Feel A Bit Let Down ( Mayday )

[Tandem Man]

We were at a site in North Yorkshire for the last two nights,this morning whilst showering my back went and to say I was ( and still am ) in agony is an understatement.

 

As quite bad weather is forecast for tomorrow a kindly fellow camper helped my wife to take the awning down and we decided to head for home.

 

As my wife doesn't tow and I couldn't drive for the pain we decided to ring Mayday to take our van back to storage as we have the all-singing and all-dancing Mayday version.

 

The long and the short of it is that they steadfastly refused to help us unless we provided a doctors letter to "prove" my incapacity and faxed it to them ( who has a fax machine these days ).

 

There is nothing physical to see,if I had for some reason been "laying it on" it would only be my word against a doctor.

 

The nearest doctor was in Northallerton so it would have entailed driving there ( making the pain worse and if I could get an appointment ) driving back ( more pain ) waiting for a tow truck,towing it home,and our storage shuts at 5:30pm.

 

There will doubtless be people who will side with Mayday but I do feel that you take these policies out for times of strife and when the excrement hits the fan they are found wanting,we just wanted to get us and the van home as quickly as possible.

 

As it was we had to leave the van on the site and I will have to return later in the week to collect it when the pain has hopefully subsided.

 

Will think twice when Mayday comes up for renewal.

 

Ian

[dreadly]

I do think you have been mistreated, or at least treated without reasonable compassion, write them a letter and outline your issues and please include a copy to the financial services authority. http://www. fsa. gov. uk/

[Tykie]

I think they we're entirely correct in refusing your request without a professional assessment of your situation. They are an insurance company, not a charity.

[dreadly]

Lets not leave it to opinions. .. Write to them and see how they defend themselves, surely that's fair?

 

From there T&C's on there website.

 

How to complain
Should there ever be an occasion where you need to complain, please call us on
0870 024 0048.
If you wish to write, then address your letter as follows:
• Customer Relations Department, Mayday Vehicle Recovery, Churchill Court,
Westmoreland Road, Bromley BR1 1DP.
If we cannot resolve the differences between us, you may refer your complaint
to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Their address is: South Quay Plaza,
183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR, telephone 0300 123 9123 or 0800 023 4567.
Details about our Regulator
Mayday vehicle rescue is provided by Green Flag and underwritten by U K Insurance
Limited. Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in
England No. 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential
Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the
Prudential Regulation Authority.
Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, should the company be
unable to meet all its liabilities to policyholders, compensation may be available.
Insurance advising and arranging is covered for 90% of the claim with no upper
limit. For compulsory classes of insurance, insurance advising and arranging is
covered for 100% of the claim, without any upper limit. Information can be
obtained on request, or by visiting the Financial Services Compensation Scheme
Website at www. fscs. org. uk

[markstones]

Emmmm I think I will re think my membership now. ...that's why I take out the policy for such emergencies

[OWOMW]

From Caravan Club Mayday Policy terms and conditions:

 

Provision of a Chauffeur
In the event of you being declared medically unfit to drive the vehicle in the course of a trip or
having to return home early because of what we agree is a serious or urgent reason, and there is
no other passenger qualified and competent to drive, we will arrange a Chauffeur to take Insured
Persons, and the Insured Vehicle and your baggage to your destination in the United
Kingdom. You will have to show medical certification at the time of the illness or injury.

[dreadly]

From Caravan Club Mayday Policy terms and conditions:

 

Provision of a Chauffeur

In the event of you being declared medically unfit to drive the vehicle in the course of a trip or

having to return home early because of what we agree is a serious or urgent reason, and there is

no other passenger qualified and competent to drive, we will arrange a Chauffeur to take Insured

Persons, and the Insured Vehicle and your baggage to your destination in the United

Kingdom. You will have to show medical certification at the time of the illness or injury.

So I guess you would have to go to A&E and get a 'sick note' then?

[northernblue]

can the wife drive?

[OWOMW]

So I guess you would have to go to A&E and get a 'sick note' then?

 

Unfortunately yes.

I sympathise with the OP's predicament but as with all insurance products you need to check the small print.

[shipbroker]

I would have taken you to Friarage in Northallerton myself. ..but they woukd tell you to get a GP to provide the evidence thereafter. ...this is a common enough complaint about Mayday and others. ..yes I had a complaint myself a couple of years back and I wrote to their Leeds Office and eventually received compensation equal to a years membership. ....so it is worth writing to them and copying it to The Club. ..I did.

 

Geoff

[Alexbee]

can the wife drive?

The original post suggests she can, but she either cant or wont tow. My understanding is that she drove home, but van was left behind and he clearly ( as would most of us) wanted the van home too and hoped his insurance would see to it, which they didnt.

As with others I sympathise with his plight, but can see the insurers point of view too, in asking for a medical cert. Anyway good tale for the rest of us. If it happens to you find yourself a doc who will take you privately, tell him your ailment, pay him and voila!

[nwatson6]

The original post suggests she can, but she either cant or wont tow. My understanding is that she drove home, but van was left behind and he clearly ( as would most of us) wanted the van home too and hoped his insurance would see to it, which they didnt.

As with others I sympathise with his plight, but can see the insurers point of view too, in asking for a medical cert. Anyway good tale for the rest of us. If it happens to you find yourself a doc who will take you privately, tell him your ailment, pay him and voila!

