AIBU to think people shouldn't review an insurance company until they've made a claim??

[bbcessex]

Rant alert!

Well of course they can add a review for how the buying experience was, how easy the online application or app was, etc, etc, but I'm trying to change our home insurance and what is really important to me is: how good were they when you needed to claim?

After all, that is actually the product you're buying.

TrustPilot is full of: "highly recommend, third year in a row we've been with them, haven't made a claim yet but great service" type reviews.

May as well say "they were great a taking my money, no idea if they're actually any good".

arghghgh!

Does anyone know of any websites where people review their claims experience?

Any recommendations for travel insurance?

@bbcessex it was so stressful we were having the same floor tiles fitted. The tiler who lifted them said he told his boss he’d fitted them in a previous job and they were a pain to work with and he wouldn’t be using them again. Boss told me they were out of stock. I rang the company and they were in stock so I reordered them . Then they charged me £70 for special bonding in shower said it wasn’t included in insurance. I was so fed up I just paid it. Boss told me I was allowed £16 per metre for wooden floor even though the cost to replace the same floor was £27 per metre. We had a like for like policy and when I rang Aviva to query it they agreed. I received a text from boss telling me to order what I wanted and I needed 20 boxes. There were 6. boxes unused which he took with him. When they eventually finished and left I closed the door, thanked God they were gone and cried my eyes out with relief.

Aviva are amazing but in my experience way more expensive than axa. And axa in my experience is pretty rubbish. ( am basing my opinion on health insurance though).

Any recommendations for travel insurance?
Do you mean from someone who has made a claim?
A lot depends on the type of claim I think. I have a nationwide flex plus account which includes travel insurance. Made a small claim a couple of years ago when DS sprained his ankle and they paid up without fuss. It was only a small amount. A few years ago I had a nightmare of a claim with virgin travel when I had a child in a foreign hospital.

Parrakeet I found Aviva way cheaper than everyone else. I use them for car insurance as well. They paid up without a fuss when someone reversed into my parked car several years ago.

I’d recommend Hiscox. They aren’t cheap but when I made a claim for weather damage to my roof they went above and beyond. The claim was authorised within 24 hours and the guys they used for the work were excellent. They also put us into very nice alternative accommodation and didn’t nickel and dime the claim at all. Basically they made a shitty situation easier rather than more difficult.

The contractors also told me that they had to jump through a lot of hoops to get onto Hiscox list and adjusters often do spot checks on site but it is worth it as they pay very well and quickly.

**Admiral and NFU are very good. Avoid Hastings like the plague

Admiral, Hastings, Elephant, Diamond and Bell are all the same company

Hastings aren’t part of the Admiral group.

Bold fail 🤦🏻‍♀️

We had a flood from a burst pipe and John Lewis were amazing, so helpful, quick and the people they sent were lovely. Everything was written down so the plumber they sent and us knew exactly what was being done and paid for. Then for the decorating we had to get a couple of quotes and they were really quick to approve and pay out. We've stayed with them at renewal because of this experience.

AXA health is rubbish, costs as much as others and covers so much less, and fewer providers. We get it via DHs work, and are stopping it soon.

Becles we have an annual policy with Columbus and they paid up for cancellation when DP was diagnosed with an illness that meant we had to cancel an activity holiday.

They only added a relatively trivial sum due to the increased risk of that illness too.

I made exactly this point on another forum about travel insurance for existing health conditions. Yes it's easy to have a positive impression when you've just parted with £500 for insurance on a weeks holiday. What about when you need to claim?

Myself and DP have several pre-existing conditions, one of DPs comes with life-threatening symptoms and can occur with no warning. We found out a couple of weeks ago when looking to book for next year (it's been a few years) just what we'd have to pay out on the spot if this occurred (approx £2k with costs then spiralling away to fairyland). We'd have to claim back, and advised to make sure repatriation is "on the list". Ridiculously naive of us for decades.

Don’t get me started on travel insurance...

Aviva were shocking when I claimed on buildings insurance

SimplySteveRedux with a decent policy as long as you have fully declared everything they should pay direct to the foreign hospital if it's an emergency. Smaller medical costs you'd pay up front and claim back later.
There is a lot on Martin Lewis about travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions.

All insurance companies are terrible on some occasions and brilliant on others, with everything in between. Just like any other business.