Post Office relents - after seven appeals

I bought Aon travel insurance from the Post Office for a trip to Turkey. Five days before the holiday, my father suffered a stroke and died. I intended cancelling the holiday but my family persuaded me to go and fly back for the funeral before finishing my holiday. I claimed for £272 travelling expenses but had to write three letters before getting a response.

My claim was rejected because apparently I should have obtained the insurers' permission first. I appealed, saying I had been under severe emotional stress and suffering from depression. Again I had to write three letters to get a reply and again it was negative. My final letter has never been answered.
RW, Poole

The Post Office says it likes to know about changed holiday plans beforehand so it can help with your alternative travel arrangements. It accepts the special circumstances and admits that this claim has been badly handled. It is sending you a cheque for £272.

Pru demands extra £30,000

In 1998, my wife and I spent the proceeds from my mother's house on two Scottish Amicable long-term care bonds at £10,000 each on the advice of Sedgwick Financial Services. My wife would get £17,403 a year for life and I would have £16,511. Last November, the Prudential which now owns Scottish Amicable, said we could keep this level of benefit only if we put in another £15,000 each. Without the extra payment, the benefits fall to £3,880 and £3,465.
DW, Cranleigh

The Pru cut the benefits because the original attractive quotation was based on historic investment performance whereas the balance managed fund has in fact lost 1.4 per cent over the last five years, and today's projections are far lower. Your options are: paying 150 per cent of the original investment again; taking reduced benefits; or doing nothing and waiting for the money to run out. Not an easy choice. If you died without activating the insurance, you would receive 101 per cent of the cash-in value at the time.

Your experience sounds chillingly like the endowment mis-selling scandal. Unless the salesman made it clear that these bonds were a combination of investment and whole-of-life insurance, that their value could fall and reduce your benefits, you should make a formal complaint to Sedgwick. If you are not satisfied with the response, complain to the Financial Ombudsman.

Re-lease me from cover worries

We bought a leasehold flat a year ago but have never received confirmation of building insurance, despite our solicitor's efforts. The agent did send us an invoice for £175 towards 'additional costs' but refuses to speak to me and I don't know if we are even insured.
NA, London

You are entitled to this information by law but it may be too late to sue. If your solicitor requested specifically a summary of insurance under paragraph two of the Schedule to the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985, it is a criminal offence not to comply, but if it is more than six months since the offence, you cannot prosecute. Ask why your solicitor did not follow it through. But, if your lawyer asked only generally about insurance, he should now demand the statutory information. Lease gives free independent advice on leasehold property; its website is www.lease-advice.org or telephone 0845 345 1993.

Pension does not make the grade

In 2002, I was made an advanced skills teacher and moved up to a higher salary scale. The post was expected to last two years and then be renewed. The funding was withdrawn after one year and I reverted to my main professional grade. A friend told me I could protect my accrued pension rights at the higher salary until I retired. I applied but found I was out side the three-month time limit for applying. Why didn't my employer tell me of this opportunity sooner?
IG, Chipping Norton

It sounds as though the new job was a temporary post. If so, you did not have the right to protect your higher pension. That applies only when people move from a permanent position to a lower-paying job, per haps to reduce their workload. The Teachers Pension Agency says there is no right of appeal but you probably weren't eligible anyway.

When all that glisters is gold

My boyfriend proposed to me on Christmas Day. We chose an engagement ring. A week later I noticed that my beautiful platinum ring looked gold. A local jeweller told me it was hallmarked 18ct white gold and not platinum at all. I sent it back to be replaced. It took a month to sort out and I was without it at my engagement party. No one has apologised. Am I being over-sensitive?
JG, Southampton

Yes.

· Email Margaret Dibben at money.writes@observer.co.uk or write to Margaret Dibben, Money Writes, The Observer, 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER and include a telephone number. Do not enclose SAEs or original documents. Letters are selected for publication and we cannot give personal replies. The newspaper accepts no legal responsibility for advice.