who would be contacting me in a few days. So I waited, and waited and eventually I contacted them. And gave the girl on the phone all the details - again. She took all the details and put me through to their technical services department who didn't answer. I hung up and called back to the first girl who booked an appointment call for the following day. This call was prompt to the minute and I spoke to another girl and gave her all the details.... again! She told me the camera would be uplifted from me by a courier company the following day and off I went to Glasgow to pick it up. I explained to the guy at the repair firm that the insurance company wanted the camera and he seemed amused at this. I wondered why.
Again, the courier company arrived in time and took my carefully packaged camera off to Eastbourne to the IVAL technical services department. I sent the receipt for the camera and a cheque for the excess off to IVAL by recorded delivery and sat back to await my camera's return in 28 days. I was like a man who had lost his right arm, not having my camera. I presumed that the camera would be repaired by a repair firm either owned by the insurance company or at least who had a deal that would have made it more economical for the insurance company than having it done in Glasgow. How wrong was I?

This morning I received a call from IVAL. After a few security checks to ensure I was the person THEY had phoned, (what is that all about?)the lovely young lady proceeded to tell me that having examined the camera (that could be repaired for £262 remember), they had concluded that they would require to have it replaced. By a new Nikon D5000 and a 18 - 105mm lens. They will order it today and I would have it in araound two weeks. Would that be acceptable?
Is JR a geriatric?
Too bloody true it is acceptable!

But what the F--- gives here? They are ordering it from Warehouse Express and sending it by next day delivery from their place (again, why not get warehouse express to send it direct)at a cost according to WE's website of..... wait for it £754 less any discount they get if they have a contract with them.
My original camera cost me 582 quid nearly four years ago.

Now I don't have a problem with a new camera with twice the pixels of the original(12.3 mp), a moveable screen, live view (D50 doesn't,) a shutter speed twice that of he D50),continuous shooting at 4 frames per second, a lens with more range and all the accessories I'll get with a new camera. Absolutely no problem at all. No, siree! Not against getting the old camera repaired for 262 quid.
But why do we pay such huge premiums for insurance? I just can't figure it out!

5 comments:

Debs M-C said...

You need to get out running again :-)

Lee Maclean said...

Davie,
Did you get my email?
I sent a couple of pics my Mum took of the Millies.

El Presidente
Mrs Mac x

Davie said...

Yes! Thanks for them. I'll forward the for the Milies website and to the guys themselves.

Dave said...

I recently had a torrid time with iVal. At 44 years old, iVal are one of the three most incompetent companies I have ever dealt with!

I sought £200 compensation for iVal's incompetence, but they offered only £100, which I thought was inadequate. Aviva agreed to pay me the £200, which I hope they recover from iVal.

Were iVal actually aware of the repair cost of your D50 and lens? Perhaps Aviva did not pass that on to iVal. Even then, the D5000 is quite an upgrade from a D50!

Everyone pays higher premiums when cowboys like iVal are involved.

Don't damage the D5000, since iVal might force a D3x on you, which would be a bit heavy to carry around.

Vincent Gardiner said...

Davie,
WDAC are organising this year's AGM and presentation and are planning a presentation for Duncan. They would like as many past and present members as possible to come along. It is on Saturday 14th November, at the TA Centre, Latta Street, Dumbarton. Please feel free to come along and let Andy know. Do you have photos and info of him? The AGM will start at 7pm followed by a disco, games and a raffle with a buffet included (price still to be finalised).
Thanks,
Vinny