-
I wonder how many people rely exclusively on Curve for their travel insurance? I doubt it’s very many. I also doubt the removal of the benefit and/or the timing are for reasons as “cunning” as you suggest. I seriously doubt it was planned or known about in September when they made the other changes. I would think there has been some disagreement with the underwriters, probably about price.
I do. I exclusively use Curve Travel Insurance and turned down other insurances because I assumed I’d have it when I renewed in September. This is a material downgrade. Cashback doesn’t even come close to covering that cost (unless it’s extended to something useful like BA)
@bigmaggot – I thought about it but it would still be necessary to wait the 30 days before doing it again. Starting on the 1st makes it easier for me to track going forward. I’m not as hardcore as some people here 😂
I wonder how many people rely exclusively on Curve for their travel insurance? I doubt it’s very many. I also doubt the removal of the benefit and/or the timing are for reasons as “cunning” as you suggest. I seriously doubt it was planned or known about in September when they made the other changes. I would think there has been some disagreement with the underwriters, probably about price.
I do. I exclusively use Curve Travel Insurance and turned down other insurances because I assumed I’d have it when I renewed in September. This is a material downgrade. Cashback doesn’t even come close to covering that cost (unless it’s extended to something useful like BA)
I also use Curve Travel Insurance exclusively, and have done since I gave up Amex Plat pre pandemic.
I’ve been debating the pros and cons of keeping the metal card after the recent changes and price increase, but the loss of travel insurance will be a bridge too far for me.I wonder how many people rely exclusively on Curve for their travel insurance? I doubt it’s very many. I also doubt the removal of the benefit and/or the timing are for reasons as “cunning” as you suggest. I seriously doubt it was planned or known about in September when they made the other changes. I would think there has been some disagreement with the underwriters, probably about price.
I do. I exclusively use Curve Travel Insurance and turned down other insurances because I assumed I’d have it when I renewed in September. This is a material downgrade. Cashback doesn’t even come close to covering that cost (unless it’s extended to something useful like BA)
I’m the same now, Between Amex years, used to have Nationwide, other options did include virgin money (to include phone insurance)
So insurance wise it is a big deal. Me & P2 signed up on the basis of insurances paying the annual fee earlier this month.
I wait to see what Curve say. But one of them bank accounts would be a good suggestion if you want insurance.I would be very grateful to recommendations for a like for like insurance option. Really liked that benefit of curve metal. Going away in Jan so would like some good options.
The insurance was decent and I benefitted from it when my Apple Watch broke on holiday in the summer but still had to fight them when they charged me the wrong excess (they deemed it as baggage rather than valuables!). What strikes me as surprising on this forum are the few people who immediately jump to defend curve when it is quite clear that they are an organisation that treats its customers very poorly. It is almost as if they have a vested interest in doing so. Strange…
The insurance was decent and I benefitted from it when my Apple Watch broke on holiday in the summer but still had to fight them when they charged me the wrong excess (they deemed it as baggage rather than valuables!). What strikes me as surprising on this forum are the few people who immediately jump to defend curve when it is quite clear that they are an organisation that treats its customers very poorly. It is almost as if they have a vested interest in doing so. Strange…
The insurance was decent and I benefitted from it when my Apple Watch broke on holiday in the summer but still had to fight them when they charged me the wrong excess (they deemed it as baggage rather than valuables!). What strikes me as surprising on this forum are the few people who immediately jump to defend curve when it is quite clear that they are an organisation that treats its customers very poorly. It is almost as if they have a vested interest in doing so. Strange…
Curves customer service can only go from bad to worse following the launch of their credit card.
What strikes me as surprising on this forum are the few people who immediately jump to defend curve when it is quite clear that they are an organisation that treats its customers very poorly. It is almost as if they have a vested interest in doing so. Strange…
I would probably be one of those people. I have no vested interest – in fact Curve is expressly excluded from an EIS portfolio I have that would normally have held it and participated in the recent fund raising.
My comments are normally in response to lazy, sweeping comments criticising the company when the poster is in fact just annoyed they can’t MS as much as they used to. Those same people have been saying Curve would go bust for years just because their personal activities were curvetailed.
What’s funny is that for all the ranting, a huge number of people have been pushed to pay for Metal which is the key for Curve.
