durster2006:Transfering insurance - Sometime it doesnt automatically transfer. If you find you are paying insurance for a handset which you have upgraded.u can normally call the insurance company and they can transfer to the new handset. even after u have lost the new handset.

I was told by someone much higher up in the company than your basic customer services representative or shop manager, that the lifeline insurance policy could not be renewed/transferred if you changed networks and/or phone numbers. This is from someone high up in the company admitting that I had been charged for 3 years for a policy that could never be renewed/transferred. Unless you are Charles Dunstone, and I seriously doubt this, I know who I believe!!

Regarding the other part - surely, if you've been paying for an old policy, you would want that money back and to make sure you start a new one. A typical CPW tactic it seems. "We've taken £100 for a non-existant policy but it's alright, your handset is covered from today. You've not been paying for nothing." Brilliant!

P.S. I never signed anything but the basic phone contract, the insurance was agreed on this. It may be different now.

P.P.S. I don't blame the basic shop staff or the customer representatives personally, as some have been more than helpful in making sure I got my money back. The company is a parasite, taking consumers for a ride and I know far more people that have a problem with CPW than don't.

Just to let you know when I was changing my contracts each time they automatically moved over my insurance to my new phone and contract, I don't know if they still do this or not but just to let you know.

Let me clarify, at point of sale you will normally be told your allowed to cancel contracts early. This is a Unique selling point so more then like the sale rep will advise you of this. If not you would have recived a bookelet with the insurance information in it. This is where all the terms and conditions are.

As long you you read the lifeline booklet there are NO suprises. If you don't like the insurance policy you can canel at ANY TIME. You also have a 14 cooling off period.

Excess is 29.50 and stays the same no matter how many claims you make, Again its in the booklet and on the insurance certificate you signed.

Transfering insurance - Sometime it doesnt automatically transfer. If you find you are paying insurance for a handset which you have upgraded.u can normally call the insurance company and they can transfer to the new handset. even after u have lost the new handset.

p.s. yes i work 4 cpw. no need to jump down my throat. only tryna help. also cpw sell millions of phones. a hand ful of people airing their greivances arnt representative of your average cpw customer.

We're not all sharks.

durster2006, having looked at your other posts, do you work for CPW - you seem very pro for them!??! Jimboban said that it 'sounded' like fraudulent behaviour while I said that I wouldn't trust CPW as far as Steve Backley could through them in outer space. How do the customers know that they can cancel/return/upgrade after 6 months if the shop staff don't tell them? I was never given any documentation when I signed my lifeline policy, and when I went in to get some, the shop staff went through it with me to tell me the perks as "the small print is confusing". Also, most networks directly offer a clause in a 12 month contract so that after 9 months you can upgrade for free if you remain with them.

Your comment that seriously gives me doubts though is "Just pay the excess" - how much is the excess?? Plus, regarding the problem I had (see above) and the fact you lose your number if you take advantage if this - does this mean that there are lots of people out there who are potentially paying policies to protect their old/previous phones as the policies cannot be transferred to their new/upgraded ones. My advice is:

CHECK your policy covers your CURRENT phone contract. CPW CANNOT transfer your policy so if you haven't taken out a brand new policy each time, you are paying for something you don't have!

Thanks durster2006, you have potentially helped thousands find out that CPW are charging them for a service that doesn't exist. Go get your money back!!!

Canecling contracts with cpw's complete insurance is perfectly legal. (Only store staff are not allowed to promt you to cancel). However if you want to break the contract early you can anythime after 9 months (used to be 6 months but it changeD in august o7) its fine, You dont even have to give them a reason.

Just pay the excess and lifeline (cpw insurance company) will settle the remaining line rental. Bear in mind you will lose your mobile number.

Well - apologies if I have missed something here - was certainly unaware of this 'CPW Insurance' that is designed to help customers break legally binding contracts...

I can only imagine that there is some mis-selling going on in store to shift insurance policies - surely there isn't a financially viable insurer out there who can afford to settle 12 months of every customer's insurance and make a profit?!

If there is a loophole then great -go for it - just not something I could do myself (in this instance) as I'd find it a bit too expensive morally.

