Halifax home and contents insurance scam

bspm1

While Brian may have used the wrong noun when he typed 'scam' I have to agree with him re Insurance costs.

I know some of you have jumped on the thread to try to ridicule someone with your sarcastic remarks but the position remains that the op is spot on.

An awful lot of us know to shop around for many things, Gas and Electricity Suppliers, Insurance, Phone/Broadband, High Street purchases, and, some of us are even savvy enough to use a cashback site enabling us to get even more for our money,but a lot of people do not use the internet, many in fact can't use the internet and saying a phone call gets you the same is not true.

Our contract with EDF is about to finish, I checked the many comparison websites and found a much cheaper price with EDF than we currently pay, due to us switching to them last year and having a spot of bother I decided to call them to discuss the new offer price, the call handler could not match the on line price, how annoying is that, and how unfair to non pc users.

It is happening a lot everywhere, some older people who do not wish to change their suppliers of anything (and there are many who see it as a hassle) are being wrongly penalised, I mean how can we, as a couple, be paying less per unit for Gas and Electricity than our next door neighbours when we are both being supplied by the same Company, paying the same way by direct debit with virtually the same usage per year.

This isn't news, it's been going on for years. Competition is so intense and it's not just insurance. For years they have banked on the customers who just couldn't be bothered /are not able to challenge their quotes. This may have worked it previous times when budgets weren't so stretched. Less disposable income and education has lead to more customers realising that loyalty only applies to oneself. Gone are the days when you had to pick up the phone and shop around. There is really no excuse these days for automatically accepting a renewal quote. The consumer has never had so much power, so use it.

So Brian, I have to agree with you, it is a crime and it needs regulating and I am pleased you have discovered this.

Loyalty is being exploited.

and on that note I will get off my soap box and go eat breakfast.

:cool2::cool2:

Derekbirmingham

Yes there is a couple of exclusions ill admit it..like cover for valuables like mobile phone when im away from home..got rid of that..
What bugs me is you stay with a company for years and dont get any special treatment..the least they could do is send me a keyring and halifax diary through the post..
On the flip side..i was paying admiral insurance £350 for my toyota aygo insurance..i phoned them a couple of weeks ago and said id had a £250 quote off a search engine..the chap on the phone matched the £250 quote and said have a nice day..
But when it comes to halifax bank i dont trust them,ive allready had £3k back off them for ppi when they skimmed that money off me.so when it comed to the house insurance saga thats why i call scam,because halifax has got dodgy form..

bspm1

Derekbirmingham wrote: »

Yes there is a couple of exclusions ill admit it..like cover for valuables like mobile phone when im away from home..got rid of that..
What bugs me is you stay with a company for years and dont get any special treatment..the least they could do is send me a keyring and halifax diary through the post..
On the flip side..i was paying admiral insurance £350 for my toyota aygo insurance..i phoned them a couple of weeks ago and said id had a £250 quote off a search engine..the chap on the phone matched the £250 quote and said have a nice day..
But when it comes to halifax bank i dont trust them,ive allready had £3k back off them for ppi when they skimmed that money off me.so when it comed to the house insurance saga thats why i call scam,because halifax has got dodgy form..

Derek, they are ALL dodgy.

Derekbirmingham

How about sorry mr derek..
This is the halifax here,weve checked our computer and realised weve been grossly overcharging you for 15 years and as a show of good faith wed like to give you 4 grand back sir..and thanks you for choosing the halifax bank..

elle_may

Derekbirmingham wrote: »

Well chicken lips ill tell you what the halifax told me on the phone today..i told them this story and the girl on the phone said ill see if we can get our quote down for you and within a couple of minites ive gone from £550 to £350 ..anyway it is ligit because ive cancelled my existing £550 house insurance with halifax..and done the new halifax house insurance at £160 inc an addon with £50 cashback if im still with them after 70 days..
All halifax ,large price descrepancy..

Took out Halifax ins last year for £149 with the cash back of £50 this year it went up to £178 said no as other sites were cheaper. They could not match it with the add ones i had. I don't think you can get the cash back if you have already had a policy with them, it is only for first time.

csgohan4

bspm1 wrote: »

While Brian may have used the wrong noun when he typed 'scam' I have to agree with him re Insurance costs.

I have to disagree, nothing illegal by a company charging you more every year. The key argument is the OP let them charge them more every year, they could easily have let the insurance lapsed and gone elsewhere, even the post office does home insurance so no excuses.

It's not the company's fault you don't shop around, it is your money and you can decide to do what you want, being ripped off or shop around.

It's like a packet of biscuits costing 1 pound but they are cheaper at another supermarket. Do you blame the person/company you bought them off in the first place?

while I agree elderly do often get the brunt of price increases for a variety of reasons, nothing illegal about. That's why i handle my parents utilities and they are saving loads

Derekbirmingham

Csg lets talk biscuits..
The supermarket sells biccies for a £1 at the front of the shop for the punter ..but at the very back of the shop they sell the biscuits for 25pence at the very same shop, to accomadate the punter who wants Cheaper biscuits..
Same shop same biscuits big price difference..
Like what halifax did to me..
Its all in the biscuits..

dunstonh

Old Halifax home insurance plans bought at the time of the mortgage tended to be full cover plans. i.e. accidental damage on everything and personal possessions cover.

The new pricing mentioned suggests more limited cover. Although you would expect it to be cheaper as its a different distribution channel and a more modern plan.

csgohan4

Derekbirmingham wrote: »

Csg lets talk biscuits..
The supermarket sells biccies for a £1 at the front of the shop for the punter ..but at the very back of the shop they sell the biscuits for 25pence at the very same shop, to accomadate the punter who wants Cheaper biscuits..
Same shop same biscuits big price difference..
Like what halifax did to me..
Its all in the biscuits..

You didn't look, can you blame the retailer?? those biscuits maybe almost out of date too, when you go right down the bare bones of cost, you generally do get what you pay for, try admiral insurers for example or onecall for car insurers where they charge 3k excess but cheap for the policy.