I am reseraching into this insurance company who sell alot of policies to expats.

I am looking for your experiences - good or bad, whether you claimed from your own policy or as a third party.
You can also tell me about your experience with your broker.

Confidentiallity assured.
Please PM me,
susan

Hi Susan. If you wish to discuss matters regarding Liberty it would probably be best done by phone. Please call Mary on 0034 977493607

Thank you to those who have replied.  Keep them coming!

Can you share any results with us, who are insured with them.
Are they good bad or ugly?

THe current situation with Spanish insurers is that they are experiencing a huge rise in claims, particuarly with rural homes. I dont think the Spanish insurers are good when it comes to claims even in better times. It would now seem normal to delay payouts and dispute claims as much as they can. In the UK an insurance company would be very concerned about any bad publicity regarding claims but in Spain they do not seem to care. Another point is that most people as you would expect search for the cheapest policy for there car or home. Often the cheapest is not the best but how do you know? A good insurance broker could make all the difference but a lot of them use only one insurance company so beware. If anybody wishes to discuss this matter I would be happy to help.

blackbird - 18 February 2010 03:10 PM

THe current situation with Spanish insurers is that they are experiencing a huge rise in claims, particuarly with rural homes. I dont think the Spanish insurers are good when it comes to claims even in better times. It would now seem normal to delay payouts and dispute claims as much as they can. In the UK an insurance company would be very concerned about any bad publicity regarding claims but in Spain they do not seem to care. Another point is that most people as you would expect search for the cheapest policy for there car or home. Often the cheapest is not the best but how do you know? A good insurance broker could make all the difference but a lot of them use only one insurance company so beware. If anybody wishes to discuss this matter I would be happy to help.

Did I miss the bigger picture or something ??
Don’t get what’s occurring here….

DSB.

Hi DSB, I started this thread as I had to fight for even a basic legal representation via Liberty (even though said car crash was totally the fault of the boy racer in the other car. Who would have been arrested had he not run away!)  The claim was a criminal case (as opposed to a civil one - due to the absconding/causing a crash etc), but I did eventually settle with his insurance co in the ‘friendly’ (i.e out of court) way. 

Blackbird works in the insurance sector (I think? - please correct me) and is giving a good overview of how the insurance co’s here work as opposed to the UK.

BlueChip.  I have not compiled a list as such - only that I have heard different stories regarding various companies (big and small) and each individual can experience a different reaction from said cos!  So not much help really to post all replies here.
Only to say… I am writing an article on how Liberty in particular were responsible for not getting me the best deal possible on my injuries settlement, due to the shoddy handling of the matter from day one.  (I have written to the Insurances Ombudsman - whose decision is final and legally binding - But they have taken Libertys word at face value and the information they provided the Ombudsman is full of lies and holes.  I am still looking at pursuing the matter,but many have advised me I will be wasting energy). NB I approached one of the larger English language newspapers on the Costa del Sol, who would not print my article as Liberty is one of their biggest advertisers. 
That is the sort of apathy we are up against here in Spain.

I did know at the start of the claim the awards are much less than the UK. But I expected at the very least to have my medical bills covered.  Especially as it is in the policy.  But they just wriggled out of it (and told lies to the Ombudsman).

For now I will keep on with my research into exposing this horrendous attitude to policy holders.  Our policy was on of the more moderately priced ones, but we thought we had ‘peace of mind’ with a larger co. NOT!

susanspain - 19 February 2010 02:09 AM

Hi DSB, I started this thread as I had to fight for even a basic legal representation via Liberty (even though said car crash was totally the fault of the boy racer in the other car. Who would have been arrested had he not run away!)  The claim was a criminal case (as opposed to a civil one - due to the absconding/causing a crash etc), but I did eventually settle with his insurance co in the ‘friendly’ (i.e out of court) way. 

Blackbird works in the insurance sector (I think? - please correct me) and is giving a good overview of how the insurance co’s here work as opposed to the UK.

BlueChip.  I have not compiled a list as such - only that I have heard different stories regarding various companies (big and small) and each individual can experience a different reaction from said cos!  So not much help really to post all replies here.
Only to say… I am writing an article on how Liberty in particular were responsible for not getting me the best deal possible on my injuries settlement, due to the shoddy handling of the matter from day one.  (I have written to the Insurances Ombudsman - whose decision is final and legally binding - But they have taken Libertys word at face value and the information they provided the Ombudsman is full of lies and holes.  I am still looking at pursuing the matter,but many have advised me I will be wasting energy). NB I approached one of the larger English language newspapers on the Costa del Sol, who would not print my article as Liberty is one of their biggest advertisers. 
That is the sort of apathy we are up against here in Spain.

I did know at the start of the claim the awards are much less than the UK. But I expected at the very least to have my medical bills covered.  Especially as it is in the policy.  But they just wriggled out of it (and told lies to the Ombudsman).

For now I will keep on with my research into exposing this horrendous attitude to policy holders.  Our policy was on of the more moderately priced ones, but we thought we had ‘peace of mind’ with a larger co. NOT!

OMG !!
Well, all said and done you appear to have come out from the accident better than the ‘worst case’; Medically that is.

I’m not up to speed on the in’s and out’s of all things legall, I was crap at school, however I will say that I; For the most part are never interested in what covers me - But more interested in what I’m not covered for..
IE: Gimme the bad list..

Wish you well for 2010.
DSB.

Hi DSB, thanks for your words of support.
Yes in retrospect I think was ‘luckier’ thank most in getting even a small settlement (it just covered my medical bills which were Eur 3,000 - all of which I was instructed to get by Libertys lawyer, then Liberty denied any responsbility and wouldn’t pay out - again even tho it is in their on policy cover! - So sorry to be -ve as you say ‘what am I NOT covered for’. Basically anything in their policy even if it says you are! grrrr…). 

Will let everyone know if I get anyone interested in publishing my findings.
(Shame there isn’t a comsumer review site for expats in Spain where we can review the good, the bad and the ugly! 😉
sj

UPDATE

I have been speaking with someone who has contacts in the business…
And it appears I am not alone at the bad service that Liberty have been dishing out.
There have been more and more cases where Liberty refuse to pay their insured drivers (mostly comprehensive policies),
even though on paper they are covered.
Liberty are forcing them to take their complaint to the Insurances Ombudsman (the da defensor), and letting the Ombudsman
ajudicate.
Bit of a joke really as the Ombudsman is financed by all the insurance cos. (I was warned! And sadly it turned out to be true when the Ombudsman took Liberties side of the story at face value without even looking into the matter further).  I was warned! 

Watch online for some interesting facts that will be posted in time. 

(Oh, Liberty have been threatening to pull their large budget advertising on the English Language newspapers who rely on them as one of their biggest advertisers, if the paper dares to publish negative reviews from readers about them).