Demand for personal service among the eldery remains high
I was in Manchester at the weekend travelling home from a function when the taxi driver volunteered to help me and my wife into the vehicle with our bags.
I wasn’t sure whether to take the driver’s offer as a sign of good old fashioned personal service or age discrimination.
Momentarily taken aback, I accepted his assistance as a genuine desire to help rather than an indication of my creeping mortality.
Judging by the number of telephone calls from members of the public that we receive at BIBA House, the desire for personal service is still strong among those looking for insurance cover.
Each year we receive more than 60,000 calls from people wanting assistance for a variety of different reasons. Often these people are elderly or in poor health and don’t match the underwriting criteria of the direct writers, or perhaps they have unusual risks, or are just unsure of how to go about purchasing cover and want some reassurance.
These calls are never turned away. Through our ‘Find a broker’ section on our website we are able to put callers into contact with a BIBA member who is ready, willing and able to assist. Our intention is to update the facility in the very near future to ensure that it is even more comprehensive and easy to use.
It only takes a little bit of extra time and effort to make a real difference - as that cab driver found out when I slipped him a larger than usual tip for his service.
Eric Galbraith is chief executive of Biba