 

 

Last time I did something to my back, a quick call to the doctors surgery, and a chat with triage nurse about symptoms produced a sick note for my other half to collect at her convenience.

 

Presumably the OP could have gone to the nearest A+E to get "assessed", I am sure if you explained to them the problem getting home they would have given you a "sick note"!

 

At least now more people are aware of the criteria for Mayday and will be able to make more suitable arrangements should they fall ill.

[dreadly]

I still think you have grounds to complain, I had the same issue wight the RAC. The RAC where telling me about small print clauses like this but they where not made clear to me when taking out the cover and the clauses where not mentioned on there website at all or even referenced. When I wrote to the ombudsman they saw in my favour as I had been slightly mislead.

I think this 'may'be the case here, it sounds like they have sold you a product without highlighting the restrictions but you would need proof of that as I did. I had a saved copy of there website which clearly showed the option I had purchased without any restrictions but even though they had made refference to their terms and conditions they where found to have mislead me.

[BFM]

There are several options. You could ring a local GP and request a visit. GPs like this as they get a special fee for seeing someone who is a 'temporary resident'. They could assess you and give you some painkillers and you may even have been able to get the van home.

 

You could have dialled 111, and got advice and perhaps the same as above or they may have arranged an ambulance to visit. Finally, you could have got yourself to a local GP or the local emergency department.

 

The first thing to consider is surely your health and pain, and what happens to the car and van is secondary.

[icepuffin]

I can see both arguments, the terms and conditions are quite clear, and no doubt all other breakdown companies will have similar conditions. It is probably to stop people who don't wNt to use their fuel to go home.

However, how many years have you been with mayday and how often have you called them out perhaps should be taken into account?

[Durbanite]

We also have the all singing and dancing version as I have rheumatoid arthritis plus lower back issues and can get a bad bout unexpectedly. Unfortunately I probably would need a specialist.

However what do you do if it is a Sunday and come down with a bad dose of the flu and most hospital and surgeries have a notice requesting that you do not enter if you have any flu like symptoms? A hospital probably will not give you a "sick" note or if they do there is a charge.

I think I need to clarify this with the CC because the wife can drive but does not want to drive my Jeep and tow a twin axle caravan as she is unfamiliar with the Jeep.

[CBBC]

I wonder if the OP goes to the doctors on Monday morning and gets a sick note which he then copies to Mayday.

Would Mayday then arrange collection of his van and take it to his storage yard and also pay for the extra nights needed on the campsite?

[Clears]

Like others, I can see both sides here. However, it just bugs me that a package pushed so hard by CC and others as offering peace of mind falls down when somebody really needs it. Yes, they have their small print, but an abject lack of compassion no doubt left a nasty taste for the OP

[Scoobz]

Or why couldn't it be part of the agreement that a doctors note/certificate must be produced to the breakdown company within 7 days or full repayment of the rescue will be charged. Gives the person a chance to get themselves sorted and time to get medical proof.

[dreadly]

Or why couldn't it be part of the agreement that a doctors note/certificate must be produced to the breakdown company within 7 days or full repayment of the rescue will be charged. Gives the person a chance to get themselves sorted and time to get medical proof.

That would be a lot more agreeable and compassionate.

[Clears]

Or why couldn't it be part of the agreement that a doctors note/certificate must be produced to the breakdown company within 7 days or full repayment of the rescue will be charged. Gives the person a chance to get themselves sorted and time to get medical proof.

Now that would be reasonable. Quick to take your premium, quick to treat us all with suspicion.

[Black Grouse]

Or why couldn't it be part of the agreement that a doctors note/certificate must be produced to the breakdown company within 7 days or full repayment of the rescue will be charged. Gives the person a chance to get themselves sorted and time to get medical proof.

Have you seen the cost-per-mile charges for full recovery, ie flatbed for car and tow the caravan as well? £2-3/mile is the figure, not too bad if you're only a few miles from home but could be over £1,000 if you're in a different part of the UK and heaven knows how much if you're abroad.

 

Green Flag, aka Mayday, would need a credit card authorisation before agreeing to such an arrangement.

[Guest]

I do think you have been mistreated, or at least treated without reasonable compassion, write them a letter and outline your issues and please include a copy to the financial services authority. http://www. fsa. gov. uk/

 

The FSA no longer exists, it is now the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

 

In addition they will give you advice but they will not entertain a complaint until you have exhausted the company in questions complaints procedure.

[dreadly]

 

The FSA no longer exists, it is now the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

 

In addition they will not entertain a complaint until you have exhausted the company in questions complaints procedure.

I realised after posting but didn't think it was worth a correction as the website still exists and explains this and gives you the redirection information.

Also you do not have to exhaust all aspects of the company's complaints procedure, you just have to have made a complaint and received their answer. If you disagree with the answer then you can get the FCA involved.

Companies do not like getting the FCA involved, which is why I do it. The FCA automatically charge the company involved for their time so it can cost them a lot of money, if they know from the start that you intend to involve the FCA if their initial answer is unfavourable then they will take this into account in their decision making process so it can be worth mentioning. I always do and I always get money

Edited October 4, 2014 by dreadly

[Tandem Man]

I have contacted Green Flag and the Caravan Club so await their response.

 

Ian