Never go with Swinton they leave an 80yr old man stranded.c

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jjKeith454's review of Swinton Car Insurance www.swinton.co.uk

“Never go with Swinton they leave an 80yr old man...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by jjKeith454 on 10/06/2016

The experience my elderly parents had when their car broke down last week has left me astounded and disgusted at the treatment they received. My parents were travelling back to UK in their camper van when it broke down in Normandy. They tried ringing the international phone number provided by Swinton Breakdown cover but it did not answer. They phoned me so that I could contact Swinton for them. This was at 1100. I was able to get Swinton to recover the vehicle with my parents to a local VW garage. That was at 1350. At 1500 they had received no communication from Sinton. I contacted swinton again and they agreed that they would contact my parents direct to arrange for their travel to the UK as the vehicle was not able to be repaired that day. At 1620 my parents phoned me again and said as they had not heard from Swinton they had arranged for the garage owner to take them to local town and a hotel and they had booked a train to Calaise. I again telephoned Swinton to tell them the latest developments and was informed that my parents could not claim for any travel plans they made themselves and swinton would have to make all the required arrangements under the insurance conditions. SHE ASSURED ME THAT SHE WOULD ARRANGE ALL TRAVEL FOR THE HOMEBOUND JOURNEY.
At 1900hrs their time my parents who are 80 and 70 are standing outside a closed garage in an industrial site outside a small France town in the pouring rain waiting for a taxi to pick them up as promised by Swinton.
I rang Swinton several times and was told on two separate occasions that the taxi was on its way to be told twice that it had gone to the wrong location. At 2200 my elderly parents phone died and they were left without communication in a dangerous location with no other option than to walk towards the town - 4 miles away!
At 2230 GMT I was informed that the taxi driver was at the right location but could not see my parents. I instructed Swinton to contact the local police and report them as missing persons and to phone me back within 30 minutes with an update. I received no further communication from either my parents or Swinton that day.
The next morningeneration I contacted Swinton again to be told they had no further information and they were Tring to locate my parents. At 1000 we were told that my parents were picked up by the local guandarmes the previous night and given a hotel room. They were informed that they were on the train to Calaise. We were then promised that they would be met in Calaise or Dover and driven home. Later that day this too changed as Swinton said they could not provide a driver to take them home but would instead arrange hotel accommodation and train travel the next day. APPARENTLY THIS TOO CHANGED. SWINTON INFORMED MY PARENTS THAT IF THEY ARRANGED HOTEL ACCOMMODATION AND PAID FOR THEIR TRAIN TRAVEL HOME THEY COULD CLAIM IT BACK.
SWINTON ALSO PROMISED THAT THEIR CAMPER VAN WOULD BE TRANSPORTED BACK HOME AGREED FOR MONDAY 06 JUNE. AND GUESS WHAT THAT TOO WAS A CLAIM THAT DID NOT MATERIALISE. AFTER YET ANOTHER SERIES OF COMMUNICATION THEY HAVE NOW SAID THE RECOVERY TRANSPORTER IS IN CALAISE BUT NOT YET WITH THE CAMPER VAN ON IT.
I was promised a telephone call from the complaints department as I have requested all transcripts of telephone communications and as yet again I still have not received any contact from Swinton regarding my complaint.

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Hazelvwowen's Comment

Written on: 20/07/2016

How stressful for you and your parents .. I too have just had my own nightmare week with Swinton Breakdown cover .. Talking to Axa Assurance Helpline who at times were not very helpful .. All you need is help in these situations .. Not broken promises ..Broken down campervan in Normandy the same .. £1500 quid or so later of our own money .. Got back home to the UK .. Still with a not repaired van .. Paid for Breakdown cover .And Recovery Back to the Uk .. So you dont expect to be paying out for it out your own pocket ..
Hope your parents are both Ok .. I will post my own story on this website ... Ex Swinton Customer ..

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