Alteration of Medical Declaration Leads to Unexpected Charges
Upon contacting my travel insurance provider, Staysure, to update the medical information on my yearly policy, I was informed that there would be a £15 fee for the call. This was necessary to reflect a recent biopsy in my records. However, this directive contradicted an earlier online prompt, which had redirected me to make the call after an unsuccessful attempt to amend the details via their website.
Now, with the biopsy completed, I am poised to incur an additional £15 charge when I report the results. This means I will have spent £30 in total just to update my policy, which itself costs £75. This seems quite excessive for just two phone interactions.
CW, London
In the past, some businesses would charge customers for calling their support lines through premium-rate numbers. This method, which effectively encouraged online interactions to reduce operational costs, was lucrative. However, the Consumer Rights Directive, implemented in 2014, has since prohibited this practice.
I challenged Staysure on their £15 fixed fee, suggesting it might be a loophole to avoid the ban. Additionally, this practice could potentially violate the consumer duty requirements set by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). These regulations mandate that financial companies provide fair treatment to vulnerable customers, including those without access to the internet.
Staysure explained that complex changes like the one I needed are handled over the phone. They claimed that the fee would normally be waived under such circumstances, but allegedly, the agent handling my call did not communicate this to me before the call ended. This explanation, however, does not align with my recollection, which includes a clear notification of the impending charge.
A representative from Staysure stated, “We regret that our customer feels the administrative fees are unjust for telephonic policy adjustments. We assess these fees on an individual basis when necessary. Our procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain fair and align with the best practices of the industry.”
I reported this issue to the FCA, which responded by highlighting the importance of trust between insurers and their clients. The FCA emphasized that customers should not encounter unreasonable obstacles or costs while managing their policies.
Ultimately, I was not required to pay the fee.
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