Thread: whatever happens insurance

Originally Posted by iamfuming

Hi everyone, just stumbled on here through google. Just after abit of guidance on how to deal with whatever happens insurance plan my friend was stung by them last year something about neglect of the plasma. Hes let it go now though after months of trying.

My daughter was getting the dogs ball from behind the plasma stand and when she turned round shes fell onto the back of it and pushed the plasma screen right onto the corner of the coffee table. The TV wont show a picture or anything, just want some advice on what to say to whatever happens when i ring dont want them to do the same as what they did to my friend.

He was carrying his plasma down the stairs to put into the front room when he dropped it and flipped down the stairs with 2 cracks and dents in the screen, should they have replaced it for that?

I bought my TV december 06, its a grey 50" panasonic TH50PX i think, how does it work do they give you vouchers to the amount you payed or do they decide how much its worth, if so anyone have an idea how much they would give me

Thanks for any help in advance

Firstly, your whateverhappens policy covers you for accidental damage. I don't understand how they can claim you accidentaly dropping a TV down the stairs was neglectful unless you were carrying a heavier tv then you could lift. The instore whatever happens adverts even advertise someone lifting a 42" tv on his own, onto a wallmount and dropping it.

Secondly if they claim your daughter knocking a TV over accidentaly was neglectful in any way. I would ask them to provide you with whatever evidence they have that this was neglectful in nature.

Finaly Whateverhappens will give you vouchers for an equivilent specification TV. So, go to the currys website, and look for the cheapest TV that matches the size and specification of your own. Thats the value you'll get on your vouchers. Bare in mind that if you get to a shop and they don't stock that TV, they can upgrade your vouchers to a slightly more expensive TV, but there is a limit before the call center will tell them to sod off and make you go to another store. Also the call center will check their stock, so they won't be able to just upgrade your vouchers in store just so they can sell you a more expensive tv.

If you have a dispute with the vouchers i.e. it doesn't match the exact spec of your old one, or you think you've been given too little. Please for the love of god take it up with whateverhappens over the phone. We always get one person a week in the store screaming about this and there is litteraly nothing the store can do to change your vouchers if you dispute there base-value.

Oh and one final, final thing. They will also give you a pro-rata refund on any time left on your whatever happens. But this must be spent on another policy otherwise you've lost it. Normaly I don't recommend people take whateverhappens, but if you find that your voucher is enough for another cover. Take it, rather than giving DSGi free money.

Anyway hope this helps, and best of luck getting it all sorted.
-Renzo.

Originally Posted by junior19

Renzo, why wouldnt you recommend whatever happens insurance?

junior19

Well for large items such as TV's, your covered by the sale of goods act for any faults within 6 years from the date of purchase.

It's only real benefit is the accidental damage cover, and in my opinion, something as big as a TV is very rarely moved or touched once set up. So it's very rare we see these back with actual accidental damage. Also as was stated in the OP's case. Some accidental damage they see fit to deem as "neglectful". Which to be honest, kind of devoids the point in having accidental cover, because almost any accident could logicaly be traced back to neglect.

No offence at all to the OP, as I understand how kids can get to pretty much anything. But if I were to draw an example, and I were one of these heartless people behind the scenes at whateverhappens. I could say that the accident was "neglectful in nature" due to the child playing with a ball near the set. In my opinion this is a perfectly reasonable case of accidental damage, neither the owner, nor the child intended to damage the TV. But this is just one example of how pretty much anything can be labled "neglectful".

The only worthwhile thing to take whateverhappens on, are portable items. Such as cameras, MP3 players and portable games consoles. Simply because they're cheap in relation to a replacement and they're classed as instant replacements (i.e. swapped in store). Meaning no insurers to deal with. Also with them being portable there is a high return rate with accidental damage. Seriously the number of people I've seen with sand in a camera lens is unreal, lol.

Anyway, hope this clarifys my stance.

Originally Posted by junior19

Yes it does, thank you very much for your reply. I asked because my wife has just broke the screen on a new portable dvd player that we got as a replacement for an older one we had after about eighteen months, the new one is only two weeks old. We had the new one on the kitchen worktop charging when my wife opened the top cupboard and something fell out onto it breaking the screen. If you could advise on this I would appreciate it.
Sorry if I have hijacked this thread but we are really keen to get advice on this.

junior19

If you took whateverhappens with it then it would be a straight forward accidental damage claim. Although I can't remember off the top of my head if portable dvd players are instant replacements or not. It will say on the top of your whatever happens form though.

If it's an instant replacement they'll swap it straight over in store for you, for an equivalent model, if they've got one. If not you can get a cheaper or more expensive one, obviously you'll have to pay the difference for a more expensive one.

If it's not an instant replacement, the store will book it in for repair for you, they can take upto 21 days to repair it, and they'll deliver it either to the store or your home once complete.

lets not hijack iamfuming's topic here people.

if you want to discuss the worthiness of extended guarantees there are several topics on the boards.

Any news on this iamfuming?