Tonight ` you've dotted the I's and crossed the T's. You've done something that you're totally innocent about doing, so why should you be penalised for that? Why is the insurance company playing hardball on the life insurance pay out? This has been really hard. Does size matter? Well, it should in the dressing room. You think you're one size and in one shop you are, but the other, you can't even get them past your thighs. We wanna know why. Plus, Garth's guide to ACC car safety levies ` where to look and what to do if you're not happy. And ` How do you describe yuck? > why are milk bottles leaving a sour taste? I rung them up and I said, 'You do realise that people who have a milk allergy are not gonna buy a lolly called a Milk Bottle.' Copyright Able 2015 Welcome to Fair Go. When you took out health or life insurance, you filled out a questionnaire, right? You answered fairly and honestly and you sat back. Job done. So did the folks in our first story ` they thought. Turns out they were wrong. Turns out they'd missed something they didn't know they'd missed. That is called non-disclosure and it can turn your world upside down. Here's Hannah. How're you doing now? > Good. Yep. I have my moments, but... Is it getting easier? > Um, sometimes. This has been really hard. Cushla Brown's partner Malcolm, father of two young boys, died about four years ago. He was a forestry worker and had a sudden heart attack on the job. Malcolm was 49. It still would have been hard, but having had to deal with this has just made it 10 times harder. Absolutely. And I have been quite depressed over the whole thing, to be honest. Yep. Dealing with grief, loss, and financial problems. Malcolm was the breadwinner; there was a mortgage to pay, a family to raise. Malcolm was our security; you know, he was the strong man in the family, so he protected us and took care of us. I then had to be that person, you know? I had to be everything for my boys. The one bright spot on the financial horizon ` the life insurance policy Malcolm and Cushla had taken out with Asteron Life back in 2008. They wanted to know were there any family histories of different illnesses, you know, such as epilepsy or diabetes or anything like that. Malcolm hadn't had any major health problems, nothing that rang any alarm bells. Malcolm was a fit, healthy man. He worked in the forestries so he had to be fit. So when you put the claim in to Asteron, what did they come back with? They came back with that I had non-disclosed on one of the` information on one of the questions, that I had ticked 'no' when in fact, I should have ticked 'yes'. It was this one, which says ` 'Tick 'yes' or 'no' if you have ever experienced or suffered from, or had treatment or investigations or symptoms relating to any of the following conditions, symptoms, events or statements whether diagnosed or not ` heart attack, angina, chest pain, elevated cholesterol, stroke or any heart or vascular condition eg rheumatic fever. Vascular condition? Did you even know what vascular was? No, I didn't. All I thought was that was to do with he heart. Vascular relates to veins and arteries. They were actually asking about ` It was high blood pressure. It related to high blood pressure. Do you think most people would know that the word 'vascular' should have pointed them in the direction of blood pressure? > No, not really. I think unless you have some sort of medical knowledge then maybe, but no, I don't think so. After his death, Malcolm's insurance company ` and this is standard practice ` had retrieved all his medical records going back years. They found that he'd had several high blood pressure readings; nothing that required, it seems, medication or further tests or treatment But the insurers said it could have alerted them to a possible heart problem. No disclosure, no pay out. I really honestly did not know that Malcolm had a heart condition when he died, nor did his family. Nobody that knew Malcolm knew that he had had an ongoing heart condition. And nor did the GP, by the sound of things. > No. It had never been picked up. CAMERON: I always used to say to Dad would he get the driveway concreted, so if I ever make enough money, I might concrete it. Oh, I bet he would just love that, wouldn't he? It's been almost four years since Malcolm died. Cameron here is now at university; brother Zak is still at school and Cushla's still fighting. She's been to the insurance ombudsman, who backed Asteron's stand on non-disclosure. The insurance company did eventually agree to pay half, around $90,000, which certainly helped. But Cushla