We were robbed in Rome on Tuesday, now insurance co' are trying to wriggle out of paying us. any advice?
On the metro in Rome on the second day of our holiday we were robbed, my bag, purse, jewellery and a large amount of cash plus my husbands wallet and credit cards
The Insurance company are asking for receipts which we don't have and say I have to prove that we had the cash. My husband was paid 'cash in hand' for some work he did so we have no proof that we had it (it was all part of a tax deal with a customer) I feel that we are being robbed by the insurance company as well as the the thieves.
Any advice will be gratefully received.
As a person who has worked in claims for 6 years, I can tell you it doesn't sound like they are trying to "wriggle" out of paying your claim. they are doing their normal investigation to make sure they pay what is owed and no more. While you may not be trying to scam the insurance company, MANY others do and there's no clear way of picking them out, so they have to suspect everybody and generally they require documentation to prove why they paid out what they did on a claim. Insurance companies get audited so heavily, you don't even want to know. Part of it is to make sure premium dollars are not being wasted unnecessarily to keep your premium at an affordable rate. You're credit cards should be easy enough to prove, the purse and jewelry would require a receipt to prove the worth and type of what your purchased. And trust me, the more you argue with them about not providing proof, the more questionable you seem. It will appear that you have something to hide. And the "cash in hand" deal sounds like it's going to be a total loss. Unfortunately, that's part of a loss you have to take when you carry cash on you. That's why it's heavily suggested that you use traveler's check's when traveling. Also, most policies have a limit on what the "coverage area" is which is typically just america, puerto rico, canada and I think mexico. So if they are even consider paying while you were in Rome, either you have a great policy, or you have a really slack adjuster regarding coverage. Just try to prove as much as you can and consider the rest a total loss.
file a police report - that's the strongest hand you can play at this point
Answers:
Go back to the company that paid your husband & get them to give a detailed description of work carried out & the amount paid to your husband. - i'm sure if an INDEPENDENT company verified your story in that way it certainly will not hurt your cause.
Remember to keep pushing the insurer- ask to speak to a senior claims handler etc. I have seen many companies relent after a little pressure. Write a letter explaining everything in detail - keep a copy. As a very last resort - tell them calmly that you feel that you have not got the cover you expected & you feel that you should raise this on internet forums. local press, the financial ombudsman etc.
Insuers hate bad PR (don't all companies) and may well see it as worth paying the claim to avoid it.
and next time make sure your husband issues an invoice for the work - and banks it! before taking it out of bank again as your Bank Statement would be sufficient proof.
Wow, I really didn't know you could get insurance against being mugged. What sort of policy is that?
If they keep doing it yea file a police report
your husband got paid cash in hand.. part of a tax deal.. sounds more like part of a non tax deal.. as for your problem..
KARMA
Im so sorry you guys got robbed! I went to Rome over the Easter break it was beautiful and I didn't get robbed luckily. Insurance companies are so terrible. A prime example: Hurricane Katrina evacuees. They needed receipts for almost everything to get what they'd lost. How bogus is that? Did you try talking to Rome police? There could be a serial robber in the city that targets tourists too. Get in touch with them somehow and ask about that. Sorry I couldn't help more but Good luck with everything!
dear people dont beieve any more such a things.when coming sunami over india.they told we have not bind to pay such a sunami .because sunami is out of there policy.
so any one can explain tomorrow what will happen and how will dead us.so death is death.lost is any way lost.finally wanted add to there policies death and lost only.not how it happened.
in com are very curies to avoid things.stop investigating your money such a company.keep in fix deposit.enjy little ever interest.
believe me guys you not claim any single cent from rome robvbers.
be cool thanks god that you are survived.
Can I just point out that as an insurance underwriter we did not in my company ask for receipts in the Tsunami. But with reference to the request for proof of ownership this is totally reasonable. The tax deal you explain is in short because you want to cheat the tax system - so it was part of the risk you took. Secondly the tax doge is fraudulent - so once insurance know this how can they not have doubts. It would help if you could establish what they want proof of ownership would they look at alternatives - photos? But find out there maybe a limit £250 or under may not require anything.The credit cards are not covered so I do hope you reported them so they have been stopped. How did they get your jewellery - ripped if off you? Did they have weapons, threaten you? How did they get your husbands wallet - as most theft on the metro are grab bag & run. I would sugest you think about this for if and when the Loss Adjuster comes to try sort a settlement for you. Sorry but certain elements of your claim are not adding up.