Hi can anyone help I recently upgraded my phone to a blackberry storm for work purposes and extended my contract with vodafone by a further 18 months. Being an expensive phone it cam with insurance for free ( for the 1st month) and then at a cost of £3.95 a month to cover for accidental damage, theft or loss. Anyway, I manage to damage/loose the phone by leaving it on the roof of my car at a motorway service station, as I drove off and joined the motorway, I saw in my rear view mirror my phone fly off and smash into small pieces under a truck but being on a motorway I couldnt stop and retrieve the phone I contacted Vodafone and they put me in touch with their insurers (at that point I hadn't realised that they were a third party). I expalined to tehm what had happened and after a short time they cam back to me saying they were that teh phone was not covered under their terms of conditions " theft or attempted theft from vehicle or premises left unattended.
I tried to argue that it wasn't theft but they informed me that once decision is made, it cannot be reversed and my only route is to appeal. I went to a vodafone store and explained what had happened to a customer advisor who was 'stunned' that I have been turned down by their insurers. They tried to contact the insurers but were powerless to do anything.
So I am left without a phone. I was advised to contact vodafone customer service which I did and explained the situation. I explained to them that Iwill be appealing the insurers decision but i requested, as an act of goodwill, if their was anything that Vodaofne could do to help my situation. They advised that teh only way I could get another storn phone as to pay for one £350.00+ or extend my contract by a further 6 months and pay approx £150.00 for the phone...basically they were treating it as an upgrade. I stated that I couldn't and wouldn't pay that amount of money for a new phone whilst I'm appealing against the insurers and felt aggrieved that the insurance was next to useless and the fact they were trying to tie me in for an even longer contract!
I was offered a very cheap mobile phone for free( and not contract extension) but I explained I needed a phone with certain level of specification for my work (which unfortunately means an expensive phone). I also pointed out that at no time did I receive information on teh insurance terms and conditions from vodafone when the phone arrived.
So , in summary , I am left with a long contract with no phone unless I win my appeal or a payout alotof money for anew phone or slightly less money and an extended contract.
My questions are:
1.What is the best way to appeal against the insurers.?
2.Can I get out of the vodafone contract?
3.Was it my obligation to find out what the terms of conditions are for the insurance policy? Moreover, I wasn't aware that the insurers were a separate company from vodafone whom have no say in their decision making process. can anyone help me???
I tried to argue that it wasn't theft but they informed me that once decision is made, it cannot be reversed and my only route is to appeal. I went to a vodafone store and explained what had happened to a customer advisor who was 'stunned' that I have been turned down by their insurers. They tried to contact the insurers but were powerless to do anything.
So I am left without a phone. I was advised to contact vodafone customer service which I did and explained the situation. I explained to them that Iwill be appealing the insurers decision but i requested, as an act of goodwill, if their was anything that Vodaofne could do to help my situation. They advised that teh only way I could get another storn phone as to pay for one £350.00+ or extend my contract by a further 6 months and pay approx £150.00 for the phone...basically they were treating it as an upgrade. I stated that I couldn't and wouldn't pay that amount of money for a new phone whilst I'm appealing against the insurers and felt aggrieved that the insurance was next to useless and the fact they were trying to tie me in for an even longer contract!
I was offered a very cheap mobile phone for free( and not contract extension) but I explained I needed a phone with certain level of specification for my work (which unfortunately means an expensive phone). I also pointed out that at no time did I receive information on teh insurance terms and conditions from vodafone when the phone arrived.
So , in summary , I am left with a long contract with no phone unless I win my appeal or a payout alotof money for anew phone or slightly less money and an extended contract.
My questions are:
1.What is the best way to appeal against the insurers.?
2.Can I get out of the vodafone contract?
3.Was it my obligation to find out what the terms of conditions are for the insurance policy? Moreover, I wasn't aware that the insurers were a separate company from vodafone whom have no say in their decision making process. can anyone help me???