Following on from Dick Dastardly's observation that Dick Turpin is alive and well and working for Carol Nash..... He is also moonlighting for Swinton too.

Last year, �78 Fully Comp and a page of modifications listed.

The first sign something was amiss came last week, a salesman from Swinton rang up, wanting to offer a 'great deal on renewal', I pointed out it's not due till the middle of May, but let him go on anyway. Off he went asking the usual questions, which I answered. He got to the part about modifications, "you've got them all listed" I said, "oh you need to tell me them again" said he. I asked if he had the list of modifications, and he said "no" in fact he then told me they weren't listed on my policy....... I have paperwork here confirming they do, yet Swinton claim they don't. How glad am I that I didn't need to claim!!!

Lesson One : Cheapest isn't always best, even with a well known name.

I got a bit p!$$ed off with him and said I wouldn't be renewing on the face of a phone call and told him to sent me a renewal letter. He gave me the old "you only get this great deal today", Never heard the rest of his speak as I put the phone down.

Lesson Two: don't entertain sales people who ring you. Always instigate the call so you know who you are dealing with and you are in control.


Yesterday, I received the renewal.

�178.30..... that's a 125% increase over last year. Feck. There is no way they are getting any business from me.

So,, I rang them, just to be sure they got it right.

"Yes we have everything listed, that's why the price has gone up" was the answer to the first question. I asked about the modifications, they said it wasn't covered last year because I only informed them of the mods, I never asked them to cover.

Lesson Three: Just because you inform them, doesn't mean you are covered for them. Apparently, it just means I get the modified parts back as long as I can replace the originals. I suspect this was a load of bullcrap, but it might have some foundation in truth somewhere.

Not only have they hiked up the premium, they hiked up the excess too, fro �0 to �300. AND slipped in Drivers Legal Protection too,, which I don't need on account of my bank provides it and my employer!!! I mentioned "mis-selling" and they said they would remove it and thanks for letting them know... I wasn't happy with them, and 'click' the phone went down again.

Lesson Four: ALWAYS, ALWAYS read the documents from cover to cover before accepting the policy

Confused ? Yes I was dot com.... and when I checked how confused I was, it appears that no one else was and premiums were coming back at around the �70/80 mark again.

I tried the old trick of going on the Swinton site and asking for a quote, came back and said existing customers couldn't get a quote on-line.... I wonder why!

I think the IAM may get another policy from me this year, on both the Tiger and the Car they have beaten all other prices and returned more cover too.

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Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.