and her family are still struggling and still hurting. You've done something that you're totally innocent about doing, so why should you be penalised for that, you know? It wasn't, like, a deliberate thing that we didn't disclose any information. So what would you like Asteron to do? I would like Asteron to pay me out what we're entitled to have, what we signed up for. Now, Asteron reviewed Cushla's case and they paid out half. As you heard, Cushla took it to the insurance ombudsman and she lost. The ombudsman backed Asteron on the non-disclosure. But Cushla didn't give up ` she came to us, and we went back to Asteron, 'Please take another look.' And they did. And then Hannah went back to Cushla with a bit of a story. Yes. Hannah said we had a high-powered insurance lawyer keen to take the case. There was no lawyer ` just Hannah and Clint the cameraman and a letter from Asteron. I told you that we hadn't heard from Asteron. Yes, you did. But we actually have heard from Asteron, Cushla, and what they are saying is they have decided that they are going to give you a final payment of $104,000. They are? They are. > Oh, my gosh. It's yours. (CHUCKLES) I'm sorry we had to lie to you. Do you forgive me? Course, I forgive you! BOTH CHUCKLE MUFFLED: Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. Do you know what? You deserve it. (SOBS) And, oh, I think Malcom will be so proud. Yeah. Yep. And are you proud of yourself as well? I am proud of myself, because it has been a really hard thing to do. And it's going to make a huge difference to you? Oh, absolutely. It's going to be life-changing for us, actually, for me and the boys, actually. And I won't have to count the pennies from week to week. It just feels like a big weight's been taken off my shoulders all of a sudden. So there's nobody else coming? No, we did tell a little bit of a fib. There's no one else coming. It's just you and your $105,000 ` $104,00, actually. Oh, that's just amazing. It's given me a little bit more, um, hope that there are some really decent insurance companies out there. And would you tell other people just to keep on fighting? Absolutely. If you believe what you believe is right, you fight for it. Absolutely. Yay! Whoo-hoo! (CHUCKLES) That was really lovely, wasn't it? And very well-deserved ` you know, Cushla's going to pay her mortgage off and Asteron have changed their forms so that high blood pressure is now listed as a condition. Good on you, Asteron, for having a change of heart on this one. And good work to Hannah too. Even by her standards, that is a hell of play out. Look, disclosure is just massively important, but in this day of quick-fire policies over the phone and on the web, we are worried you will make mistakes. So Hannah's got insurance story, another warning later in the show. Now, it's a question just about every woman cringes at if asked, and it's a question getting harder and harder to answer. Yes ` is there room for Sonny Bill in the World Cup squad? (LAUGHS) No. Gordon. But yes, there is. But what size are you? Turns out it's just not that simple. So we sent clothes addict Brodie to investigate. BRODIE: (GROANS) Oh, they're not gonna do up. Oh, the nightmare of jeans shopping ` a nightmare because it's tiring. But more so because you think you're one size, and in one shop, you are, but in the other, you can't even get them past your thighs! We wanna know why. At least when you're shopping on foot, you can try stuff on. But even then, it's a bit of a challenge, as you'll see from my experience. BRODIE: I can't breathe. I've got muffin top. No. It can be even trickier if you're buying online. It was online shopper Joe, a bloke, who wrote to us fed up that his clothes kept turning up two to three sizes smaller than the size he thought he was. Now, Joe's a bit camera shy and that's totally fine. Thank you. So he got us thinking ` how does sizing work? Are there industry standards? And how can we shop smarter online? But first, a history lesson. So back in the fifties, the US created standard sizes which were based on the measurements of those who served in the Air Force. We in NZ followed suit. MAN: The new look in fashion and NZ has produced a range of stylings that are right up to date. Then in the seventies, the government came up with guidelines for sizing for ready-to-wear clothing. But things have changed heaps since then, and those guidelines are no longer relevant. Is there a hard and fast rule for you guys? 