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The Radio 3 Boards > General Chat > The Coffee Bar > Insurance Problems
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Author Topic: Insurance Problems  (Read 286 times)
Swan_Knight
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« on: 16:01:23, 07-09-2007 »
Apologies in advance for placing this in the public domain, and please feel free to ignore the following...BUT, if anyone can offer any advice, I'd be very grateful.

Back at the end of July, I was returning from Holland on a KLM flight....I'd brought back with me rather more luggage than I'd taken, some of which was in my hold-all bag, but some I'd had to put in with my laptop. In the event, I decided to check both items into the aeroplane hold, as I didn't fancy dragging a heavy bag around Schipol for two hours (four as it turned out, since the flight was delayed).

Now, I KNOW this was a really stupid thing to do and I certainly won't be doing anything like it again....however, once the flight had arrived (late) into Heathrow (yes, you can tell what's coming, can't you?), the laptop was not there on the luggage carousel.  It was one of many items from that flight that had to be reported missing.  But the following day, I received a text from KLM to the effect that it would be delivered to me in the next twenty-four hours.  In the event, only the bag was delivered - both laptop and charger were missing.

Now the fun really began.  I checked with my insurance to discover that it 'didn't cover checked-in items'.  What's more, KLM are refusing to talk to me about it (their so-called customer services people are extremely obstructive) and maintaining that since it cannot be proved that the laptop went missing while in their stewardship, I don't have a case (but I think it can be proved).  I've been adviced to take it to the small claims court, but am just wondering if this is really the most effective option?

Just to put things in perspective, the laptop was coming to the end of its natural life and I'd never been that fond of it, anyway.  And most of the stuff I needed was duplicated on my USB stick.  So all I really lost were some music files and some photos.  But the point is, I've lost an asset, through no fault of my own (if they'd actually warned me about checking it in, I - of course - woudldn't have done so?)

Anyone been in a corner like this themselves? Any advice?

Thanks!  Smiley
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autoharp
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Posts: 2778
« Reply #1 on: 21:41:37, 07-09-2007 »
Quote from: Swan_Knight on 16:01:23, 07-09-2007
Apologies in advance for placing this in the public domain, and please feel free to ignore the following...BUT, if anyone can offer any advice, I'd be very grateful.

Back at the end of July, I was returning from Holland on a KLM flight....I'd brought back with me rather more luggage than I'd taken, some of which was in my hold-all bag, but some I'd had to put in with my laptop. In the event, I decided to check both items into the aeroplane hold, as I didn't fancy dragging a heavy bag around Schipol for two hours (four as it turned out, since the flight was delayed).

Now, I KNOW this was a really stupid thing to do and I certainly won't be doing anything like it again....however, once the flight had arrived (late) into Heathrow (yes, you can tell what's coming, can't you?), the laptop was not there on the luggage carousel.  It was one of many items from that flight that had to be reported missing.  But the following day, I received a text from KLM to the effect that it would be delivered to me in the next twenty-four hours.  In the event, only the bag was delivered - both laptop and charger were missing.

Now the fun really began.  I checked with my insurance to discover that it 'didn't cover checked-in items'.  What's more, KLM are refusing to talk to me about it (their so-called customer services people are extremely obstructive) and maintaining that since it cannot be proved that the laptop went missing while in their stewardship, I don't have a case (but I think it can be proved).  I've been adviced to take it to the small claims court, but am just wondering if this is really the most effective option?

Just to put things in perspective, the laptop was coming to the end of its natural life and I'd never been that fond of it, anyway.  And most of the stuff I needed was duplicated on my USB stick.  So all I really lost were some music files and some photos.  But the point is, I've lost an asset, through no fault of my own (if they'd actually warned me about checking it in, I - of course - woudldn't have done so?)

Thanks!  Smiley

Yes, the point is you HAVE lost an asset. The "put things in perspective" bit is irrelevant as you know - you could have lost a stack of valuable stuff, but that would make no difference to the people you're dealing with. Do pursue it! (I'm sorry to say I've no good definite advice)
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ahinton
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« Reply #2 on: 07:04:04, 08-09-2007 »
Quote from: autoharp on 21:41:37, 07-09-2007
Quote from: Swan_Knight on 16:01:23, 07-09-2007
Apologies in advance for placing this in the public domain, and please feel free to ignore the following...BUT, if anyone can offer any advice, I'd be very grateful.

