Insurance....yes again

Gajm (VIC)
I am with AAMI, and I must admit I have had my calls answered by (I am sure) the same person as you got the first time!!!
And like you did, I have rang back and got someone else who actually knows!! :-)
It's annoying, but by the same token I have also had some very helpful people answer my queries.
Just make sure you ask as many questions about as many scenarios as you can, and get them to clarify points in writing... it's a pain in the backside but it could prove worthwhile down the track.

Galm and Brian, it seems with AAMI it definitely depends on who you get. That's why I conducted all my enquiries by email and insisted on email replies. I then sent all the email exchanges to the Head of Claims and requested written confirmation of what was contained in the emails. I got that so I am fully covered for any eventuality that I may may endure.

I would advise against accepting mere telephone advice because you will find no-one will remember THAT conversation when push comes to shove.

Rohan
Exactly!!!!
That's why you have to get it in writing!!!!

I have two four wheel drives and an off road van insured with AAMI and i asked them if i was covered offroad and the women said i was covered anywhere in aus no matter were i was.She also said they had to recover several honda crv's from the bush last year.

And here we go again, same person, and was told 2 different things.. which is not uncommon for AAMI from the looks of it (3-4 people told different things in another thread and even having different things in writing!!!!)

I wouldnt touch AAMI with a barge pole, they obviously have NFI what they are doing!
How can one person say NO PROBLEMS, and another within a few hours have said NOT A CHANCE..

I'd look elsewhere...

I was going to reply to your original post and suggest you got an idiot and to try another call, looks like I was right. ANY call centre hjas it's share of morons. Thats a fact of life, I know, I sit next to one of them.

In the end your coverage is based on the policy document you were sent. The laws on this are insanely tight now so if it isn't excluded in the policy document, it isn't excluded. The only thing to clarify is definitions (say of gazetted roads, deliberate act etc) where they are used. These should be defined in the doc as well.

I read mine after I insured with AAMI and the policy is a good one. Until such time as they screw me around I'm happy with them.

Oh yeah, I also meant to say the only important thing with an insurance co. (aside from price) is it's claims record. The quality of the person you get when you get a policy is not as important as what the person who decides if you get a payout when you have written of the car. On the claims side, AAMI seems to have a pretty good rep.

Cheers.

Hi Wizzard
Always get a name, & Email or phone back and talk to a Superviser tell them so they know whats being said & may fix the problem

Cheers

My missus works in a telstra call centre and if you new some of the sicko's they get calling them and the abuse they get from callers and managment you would wonder why anyone would work there.They have strict rules they have to stick to or they get the sack.

Thomo,

I take your point that it can work both ways. In my own job I am responsible for doing what is called "2nd level support" for a major computer system in a large public sector organisation. That means that if the IT call centre (1st level) can't solve someone's problem then it is referred to me. Usually this means that I only get a problem if it is a really serious problem but that depends on who answered the problem in the call centre. Some of the operaters have been there several years and I hardly ever get problems referred by them as they usually are able to sort out the issue. Other operators refer many simple problems to me becuase they can't be bothered or are not prepared to learn the material provided to help them deal with the issues. They usually don't stay long.

Then there is the caller category that you talk about. Even within the same company (as opposed to general public) there are people who treat the call centre staff like dirt and only use them to register the problem so they can talk to the referral expert or senior support staff. These people soon get a reputation and get the level of service they deserve (busy right now - I'll call you next week) along with a letter of complaint to their line management.

With the general public you don't get the change to complain about the drongos so either they will go away eventually or may need more sensitive handling.

My original point remains though. It is all about how the call centre is managed. While companies mis-manage their call centres there will be instances of poor service. As usual it is not the 95 per cent of satisfied customers that we hear from but the 5 per cent that had the problems!

Steven

Steven many people who are paid more than 30K don't give ableepalso.
Even the highest levels of managment fall into these category.
Use the NAB, HIH or One Tel or many many more as examples.

This is the dumb world we live in I'm afraid.

You are both dead right.Its got a lot to do with management if they realised they only have to treat there workers like humans not dogs they'd get a lot more out of them.

Good point also John,

Some people work to live
Other people live to work
The rest of us can balance it out, irrespective of how much we are paid.

Steven

Guys,

Just wait till the call centres end up in the low cost countries such as India - that is where the large push is from management. It is hard enough now when you are in sydney & you get a call centre in another state and they don't know the suburb you are in - it will be even worse "sorry what country was that?" , all in the name of saving a dollar.

The other thing to remember is that in call centres staff are expected to handle so many calls an hour & if simply saying they can't help with coverage gets more calls handled some of them just may do that.

David