to try to take out a financial policy, as woman, in my own name, in 2009?

[gingersarah]

I am trying to get life assurance - a joint policy for me and DP as our first lo is due soon.

I researched prices
I got quotes
I applied online
I had a long phone call in which I answered lots of questions about my medical history.

Then I got a letter, addressed to me individually (well sort of - my name was spelt wrong actually), in which I was asked to sign to confirm my medical stuff.

DP got three letters, addressed to him individually, with policy terms and stuff about premiums etc. There are more letters from the company today, addressed to him individually, I don't know what they are as I don't open other people's post and he is at work.

I called the company and they said that was how they had received the application - that he was the main applicant. They can't change the way the application comes through to them (although they did agree to correct the misspelt name).

I called the broker and they were foul to me. They said yes they had reversed our names on the application, they wouldn't change it, they always put the man first, no one else has complained in 9 years, I was being unreasonable, couldn't I just open his post, couldn't I just wait for him to come back to see what was in the letters, they would absolutely never put the application through with a woman's name as the main applicant where there was a man on the policy so he is always going to be approached about anything that relates to the policy and I just have to put up with it.

I feel like I have fallen through a worm hole into the 19th century. How can I not be allowed to manage my own financial affairs?

I have a complaints address for the broker but the name of the person is the person who was being horrible (I mean really rude) on the phone. Does anyone know if there is a body to which I can escalate this?

Ah, that is true!

Hi Jura - not sure what your question means, sorry for being thick. Are they people's initials? It was a Ms Nasty, ironically enough!

not in the same league - but my husband and I applied for a Woolwich mortgage linked to a barclays joint current account.

When all the paperwork came through they sent ONE chequebook and ONE paying in book addressed to my husband. When I rang and complained they said they could only address the letter to one person. I asked them to send a second set to me and they never did.

They also made a mistake with my details leaving me unable to do anything on the phone or online as my date of birth had been wrongly entered on their computer system, and unless I could give the fictional date, which I obviously couldn't because it didn't exist, they wouldn't talk to me.

Ho hum.

I would also suggest writing to the various proleporn mags about this company (at least two of them have 'consumer complaints' pages. Oh, and the bloke who does the Guardian's money column. They need a public shaming.

I'm utterly amazed at this - years ago, I had a policy with a company who wrote to me as Mr Simplysally. I fired off a Snotty Letter pointing out that I was female and would prefer to be known as Miss Simplysally. I got an apology by return of post and the records were amended pronto.

FWIW, my parents held a joint passport in the 80s and my Mum was listed as the lead spouse. Effectively this meant that my Dad couldn't go abroad without her as the lead spouse had to go on all trips with the passport but the secondary spouse couldn't got without the leader .

Can't believe it's Cavendish.
This happened to me too - same company.

I filled in the application, I was the first named applicant on the application and I gave an e-mail address that was clearly mine, my first name and surname.

Anyhow, a week or so later, when they had a query about MY medical condition, I received an e-mail ' Dear Mr Diamond'.

I was mad, it's making me mad thinking about it.

Now you're telling me that I am probably not the fist named applicant on the policy.

Can you leave feedback on Moneysavingexpert. They must get laods of business through there. That's where I heard there name.

hi DiamondHead - that is interesting, did you say anything about it? Ms Nasty was very insistent that I am the only (implied mad) person who has ever objected to this.

Got the paperwork through for my application from Norwich Union today - the letter was addressed to both of us (one spelling mistake in each name) but DP is Life 1. So... is this actually standard?

I phoned up to correct the spelling mistakes and asked about this. They did not say they had put him first because he is a man, they just said it doesn't make any difference. I don't care if I get access to all the letters. I should, but I am knackered, and I need to get this done now. I am more worried about the fact that I found myself actually having to negotiate for correct spelling - making a case for the position that they should really send out documents with our real names on before I sign anything. I found myself almost wheedling - "It's just that, you know, for safety with legal stuff in the future..." when I really wanted to say I WANT TO INSURE MY LIFE, NOT THAT OF MS BINGERSARA, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE. But... if I keep on speaking my mind I will end up blacklisted or something.

It is interesting because at the time, I just replied to the e-mail with a bit of a rant and left it at that.
I going to go and dig out the policy and check it. It was a 2/3 years ago.
They're obviously a strange lot.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect your names to be spelt correctly.

I have a funny feeling that my dh is named as life 1 on our life insurance policy for our mortgage. Can't check just at the moment but I'm sure he's listed first, maybe it's standard, but old fashioned.

I think we were told the main earner had to be listed first on our life insurance. At the time, (pre childbirth) that was me

Had the same problem with BT as stated here. I complain every time i deal with them that they always ask to speak to DH even though its joint?!! wtf

We started off being traditional with DH first on things, but now we have realised that i am the one who can be arsed to ring these silly companies and organise boring admin stuff, it is actually easier to put me first so that i can deal with paperwork etc. Some of them don't like it though.