Elderly Uncle Ripped Off

elona

No it is not the end of the story.

It is the beginning of how companies prey on long standing customers and rely on their loyalty.

Not all customers in their eighties are computer savvy and they trust people who they have done business with for years.

I just just auto renewed my policy as I am moving house in the next month or so and it is less hassle but once I am moved if they cannot offer me a good deal I will be changing companies.

BargainGalore

Well done shocking how that was so high. I pay around £190 for both including legal cover. I am due to renewal next month

horsewidow wrote: »

I got him cover to include also contents, emergency call out, accidental damage and boiler cover for £181.00 with Saga. So that's down from £1845,74 to £181. One tenth of the premium with considerably more cover.

Faith177

Stevie_Palimo wrote: »

Not really as explained above if the insurer is saying the property is at risk of something that is made up then this is an unjust premium to the uncle, I'd be more than peeved if I see it and would be demanding money back here but only if I had 100% proof that they lied.

It depends how the company rate the postcode for example if they just go by the sector rather than full postcode it can make a huge difference

I was with M&S for 2 years via Axa missed renewal went to reinsure and was told they no longer accepted my postcode as the area (for example BZ) had a history of subsidence. Now BZ covers a very large area and part of that area is extremely well know for subsidence but that particular part is nearly 10 miles from me. it still had an impact with that particular company despite there being no history of subs within my immediate area they still see that all BZ postcodes are a subs risk this is how the OP's Uncles company could be viewing his Uncles postcode

Now I'm with a different company and they look at the individual postcode so it's rated a lot better

Goldiegirl

op, do you have power of attorney for your uncle?

If not you'll have problems dealing with your uncles affairs, as the companies that he is a customer of will not talk to you without having the POA registered.

You may find the 'Swiss insurance company' only respond to you in the most general of terms, if they have't got authority to deal with you.

If you haven't got POA, this should be a priority, rather than getting too hung up about the insurance renewal

horsewidow

Goldiegirl wrote: »

op, do you have power of attorney for your uncle?

If not you'll have problems dealing with your uncles affairs, as the companies that he is a customer of will not talk to you without having the POA registered.

You may find the 'Swiss insurance company' only respond to you in the most general of terms, if they have't got authority to deal with you.

If you haven't got POA, this should be a priority, rather than getting too hung up about the insurance renewal

Good point! But yes, I got the company to amend their records to allow me to deal on my Uncle's behalf. They asked mu uncle a few security questions, then he gave permission, and I have been dealing with them. However, there are people in his hospital offering to help him with his finances, gulp. He is about 90 minutes from us, so I can only get down at weekends.

Quentin

Are you certain the house doesn't have a historical incident of subsidence, which might explain the subsidence loading mentioned by the (former) insurer?

McKneff

How old is he, you keep saying he is elderly.


Im 66 and in full control of my faculties and quite able to choose which insurance company I want to buy from.

SuperHan

An earlier post implies he is 88 (born 1927).

elsien

I don't think this is directly to do with him being elderly. It's what companies do to anyone who stays with them a long time and auto renews without checking, regardless of age.
My 76 year old mother seriously laid into Lloyds bank when she found out new customers were getting a far better deal, and took her custom elsewhere.
His age may well be a factor in not realising loyalty from customers doesn't mean anything any more, but I suspect they're selling silly premiums to anyone who doesn't shop around.

If he has capacity, he should consider a POA for the future, as if he loses financial capacity any banking third party mandates should automatically be revoked and you'd have to look at deputy ship instead.

Robin9

McKneff wrote: »

How old is he, you keep saying he is elderly.


Im 66 and in full control of my faculties and quite able to choose which insurance company I want to buy from.

#10 - he is 87