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AIBU?

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Original poster

To find this annoying and pushy

68 replies

pigsDOfly · 06/05/2021 15:49

I had a phone call this afternoon from an unidentified number. Person on the other end said he was calling from Churchill insurance regarding my home insurance renewal.

I received the documents a few days ago and the renewal date is in a couple of weeks.

I asked him why he was calling me and he repeated that it's to do with my home insurance, 'yes, but why are you calling me?'

Apparently, 'to see if we can help you in anyway today'. Unless they're lowering the quote, which I very much doubt, no you can't help me. 'And can I confirm the first line of my address'

Now, I don't know if I'm overly suspicious but to me this screams scam so I told him I've received the documents and if and when I want to renew my policy I'll call them.

I did a search on a 'who called me' website and it turns out that it is a genuine Churchill insurance number and people are getting these calls all the time; clearly I'm not the only one who thought it was a scam.

So are all insurance companies doing this now?

Would anyone else find this really annoying?

It's not an overdue electricity bill, I'm not obliged to pay what they're asking, and I very well might go with a different company. So stop bothering me with your scammy type calls because I'm not going to give some random caller my details.

OP posts:
LubaLuca · 06/05/2021 16:36

I wouldn't think that was in any way suspicious, or be taken by surprise by it. They want to make sure you don't go elsewhere for your insurance, so will check that the renewal quote is agreeable.

Nobody would be happy to be phoned about their home insurance 'all the time', but once a year when renewal is approaching would be acceptable to 99.9% of people I imagine.

PoTheDog · 06/05/2021 16:37

[quote pigsDOfly]**@Bluntness100 I'm not particularly pissed off and most certainly not 'anxious' about it, just irritated.

Clearly, I'm alone in this and everyone else is more than happy to have people phoning them up all the time to remind them that they haven't renewed this thing or that thing.[/quote]
Nope, I am completely with you.

It's no wonder that people fall for scams when they think that Churchill are "just being nice" to ring you up.

It's essentially pressure selling. Enough people think, "oh I can't be bothered to sort it myself, so I'll just agree" and then they have sold you insurance for another year, probably not at the cheapest price. Most people don't start looking for new insurance deals before the last fortnight, that's why they ring you with two weeks to go.

QueenPaw · 06/05/2021 16:39

@Throckmorton the alternative is we presume who they are and book their car in without confirming any details
People can always call us back, I would never push anyone to book in and we don't take any payment but if they want to book in then they have to confirm their address and name

Throckmorton · 06/05/2021 16:44

It's just not a great company policy is it though - why not send them a reminder text or email with a number to call. I can see why you do it, but it's not great for your customers' data safety

QueenPaw · 06/05/2021 16:45

We send emails too. But being a contact centre, phone is our main contact as people don't want to book online
I do roughly 200 a day and I've never actually had anyone ask to ring back yet!

MizzyFizz · 06/05/2021 16:46

Pressure selling, they don't want to take the chance of you having time to think their offer through nor fire up Google to go hunting for a better deal.

They're a bit daft to start asking security questions on a customer retention sales call before they've given you the script though. Does make them sound a bit scammy. Surely they can wait to see if you're interested first before getting to the ID stuff.

Kotatsu · 06/05/2021 16:50

If they rang you, they are the ones that need to prove who they are!

You were right OP, not to give out your information when they called you. If anyone does this, I ask for a reference and tell them I'll happily call them back and go through security then, once I'm sure I am talking to who I should be.

Startingagainperson · 06/05/2021 16:51

I give anyone short shrift who phones me I’m afraid! In a polite way but firm. I have an excuse as I’m on constant minding duty and phone calls are not welcome.

So you are totally fine OP. But I never blame the poor person making the call, they are on low wages and working from a script. But I don’t give out anything at all. 99% of the time it’s because they want something from you and it’s an ‘additional sales’ type call - which renewing insurance is - you don’t have to renew it, they just want you to.

Original poster
pigsDOfly · 06/05/2021 16:53

@PoTheDog Yes, I don't want them chasing me. And yes, it is pressure selling.

Churchill is a huge company, they're not being sweet and kind and thinking we'll give pigDofly a call this afternoon to give her a little reminder so that she isn't left without insurance cover.

They're doing it because they want the business and want to get me before I go somewhere else, which is fair enough, but it's fair enough that I find it irritating and don't like being bothered by them.

OP posts:
Throckmorton · 06/05/2021 16:53

"I do roughly 200 a day and I've never actually had anyone ask to ring back yet!"

All the proves is that they are more vulnerable to scammers than they could be.

