Margaret Dibben: She writes your money wrongs

Margaret Dibben: She writes your money wrongs

We had to return early from our holiday in Italy when my mother-in-law broke her arm. I claimed for our extra expenses under our Axa travel policy.

Axa said I had to obtain a medical certificate. I queried this as it cost £40 and Axa was also handling the claim by my parents-in-law, but was assured my claim would not be considered without one. Then Axa said it would not pay because I had not obtained the certificate in Italy. I complained and this time was turned down because Axa did not consider it a medical necessity for us to return with my parents-in-law. It will not even refund the money I paid to change their flight.

AB, Braunton

Axa still insists you did not need to cut short your holiday and reckons the helpline, which you should have called from Italy, would have said the same.

But it agrees asking for a medical certificate when it had no intention of paying the claim was confusing and is refunding £40.

But I do not believe you should be out of pocket for expenses that your parents-in-law could claim on their policy. This had not occurred to Axa, even though it handled both claims. It now confirms that your parents-in-law can claim on their policy for the cost of changing flights and £100 for journeys to hospitals and the airport.

Misquoted by the Abbey

I retired last November and bought an Abbey annuity. Six months later, Abbey tells me the.....continued below

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£6,920 one-off payment I made in April 2004 was credited twice, so the quotation had been based on too high an amount. My fund is £8,872 less than quoted, of which £2,264 is tax relief that I have to repay, and my annuity payments have dropped.

PJ, Clacton-on-Sea

Abbey is giving you £1,200 towards the tax relief you have to repay. You can pay the £1,064 balance by cheque or over 12 months by having £88.70 deducted from your revised monthly payments. You can still take your complaint to the Ombudsman but it is worth phoning the helpline - 0845 080 1800 - to get guidance first.

Travelrisk wouldn't pay up

Last October my friend and I booked a holiday in Madeira with Atlantic Holidays. In November, I bought Travelrisk insurance from Atlantic. My friend arranged hers separately with another company, but Atlantic sent the Travelrisk policy to my friend, who forwarded it to me. Our return flight was delayed, but Travelrisk refuses to pay compensation because Atlantic had told them the insurance only covered my friend.

EB, Glasgow

Atlantic sent the policy to your friend because she was the lead passenger. It says it corrected the mistake but Travelrisk did not amend its paperwork. Travelrisk has now sent you £20.

Will her student loan ever end?

My daughter is still repaying £100 a month on her student loan, despite having cleared the debt. Earlier this year, she received a statement that was a year out of date. The Student Loans Company (SLC) claimed it did not know how much she had repaid and needed her to prove it by submitting her P60s and payslips. She did, but another payment was taken from her May wages. She has overpaid by £500, nearly half the original loan.

SG, Sutton Coldfield