Jim

I don't think I 'accuse' SubZero of doing this, he 'is' doing this. And I also say that I applaud him taking advantage of this clause/loophole/service as many like myself didn't see this or bother to do it. I am surprised that CPW have allowed such a policy run as they and the networks will lose money on this. Keep in mind, my insurance policy (which I believe to have been the same as SubZero's) did not cover a change in network - he has been changing networks thus cancelling his insurance policy but allowed to upgrade contracts and phones every 6 months, thus proving the policy still exists. It appears to be unstable ground to me.

He is getting the good end of the stick whereas many others on here and in the country are not. So my words may sound harsh but having been on the wrong end and treated like scum by CPW I have real trouble feeling sympathy. It could all have blown up in his face earlier though and with much worse circumstances if my interpretation is correct, so while he can't utilise this service with 3, he should be pleased he's not being hit in the pocket like many people are.

I think accusing this guy of exploiting loopholes in unfair, as the CPW Complete insurance includes a contract breaker option on all networks other that 3.

The policy is sold in store on the basis you can change your phone every 6 months, the networks have all agreed to this policy, so what exactly is the problem.

You are simply paying for a service that CPW and the network provide.

Kappo - you have captured my feelings in a nutshell.

I also think that Jimboban is trying to say that you are making a mockery of everyone on here who has a real problem and/or owed money from various outlets/networks and insurance firms who are not doing their job correctly. You simply didn't agree to a phone contract that allowed you to use your insurance loophole to stop contracts and change phones as and when you felt like it. I'd be surprised if any of the networks let you do this now.

I, for one, had a real problem with Carphone Warehouse's insurance as they were charging and taking money from me per quarter but were never actually covering me - the phone it 'covered' was exchanged with them 3 YEARS PRIOR. They never mentioned that there was a problem when I upgraded and never cottoned on/'hoped I'd realise' that you cannot cover a new phone if you change networks and/or numbers. That was fraudulent behaviour where the consumer loses out (although I got my money back when I provided evidence and threatened court action). You seem to be annoyed because you can't take advantage of a loophole tht you've been exploiting.

While I applaud beating them at their own game, it is kind of insulting to everyone here who is losing out because they try and take advantage of the consumer.

When I use to change my phone I would just go in and say that I wanted to cancel my contract and then get a new one. Nobody never said there was a problem with that at the shop any of the times I did this so I never thought of it as a problem :S

I understand what you're saying - the point that I'm making is that this is pretty much insurance fraud? :) (Seeing as the insurance company will need to settle the remaining 12 months of the 18 month contract that You committed to!)

I can't believe the insurance would actually be marketed as being able to do this (as they would make a rather scary loss methinks) - I can't believe you're making claims on insurance as "you want to change your phone"?? :)

Jim

I like to change my phone every so often, i don't like keeping the same phone so I don't see anything wrong with using the insurance i'm paying for to help me do that as long as I'm paying my insurance and contract up to that point. Also in this case 3 is the worsed provider I've been on ever! If i could of left it after 6 months i would of straight away, what is the point of paying the rest off the rest of my contract to finish it? :S I would then be paying for years worth of a phone (that I ahve to give back) that i can't use.

SubZero:Hi all, not so long ago I used to get 18mth contract phones from carphone warehouse with their insurance. After 6mths I would cancel my contract to get a new phone and with their insurance therewas no charge for cancelling :) however one day I decided to get an 18month contract with 3 which was a mistake so I wanted to cancel but they said I would have to pay off the rest of my contract to cancel it so I stuck with them for the 18mths which is now up. However, I don't want to do this again so is there an insurance company out there that will cover my phone as well as allow me to cancel my contract after 6mths? Thanks.

Hi -

I could be mistaken, but this sounds like 'fraud' / taking insurance with intent to deliberately engineer a pay-out?

When you sign an '18 month contract' - that is a legally binding agreement that you intend to pay and use whatever it is for 18 months -

Whilst it might be possible to 'use' certain insurance policies to pay out the remainder on your behalf, I cannot believe this can be in good faith?!

Jim

Hi all, not so long ago I used to get 18mth contract phones from carphone warehouse with their insurance. After 6mths I would cancel my contract to get a new phone and with their insurance therewas no charge for cancelling :) however one day I decided to get an 18month contract with 3 which was a mistake so I wanted to cancel but they said I would have to pay off the rest of my contract to cancel it so I stuck with them for the 18mths which is now up. However, I don't want to do this again so is there an insurance company out there that will cover my phone as well as allow me to cancel my contract after 6mths? Thanks.