Mutual satisfaction

I don’t know about you, but I get infuriated by insurance.

I don’t know about you, but I get infuriated by insurance. Motor insurance, household insurance, pet insurance. Some, like cover for your car, you have to have by law. Other stuff, like cover for your cat or the contents of your house, you don’t. A great deal of insurance is unnecessary and costly. Is it worth insuring an old banger comprehensively? No. Is it worth insuring paintings? Probably not: nicked pictures have little re-sale value and your average burglar wouldn’t know a Van Gogh from your great-aunt’s holiday daub anyway.

Each year when the premiums are due, I shudder at the relentless upward march of renewal costs. We used to insure our house and car with one of those so-called discount insurers. You know the sort of thing: ring a call centre and it’s all done in a trice via your credit card, followed by pressure to set up direct debits.