We had similar ridiculous criticisms of Barclays/Barclaycard saying the whole bank was useless because they couldn’t set up their accounts or they suffered the ignominy of having their application refused. For most of us it worked just fine and Barclays push into Avios has been a bonanza.
I have been a Curve client since inception and I think it’s a great product for anyone who travels and has extra tax to pay. It’s simple/easy to use and really quite clever. I don’t want to be faffing about topping up some card like Revolut or not earning points like Currensea. I have never had any issue with customer service and by all accounts Revolut is ten times worse.
What strikes me as surprising on this forum are the few people who immediately jump to defend curve when it is quite clear that they are an organisation that treats its customers very poorly. It is almost as if they have a vested interest in doing so. Strange…
Define “very poorly”.
Changing the terms overnight and refusing to provide grace period for loyal customers (like Radisson)? Or giving an advance notice of a month for changes, providing cover until the last day, with a pro rata refund if you refuse to continue?It was obvious that their business model was unsustainable. The real surprise is how long they managed to keep the same terms until November. I wouldn’t be surprised if more ‘features’ are removed.
it is quite clear that they are an organisation that treats its customers very poorly
Interesting you say we are the customers.. its clear they are a business and like in any business there are also clients to think about
Almost all fintech and banks are trying to tap into the cashback market…I wonder what commercial agreements benefits them? Most likely more cashback and only 1% is passed down to customers?Someone asked which 6 retailers can they use before signing up or renewing. There is a picture in the T&C (amongst all the other gremlins in detail) might be able to unpick more ‘changes’ to the cashback scheme there.. for example dont be surprised if this is pulled on 1 Feb for example
Heres are some below:
9. For the avoidance of doubt, Curve Rewards are only available when you use your Curve card (or Samsung Pay+ if you are a Samsung Pay+ user) to make the relevant purchase. (implies not with apple pay)
23. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme does not apply to either the Curve Rewards or Curve Cash held on your Curve Cash card. Please note that you cannot use your Curve Cash card to withdraw cash and it cannot be used by you to pay any fees to Curve. If you want to withdraw funds from your Curve Cash card, you can get in touch with us.
24. You should be aware that the Curve Rewards and Curve Cash Points on your Curve Cash card expire 6 months from the date they are added to your Curve Cash card. If your Account is closed either by you or by Curve, you will not be able to redeem the value of your Curve Cash Points.
25. We can’t pay you Curve Rewards or Curve Cash Points cashback if your Curve account is closed. Therefore, if you earn cashback on a Curve Rewards offer, or Curve Cash Points, and you wish to close your account before these are paid onto Curve Cash card, we may suspend your account until such time as the cashback is paid and then close your account in accordance with your closure request. You would not be charged any subscription fees, if applicable, during the period of suspension for this purpose. This ensures you receive any Curve Rewards, or Curve Cash Points, you have earned.
26. Because these Supplemental Terms will continue until you or we end them, we may need to change them every now and then. If we make changes that are simply clarificatory, or clearly in your favour, we’ll tell you once we’ve made them. Otherwise, we’ll give you 30 days’ notice. We’ll assume you’re happy with the changes unless you tell us otherwise.
27. There may be circumstances, outside of our control, where Curve is required to change the eligible retailers and/or the value of the cashback under the Curve Rewards and Curve Cash programmes, but is not able to give you 30 days’ notice. In these circumstances, you will have 30 days from when the change takes effect to cancel your account free of charge.
28. Any changes to these Supplemental Terms will not imply a change in either our UK, EEA, or Terms of Service.
29. We may revoke, suspend, or terminate the Curve Rewards and Curve Cash programmes on 30 days’ notice to you.
The link is https://www.curve.com/en-gb/legal/curve-rewards-and-cash/
I wonder how many people rely exclusively on Curve for their travel insurance? I doubt it’s very many. I also doubt the removal of the benefit and/or the timing are for reasons as “cunning” as you suggest. I seriously doubt it was planned or known about in September when they made the other changes. I would think there has been some disagreement with the underwriters, probably about price.
I do. I exclusively use Curve Travel Insurance and turned down other insurances because I assumed I’d have it when I renewed in September. This is a material downgrade. Cashback doesn’t even come close to covering that cost (unless it’s extended to something useful like BA)
You can get 10% cashback on BA on Complete Savings.
