Domestic and General Insurance

Would give this zero stars if I could had a policy out with them for two appliances for 2 years washing machine broke engineer came out no problem and he wrote it off. Excellent work where the engineer was concerned. But trying to talk to customer service is like talking to a toddler. Trying to get a replacement is like trying to get a needle from a haystack. Spoke to 4 different people each told a different story, no one had my correct details, engineer went to wrong address at first. Finally came. Got told replacement within 48 hours to then be told oh it’s a voucher from argos through the post. When I phoned them up and quite clearly told them I don’t want it through the post can I have it via email to be told that’s fine! To then be told it’ll be sent within 24 hours. Spoke to 4 different people had to tell them ALL my email address again. Absolutely appalling communication. I’ve been left without a washing machine for nearly 2 weeks and I have to purchase a washing machine myself with a voucher on argos which has estimated delivery time 10 days!!! I have two young children and basic needs as to washing their clothes is needed!! How unhigienic. Unless I go to the launderettes and I hope I get what that will cost reimbursed because it ain’t cheap I don’t know if you know we’re in a cost of living crisis. I then phoned them AGAIN today to be told the same story a voucher will be sent within 24 hours to which I had to give them my email AGAIN! So much for customer care it’s so infuriating when you’ve been a customer for so long take your money but when it comes to helping they don’t care. Automated responses on google reviews aswell telling people to phone them? Talk about state the obvious no one gets absolutely anywhere phoning you! Also when I did phone them I said what happenes if I don’t get the voucher within 24 hours again keep phoning you? And the response I got was “well yeah” excellent customer service!!!! I’ve been so patient but now it’s just ridiculous if this isn’t sorted and treated as high priority I’ll be taking this to trade and standards and the onbudsman. Policy number YWL0006029

Horrible company

They do all they can to sabotage your rights to cancel the policy during the cooling off period. I requested a cancellation confirmation by email 4 times. They confirmed by phone I will get it in the next 24 hours. As I didnt get anything at this timeline, I called back and been told to wait another 24 hours. After so much insistence and time talking on the phone what I received instead was another welcome policy. Called back again, she said that in her records shows it is already cancelled, then I asked if that is the case why you send me the welcome policy again? she said "I don't know". I asked for their head office or a complain department address to write, then I was cut off.

Their website doesn't provide with any form of communication by writing only a number which doesn't provide you with any help but on the contrary they can use it to the customer detriment and to their advantage. They don't even provide with a post mail address. The chat service is equally bad or worse.

They don't have any complaint procedure at place to follow and you cant open one.

A company that lacks morals and values, extremely unprofessional and unreliable will never have my custom.

Where are the Regulatory authorities?

They can only do these things if they are allowed and poorly regulated, or they think they got the green flag or some sort of immunity so they can get away with it.

If you want a stress free life avoid this company like a plague !!!

Date of experience: 08 June 2024

Note: This 100% genuine review was first posted on Trustpilot but they unfairly removed it even though I provided them with my complete name and policy number. It seems they only welcome 5 stars but not 1 stars which can be detrimental for customers as these 5 stars could be faked.

Based on my experience, I could identify myself 100% with the Review Centre rate of"Terrible" rating.

Plan Care Appliance Insurance

Absolutely terrible company. I had three visits from their repair agents over a month to deal with a leak in a fridge freezer and, far from fixing it, I actually think they made it worst, as afterwards I noticed pipework was suddenly protruding from the back . On the third visit the agent said it was now a write off and under the insurance policy, it would be replaced, and that I should wait until I was contacted by d&g.

Off course, they didn't contact me and after logging on to my account I noticed the plan had actually been cancelled, without myself being informed. I called them to find out what was going on and they told me under the policy guidelines, they were not obligated to replace the unit and the plan was to be automatically cancelled.

This was completely contrary to what I was told. A complete and frustrating waste of time, effort and money.

After more than 6 years of having policies (plural) with D&G we have used their services less than a handful of times. They have performed to a standard that has, until now, been beneficial to have a policy with them.

However, my recent, ongoing, experience with them and their "so-called" technical partners has helped me to achieve a new level of inefficiency and disappointment that I never knew possible.

After my TV broke down a day before Easter school holidays I was told I had to wait for over a week for an engineer to visit, I I had no one available to help the engineer lift the unit off the wall. They then gave us with another service provider that deemed it sufficient to diagnose the technical fault via WhatsApp message; concluded by being told the parts that were being ordered. We were then informed that delivery time would be 5-7 working days which, due to bank holiday, was nearly 14 days. They refused to acknowledge that it left out household with no TV and refused to even investigate a temporary replacement (which we know is possible)

I clearly informed the agent that I was extremely concerned about a remote diagnosed without even pictures or videos and concluded by informing them that I would not be at all impressed if the agent (eventually) turns up with wrong parts.

A week later and I receive a message to say that the parts will take, yet another, week. When I tried to open a complaint about the time frames I was told my complaint would not be uphelp because it's was within 6 weeks which is "acceptable" to them.

2 weeks later we are contacted by an engineer to say they will be attending. Guess what, arrival with wrong parts and cannot carry out repair AND told he can't do it as a 1-man crew. Even though I had taken the day off work to be there to assist him (a directive given by D&G

Another complaint which, now, is escalated to try to expedite write-off due to new information. "call back in 24 hours if you don't hear anything in the meantime"

When I call back I'm greeted with either rude, obnoxious, inept or just simply incompetent. Speak to 7 different people, 3 of which acknowledge complaint that has been escalatedb 3 refused to even recognise it exists. I've now been told to wait until end of the week (it's now only Tuesday) for an update. They refused fulfill my request to investigate the complaint that has miraculously gone missing and/or try to expedite the process.

Upon resolve of this farce, I will be purchasing cover from another provider, even if it is more expensive or has an excess and I will be cancelling my multiple covers with them

D&G have ZERO respect for customers and no ambition or desire to provide service. Their staff are arrogant, rude and condescending and there is a very distinct feeling that they are complacent due to being a "big company" that doesn't need to try; safe in the knowledge that their policies are pushed on to consumers by big names such as Argos, Very, curry's etc

I strongly advise against anyone taking out D&G cover for anything. My experience has been nothing short of disgusting

I called Domestic & General on 30/3/2024 to cancel two domestic appliance plans, due to our moving house and replacing freestanding ones with integrated ones. (You have to call to cancel, which is a deliberately tedious process on their part.) I explained that I hadn't had my new appliances delivered yet, but when they were fitted I would consider insuring them. The guy on the phone nevertheless tried to sell me policies right there and then. When I said the appliances weren't even in the house yet, he said 'what if something happens while they're being delivered'. I mean, what?

Anyway, after being told the policies were cancelled, I got an email today (08/04/2024) saying "we wanted to let you know that you're still protected and your plan will continue to renew monthly."

So much for cancelling...

When I up again, the charmless D&G rep on the other end said yes my polices were cancelled but it wasn't showing yet because their 'system' takes a few days to process cancellations. Funny how quickly you can set up a policy (within minutes), and yet when you want to cancel, suddenly the 'system' can't cope. The person also said that they don't send out emails confirming your cancellation unless you specifically request it. They also advised that I cancel my direct debits - the implication being that "the policies might be cancelled, but we might still try to take your money".

After hearing all this I made it clear to the D&G rep that their customer service was sadly lacking and they would never again receive my business. She didn't sound too upset, so I'm guessing there's a natural rate of attrition they're willing to tolerate as long as they can keep getting enough money to get by.

If my sorry saga doesn't put you off choosing Domestic and General for your appliance insurance needs, then my rhetorical skills ain't what they used to be.