OK nobody has to read this but I have to write it or my head will explode.

Following blog post of 30th December when my dad came round for his 'Christmas meal' I have been trying to sort his insurance out. In short there was a 'reported incident' from Nov 2022 which meant his insurance company had opened a claim and put a reserve on - the claim was still open even though nobody had claimed on it yet. Perhaps the camera had caught him when he hit what he thought was some road furniture blowing about in a storm on a dark night. 

He got a neighbour to go on a comparison site - they found one with RAC for £675.  He took this but they called him the following day saying there was a claim outstanding he hadn't told them about and because of the claim and because he had 'witheld information' there was an additional premium of £330 which they would take from his card in 7 days.  

Because the 'claim/incident' was open is was keeping his premium high - he had a quote for £798 or so to renew on his 1.6 Ford Focus 2002. The car is probably worth £5 if he's lucky - its old, rusty and smells badly of dead/wet dog. There is also green stuff growing out of its crevices. (When I told him his car wasn't worth much because it was old rusty, stinky with dents and green stuff, he said - 'the green stuff will wash off!')

Tuesday 2 Jan - during my work lunch 1/2 hour - I rang the company he had been with for the past 15 years LV to speak to them. I spent 23minutes on hold before I got through. They said there was an outstanding 'incident' but nothing paid to anyone. They said I needed to speak to claims - then while putting me through, cut me off.

After work I spent another 17 minutes calling LV claims and I managed to get the claim closed - no claim made and nothing paid out. I hoped this meant the extra £345 was now not due. LV said the general database would update overnight so the new insurer should be able to see it and that there was no claim made by the following day. I rang dad and told him. 'Great', he said 'Now can you sort this USA letter for me. The USA letter was from a company who had told him he should contact them by phone or online before 1/5/24 (which means 5th Jan not 1st May...) He had had the letter at the start of December.  I tried to go online but I had to register - on registering, they said a password would be sent by post within 10 working days.  I tried to call and was on hold 19 minutes - to USA but with no clue as to how long the wait would be, I hung up.  I would try to find an email address once I got home.

Weds 3rd Jan (My 'day off' apparently). I rang the new insurer RAC to say the claim was now closed and could they check this on the general insurance database and confirm what the revised additional premium would be. They acknowledged it was closed no payment made, no fault but because there had been an incident there was still an extra £310 due. (they had charged an admin fee for this).

I told him and had to listen to him rant about there was no claim etc etc. I told him he had already told me the story MANY times and he tells me not to interrupt and carries on with the story I could recite backwards by now. I tell him I KNOW the story, could he just let me get on with it. He looks overly wounded and tells me 'well the main point is there WAS no claim you see...' 

'Dad' I say, loudly, just let me see what I can do. He says 'OOOHHHHHHH' and I know he is making a gesture where he throws his hands in the air like I just threatened him with a blunt object and says 'I'm just trying to help, but if you think you know it all then go ahead.'

I tell him I'll let him know and I set off home for the 7 mile trip over the mountain. I sneeze and cough all the way home and my eyes itch. I'm highly allergic to his house. He knows it but it makes no difference to the amount of times he wants me to go there.

Once home I go on Go Compare myself and put all his details in - a quote for £648 comes up top from SAGA. I call him again and have to check if he has any convictions, other claims etc he has not thought to tell me about. I have to check what excess he wants and if he wants legal or breakdown etc etc.

EVERY QUESTION has to be translated by Ant. Every word has to be repeated MANY times as dad will not wear his hearing aid. As soon as Ant speaks, dad shouts WOT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND YOU - SPEAK UP BOY (for Ant, 56, is a boy as far as he is concerned and is spoken to as if he were 4.) - and misses the rest of Ants conversation. Ant, being Autistic, doesn't understand what I am asking and gives dad his perspective which is worlds away from what I said and Imelda yells 'WHAT. What is she saying??'. They are more screaming at each other down the phone than having any meaningful interaction. A lot of swearing and I try to get them to shut up while I explain again.

I hang up and call SAGA to make sure they know about the claim that wasn't and anything else I have been told. I wait 13 minutes to get through and the lady answers in a v e r y   s l  o w  and  p r e c i s e voice and asks how she can help. I explain everything and the lady says she will have to speak to my dad before proceeding. Right!  So I tell her I will have to call him first so he know what's happening and who will be calling him.  The lady at SAGA says not to worry she is used to this. She stays on my mobile while I call him on my partner's phone and go through what is going to  happen. And answers, and tells dad who says 'WHAT - WHO WHAT'S HAPPENING? WHAT DOES SHE WANT? WHO?WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT? SAGA is happy with his answers and on my phone tell me the claim that wasn't has increased the premium to £748 for non protected ncd and £788 for Protected No claims bonus. As dad is 93, should he have a claim, his premium won't change until next renewal in December and by 2 years per claim - so if he did have a claim I can't see it's worth having it protected considering he may not be driving for much longer. I explain I will have to call him to explain - AGAIN.

The lady at SAGA says she will call me back at 4.  I ring Imelda again - same rigmarole as I try to explain about ncd protection. Imelda shouts at me he has always had it. I can't handle him shouting at me as if I am 4 any more - I will e-mail him.

I e-mail him. He calls me. He wants me to call his old insurer to see if now the claim that wasn't is closed if they will offer him a lower premium. He believes it will be £200 as that is what his premium went up by since last year. It was totally and utterly pointless even thinking of explaining this wasn't how it worked. I asked if he could call LV. 'Well I can't call them can I?' he said like I was stupid.

I called LV. 23 minutes later I got through. As he had lapsed at renewal on 28th Dec, They could not revitalise the quote - he would now have to be taken as a new customer. However - sorry, they didn't accept drivers over 80.

I rang him again - more shouting and screaming and confusion. Finally the lovely Anita from SAGA called me at 4 and then called him. He accepted their policy.

I was at the end of my wits by then. I went out for a walk to get my head straight.

I got home and after an hour a call from Imelda - he was very cross. Why hadn't I returned his phone call - he had called me on the home phone over an hour damn me. Apparently I never answer my phone. This attitude of his, and way of talking to me, is the exact reason my old phone ended up in 17 pieces and the wall had a small phone shaped indent. It's also the reason I had to get a new address book because the old one ended up ripped to shreds all over the living room floor. It's probably also the reason the neighbour's dog is scared of me and the reason why one of my cushions got de-stuffed and we are still finding bits of it three years later. Today it was the reason I lost my voice and said lots VERY unladylike words in front of the kids and now have a very red face.  When I had finished, Ant called me again and said 'Dad wants to know if you have called the company in America yet.'

I hung up then telling Ant to email me as I couldn't speak any more on the phone today.

Today was my day off.

Today was the 3rd January.

Tomorrow can only get better.

Thank you for reading.