Q&A Your legal questions answered.

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Their holiday was ruined but at least Gary was covered by his insurance policy. Or was he?

He phoned the insurers immediately and they explained how to claim and guided him about the stolen passports.

Then Gary hit the first obstacle. They claimed he had not stored the valuables in an “adequately” secure safe or safety deposit box, as stated in their terms.

When he questioned this he was told that as thieves ripped the safe out it wasn’t secure enough.

But he rightly pointed out the terms did not mention the word “adequately” and simply said valuables should be placed in a

QI’M in dispute with a retailer about a television I purchased. It’s clearly faulty and they accept this but they say it’s a warranty issue that I have to take up with the manufacturer. Dawn Redmond THE retailer is wrong. You bought the television from the retailer, meaning that your contract is with the retailer not manufacturer. The retailer therefore has an obligation to deal with this issue for you and if necessary to liaise with the manufacturer. I PURCHASED trainers from a shop in Newcastle during a weekend away. When I got home I discovered that they had given me two different sizes – the left foot size eight and the right size nine. I took them back to my local store in Milton Keynes and they

AQsafe. They agreed. All looked well until three days later when he received a letter from the insurers.

They had decided his laptop was not covered and again quoted the terms and conditions.

Gary checked them and once again went back to argue his case.

He pointed out that “computers” were covered for “breakage or damage” but they were not for being stolen. Remarkably, the insurer agreed with Gary again.

But this didn’t stop them trying to avoid paying up. They phoned refused to help, saying that I must go back to the Newcastle store. Richard Frampton THIS is a common issue that occurs as each branch will have its own budgets. However, the retailer is wrong because you are entitled to take the trainers back to any store because they are the same company that you

Aclaiming they would not cover the laptop unless Gary could produce a receipt or some other proof of purchase.

Gary did not have this but argued that at no time did they highlight this key fact to him when he took out the policy. He is now going to file a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Gary’s story highlights the lengths insurers will go to avoid paying on a claim and the importance of reading all terms and conditions.