Insurance Companies Are As Bad As The Sodding Banks!

[kme]

I didn`t think my van insurance was up for renewal for a while - haven`t had any renewal notices yet.

Then, at 6.30 on Sunday evening, some young call centre employee telephones ( they can pick their times, can`t they?)

Wants to know if I`ve had my renewal quote, `cos it will be auto renewed with them on Tuesday, unless I`ve cancelled!

But I haven`t had any notice, I tell him. How much IS the renewal, so I can compare it.............

So they have to ask me all the questions about the vehicle, and me, and gawd knows what else ( I`d been on the wine for a while by that time!!!!) - and I remember thinking - if they`ve sent out a renewal price, how come they don`t already KNOW a price??

Anyway - dug the policy out tonight - doesn`t expire until the 26th!!!!!!! - plus their renewal is £100 more than I can get online

`phoned them  - full of male cow poo, the lot of `em. They renew 14 days in advance, cos it takes that long to set up a DD, so they can take the payment from my account. And - amazing or what - they can match the other price I`ve had.

So - I`ve just emailed their complaints dept - after telling him where to put his quote ( after applying vaseline to the necessary areas)

Missus thought I should paste the email here..................

-------email begins

On a Sunday evening, I get a call, out of the blue, from your renewals dept; asking if i`ve had my renewal letter. When I say I haven`t; they tell me that my policy is due to automatically renew in two days ( i.e. tomorrow).
At this point, I ask what the renewal quote is, to allow me to make an informed decision, and compare it to other quotes. After going through the ins and out of a duck`s rear end, we finally get a figure – though, if you had a renewal pack coming out to me, surely you already KNEW the price????!!!!!!!
But the biggest issue is that you effectively give me 36 hrs or less to compare prices, and cancel if necessary – which I`m certain must be in breach of the insurance CoP; ( you can be certain I`ll be checking THAT).
In the meantime, I get quotes ( of almost 2/3 the cost of YOUR renewal) – so `phone up to cancel. After listening to some muzak ( aka suicide for the soul) for an interminable time, someone comes on the line, and proceeds to tell me that they might be able to match that – then shove me back onto the annoying noise for a while, so they can have a quick cup of coffee. When they return – surprise, surprise – you can match it.
At that point ( ignoring the fact that the excess if more than double my other quote), I`ve lost all faith in you. IF you could provide that price; then you could have provided that price to begin with – never mind all the white noise about “only being brokers” – we both know that the renewal prices are intentionally inflated, in order to make more money from the poor sods who don`t have the time to shop around; or who still believe they get looked after a la “brand loyalty”.
 
So I`m NOT impressed – as you might be able to ascertain. If it transpires that your renewals system does not comply with the relevant codes of practice; then I will be taking the matter further.--------email ends
 
 
 
:slap :slap :slap

 

[ProDave]

Your email comes over as a rant, but with no specific instruction?

I.e you have not told them in simple language "I do not wish to renew I have a better deal elsewhere"

 

[M107]

I like it.

 

[Evans Electric]

I'm getting renewal offers thick & fast from companies I've never heard of at the moment ,  they share all their data now don't they?

Must be for my van which expires middle of Sept .

I believe this is the new method now .......automatic renewal unless you say otherwise .

By the way ...none of them quote a price ...they just offer a discount .............Yeah right ..a discount off what ??? 

 

[kme]

Dave - they had they "I`m not renewing" bit over the `phone - even if they HAD been the cheapest, I wouldn`t have gone with them, on principal.

They gave out that email addy for comments & complaints - and, after a grim day, I was right in the frame of mind to comment & complain......

Made ME feel better, anyway :slap ( and missus nearly fell off her chair-  that could have been an interesting pic........)

 

[binky]

I've actually gone back to using a local broker - it's easier, and they check the pricing every year, plus when iIdid have to make a claim, the handled the lot - no time lost, no agro, and still came up with a lower price on renewal.

 

[Jono Pashley]

I had the same from Gladiator...told them where to stick it and got a comapny who wanted less than half their quote breakdown/glass/legal/van hire included also when called i got straight through to an actual person..

 

[binky]

I find my broker has such a deep professional knowledge of the industry he comes up with better deals than the internet searches ever can, and saves me hours of piddling about and a stream of 'follow-up' phone calls, not just this year, but every year thereafter - once you are on their database....... X(

 

[Apache]

We are with the local NFU branch and they saved us a lot of money on car, business and home insurance. Local company to deal with, no charge to update details on policies etc

(Morethan charged me £25X2 once for 2 changes to a car policy in the same phonecall!)

 

[binky]

My current insurance is with 'Rural' - because the office is on the outskirts of the city, they consider us 'out of town', so we get cheaper deals - would never had considered this insurance company, my broker put us onto them.

 

[Sidewinder]

We use a specialist broker also, we fill in demands & needs statements every year, or confirm that the last lot are still valid, and, also scope of works statements, or again confirm no changes, they put this to the market, and they get a cut of the premium from the insurer.

Many insurance companies won't touch our scope of works, so the broker puts it to the market, they specialise in industrial, commercial, and business insurances.

Oh and when the lorry ran into the back of the van, they did most of the claims handling, we had a pre-filled form to complete, and had to send some pictures to the insurance co, they also sorted out the other insurer quibbling over our costs, so we got time back for takning the van for quotes, the hire vehicle, and removal and refitting of the interior racking as it was broken in the shunt.

We did have to furnish some invoices, however, we did mark the materials up to anvove invoice value, and they paid it as we invoiced them.

Nothing is ever painless when you have an accident, but, it did go much better than I expected, plus, they are in town, so I can go there, I have actually been to our personal brokers home, and he comes to us @ home for meetings if we want, and he will only pass on our details as an introduction, of all the customers they have.

So, I will second the personal service by a local broker who specialises in the market, they do all of our insurances, and they have PII just in case they get it wrong!