Equity Red Star - disgusting customer service

[ski1382]

Hi guys & gals, need to vent my anger!

 

Had my car broken into in the early hours of this morning. Contacted my insurance company (at premium rate of course), was left on hold for 20 minutes (your call is very important to us, (I bet it is when you are charging me for it)) and finally got through to the call centre. "Sorry sir, you have come through to the claims line, you need the glass line. Here is the number...". So another premium rate number and another 25 minutes. Finally at 12.00 I am told that someone will be out within a couple of hours to at the very least secure the vehicle. At 1430, I rand back (a bit more money for them then) and was told they were very busy but I would be called back within 30 minutes with an appointment time. At 1600 I called again, not to worry, "we will call you in 15 minutes. Don't worry we work through the night". At 1745 I called yet again, was on hold for 25 minutes and was told that they had tried to call me at 1755 but I was not in!! Explained as politely as I possibly could at this point that I most certainly was in, in fact I was on the phone to them, swelling their already undoubtebly very full coffers! The nature of the call was to inform me that no one would be coming out tonight, they would "hopefully" be out" sometime tomorrow morning" to fit perspex as they don't carry my glass in stock!! Enquired as to exactly where I would stand if someone were to steal the car overnight, can you guess what I was told?? Since the car is not secured, I would not be covered!!!! They then had the cheek to ask me to pay my excess in advance "in order to save time!!":confused: .

Finally arranged another company to come out and fix the glass (National Windscreens, very helpful indeed by the way). I accept I will have to pay my excess to this company, but does anyone think that I have grounds to claim against ERS in order to get my excess back?

[mooreda]

i am really sorry to hear about your troubles - equity red star are an insurance company that brokers tend to use - i would suggest for future reference you insure directly with a leading named insurer - churchill/more than/etc - these sorts of companies very rarely expect customers to ring premium rate phone numbers

[Darkangelsdelite]

Just some general info for you, most insurers use a "recommended repairer" (usually autoglass) so as long as you use them, all you pay is your XS and the rest is taken care of. The Insurers also have the facility to use a different repairer however the rules are slightly different, most will impose a limit to how much they will pay (usually about £150) anything over that then you are liable for. So if you've called the other company off your own back (which given the circumstances its obvious to see why) then you could end up paying more than you first thought. I'd give ERS claims dept a call back, (try first thing in the morning about 8ish, thats when most call centres are quieter) and explain your situation to them and see how you get on.

 

DA.

[xrchris]

Sorry to hear of your troubles.

 

Which phone no are you using? If it is 0870 608 1934 this is a national rate no. (not premium rate) and is operated on Equity Red Stars behalf by RAC Auto Windscreens. Any problem with supply is down to the windscreen fitting company rather than the insurer.

 

As for your alternative choice, National Windscreens, I have always found them (in my area at least) to be the best and lowest cost windscreen repairer by far. One word of caution though is that if you do not use Equity's approved repairer the excess applicable is usually increased to £100 which is a tactic to streamline glass claims being employed by many insurers now.

[wrigaj1]

The majority of Insurance Companies have agreements with Windscreen providers in view of the bulk purchase power. It costs Insurance Companies as little as £63 inc VAT for a replacement windscreen.

 

If you don't use their approved repairer/supplier, there is usually a higher excess to reflect the increase in costs for them.

[wrigaj1]

Oh, by the way! Service is generally poor from Lloyds syndicates

[Trojan1401]

wrigaj1,

 

Not necessarily so - most personal lines insurers have poor claims service but commerial is quite different.

 

PS - I'm insured via "Lloyds" and have no problems, could be though that I know the claims manager & Underwriter LOL !!!

 

In a direct answer to the original post, when you received the policy, there would normally be a "bump" card to keep in the car & also a card ( credit card size) giving the details of Auto Windscreens ( I believe ) for Equity. They would repair/replace & invoice insurer direct.

[wrigaj1]

wrigaj1,

 

Not necessarily so - most personal lines insurers have poor claims service but commerial is quite different.

 

I know, I am an RAU dealing with Commercial Motor Insurance. Most of my Brokers intimate that the claims service from Lloyds syndicates is shocking