Thanks, i'm about to do this.

Billie80:

Hi thanks for your reply.

My lovely but useless hubby had put the utensils into the holes incorrectly which resulted in the mixer stop turning & later for the panel, where they go into, to fall off.

This was my very first claim ever, i had been with Lloyds TSB Insurance unit for 2 years running without claiming.

The Insurers are basically saying the damage occured due to the age of the mixer and not due to the untensil mishap. If the machine had been newer, the utensil mishap would not have caused the damage. Insurance policies don't cover mechanical breakdown.

I think you should make a complaint to the Insurers in writing advising them that you want their final response, so you can go to the FOS. The FOS will charge the insurers £450 even if they rule in their favour and it will cost you nothing apart from the postage.

So you have nothing to lose complaining to Insurers and then the FOS. I would think the minimum you would achieve is getting some compensation for them throwing your mixer away.

Huckster

Hi thanks for your reply.

My lovely but useless hubby had put the utensils into the holes incorrectly which resulted in the mixer stop turning & later for the panel, where they go into, to fall off.

This was my very first claim ever, i had been with Lloyds TSB Insurance unit for 2 years running without claiming.

Billie80:

You don't actually state how you actually accidentally damaged the food mixer and what damaged occured. With this information we may be able to offer an opinion. Prior to this, have you made any other claims?

As they have declined the claim, you can go to the FOS with the complaint. Even if the FOS agreed with the insurers, they might not be happy with the food mixer being thrown away. They should have phoned you and asked whether you wanted it back. If the policy wording does not mention that salvage will be disposed of, even if claims are declined, the FOS might rule that you have to be compensated.

See FOS complaints procedure info. http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm

Huckster

I had an accidental damage home contents insurance policy with Lloyds TSB, underwritten by Groupama. I placed an accidental damage claim in June for my 4 year old Kenwood food mixer, which by the way cost me £400. I was told an repairman had to come and take it away for inspection. They did this & told me it will be returned within 7days. I heard nothing so i gave the repair people 2 weeks from the date they took it before ringing them about it. All the guy would say is, i've passed the report onto your insurance co. contact them. So i rang Groupama up who said we've sent you a letter in the post about it.

A few days letter i received a letter saying we've refused your claim on that basis that the cogs on the mixer were well used & worn & that the mixer was well used. I rang them up to argue that of course it was well used, it was 4 years old! The guy who i spoke to was very rude & accusing, he blatantly said i was making false claims.

I'm currently 7months pregnant & throughout the first 5months of my pregnancy i suffered from complications meaning i was too ill to deal with any of this. As i was ill at the time of this phone call, i left it at that for the time being thinking that i will call again. This was in July or August. I rang them again last week and they once again declined the claim & when i asked for my mixer back they said it had been disposed off! I'm so angry with them for getting rid of my perfectly good albiet slightly damaged, food mixer. I was called back by the supervisor & was told yes they should have told me there was a time limit on how long they can hold items but they can't do anything about it.

Sorry about the long post. I'm so depressed right now, please help/advise me what i can do about this.