Perhaps a query for the older members.

[harry hayes]

Perhaps I was young and blind, but in my early days there seemed little 'hard sell'. I remember my mother used to pay an old penny a week for a possible £25 insurance, but it was all personal and friendly. The post office bank was fair and simple.

 

Now everything seems to be profit driven. If Tesco's or Barclays make 8 billion this year it MUST be 9 billion next. They are quite happy to drive competition off the market and pay very little to farmers and the like.

 

Michael Parkinson wants to give me a free Parker pen; a special gift such as a little tele; and the first months premium is free. Doesn't seem like a good insurance pay out will be forthcoming.

 

Rant over. feel better now.

 

Happy days

 

My windscreen wipers work best when holding a parking ticket.

[Lt Kije]

Not sure I qualify on the age front Harry.

 

But I agree with you, I used to like having a bank manager, it's all to impersonal now.

[Evil Sid]

know the feeling, Can we interest you in home insurance, how about car insurance, life insurance, cheaper gas and electric, boiler cover, central heating over, cavity wall and loft insulation, and that's just the local corner shop.

 

Bank is even worse, recently put a few thousand into my account from Mrs Sid's inheritance to enable me to buy a decent motorbike (personally I think she is after claiming the insurance). It was an electronic transfer that she did on the saturday which meant that it would be Monday at the earliest before it showed in my account.

 

First thing Monday morning I had a call from my bank asking me if I had plans for the money that had been transferred into my account.

"yes" was my reply

"oh only we can put it into a high interest ISA for you if you want, what had you planned for it if I may ask"

"I am going to spend it"

"oh ok then anything else we can do for you" came a slightly disappointed question

"no" was the reply that came out of my mouth but "stop pestering me about MY money and what YOU want ME to do with it" was the thought going through me head.

 

Bring back the man from the PRU who used to call for his shilling a week insurance

[artie]

aye on his bike--the books were in the piano.

[RingoDave]

I also don't know whether I qualify on the age front (not 60 yet!), but fully agree with this. When we ran the pub, we were happy to keep it running at a steady level, but "they" wanted improved figures each year - why?

When I want insurance, I will look around; those who continually pester me make me wonder where the money for advertising is coming from. I used to be very impressed by Direct Line, but their tv advertising has completely put me off. Apart from obviously costing a lot, they make me cringe - is that the reaction they want?

[Dizzy]

I have to disagree with you there Ringo as the DL adverts are great and realy make me laugh Ok so I have an odd sense of humour

 

Whether they would entice me to buy their products is a different matter... infact no it's not as we recently cancelled one of our car insurance policies with them that we had had for over 12 years as we got it half the price somewhere else. Still, great adverts though

 

Regarding 'hard sell' and pestering phone calls and additional 'chat' when you phone for one thing with any company or when then they try to get you to sign up to something else after they have got you with one incentive special deal I just say 'NO THANKS' and I agree with everything already said. If they continue to pester me then I just say I will cancel what I already have with them and they soon shut up.

 

I do the same in shops too... if their sales people mither me I just walk out and shop elswhere