It’s renewal time for my buildings and contents insurance.
Found a deal much, much cheaper approx 60%, than what my renewal is with my current provider (Admiral).
So I’ve bought the insurance already and stuck it in my 0% card. I then contacted Admiral on webchat to cancel.
Advisor: Good Evening. Hope you are good.
David: I am thank you
David: I wish to cancel my auto renewal
Advisor: I’m sorry you’re looking to cancel this policy.
Can I just ask the reason for wanting to cancel with us please?
David: I have gone with a cheaper provider
Advisor: I’m sorry our renewal price isn’t competitive.
We certainly don’t want to lose you as a valued customer.
Let me see if I can do anything to reduce our price for you.
Advisor: Can you please confirm for me:
The best price you have been quoted?
The insurance company?
Where you obtained the quote?
David: no its fine thank you, I just want to cancel the renewal
Advisor: I certainly understand your point, however if you could allow us to check the best for you so that you can make decision.
David: no thank you, just cancel the renewal, if your employer could of offered cheaper rates than it should already have been taking into account on the renewal notification
Advisor: David, the initial price was system oriented.
Advisor: No worries! I am here to help you.
David: just cancel it, i’m not interested
Advisor: Please accept my sincere apology for not meeting your expectations.
Advisor: Please bear with me whilst I look into this for you, I won’t be too long.
Advisor: Just to let you know, providing all your details are the same, I can apply a discount of £17.43 which brings your new premium to £209.70.
This includes charge for credit of £12.47 and apr is 12.4%, monthly would be approx £17.53.
It is cheaper to pay in full, the one off price is £197.23.
We have the rest of your details already, shall we get this all renewed for another year for you?
David: No, cancel it as already mentioned for the past 3 times!
Advisor: Sure, we respect your decision. Let me proceed with your request.
Advisor: I am so sorry you have decided to not renew your policy this year. Your policy will discontinue from 22/02/2023 and you will receive confirmation of this.
I get they have a job to do, trying to keep people to stay, however when someone’s adamant they want to just leave to then do another quote I didn’t want
Pressure selling. It’s a shame they didn’t quote the better price in the first place. I always call my insurer and ask for a discount regardless of the renewal price quoted & generally get maybe a £30 reduction. This is then my benchmark however if I get a cheaper quote and don’t like the customer service then I might stay with the current insurer.
What a coincidence, I had a similar conversation with Admiral when it came to cancelling my travel insurance with them. This was only last month.
They don’t have a cancel insurance / renewal button on their travel insurance website. You have to contact someone, and then once you do they try to pressure you into staying with them.
Often in these situations I’ve been able to get them to apply discounts to reduce it to be the same price or close to the cheapest quote from other sites.
Most recently with Admiral where my premium went up by around £100 with no changes to my policy.
But it would be nice if they offered the best price without having to go through the magic song and dance. I believe they have to do it for car insurance now, no?
Oh I actually missed off the best bit of the conversation which triggered me more at the end.
Advisor: Is there anything else I can help you with?
David: no
Advisor: It was lovely interacting with a humble personality like you. Keep smiling and if you face any problem do not forget we are here. It’s my pleasure to assist you. Thanks for your kindness.
Advisor: Thank you for your time today.
I do agree.
There’s so much flexibility around it though. This was car insurance and I presume they offered me the “best price” as this was the same as on comparison sites but still managed to get them to go lower to match the lowest quote I was offered from elsewhere.
To which I have been known to reply “anything else” would suggest that you’ve actually helped me with something already, which you haven’t."
I try to be polite, and challenge the situation rather than get annoyed with the person on the end of the phone / chat. But sometimes when they just aren’t getting it, and you decide to cut your losses and call back in the hope of getting someone who can - it all gets a bit much.
I just had to insure my new car that arrives on 9th they gave me a great price already then on the phone threw in home insurance for £13.50 for the whole year! I saved a good amount. Good to know they can be a pain to cancel with.
to then do another quote I didn’t want 
it’s a good job I’d not phoned them, as I wouldn’t be able to have not said anything out loud at them.