Waitrose Online Shopping:- Do they give a stuff about your refund for an unsuitable returned item? I think not and you won't get a refund easily if my experience is anything to go by. Is this Company Policy or is it the Store Manager who can't or won't manage? I made an online order which arrived in early February, an item was substituted I was offered 2 salmon fillets instead of the 4 that I had ordered. I refused the substitution as we are a multi person family, the driver told me I would get the substituted item credited back within 7 days, (£5.99). This did not happen, I contacted Customer Services via email, (I always do everything in writing as phone calls are easily forgotten), they said the refund would happen within a further 7 working days and they would contact the local store. Another 7 days; nothing! I again contacted Customer Services (the same agent) by email they said they had contacted the store who would credit my card withion 5 to 7 days and the Store would email me confirming that. Guess what? Nothing! So, one month from the initial order delivery, I made copies of my order, my emails and my card account and went out of my way to the Store and explained the issue to a Customer Services Supervisor who then refunded me the £5.99 in cash, plus £15.01 for my expenses, i.e. paper ink, diesel and my time with a "Sorry" She took all of the paperwork from me and said I would probably get a phone call from her manager to find out more. Have you guessed? No I didn't! I honestly believe that if I had not chased them, I would have had £5.99 appropriated from me with the apparent intention of permanently depriving me of it. There has been more than a little negligence in that way they have dealt with my money but at what level? So to date I have been refunded my costs, (barely) and a verbal sorry from a supervisor, nothing else. What did I expect? At least a verbal or written apology and explanation from the Manager as to why the Store failed me. So, no more online shopping because I can not trust Waitrose to do the honest thing without a fight or the right thing in hindsight. Can you? There are other supermarkets out there.

Pet Insurance is a legalised ransom on your pets. Promoted by Vets as a necessity. You don't have it, the animal dies when you can't afford it! The Insurance Companies are losing their taste for this insurance, hence the pull out by Lloyds, and Axa to name but a few leaving lesser known companies to pick up the entrails of the policies of owners who are literally too scared not to have one. Why are insurance Companies doing this? My opinion is that there is too much administration for them when they can get away with minimal work for the likes of Life, House and Car insurance. Pet owners have policies and then have to use them so probably every policy gets used at least once over the lifetime of a pet. Yes there is a profit to be had, but there are costs to be saved as well after they close down an office and redistribute the staff elsewhere (if they are lucky). Other insurance companies rewrite the rule book by changing underwriters and relinquishing their responsibilities by the small print where any unsuspecting policy holder would normally let them get away with it, where they did fall foul by failure to include small print to do this, they don't now. Follow that up by some but not all, unscrupulous Veterinary Practises who massage the companies for all the money they can get on the back of naïve pet owners, the result is disaster for pet owners. Me? I now do a lifetime policy year on year using different companies so as not to get a huge increase on renewal. Of course pre-existing conditions are lost by doing that. Yes, I know one day things will go wrong and I am saving alongside the policy so that eventually I can foot the bills myself if I have to. For the future, it's the end of dog ownership for me after this one finally makes the trip over the Rainbow Bridge. It will only get worse till the gravy train looses the wheel. When that happens it will be interesting as a spectator to see the Veterinary Chains reverting to small practices again. That said there are decent honest Vets out here, I have met them and I know that to be a fact, but let’s face it, Insurance Companies are there to make money for their shareholders and Veterinary Practices are there for themselves or if they are a chain, for their Board of Directors, and not for you and your pet necessarily. It's just a shame that some Chains seem to exist just for one purpose, and that it seems, is not for the benefit of your pet!

Done!

I have been paid out, letter arrived today, a full and final settlement. I did detail my claim letter with previous treatments and costs and then estimated prospective operations that may be required and drugs until the average life expectancy for my dog and possible remaining years of life, no argument at all and I was very pessimistic with my ball park figure. I will now put the money into an NS&I ISA and Premium Bonds until required. As promised I will donate once the cheque has cleared some time this coming week. Thanks to all contributors and to The Consumer Action Group Forum. Without this help I would have been continuing to fray my nerves as to how I would cope financially with veterinary treatment for my four legged freind. All the best.

Stands to reason that they are settling only a few of those affected have taken the time to complain, and it will be cheaper to administer paying out of lump sums than deal with lifetime claims where there is no premiums coming in. Sending off my "offer" today, I expect them to quibble, plus I have new expenses that are not covered that I will fight if they refuse it. This may not be over by a long chaulk. If they settle I will send a donation to the site because without it where would we be? In a dark place.

Thanks for the update TNK, have yet to propose a sum, it's nit like how long is a piece of string? I'll send off this week

I have today received a letter from Petguard as as result of my complaint to them and Thisle where I alleged mis selling of the Lifetime pet Insurance for my dog. They say as fidel outlined in respect of future claims, plus; "Alternatively, we are prepared to consider a lump sum settlement in relation to the claims elements should you wish to pursue that option. In event that we cannot reach agreement on that lump sum, the standard process will continue." While considering my response I have a few questions that may be able to be answered on this forum. Firstly; Anyone had the same offer? Secondly; Has anyone pursued the lump sum settlement element? If so what criteria was employed in ascertaining the lump sum settlement? Seems to me that if I stay with sending them claims in some years time for pre exisiting conditions, they may get a little sicky at remembering what was agreed, plus there will be quite a bit of jockeying around what will be allowed as pre existing conditions and what will not in my opinion, so the lump sum does appeal to me at the moment. Anyone who is waiting to see where this overall complaint was going, it's time to dip your toes in the water and write your complaint letter to Petguard and Thisle.

So what's the difference between Halifax/Lloyds customers and PetGuard? NIG are part of the Roayal Bank of Scotland, so none imho. Why are the press not reporting on us and why are the FSA not as talkative about us?

FSA tells Lloyds to 'get a grip' on pet insurance fiasco as owners make life or death decisions over their animals Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/news/article-2112963/FSA-tells-Lloyds-grip-pet-insurance-fiasco.html#ixzz1opCIxatf

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/insurance/pet/8784009/Owners-bitten-by-pet-insurance.html Please remember that The Telegraph is copyright and excerpts may not be reproduced here or anywhere else without permission of the copyright holder. Well done fidel, our way is now open to challange the decision by NIG with some hope of winning provided the Ombudsman agrees.

Yes I have found it, and will post shortly

............or two more

I am short of posts too, wait one....

i will look it up

Had a phone call from Petguard today asking why I had not taken up their offer for pet insurance, (revised policy, no longer lifetime, does not cover previous conditions and 150% more premium than last year) . Not really surpised that the operator who phoned neither knew I had already tuned it down in writing, nor that I had made a wriiten complaint and had a reply from them explaining why they could not offer the same terms that I had originally signed up for 2 years ago. I tried to engage her in converstaion about the policy and problems encountered but I have to admire her professionlism by not getting involved in dialogue there was a long silence, most likely instructions from above. It seems here people that avenues for complaint are just not producing anything except in my case an invitation to take them to court! Anyone else have anything?