Weasels (Endsleigh Insurance)

Member Name: chateauferret

Product:	Endsleigh Insurance
Date:	22/12/03 (1007 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Answers the phone

Disadvantages: Expensive, One size fits all, Dishonest

Have been using Endsleigh for many years in various properties in London and Glasgow; no problems but steadily increasing premia. No claims.

Went to Endsleigh looking for buildings and contents insurance on a house which I share with a lodger, who is a student. Quoted about £75 and then told me that nobody would insure you if you had a lodger without charging a hefty premium.

Direct Line then quoted £32 for the same insurance, lodger and all.

We think Endsleigh must have thought I didn't know the lodger from Adam. Direct Line asked if I was content not to be covered in the event that the lodger went mad and trashed the place - not cover I require. Endsleigh didn't, and apparently wanted to provide the unwanted cover.

Given that Endsleigh supposedly caters for students, one would think they wouldn't want to encourage landlords to pass on to them unnecessary increases of 20% in their rents.

Moral: if a company tells you that its industry does things in a particular way, remember that any company's representative can only speak for his employer. This lot tried to tell me that any putative competitor would deal with a lodger the same way as they did - which isn't true.

Price quoted is for £15,000 contents, £120,000 rebuild, £2,000 personal possessions, a pedal cycle and a three-bedroom detached house with an owner-occupier and a lodger in Glasgow (G53) worth about £150,000.

Summary: