In 2007 i switched my home (buildings) insurance to Direct Line for c £ 530 pa (a good £300+ saving on lloyds TSB). I was happy as larry.
On my return from hols yesterday find the annual renewal letter.It is automatic renewal naturally- insurance people understand all about the power of inertia and what the behavioural psychologists (see nudge by thaler and sunstein) call default settings)
The price is , wait for it, £1489.30.
This is inflation of Weimar Republic type proportion of 280% over 4 years.
(when i call they offer to cut it to £800 or so)
All goes to show- the default settings trick is ok in the hands of those with your best interests at heart- such those getting you to save for a pension- but for Direct Line it was an opportunity to rip off a dozy consumer . That dozy consumer was me- i had let the price drift up each year and DL took the fact that i hadnt challenged the price as a chance to hit me with a truly rip off price in 2011.
Meanwhile my car insurance with Admiral has gone down-i had made no claims on either car or buildings insurance during that time. Pick the bones out of that.
Direct Line also don’t seem to pay on household claims.
i agree to many small prints quick to take do not want to pay out is not worth insurance anymore