Home Insurance Claims turns into Cheque Fraud nightmare

[Jie]

Hi everyone,

 

I made an insurance claim in April 2009 for a damaged PC, my insurers name is Assurant Solutions which was previously called D&D Homecare. I made a few calls and was told that a local agent would visit my property and assess the claim. On the 20.05.09 the agent came and processed the details and said I should expect a cheque within 2 weeks...great I thought! Two weeks came and went and I called back, I was told it was in the post and to still expect it, another call made with the same outcome the week after. Later that month I got a voicemail asking me to get back in contact... turns out it had been cashed already. I explained that it wasn't me that did it and that it never got to my address, I was told that there was nothing that could be done about it and that they didn't know what to do about it really, I was told that I would need to take it up with the police and the postal service (I thought they would be the ones who were responsible for this action and not me). I spoke to another few advisors and eventually it got escalated to a woman called Maxine who was a Manager in the contact center, she needed copies of my bank statements for the times when the cheque was cashed to prove that it wasn't me - I sent these twice as the first ones couldn't be found at their office, even though they had been signed for via recorded delivery. I was told that a trace would need to be done now that I had proven that it wasn't in my bank account and that they would see whom was responsible for cashing it etc. a 6 week timescale was given for this trace. 6 weeks came and went, I made several calls to which I was continually told that Maxine was dealing with it and that I will just have to wait (I had been expecting the money and loaned it from someone else while I waited on the cheque all this time, I still owe this money out!!) I got another voicemail this week from Maxine asking me to call in again, I did so and was asked Do you live alone? yes i replied, she then said that the cheque had been cashed in a store of Harvey and Thompson pawnbrokers, Maxine said that as far as they are concerned it has been cashed under my name using identification of mine... I asked if there was any confirmation of this anywhere or if they had contacted this company to request details about the cheque, where it was cashed, what branch it was etc. Maxine told me that I would have to contact this company and find out for myself, I said that it would be impossible for me to do such a thing as it would be a breech of data protection for H&T to give me info like that - this was duly ignored, Maxine continued to say that it must have been cashed by me or someone with my identification - I felt like I was being called a liar and a criminal in an effort to make me drop my claim for this money, in frustration I then contacted the pawnbrokers and after being transferred through a few different departments I spoke to a manager called Sam who said that there was very little information she could give me due to Data Protection, she did however confirm that no one using my name or registered to my address had any activity within any of their branches within 2009 relating to cheque cashing. Sam said that my insurance company would have to enter into written correspondence to confirm what they had just told me, that my insurer would also have to give them give them details of the cheque which they will then investigate and respond back with further information on where and who it was cashed by. She also said that it would have to be reported as fraudulent activity to the police by themselves and my insurer (I thought my insurer should have already also done this by now) I have since contacted Assurant again and was told that they already had the head office address and were going to go ahead with the correspondence!! Why was iI asked to contact them myself if they already had the details of their head office?? Anyway this is as far as its got so far.

 

Its now Four and a half months since I made my claim, the cheque was for £650. I have made numerous calls and each time feel helpless at the end of it, I've received some of the worst customer service experiences of my life calling this company. I now fear that this cycle may never end until I give in and count the money as lost.

 

Can anyone help or offer advice.

 

Thanks

[Ed Gasket]

Either threaten your insurers with the small claims court and/or the newspapers if you are not in receipt of the money within 14 days. I would say that until you receive the money, the sender is responsible for any mishap. Small claims court probably the best. Send your letter recorded and give them 14 days to get the money to you before you proceed with the claim in the court.

[hightail]

They keep asking you for proof that you didn't cash it. Have they provided any evidence that a cheque was ever actually issued - and subsequently cashed?

[Guest Old_andrew2018]

Any news, if you have not any joy then IMHO it is time to

issue a LBA, and following this a county court summons.

 

Andy