No tender from ALP
Cutting off 0870 numbers
I read with interest your article concerning 0870 numbers and the discontent generated in the broker market (News, 21 February).
Our business, Abacus, is a wholesaler of let property insurance and has been using 0870 numbers for over a year.
Our reason for instigating this was not to make money, but as a cost effective way of introducing call recording – a facility offered by the providers of the call service. At the time we were advised that the cost to our agents would be the standard national rate. As most of our agents are outside of our local area, we felt that this would be acceptable.
As it has now turned out, the national rate does not take into account any arrangements to reduce the agent’s calls and puts a burden on it.
As a result of your article, we have now obtained new 0845 numbers for all of the areas of our business and will be sending a new contact list to our supporting brokers via our e-newsletter at the beginning of March.
If brokers want an up-to-date list, they can contact our agency team on 0845 863 9542. I am sure that other markets fell into the same ‘trap’ as we did and will follow suit.
Nick Blunden, Director, Abacus
No tender from ALP
I was surprised to read in Insurance Times that it was thought that Allianz Legal Protection (ALP) was one of the companies to have lost out to FirstAssist Legal Protection on the Home & Legacy Legal Expenses business (News, 21 February).
Allianz Legal Protection was in fact invited to tender, but chose not to on this occasion.
However we are sure there will be other opportunities in the future.
David Vine, Business development manager, Allianz Legal Protection
