Bean Soup with tortilla chip bits – my doomed final attempt at being sophisticated

I opened an email from the company that arranges my house insurance today. It’s been lurking in my inbox for a while and I’ve been putting it off. Bearing in mind how my car insurance shot up, I was not looking forward to this. It has gone up by 50%. At least, unlike my car insurer, they spared me the excuses, though they did say that although I had been with them for  while I may be able to get a better deal elsewhere. They are right. I can get insurance cover for about half what I was paying last year. Business is business and I don’t take offence at being asked for an inflted price. That, after all, is the basis of the business I am in. We name a price, the customer names a ridiculously low offer, and so it goes on . . .

However, our prices are based on judgement and we would not ask more than something was really worth. With insurance it’s less clear cut. Despite recent changes in the law, it still seems like companies keep boosting your premium to see what they can get away with. It’s not a pleasant feeling.

My soup flask – itb holds nearly two mugs.

I’m currently with a broker called Swinton. They are a national company that took over the local broker that used to do my insurance.  Their prices for house insurance and business insurance were always OK. When I tried them with my car a few years ago they were great for a year and then it went badly wrong with a quote that seemed wildly out of proportion. I changed provider and even after the latest rise in prices I am paying considerably less than that Swinton quote. I was tempted to move all the business but the household price stayed reasonable.

The new price was a shock, though not a surprise, and I just had a look round. I can do a lot better.

The top of my soup flask – a folding spoon sits in a recess in the lid. I never use it, but I like gadgets.

Of course, there is always an element of fear in swapping insurers, but sometimes you have to move. I can take out insurance with a company that will charge me a lot less than the current quote. I can’t, however, guarantee that they will be any good if the house falls down. On the other hand, having never made a claim, I can’t guarantee you that any of the previous insurers would have been any good either.

I am with a reputable car insurer, and have no worries there. I am with a reputable breakdown service, though I always feel the service may be less good than the AA. So far it’s been OK, but you never know . . .

Nettle soup with a very poor attempt at a swirl of cream

Now I’m changing house insurance. I have been with many people before, as Swinton is only a broker, so it’s not as if I really had a relationship with any insurer. At least by going directly I can select an insurer with a name that I recognise. It’s just a fear of change, rather than a logical fear, but it all adds up. That’s why I’m reading a book about being happy. So far, it’s not really working.

I think it’s broccoli soup. But it might be a failed experiment in producing life from primeval slime. I’m ambivalent about broccoli at the best of times, so it may even be a bit of both . . .

Today’s pictures are soup. Nothing like winter to make soup look attractive. Even broccoli soup.