Am, right now, burning with indignation.
After five years with Swiftcover, during which I have paid thousands in premiums and never claimed for a single thing, I finally had cause to require insurance.
My car was stolen just before Christmas ... the house broken into to secure the car keys ... and the car then driven away.
Hiscox and Barclays, the two companies covering damage to the house and contents, were fantastic. Helpful, reassuring and they got things fixed fast and efficiently. I was impressed and it certainly made a stressful situation much easier.
Swiftcover, on the other hand, referred me to a company called Sims Claims who, it now appears, fulfill the function of trying to help Swiftcover avoid paying out by any means.
Their story has changed repeatedly, but always with the aim of trying to manipulate different clauses of the contract to try and reject the claim. I'm referring them to the Financial Services Ombudsman and will blog on further developments as they occur.
However, I still can't really believe that a major insurer (they are part of the AXA group) would think this an appropriate way to behave. No one wants to pay out money, of course, but the paroxysms and contortions they have employed to try and evade their liability reminds me of the very worst of shyster lawyers. If it was on TV people would think it too incredible.
I am, unfortunately, stuck with them since I have a protected No Claims Bonus and don't think I can migrate this to another insurer having now made a claim. However, failing this, I would be cancelling and off somewhere else. I would strongly recommend anyone NOT to deal with Swiftcover. The online service and ease of use is good; but what use is that if they won't actually pay out when you need them ?? Beware !!!
After five years with Swiftcover, during which I have paid thousands in premiums and never claimed for a single thing, I finally had cause to require insurance.
My car was stolen just before Christmas ... the house broken into to secure the car keys ... and the car then driven away.
Hiscox and Barclays, the two companies covering damage to the house and contents, were fantastic. Helpful, reassuring and they got things fixed fast and efficiently. I was impressed and it certainly made a stressful situation much easier.
Swiftcover, on the other hand, referred me to a company called Sims Claims who, it now appears, fulfill the function of trying to help Swiftcover avoid paying out by any means.
Their story has changed repeatedly, but always with the aim of trying to manipulate different clauses of the contract to try and reject the claim. I'm referring them to the Financial Services Ombudsman and will blog on further developments as they occur.
However, I still can't really believe that a major insurer (they are part of the AXA group) would think this an appropriate way to behave. No one wants to pay out money, of course, but the paroxysms and contortions they have employed to try and evade their liability reminds me of the very worst of shyster lawyers. If it was on TV people would think it too incredible.
I am, unfortunately, stuck with them since I have a protected No Claims Bonus and don't think I can migrate this to another insurer having now made a claim. However, failing this, I would be cancelling and off somewhere else. I would strongly recommend anyone NOT to deal with Swiftcover. The online service and ease of use is good; but what use is that if they won't actually pay out when you need them ?? Beware !!!
