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Name: D Hollingsworth

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Do not buy Virgin Money Travel Insurance - go somewhere else

1
Our hire car was broken into on the last day of our holiday in Spain, and unfortunately 3 hold luggage and 4 hand luggage were stolen. An awful situation and a terrible day for my family and I and those who were travelling with us. We pretty much lost everything that day, all of the typical items that you take on holiday with you and more. It took me a month to complete the claim form, populate an itemised list of what was stolen, and to gather receipts, bank statements, proof of travel, proof of my stay in Spain, proof from the airline that we flew out with checked luggage and returned with none, all in an effort to support my claim and to help the person that was / is to handle my claim to process it as quickly as possible. I methodically put everything together in a 4 inch thick A4 binder and then submitted it. Claims are handled on behalf of Virgin by an outfit called Travel Claims Services Ltd - they are terrible, truly shocking. I posted the binder off to them via recorded deliver on 09.09.19, and they acknowledged receipt 3 days later. I didn't chase initially, as I appreciated that it might take a handler a number of days to review everything I had sent (there were over 350 pages of documentation). However, I heard nothing from them until 24.09.19. On that date I received an email from them asking me to provide various documentation, documentation of which I had already sent - it was all in the A4 binder! I responded by email explaining that I had already submitted everything, but I heard nothing by way of reply! I called Travel Claims Services Ltd today (02.10.19) to find out what an earth is going on with my claim - I was informed that my claim hadn't event been looked at yet, some 3 weeks on. Further, I was informed that they were waiting for my claim form! I was furious, because the fully completed, signed claim form, was in a separate wallet inside the A4 binder i had sent them. I explained this to the adviser - they checked and acknowledged that they had received it after all - as I said before, they are absolutely terrible. It was left that someone would review my claim today, following which they would return to me with confirmation as to the next steps. They did get back to me via email earlier on this afternoon - in the email they have asked me to provide a booking invoice confirming details of my flights, confirmation of where i stayed whilst I was on holiday, copies of bank statements confirming purchase in respect of the items being claimed for, and confirmation from the airline that I travelled out with hold luggage and returned with none. I am absolutely furious, because all of this documentation is contained within the A4 binder I sent them 3 weeks ago. It's quite clear that nobody has gone through what I sent them - this company and their employees are completely incompetent. Their is no sense of urgency. Their is no level of appreciation as to the stress levels they create for customers, or any comprehension of the fact that we are currently at a financial disadvantage, as we have since had to spend a lot of money to replace what was stolen. I cannot deal with these incompetent people any longer, or waste my time reading the nonsensical emails they keep sending me asking for documentation that I have already sent, and of which they have acknowledged receipt of. I have submitted a complaint this evening to the Financial Ombudsman Service. I'd recommend anyone who has an outstanding claim that is simply not progressing, to do the same. Why should us consumers have to put up with such a poor service. Virgin Travel Insurance - hang you heads in shame - you are allowing this outfit to deal with and treat your customers in this way. Shocking! Anyone thinking of taking out travel insurance - DON'T DO IT, GO WITH A DIRECT INSURER LIKE AXA or AVIVA etc. Reviewed on: 2nd October 2019