A Recent Query at
Citizens Advice Cotswold District
"I’m planning a long
holiday and have been struggling to find travel insurance for a reasonable
price. I’ve found a good deal from a Facebook advert but my friend thinks it
might be a scam. How can I be sure if it’s legitimate?"
Your friend is right to raise the possibility that it might
be a scam and you should do some research on the company before making a
purchase. Insurance is a financial product and the seller must be registered
with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Check they’re listed on the financial
watchdog’s register which can be viewed on its website. If they’re not named, take your
business to a different provider as the seller will not be legitimate. If they
are listed, it’s still worth doing further checks on them.
A good starting point is comparing the price of the
insurance deal with similar offers from competitors. Big discounts are often a tell-tale
sign of a scam, but it could also be that the policy is cheap because it
doesn’t provide adequate cover.
Ask for a copy of the full policy so you can check it
against where you’re going and what you’re doing. If the seller won’t provide
one, or says they will only give it to you it after you’ve paid, don’t give
them your business.
Once you know the seller is legitimate use a secure payment
method, such as a money transfer service like PayPal, to pay for the insurance.
Don’t pay with a bank transfer, and don’t go ahead with the deal if they ask
you to.
For further advice contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service
on 03454 04 05 06 or get in touch with Citizens Advice Cotswold District 0808
800 0511 or check for your closest office here:
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