Knowhow Coverplan is the worst company I have EVER dealt with.

I bought an expensive computer in PC world as I am currently a PhD student.

It was approx 1200 euro and covered it with them.

It was stolen in Athens in June.

I filled in the documents and had a police report etc etc and sent it all in.

Weeks later I had heard nothing and contacted them.

After a long wait I got a guy who said it had been processed and they had sent me a cheque

but that it could take TWENTY EIGHT days to arrive.

28 days to get from England to Ireland ???

I was very specific with him about whether it was a cheque or voucher

as I said I would but a new laptop now if it was a cheque as I needed it for my studies

but I would be forced to wait if it was a voucher.

28 days later still no cheque - so two weeks after that again - today the 25th August - 3 months after it was stolen I rang them again.

I was put on hold for over 30 minutes after which I was told there was a "glitch" in their system and I had been sent nothing.

They then told me they would give me a voucher number over the phone - no cheque.

A voucher is obviously of no use to me now as I have already bought the laptop.

All I was told was that the guy I was dealing with shouldnt have told me he had sent a cheque as they dont do things that way.

Somehow he cant be traced as he has "conveniently" deleted his login details for the conversation !

I asked to be put through to the customer complaints department whereon the person put me through to the general services department who cant deal with complaints !

He then transferred me back to the coverplan people who I had been originally talking to,

but after 30 minutes no one answered the phone and it cut me off.

How does a company like this manage to get away with this type of thing ?

How does PC World continue to use a company like this ?

Obviously a voucher for 1100 euro is no use to me as a student now that I have replaced the laptop

- it looks like my only recourse is to contact my solicitor a

nd sue them to have them refund me the money rather than give me a useless voucher.

You need to take a step-back

Is it written in the cover-plan agreement "Like for like" replacement or a cash settlement?

It will be very rare for them to offer cash alternatives. The cost they purchase the computers from the manufactures will be peanuts to what they sell them for to the general public

You need to read the T&C's as mentioned, what does it say about replacements and does it give a timescale.

It 'may' not of been wise to buy another replacement BUT given how long you have had to wait, I don't think it is unreasonable.

You need to put all of your points into a letter or email (or both) and send them off perhaps copying in the CEO if you can find an address, I wouldn't bother contacting a solicitor, this would cost you a few hundred quid, small claims are relatively easy and youll get help here, you should give company a chance to respond though and then send a final LBA (letter before action)e

You don't just go and talk to a solicitor who will take more in fees than you could every hope to get refunded from PcWorld.

Firstly you write to them (preferably by recorded mail) and make an official complaint.

Now that you have another pc, time is on your side so you can work this through until deadlock and then go to the ombudsman.

Don't phone them, as you are already aware, their call recording system is unreliable, but I am very wary of an operator being able to delete data in any shape or form.

Dirty tricks = a year ago I was in PC world and looking at lap tops, a student from china with an English woman was buying a laptop and the kid (sales boy) was harping on about whatever happens insurance @ £10.00 a month and she should have it, the English woman just sat there and let it happen, these students are only here for up to 6 months, mt O.H. told me to mind my own business as the woman was talking to the girl, the girl signed up, so when I bought the laptop myself an assistant harped on about the insurance I said before you start I do not want it, answer was Quote:- We have to tell you about it by law", Rubbish I stated and let him harp on, .

Even had to pay for them to download Windows to laptop and pay £30.00 , could not get a difinative answer when I said it comes with it, missus paid, and no way was that downloaded in 5 minutes another con.

Thanks to this forum I now avoid all sorts of cover plan unless it's offered for free or nearly free (currently have cover for a camcorder at 50p/ month).

Op, did you have travel insurance when the laptop was stolen in Greece?

Maybe quicker to deal with travel insurance company and forget about the useless cover plan.

i would take the vouchers and run...

last time i read their agreements they didnt cover theft at all so getting vouchers might be a mistake on their end or it might be the irish ones are differnt

i would take the vouchers and run...

 

last time i read their agreements they didnt cover theft at all so getting vouchers might be a mistake on their end or it might be the irish ones are differnt

Agreed, theft is typically excluded from these policies. The whatever happens policies are normally for things such as accidental damage. Events such as theft and loss would not normally be covered as you would be expected to have your own insurance for this. If it was stolen in Athens then you should have claimed through your travel insurance rather than PC World.

Agreed, theft is typically excluded from these policies. The whatever happens policies are normally for things such as accidental damage. Events such as theft and loss would not normally be covered as you would be expected to have your own insurance for this. If it was stolen in Athens then you should have claimed through your travel insurance rather than PC World.

Correct.

There is no provision for theft,

Whatever Happens (and PC Performance before it) is a "Service Agreement", NOT insurance, and so typically covers the maintenance of the item.

You can't service something which has been stolen.

I know people say take the vouchers and run, but be wary, if they do pay out by mistake and then realise later, they may come back to you to get the money back.