I had to renew the car insurance the other day and, in spite of not having made any claims [for the ninth year in a row] I noticed my insurers had put the premium up by £17 on last year’s. My previous insurers used to do this as well: Every year they’d send me a renewal quote which was higher than the previous year’s - in spite of my having made no claims. And every year I used to ring them to complain and whatever Norbert in a suit I spoke to would "Have a ring around and see what I can do" and then ring me back about ten minutes later, having miraculously been able to find me a lower quote, even tho' they were in the best traditions of Del and Rodney "…​Cutting me own froat…​" or "…​Passing up my own commission, because you’re one of our best customers…​" as they put it.

Anyway, I got sick of having to go through this fucking shit every year, so last year I thought I’d give that confused.com a go and -Lo' and Behold- it actually lived up to its promise and found me a lower quote. So this year, when my all-to-briefly 'current' insurers tried to pull the same stunt, I just fired up confused.com again, which had stored my details from last time and -again, within about ten or fifteen minutes-- had found a quote £48 cheaper, which I immediately ponyed up for. I then rang my now ex-insurers to tell them not to bother renewing my policy for this year and it gave me enormous pleasure to cut the woman off in her prime as she went into her "…​Well, let me just see if I can find you a better quote. Do you still drive a…​" spiel by saying. "Oh. It’s too late. I’ve already taken out a new policy elsewhere!"

Cynical bastard that I am, it’s not often I give a big company the thumbs up, but credit where it’s due, confused.com works a treat and is actually less hassle than having to ring your existing insurer and take part in the tedious "Let’s see if we can find you something cheaper…​" charade. And for as long as insurance companies continue to take the piss by trying to sneak through what’s effectively a 'No-Claims Penalty' on their customers at renewal time, I’ll continue to shift my policy to whoever’s the cheapest on the day.

Sorry, but such limited 'brand loyalty' as I do possess does not extend anywhere near as far as statutory muggers like insurance companies!