• TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    1 day ago

    Every year, call your insurance/internet/phone/TV etc. provider and tell them one of their competitors gave you a lower quote and you want them to match it or come close.

    They will often give you a better rate just for asking. It’s easier if you do have an actual quote to compare it against but you don’t need one. Everything is made up. Just ask to pay less and threaten to stop paying them and they’ll often just give it to you.

    Even if they refuse, just say, “Okay. I need some time to think about whether or not I want to continue our relationship or switch.” Hang up and do nothing.

    • SaneMartigan@lemmy.world
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      11 hours ago

      Tell your boss too. I told a boss that I’d been offered 25% more elsewhere which was enough for me to take it unless he wanted to match it, he did.

      • mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        14 hours ago

        I’m downvoting specifically because you took the time to return to your comment and ping users with a mention, just to complain about downvotes.

      • TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        1 day ago

        Wait what??

        The consumer is barred from swapping providers annually to get better rates? Or are they barred from lying about fake quotes to get a better rate from their current provider?

        Edit: By chance did you mean “price walking”? I did some searching online and I couldn’t find anything about the UK forbidding consumers from changing insurance companies to seek lower prices by searching for “policy walking” but I did find something about insurers slowly increasing prices on customers (thus creating the need for the behavior I suggested) called “price walking”, though I didn’t see anything about it’s legality. Admittedly, I’m just skimming while working.

        • breadsmasher@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          A new customer and a renewing customer should get the same price.

          If you go to an insurance company to get a quote, as a brand new customer or a renewal, the price should be the same.

          Historically, its to prevent companies giving lower prices for the first year and then raising it for the second year.

          Youre not allowed to increase the price just because its not a new customer.

          Its nothing to do with regulating the customer - its regulating how insurance companies price their products for new vs existing customers.

          I said policy walking, but price walking might be the more accurate term

          • TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            1 day ago

            Oooooooh that makes sense! Thanks for explaining. Yeah I wish we had legislation around it here, it’s stupid that I have to play games to get lower prices on things.

          • bamboo@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            1 day ago

            Wish that were the case where I live. Still I’ve noticed that what they’re now doing is offering the same price to everyone, but then giving the option of free Netflix for 1 year as a sign up bonus or the equivalent credit towards your service for that year, which effectively is the same practice.

        • Mark with a Z@suppo.fi
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          1 day ago

          To me the it sounds a bit more likely that they’re regulating insurance companies and not the customers.

        • breadsmasher@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          It was a question. I do not recall you at all. Why do you care enough to follow me around and downvote?

          what “dumb shit” have I said today? Would you like to correct me on UK insurance law? How did that “make you feel dumber”?

          edit - and thats all of our interaction in the last year. Youre this upset cause I didnt like a game you like?

            • breadsmasher@lemmy.world
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              1 day ago

              I gave specific, UK advice, in a thread that isnt country specific, since the comment I replied to was defaulting to USA centric. Not sure why youre so upset about that? At least I clarified the exact country Im talking about, rather than assuming everyone is from the same place.

                • breadsmasher@lemmy.world
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                  1 day ago

                  Youre the one following me around arbitrarily downvoting.

                  I looked back at our last interaction. I actually said something positive. I was sincere about you enjoying starfield. Why is that “making you feel dumber”?