raine66

Ok I'm trying to sort out our home and contents insurance for our new house, so decided to call the same company that we have our car insurance thro, in the hope that I might get some sort of deal.

Well anyway I'm loaded with the cold at the moment and probably isn't the best time to be doing such things as my patience isn't at it's best, but what has to be done, has to be done.

Anyway gave them a call and after a few basic straight forward questions and answers she started asking me questions like:

Her: Do you have 7' 9' or 10' ceilings
Me: I don't know probably 9' but this is just a guess, does it really matter
Her: Well yes
Me: Why
Her: Well it will affect your insurance
Me: Well I'll have to have a look thro my paperwork to give you an exact answer on that

Her: What percentage of house is ceramic, carpet and wood flooring
Me: We'll I'd say probably 60% carpet 20% hardwood flooring and 20% ceramic
Her: Is this an exact percentage
Me: Well of course not, I'm not in the house at the moment so I can't go around with a measuring tape and measure to give you exact percentages, but to the best of my knowledge I'd say this is pretty accurate
Her: Well I need exact percentages
Me: Well I can't give you that, surely this should be good enough
Her: Well no

Arrrggghhhhhhh FFS lady give me a break

Sniffle sniffle cough cough

Her: Is this a one or a two mortgage
Me: What do you mean is this a one or a two mortgage
Her: Well do you have one or two mortgages on the house
Me: Well why didn't you just say that
Me: We will have one mortgage on the house

God I could go on and on about this one and the rest of the questions she was asking me, but I'll finish it off by how the conversation ended by me:

Her: What is your plumbing
Me: What do you mean what is my plumbing
Her: Well is it copper, something else and something else can't even remember what she said
Me: No it's two ovaries and a womb dear, what's yours
Me: Now thank you and have a nice day

Hung up phone

Well I don't know if it's just me that's dumb but I have never been asked so many questions when trying to get home insurance before, but then again, I don't think I was really in the mood for it in the first place, so maybe it's just a lesson learnt for me.

For what it's worth, didn't even get my quote.

Raine

agibson6

Yip, went through all these questions but thankfully most of the details were on the drawings and specs we received from the builder for our new-build property.

So you didn't get to the "how far are you from the nearest water hydrant and fire station" section that was more fun as we were still living in the UK at that stage.

Even then the insurance broker sent out their assessor but that was all free of charge and although there are lots of questions it all went smoothly.

iaink

Bizarre. Mine went something like this:

Me: Hi Don, I bought a house in xxxxx, need some insurance for it, contents, fire, you know...
DK: Sure Iain, how big is it.
Me: About 1200 sq ft
DK: OK, let say $250000 for insurance purposes, hows that sound?
IK: OK I guess.
DK: OK, lets see, youre what, 8km from the fire hall. Got a woodstove?
Me: Sounds about right, No, its a built in fireplace thingy
DK: Alright, thats not as bad...I'll get back to you with a quote.


Got back to me with a quote later the day, same company as cars are through, relatively reasonable cost, forms signed, deal done.

SAW 04

I had a similar experience. I think it depends if its a local broker or national insurer?

SAW 04

I congratulate you on your patience. I would have hung up after the first sign of a attitude.

raine66

Yip the fire hydrant and fire station questions were both in there. Along with a whole load of other crap.

Raine

raine66

Well I have finally got it sorted out.

Called the TD Bank and got a really good quote from them and in the end it was all pretty painless.

Raine