Like yourself, Curve was also my only travel insurance. Really f***ed up an early February trip – and of course I’ll cancel my Metal subscription and will take them to the FOS if they refuse to refund the 5 months until renewal.I made fronted transaction of £3K on 16th Nov under new limits (no fee charged), then I did GBIT a fronted transaction from 12th Oct (which was within the £10K limit under the old rules at the time) on 26th Nov and got slapped with 2.5% fee. Is this right? I thought GBIT transactions weren’t treated as ‘new’ fronted transactions? I questioned this with support but no reply.
Metal User
Is using Fronted potentially a problem?
People are putting £3k per month through Curve Fronted. Looking at what Fronted says it allows you to do, presumably some of the £3k is paying tax bills, some paying other credit cards, some paying into savings. Maybe a portion in council tax or other bills where credit cards aren’t accepted. Curve says this is what Fronted is for, but Curve has been saying things like that since the outset and Creation disliked Curve transactions so much that they closed people’s accounts.
If you are paying credit cards or cycling money through savings accounts then isn’t there a risk of the card issuer or savings provider deciding you’re violating their terms and either instituting KYC checks or closing your account? Curve may say Fronted is fine but surely you’re not following the terms of whatever underlying card and or savings account you are using to perform your £3k per month manufactured spend. And if it’s not MS, why would you need Curve.
PS No intention to sound critical. I’m only trying to understand the use case for Fronted and any associated risks
@Go197 – you are right that Curve really has no business suggesting how you might use Fronted although they do say you must comply with the terms of the underlying card as well as their own.
In one of the most recent FOS decisions re Creation, the Ombudsman specifically identified the problem usage (not identified by name but clearly Revolut and NS&I). Some cards have now introduced cash advance fees to limit this type of abuse, but if people choose to use Fronted for NS&I, topping up investment accounts, paying Amex or similar, they may run into trouble with their underlying card.
In reducing the Fronted limit, Curve has reduced the risk to themselves and their clients – incredibly few people required the previous £10k Fronted limit for any genuine purposes.
I made fronted transaction of £3K on 16th Nov under new limits (no fee charged), then I did GBIT a fronted transaction from 12th Oct (which was within the £10K limit under the old rules at the time) on 26th Nov and got slapped with 2.5% fee. Is this right? I thought GBIT transactions weren’t treated as ‘new’ fronted transactions? I questioned this with support but no reply.
Metal User
If you’ve moved a transaction from one credit card to another then yes, of course it’s going to be classed as a new fronted transaction, if that’s what it was in the first place.
I made fronted transaction of £3K on 16th Nov under new limits (no fee charged), then I did GBIT a fronted transaction from 12th Oct (which was within the £10K limit under the old rules at the time) on 26th Nov and got slapped with 2.5% fee. Is this right? I thought GBIT transactions weren’t treated as ‘new’ fronted transactions? I questioned this with support but no reply.
Metal User
Similar story here, I’ve been waiting almost three weeks for a reply. Once it gets to 30 days without a reply I am going to raise a formal complaint.
I made fronted transaction of £3K on 16th Nov under new limits (no fee charged), then I did GBIT a fronted transaction from 12th Oct (which was within the £10K limit under the old rules at the time) on 26th Nov and got slapped with 2.5% fee. Is this right? I thought GBIT transactions weren’t treated as ‘new’ fronted transactions? I questioned this with support but no reply.
Metal User
If you’ve moved a transaction from one credit card to another then yes, of course it’s going to be classed as a new fronted transaction, if that’s what it was in the first place.
If that’s how it’s meant to be then why does in the timeline curve shows the GBIT transaction still dated as on 12th Oct rather then showing it as a ‘new’ transaction on 26th Nov?
I made fronted transaction of £3K on 16th Nov under new limits (no fee charged), then I did GBIT a fronted transaction from 12th Oct (which was within the £10K limit under the old rules at the time) on 26th Nov and got slapped with 2.5% fee. Is this right? I thought GBIT transactions weren’t treated as ‘new’ fronted transactions? I questioned this with support but no reply.
Metal User
Similar story here, I’ve been waiting almost three weeks for a reply. Once it gets to 30 days without a reply I am going to raise a formal complaint.
Yes, that’s what look like I will have to do. Absolutely no reply to anything from curve these days!
Think about it people…if you make a fronted transaction to a credit card and then move that same fronted transaction to another credit card, you are creating another fronted transaction. The fact that you went back in time is irrelevant. It’s too late now, but if you had GBIT to a debit card then you wouldn’t have been charged.
I’ve been with Curve since its inception, a Metal customer and champion of the brand. But these paper cuts are too much, I will be going down to the free tier and the card will no longer be top of wallet, relegated to when/if they get their groove back.
Key issues:
Fronted to £3k – I used the £10k limit extentsivly, for Tax, paying off Amex etc. At £3k, its no where near what I need for monthly spending (major issue for me)Insurance – I have medical travel insurance through my bank, and gadget cover but knowing Curve also covered me was comforting. However, Curve also included Car Hire Excess insurance – this was a major benefit. I know I can buy this for £50 or so, but having it all in one place was just so much simpler. (so… major issue for me)
ATM Fees – I travel a lot and using ATMs fee free was a great feature, this has been eroded, but an issue I was ok to live with. (minor issue for me) I will now use Starling debit for these withdrawals.
Support – Their support is just really crap. I met with their CEO earlier this year as they were seeking some services from the firm I work for and I mentioned this. He said they cut too far and will resolve by end of Q2. It’s still shockingly poor. (minor issue for me)
Trust – Their comms over the last few changes have been deceptive, meaning you need to really look for what they are trying to hide. This raises compliance and consumer duty questions and I am surprised their team have approved them. I no longer trust them and with the transaction values I put through curve (>100k/year) I need to know I can trust them. (major issue now)
Spending abroad limits – I used to use Curve for all my travel spending, now I see Virgin don’t charge for EU spending, so will switch to them and use Starling for everywhere else (after the £250 fee free on Curve free). So another thing to keep track of.
So while I recognise what’s important for me is not what’s important to someone else, these paper cuts all add up and I’m done. Pity as this was a great product that was so convenient to have everything in one place. I’ll miss this, and the ease of switching cards and payments, especially for work expenses where my corporate card does not work with Apple Pay. I really hope they roll back some of these poor changes that really are not at all with customers in mind. At least give people the option… for example insurance or six cash back retailers.
There’s an interesting change I’ve also spotted that appears to have happened in the past few days. If you were over your fronted limit previously, the fee would show in the approval notification before authorisation, so you could always reject the transaction if you didn’t want to pay the fee or at least you had forewarning as to what it was.
Since the limit change to £3000, the approval now always excludes the fee. It then only shows in the app once the transaction has been completed. Doesn’t that just seem wrong, as they are now purposefully hiding the fee hoping to catch people out with the roll 30-day limit?
There’s an interesting change I’ve also spotted that appears to have happened in the past few days. If you were over your fronted limit previously, the fee would show in the approval notification before authorisation, so you could always reject the transaction if you didn’t want to pay the fee or at least you had forewarning as to what it was.
Since the limit change to £3000, the approval now always excludes the fee. It then only shows in the app once the transaction has been completed. Doesn’t that just seem wrong, as they are now purposefully hiding the fee hoping to catch people out with the roll 30-day limit?
Yeah its pretty cunning as the charge is coming from cruve and not the underlining card. I tried to do a test to see the notification over the limit and it didnt specify either.
Would the workaround be waiting for 31 days and then GBIT to another card?There’s an interesting change I’ve also spotted that appears to have happened in the past few days. If you were over your fronted limit previously, the fee would show in the approval notification before authorisation, so you could always reject the transaction if you didn’t want to pay the fee or at least you had forewarning as to what it was.
Since the limit change to £3000, the approval now always excludes the fee. It then only shows in the app once the transaction has been completed. Doesn’t that just seem wrong, as they are now purposefully hiding the fee hoping to catch people out with the roll 30-day limit?
I went over my fronted limit once or twice when it was £10k and the fee was not shown until after the transaction was authorised.
There’s an interesting change I’ve also spotted that appears to have happened in the past few days. If you were over your fronted limit previously, the fee would show in the approval notification before authorisation, so you could always reject the transaction if you didn’t want to pay the fee or at least you had forewarning as to what it was.
Since the limit change to £3000, the approval now always excludes the fee. It then only shows in the app once the transaction has been completed. Doesn’t that just seem wrong, as they are now purposefully hiding the fee hoping to catch people out with the roll 30-day limit?
It’s never shown the fee to me at any point. Only gone over on a couple of occasions when I couldn’t be bothered to do two transactions for the sake of a few pence, and no fee was shown until after the payment had gone through.
Approval never included the fee, no need to make things up.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
