My partner died in January and I went into a local Bank of Scotland branch with all relevant documents to close his accounts and transfer our joint Ultimate Reward current account into my sole name. This account includes benefits such as travel insurance and AA cover.
A few months later, I contacted the AA to ask about upgrading the policy and was told I couldn’t as my name had been removed from the details they were holding and everything had been transferred to my late partner’s name.
I was told to contact BoS to rectify the error, which I did. I then booked a family holiday but was diagnosed with cancer in November.
I contacted AXA, which provides the travel insurance benefit, to find that again the policy was only in my partner’s name.
I tried calling the bank’s bereavement service but was transferred, kept on hold and asked for my security details so many times that, after 25 minutes going round in circles, I grew so distressed that I eventually gave up.
At no point has BoS tried to follow this up or correct its mistake. AM, Glasgow
Bank of Scotland’s bereavement service promises to make things as simple and straightforward as possible for grieving customers.
In your case it has failed dismally and would no doubt be continuing to fail you if you hadn’t contacted the media.
Galvanised by a headline – I mean, human empathy – it has hastened to notify the third-party policy providers that the reward account is in your sole name and has offered you a goodwill sum of £250, which you propose to donate to a cancer charity.
“We recognise and apologise for the inconvenience this has caused at such a difficult time,” said a spokesperson.
If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number.