Back at the end of July, I was returning from Holland on a KLM flight....I'd brought back with me rather more luggage than I'd taken, some of which was in my hold-all bag, but some I'd had to put in with my laptop. In the event, I decided to check both items into the aeroplane hold, as I didn't fancy dragging a heavy bag around Schipol for two hours (four as it turned out, since the flight was delayed).

Now, I KNOW this was a really stupid thing to do and I certainly won't be doing anything like it again....however, once the flight had arrived (late) into Heathrow (yes, you can tell what's coming, can't you?), the laptop was not there on the luggage carousel.  It was one of many items from that flight that had to be reported missing.  But the following day, I received a text from KLM to the effect that it would be delivered to me in the next twenty-four hours.  In the event, only the bag was delivered - both laptop and charger were missing.

Now the fun really began.  I checked with my insurance to discover that it 'didn't cover checked-in items'.  What's more, KLM are refusing to talk to me about it (their so-called customer services people are extremely obstructive) and maintaining that since it cannot be proved that the laptop went missing while in their stewardship, I don't have a case (but I think it can be proved).  I've been adviced to take it to the small claims court, but am just wondering if this is really the most effective option?

Just to put things in perspective, the laptop was coming to the end of its natural life and I'd never been that fond of it, anyway.  And most of the stuff I needed was duplicated on my USB stick.  So all I really lost were some music files and some photos.  But the point is, I've lost an asset, through no fault of my own (if they'd actually warned me about checking it in, I - of course - woudldn't have done so?)

Thanks!  Smiley

Yes, the point is you HAVE lost an asset. The "put things in perspective" bit is irrelevant as you know - you could have lost a stack of valuable stuff, but that would make no difference to the people you're dealing with. Do pursue it! (I'm sorry to say I've no good definite advice)
Agreed. Do pursue it, if you can. The point of doing so, however, will largely depend on your ability to prove that the laptop and charger did indeed enter KLM's care and, whilst you say that you "think it can be proved", you need to bear in mind that, in a court of law, you'll need to provide incontrovertible proof if you wish to ensure success. If you are not absolutely certain of being able to do this, I'd think twice about it, since even the small claims court is not necessarily free of costs.

Good luck!

Best,

Alistair
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time_is_now
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« Reply #3 on: 11:21:59, 10-09-2007 »
I'm sorry to hear about this, SK. Angry

Just a thought: I'm not an expert on such matters, but you say that the bag that had contained the laptop was returned, but without the laptop and charger inside it. Unless I'm misunderstanding, that sounds as if someone must have deliberately removed those items, which I would have thought makes it a matter for the police. I wonder if that doesn't reduce the burden of proof on you re the items going into KLM's care. It might certainly make them wake up a bit if they thought you were about to go public on the dishonesty of members of their staff.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do.
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« Reply #4 on: 15:08:27, 10-09-2007 »
If nothing else, there is a lesson for all of us, to keep anything really important to hand. Remember, just because you're paranoid it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
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sambeckett
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« Reply #5 on: 17:50:49, 10-09-2007 »
I know several people that this has happened to, and I think may have also watched a panorama or similar on theiving baggage handlers.

Without being too pessimistic, I think there is almost nothing you can do as no-one will take responsibility; for example if you lose something between Frankfurt and Manchester, Manchester airport will claim the theft occurred in Frankfurt and vice versa, and it would seem that security cameras exist only to monitor the passengers and not the staff. If it is insured, you may be better off just claiming and being glad that you didn't have to fork out for a new laptop when the one you had finally gave up the ghost and using the time that you would have wasted trying to track down the fate of the old one on something more productive.

I know the situation is incredibly annoying, but it does seem the only solution is to put an impenetrable lock on anything you put into the hold of an aeroplane. This may arouse suspicion that you are a terrorist, in which case your luggage would be blown up, so I suppose you'd lose out either way...
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What's empirical about sound? You can't write an article about it in die Reihe, that's for sure.
time_is_now
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« Reply #6 on: 18:01:09, 10-09-2007 »
Ooh, no, don't put a heavy lock on any hold luggage, it'll probably be sliced open with a penknife or something, especially if you're travelling via the USA.

Quote
What's empirical about sound? You can't write an article about it in die Reihe, that's for sure.
Do please elaborate! (In another thread maybe.)
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The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
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