QueenPaw · 06/05/2021 16:56

One of those isn't it. Nothing I can do about it, policy won't change and it's a big company. Calls are automated so I don't select who to ring, it dials them automatically
If I don't ask who they are then I fail on calls and get no bonus

Original poster
pigsDOfly · 06/05/2021 16:58

Throckmorton Exactly.

It's why scammer are so successful and why they keep on doing it.

OP posts:
PattyPan · 06/05/2021 16:59

I agree with you OP - if someone calls you, they should be the one to prove to you that they are who they say they are, not the other way around!

QueenPaw · 06/05/2021 17:00

To be fair, I'm not taking any payments so it would be a pretty rubbish scam! I'm not involved with payments at all, just making appointments
Its the same as the doctor ringing you, or my dentist or optician, they all ask me to confirm my DOB and name

OmniversalSpecies2021 · 06/05/2021 17:05

Having worked in a call centre - you are only allowed to ask the Security questions AFTER the person confirms their name (which you did not do and neither do i re calls like that)....and only AFTER you have given consent to continue the phone call and discuss.

Otherwise it's 'pushy/coercive' behaviour and more likely to be a scam/cold calling.

JokeTheCoalman · 06/05/2021 17:06

@Bluntness100

This is just normal customer service, your insurance is due shortly, they were calling to see if you’d renew.

You sound really pissed off and anxious about it?

Bit of an exaggeration
AdobeWanKenobi · 06/05/2021 17:10

What really pisses me off is when I'm after quotes and I tick 'Do Not Contact' and they call me anyway.... Mustard Insurance I'm looking right at you.
The man on the phone was quite surprised that I had an issue with being contacted after specifically requesting not to be. My fault, I usually add my phone number as 00000000000 but in this case it wouldn't let me.

Seeingadistance · 06/05/2021 17:11

@PattyPan

I agree with you OP - if someone calls you, they should be the one to prove to you that they are who they say they are, not the other way around!
Agreed!

I got a call yesterday, from someone saying they worked for Sky and there was an issue with my internet speed. I decided to play along for a while - answered yes and no to the first few questions - are you at your computer just now, etc. Then got put through to someone else.

I then asked if he could confirm that he knew my name, and he said he couldn't tell me that because of data protection law. I told him I didn't believe him - long pause then he hung up.

cakewench · 06/05/2021 17:16

I have never understood why banks ring you then ask you to confirm anything 'for security reasons' when it's precisely the sort of thing they tell you not to do if someone rings you. They should be providing ME with security info. "Hi it's HSBC, are you xyz, we have a suspected security issue, would you like me to confirm I am who I say I am?" then provide some kind of passcode or similar.

I digress (was referring to another post in the thread!) but I agree, OP. I don't think you were rude at all.

Mousetown · 06/05/2021 17:16

It’s a breach of GDPR to ring and discuss your account with you without you confirming your address on the call.

Jumpers268 · 06/05/2021 17:17

This thread reminds me of the customers that request a call back and then refuse to confirm DPA. Or the ones that call in and refuse to confirm their date of birth because I should have it. Obviously I do, I need you to confirm it. Thank fuck I don't have to do that anymore. Just say you'll call when you're ready, thank you and hang up. Person is just doing their job. And trust me they're hating doing it.

Flissitytricity · 06/05/2021 17:20

I give out the first line of my address to the assistant in Boots when picking up my prescription because I know I am in Boots pharmacy and the woman behind the counter is bona fide etc etc but a random type of phone call is a different matter entirely. They can say anything thing they like regarding which company they are from but no way am I giving my address to someone I can not see. The ever growing world of scam is to blame for this which is a shame as the few who are genuine get no further forward in their requests.

Mousetown · 06/05/2021 17:20

@cakewench

I have never understood why banks ring you then ask you to confirm anything 'for security reasons' when it's precisely the sort of thing they tell you not to do if someone rings you. They should be providing ME with security info. "Hi it's HSBC, are you xyz, we have a suspected security issue, would you like me to confirm I am who I say I am?" then provide some kind of passcode or similar.

I digress (was referring to another post in the thread!) but I agree, OP. I don't think you were rude at all.

Your bank may have the wrong number on your file. They give random stranger your passcode when they ring and start discussing your account. It’s not the businesses who are enforcing these policies.
Lesemeraudes · 06/05/2021 17:34

@QueenPaw

We still have to ask for name and address when we ring
This would really annoy me. Send a letter!
QueenPaw · 06/05/2021 17:37

@Lesemeraudes we do that too! People bin them as junk and then complain they didn't know their MOT was due
The thing is we are a contact centre so we don't do emails/texts/letters, my job is to make appointments hence why we ring
We will remove people no issues so they don't get calls but it's then up to them to remember when their service/MOT/recalls need doing and we won't give any reminders