Hidden fees

I renewed my car breakdown policy the other day. It should have been a straightforward matter but it was not. I have been with a major breakdown service for many years and the renewal fee has crept up each year. However, this year it was £286 so I decided to shop around. To my astonishment I found that the same provider was offering exactly the same cover online for £147! I rang them to buy a policy. After an eternity on hold, I got through to an operator and told him that I wanted to buy the £147 policy. “Are you an existing member?” he asked. “Yes” I said. “Well in that case you can’t buy that policy, it’s for new members only. Your renewal fee will be the figure quoted on your renewal notice.” One ethical agent launched a totally transparent fee. Competitors responded with even lower fees and more expensive extras! I asked him why an apparently reputable organisation charged existing customers twice as much as new ones. He seemed flummoxed by the question and said that he didn’t decide the policy.I asked him if I could re-join as a new member. “No”, he said, “you would have…

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