'Right, that's a 10, that's a 12, that's a 14?' No not at all. Not at all. Things have moved on a bit since then. Fabrics are different; we've got bigger, we've got taller. All of those things all of those things have to be factored into garment specifications, otherwise, nothing would fit anybody. Kiwi designer Tanya Carslon says sizing these days tends to involve real-life people. I've measured over 200 women. Um, prior to doing ranges, I did tailoring and I suppose we came up with a median from those measurements and work from a fit model. Tanya uses Abby as her fit model, and for all those people out there going, 'What's a fit model?', it's like a real-life mannequin designers use to check the fit, size and look of the clothes they make. So quite interested to see how that's going to sit. Tanya says there are no rules or regulations. It's up to each designer on how they size their clothes. What we try and do is work out a shape that suits most body shapes. We take paper patterns... So how, then, does a big brand like Farmers decide its sizing? What we do is we work out from things we've sold in the past and from what the trends are overseas what we believe the right measurements are. Eula Wood is one of the head buyers at Farmers and she caters for all ages, shapes and sizes ` from these little mates right up to their plus-size adult range. So we're looking for garments that will be appealing, um, and are practical but are also on trend. So we're looking for a little bit of everything. Now, no shop or designer is right or wrong with their sizing. It all just depends on who they're aiming their clothes at, which is why in one shop, you can be one size and in the other,... (SCOFFS) not even close. ESTELLE'S 'AMERICAN BOY' So we hit the shops ` 10 different stores; 10 pairs of jeans. At Glassons, I was a 10; at Country Road, I was a 10; Witchery, a 10; Factorie and Cotton On and Top Shop, I got into a 12; Jay Jays, Max and Workshop, I was a 14; and my favourite, Jeans West, a nine. Now, this wasn't a scientific test, but we did try and keep the jeans to a similar cut ` skinny, mid-rise with a bit of stretch in them. Tell ya what, though ` I was happy rockin' those size nines. Do you see the psychological effects when people come into your shop? Completely. People don't want to go up a size. So if someone is a 12 and you say, 'Maybe you should go to a 14,' they don't want to do it. But if you said, 'OK, go down to a 10,' you might make the sale. But Tanya urges people not to live and die by what size they think they are. Seeing what fits and how it feels; holding it up like this going, 'Oh, that looks like it might fit.' But talking to the people that are the experts which are the shop assistants in the stores. Another reason not to worry too much is cos as Tanya showed me, the difference between the number is bugger all. 5cm. 2 inches. That's it. That's all? Yep. So 28 is a 10. Yep. 30 is a 12 ` and we're talking about in waist. Yep. So the difference per size is 5cm. And for all you online shoppers out there, might be time for you to get one of these out. Most of them have charts on their website. Take your measurements and look and see what size you are on their charts. Tanya says some online retailers make returns really easy, so you could buy more than one size, and return the ones that don't fit, but just check out the retailer's refund policy first. So next time you go and try something on and you're like, 'Oh, I've gone up a size,' chances are you haven't changed at all. Don't get hung up on the number on the tag, and if in doubt, cut it out. BOTH LAUGH Oh, is that why you're` I thought it was cos the labels itch! Oh, Gordon, it's because they itch. Of course it is. Hey, and good on Brodie; she is a good sport. And she's put a basic guide to measuring yourself on the website and Facebook page. So massive result earlier for Cushla and that life insurance. And there's more coming about how you can get stung taking out travel insurance. I was absolutely bloody furious. And they're a kiwi icon ` but what's up with milk bottles? Welcome back. Wouldn't it be nice to be somewhere warm and sunny right now? Maybe taking the kids on holiday? Did you get travel insurance? And if you did, did you disclose absolutely every last relevant detail that you possibly could in a totally exhaustive and comprehensive fashion? Phew! Hard to be sure, isn't it? Here's Hannah again with why disclosure is so important. Bernie Keane and husband Michael hit the web last year to organise a Mediterranean cruise. They went with Southern Cross with their travel insurance. When I finish doing this, Teddy, I deserve a kiss. And they'd thought they'd filled out the questionnaire pretty