Haggling with an insurance company • Non-Gaming • General Non-gaming • Eurogamer.net

Immaterial 19 Jul 2012 22:23:59 2,626 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 14 years ago

So I managed to break my 4 year old games laptop 'beyond economic repair' (tangled the power cable round my foot while walking away from the table). The insurance company have agreed to the claim and replace on a like for like basis. Naturally, their idea of like-for-like isn't the same as mine, and they are offering a slightly derisory voucher for Ł650 valid at Curry's or PC World. The SHAME.

The original lappy cost Ł1500 (Rock Xtreme 770). I get the twin forces of depreciation and that Moore's Law and its equivalents for other components are in effect. I would, however, like to push them up by a couple of hundred quid if I'm restricted to PC World for the replacement lappy. Anyone got any advice on tactics to increase the valuation apart from FTUTA?

(Yes, I know a desktop is far, far superior but unfortunately Real Life means I have to restrict my computing real estate to a laptop/desktop replacement.)
Fanks.

Load_2.0 19 Jul 2012 22:30:43 33,582 posts
Seen 8 hours ago
Registered 18 years ago

Next call tell them you own a hand gun, that should expedite a settlement.

mrpon 19 Jul 2012 22:34:11 37,366 posts
Seen 25 minutes ago
Registered 15 years ago

Wouldn't you get about Ł200 for it on Ebay?

DFawkes 19 Jul 2012 22:34:46 32,785 posts
Seen 10 hours ago
Registered 16 years ago

Don't give up. My mate fought them on a similar issue, but the main reason he was successful is because they made up their price list for their "like for like" machine. They gave a list of prices & suppliers, and he sent back print outs from those suppliers websites stating the exact prices (hundreds more than they claimed). So set out precisely what you'd need for an identical machine. Make sure it has everything the old one has.

Probably a lot harder with a laptop of course, and I'm not sure what they've actually sent you - have they stated precisely what the replacement machine should be?

BravoGolf Moderator 19 Jul 2012 22:35:06 12,787 posts
Seen 3 days ago
Registered 18 years ago

Price seems about right but you could request that you purchase elsewhere if they approve in advance the store/site and provide invoice after the fact.

ronuds 19 Jul 2012 22:50:01 21,781 posts
Seen 8 years ago
Registered 15 years ago

I've never heard of getting a voucher! Do like DFawkes says, though. You need to prove it's worth more, although blindly complaining might net you a few extra quid.

DangerM0use 20 Jul 2012 01:19:21 742 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 17 years ago

I managed to up mine from about Ł400 to Ł700, I just argued that the screen res I had on the old one was vastly superior to anything that I could get for the price and that was the most important thing.

Immaterial 20 Jul 2012 12:11:57 2,626 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 14 years ago

Cheers for the suggestions. Unfortunately I've never has much success when firearms are involved in negotiating, especially after that blag went wrong back in '93.

Good points on the screen and looking at other authorised suppliers. I doubt I can get more money out of them on a component cost basis considering the age of the machine.

Immaterial 21 Jul 2012 07:37:16 2,626 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 14 years ago

It's in the first line of the first post, but thanks for your contribution.

Immaterial 23 Jul 2012 22:11:17 2,626 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 14 years ago

Update: I got the insurance company to up the cash a little bit by whining at them, and they gave me a list of other retail places that they issued vouchers for, so it's all good. Weeeee new toy shall be MINE.