Press 2 if you are making a fraudulent insurance claim

The Insurance Blogger feels somewhat tainted after discussing two home insurance claims on the phone.

The experience was completely unsavoury and involved some minutes listening to a school ma’am reading a recorded message warning me of the perils of making a fraudulent claim.

Apparently, I would be branded a thief, my family and pets would be rounded up and sent in to captivity and my shame would live on generally making my life miserable for years to come because my name would be indelibly inscribed on an industry fraud database.

For goodness sake, my roof is leaking after the recent storms – hence the widening stain on the bedroom ceiling. I just want someone reliable to get up there and repair the problem.

It’s three floors up and probably needs scaffolding, so I guess a £100 job will spiral up to a grand or more to justify the £200 excess.

Then, I had the bad luck to drop my camera, well an envious Mrs Blogger’s camera as she has now assumed ownership as a new one may be on the way.

Two claims in one day! Am I a professional dishonest person, asks the claims advisor, unashamedly asking me or Mrs Blogger are convicted thieves, serial insurance claimants or generally unsavoury characters.

I am sure insurance firms are routinely ripped off by customers, but the Blogger has not made a claim in years. I understand they want to rein in compensation and pay out the least possible, but the whole process could be a lot more user friendly.

Instead of shouting out a warning to thieves and fraudsters that must concern and worry the vast number of genuine claimants who must outnumber the crooks by a considerable amount, insurance companies could be a little more restrained.

Perhaps a ‘Press 1 if you are a genuine caller’ and ‘Press 2 if you are a fraudster’ telephone menu on the claims line would work better, like the green and red channels at customs.