well, including listing pre-existing conditions. I put down all my conditions. I left nothing out. I have never listed any medical conditions because I have no long-term serious conditions that I am medicated for. But after they'd taken out the insurance, Bernie did become ill ` a stomach upset. Various tests were done to try and pin the problem down and rule out anything serious. That's two letters from the surgeon in a row. And with the date for full payment of the trip looming, they thought it best to cancel. They only got part of their deposit refunded. But when they claimed for the rest ` around $3500 ` Southern Cross said no, because Bernie didn't disclose ` Irritable bowel syndrome, um, which was a diagnosis that I had almost 30 years ago, Hannah. And we were gobsmacked by that. Bernie hadn't listed IBS ` irritable bowel ` because for decades, it hadn't required treatment or medication. But the insurers said it was pre-existing and had caused the cancellation. Well, I just think it's absolute nonsense. I think it sucks. I was absolutely bloody furious. It came down to it that we had literally come into a brick wall. Southern Cross checked all Bernie's medical records and they felt there'd been symptoms of the IBS before she'd taken the insurance out. So anything and everything you don't disclose could mean no cover. I mean, how far do you actually have to go back? I mean, do you have to go back where you had` 'Oh, heck, 7 years of age, I had the mumps. I wonder if I declare that?' Or you went back at 6 years of age, 'I may have had measles.' Do you declare that? I mean, how far` what do they expect of you? Final good news, though ` Bernie's fully recovered and the trip's back on with a different insurer. Uh, but that was the last of the good news. Southern Cross say no pay out. They say Bernie did have IBS symptoms before she took out the insurance, so she should have disclosed it. They say their forms clearly state you must disclose pre-existing conditions, even those that are under control because they could flare up. Yes. Now, when you're applying for insurance, anything that's written in your medical notes may be seen by your insurer after you make a claim, So take your time. If you can't remember, try to find out. Talk to your GP, ask to see your own medical records. Don't tick the 'no' box unless you are really sure it's no. No. Now, we are still getting complaints and pleas for help from you about the new charges ACC has put on your car rego and the safety ranking it comes with. We think people power is the answer now. So here's Garth with how to take your fight to the ACC. So many of you have been on the emails and Facebook to us saying, 'What about my car?' If you haven't already, check which band it's in. That's here on the ACC website. If you're not happy, give them a ring. Here's the number, but get comfy first. Or put it in writing. Ask for the VRR specialist team to look at it. Include your name, contact number, your car's plate number, its make and model and any variant and when the rego renewal is due. That's the address. Or if you'd rather send an email ` Some of you have done that and been told, 'Sorry. ACC still thinks your car is risky.' Still want to escalate that complaint? Well, ACC hasn't said how you can appeal. So your next stop might be the Ombudsman. Here's the number and the website. They say you must have tried to sort it first with ACC. If you feel really aggrieved, you can also write to Parliament to its Regulations Review Select Committee, but it has a pretty specific test before it'll take up the complaint. There's info on their website but it's a lot to take in ` you need a shortcut. Don't worry. We'll put it on our website. Good luck and drive safely. Obviously, ACC needs a bit of breathing room to fix this. We do think there's more to this issue and we'll be watching ACC's responses, so do let us know how they respond to you. Is nothing sacred? What tiny part of Kiwi heritage is immune from the bulldozer of so-called progress? What have they done to these... Milk Bottle lollies. I actually thought that they were stale, so I sent them back to Pascall's. Welcome back. Now, you didn't know it, but a fiendish threat to your safety has lurked on Kiwi shop shelves for decades. Yes. Luckily, the manufacturers have banished this awfulness. Yes, rest easy, Kiwis ` the Milk Bottle lolly no longer contains milk. Mark explains. In Tauranga, Ngaire Gow didn't see it coming. Well, I had no warning at all. End of a long day teaching. Treat time. Opened up my bag of Milk Bottles to have a little bit of a snack. Let's