AXA private medical have mislead me! [edited by MNHQ]

[MrsKoala]

Hi, I need some advice really as i am unsure how to deal with this:

DH, DS and I went to Canada in July for and indefinite length of time. We needed medical cover for this. We could have been going for life or just 4 months - we just didn't know how it would pan out work wise.

I contacted AXA and explained very clearly on more than one occasion in the conversation that we needed a policy which could be cancelled. They told me it would cost more monthly for this, but i said we didn't mind as we may need to cancel and return to the UK at any point.

They gave us a quote and i said that sounded fine. Then the lady said (almost as a throw away) that it didn't cover outpatients and pregnancy. I said that was an issue as we were planning to ttc in a few months. So she said she could do me a different policy which had everything that i wanted but it would be a more expensive 'prestige' package. I said okay as it was necessary. It was over £300 a month.

This was days before we were departing and i explained the hurry. She took our bank details and as i was busy emailed over the Ts&Cs. Which were long. I skim read and all seemed fine.

Four months on and we have returned to the UK. I called to cancel the policy as we just can't afford and don't need it. The man i spoke to has said we cannot cancel as we are tied in to a year policy. I said no, that i had made it very clear i wanted a cancellable policy. He said he would check and call back. He called the following day to say his manager had listened to the original call and while they agree i did clearly explain i wanted a rolling policy, when i then changed to the 'prestige package' at the end of the call, i didn't state it again (stupidly i assumed my original criteria would be still adhered to by the lady and when she said the policy 'had everything i needed that this would be one of the conditions). The 'prestige package' apparently doesn't come on a rolling basis so therefore i cannot cancel.

I am furious to say the least as this is going to be about £3k of payments for something we don't need. I was so careful to explain i wanted a cancellable policy and they switched it at the end. I feel conned and such a fool.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to rectify this or are we going to have to take it on the chin?

(i have looked on the financial ombudsman website and will make a complaint but was wondering how likely it will be to go in our favour)

Thank you

I think if the phonecall made it clear you wanted to be able to cancel that you would win as regards the financial ombudsman so don't worry. The operator should have told you that the prestige one was for a year. If they had told you that, what would you have done out of interest?

I agree. Axa man is just trying to wiggle out of it, understandably.
Phone back . Make a complaint. Be polite but very firm. Tell them you will not be backing down on this and that no more payments should be taken.

RedHelen - i wouldn't have taken it and looked elsewhere.

Oblomov - That's what i meant to ask in my OP - Should i cancel the DD? If this drags on then they will have £300+ per month so no incentive to resolve it, but if i cancel it they will refer me to their collection agency and i don't want that either. If i cancel it will i lose the moral high ground?

I think you just need to escalate it within AXA first. Be persistent.

Thanks.

Another question, should i phone or email my complaint? And should i request copies of the original phone call in case it goes further?

Surely if you cancel the dd then they'd have to take you to court? They can't just pass the bill onto a collection agency, someone has to decide if you owe the money. I might be wrong???

I'd cancel the dd and let them take me to court. They surely wouldn't win in court.

But when they sent you the policy document you had a 'cooling off' period, for you to read it though and then cancel without penalty if it wasn't what you wanted.

I'd do both. Phone and follow up with an email stating further to my earlier phone call I wish to confirm that I am complaining. About xyz because of abc.

Unfortunately we had similar with Axa. We booked a family holiday to Florida and took out their holiday insurance at the same time. This was for 10 people including my elderly grandparents. Their policies were just over £700 each because of their age.

The holiday itself was not for another year, but we wanted to pay everything upfront and know it was done, and took the Axa cover because it was tailor made for the holiday.

Anyway, my DNan died unexpectedly 6mths before the holiday. Virgin immediately refunded the flight. The rest should have been covered by Axa. I completed their paperwork, allowed them access to my Nans medical records, generally jumped through all the hoops, for my granddad to recieve a £90 refund.

When I first called them, they explained that they would refund 1 10th of the remaining part of the cost, excluding the flight. This was incorrect. They refused to listen to the original call and ignored my written complaint.

What they actually omitted to tell us was that we should have cancelled the whole holiday. That way we would only have lost our deposit, which would have been much, much less. Then rebooked with a smaller villa, smaller cars etc... But by the time we found this out it was too late to cancel.

I wish I had pursued it, but I was grieving, had a new baby, work, life etc... Bastards! Thomas cook were as useful as a chocolate teapot too.

That was epic, sorry. What I meant to say also was, get everything they tell you backed up in writing.

always written. so you have a trail.
email only if you have a direct email, not those internet forms where you don't have a copy.

Have you got free legal cover with your home insurance (or whatever)
It does sound like you have a good case.

Can you request a copy of the telephone call?

There is a requirement for insurance companies to make sure they are providing a product that meets the needs of the customer. If you have been sold a product that isn't what you have asked for then you should have grounds to take it further. Make the complaint formal, in writing, and ask for details of the ombudsman if they do not confirm the policy will be cancelled as per your request. Ask for a transcript/recording of the call as well. That's your proof they have mis-sold you a policy that doesn't meet the needs you clearly told them about.

Thanks all.

Yes Pesto, they did post the policy out which went to my UK address arriving the day before we left. I was extremely rushed and frazzled organising emigrating, so didn't have time to read it thoroughly. I skim read the email she sent and was more concerned we got the right 'cover', rather than worrying about the cancellation bit - because i felt i had been so clear about that aspect of the policy. It never occurred to me they would do a 'switch', i trusted as a professional company i would just get what i asked for. I find it hard to believe this is their sharp shortsighted business practice.

Sorry LouLou that sounds shit.

I have always used AXA for organising all work medical cover (i worked in HR) and thought they were a good company. I wont advise anyone to use them again.

SUCCESS!!!

I called and escalated the complaint. Followed all the advice from above. Was very firm. They tried saying 'but the only policy we do which is cancellable is the standard and you opted for the prestige' I said, calmly and assertively 'i set out my criteria very clearly, so when at the end of the call the prestige option was offered to me and the agent did not say 'but this is not cancellable' i naturally assumed it also adhered to my original criteria. I wasn't to know you only allow cancellations on a standard policy'. The person agreed it was 'confusing' (but all 4 people i have spoken to at AXA have incredulously exclaimed 'but we ONLY allow cancellation the standard policy' - like i'm some moron for not knowing the t's&c's of all their policies. Erm i'm sure to YOU, who work at axa policies dept it IS obvious, but to us mere mortals, not so fucking much actually - God i hate that, anyway i rantingly digress) and that i should go ahead and cancel my direct debit and no further action would be taken.

Hurrah! Thanks all :)

Phew, that must be a relief. It was definitely the right outcome.