hold it there and bring in Tina Parkin from Kaiapoi who's also partial to the odd Milk Bottle lolly. I've been eating them for years and they've now become my Saturday night treat. TENSE MUSIC They've been around so long, they're the Stonehenge or the pyramids of lollies. But those times are changing. Had a bit of a chew up and it was pretty horrible. How do you describe yuck? > (GROANS) The offending confectionary was hastily disgorged. They contacted the manufacturer Pascall's and were told the formula of their favourite lolly had changed because of dairy allergy concerns. To put it simply, Milk Bottles no longer contained real milk. And I'm thinking, 'Milk Bottles? Dairy free? How does that work?' People are taking the flavours away and there's always some PC reason or do-gooder's reason why they're doing it. Pascall's is part of the massive multinational Mondelez International which is owned by the ginormous Kraft Group which started life, ironically, as a dairy company. In a statement, they said milk is an allergen and Pascall Milk Bottles were the only product in their Jelly Candy factory which used this ingredient, so they took the decision to remove the allergen from the factory. I rung them up and I said, 'You do realise that people that have a milk allergy are not gonna buy a lolly called a Milk Bottle.' Pascall announced its recipe change on its Facebook page late last year. But it wasn't until the past couple of months that the new cowless packs started to appear. There used to a be a cow... right about there. Oh! There it is. The first Tina and Ngaire knew was when they bit into them. They're called Milk Bottles, they're still in the shape of milk bottles, so why should they be any different? I actually thought that they were stale, so I sent them back to Pascall's. I know what you're thinking ` first world problem; crying over spilt Milk Bottles. The next thing, they'll be taking the mint out of the Minties and the pineapple flavour out of Pineapple Lumps. Here's one of the new ones. Tell me what you think. To understand this, we needed to do more research. Is it as good? > Mm... no. Auckland University's Mike Lee says the relationship between lolly lovers and Pascall's is like a marriage. Some of this outrage that we're seeing is a result of what these consumers believe the brand has gone and done something without even consulting them, and they're such a loyal customer, they deserve to be treated with a little bit more respect. Milo changed its recipe this year ` cue outraged customers. And remember what happened to Cadbury ` also a Mondelez brand ` when they started using palm oil in their chocolate? Market share lost and the company forced to back down. Companies can't have it both ways. They can't, on the one hand, foster a relationship, encourage consumer engagement and then on the other hand, just do stuff without even consulting with them. We've already lost Snifters, Sparkles and Tangy Fruits. So rise up, consumers. You do have the power. Just make sure you use it wisely. Vote with my money and just not buy them. I just think the whole of NZ should just boycott Pascall's lollies, Pascall's Milk Bottles, and then, in the end, surely we've all got to have a voice. OK, a boycott of Pascall's is over the top, but a glance of Pascall's Facebook page shows customers are not happy. And Pascall's says it's unfortunate it needed to change the formulation, but everyone's tastes are different and food safety is paramount, they say. Mm. If that's the case, how come they're still making Milkshakes? Look ` 'With real milk.' Oh, that's a completely different product, eh, Pascall's? Well, we did the taste test, and thanks to shop nz.com for supplying us with the original Milk Bottles. I have to say, the originals, for me? So much better. No comparison at all. So that is the show ` but we will be on Facebook for the next half hour to answer your questions. Our programme, of course, all about your problems, your thoughts and we do love to hear from you. We're on Facebook` Oh, actually, no, you do this bit. Yeah. We're on Facebook. You can email us Fair Go ` they're very chewy too ` Fair Go at tvnz.co.nz. Write to us - Private Bag 92038, Auckland, 1142. And next week ` For the Martins of Westport, the crack... RATTLING Oh! ...of dawn... Did you hear that? ...comes up to 10 times a night. RATTLING When it's at its worst, it's not possible to get a good night's sleep at all. But this is no creaky old villa ` it's a brand new house. The house itself is lovely, but it's the noises it makes. A nightmare. That's next week. Goodnight.