I don’t often moan, but I’m so angered by something that happened this morning, that I really need to let off steam….
As a professional Nanny Agency belonging to the Association of Nanny Agencies, I hold full Insurance cover – Public liability, Professional indemnity, and legal.
Regretfully over the previous 6 years I have had cause to call upon my legal Insurance as unbelievable as it sounds, various Clients (thankfully very few!!) have tried to cheat me out of fees, either by telling successful applicants not to tell me that they have been offered the job, or keeping someone permanently when they have only paid for a 2-4 week Temp booking.
It’s time to renew my policies, so I have asked around for quotes.
One Broker gave me a quote for a like for like policy at nearly half the cost of my existing policy, excluding the legal cover.
Unfortunately it turns out that the legal cover is not a stand-alone policy, and can only be taken out alongside the other two policies.
The new Broker told me that unfortunately much as he did not like turning away business, he would not be able to help me, as he would not be able to find me legal cover.
So let’s run through this again…
• Clients have knowingly tried to shaft me for my due Fees, even after prolonged correspondence.
• The legal policy states that I must hand things over to the legal team rather than start to issue proceedings on my own, or the Policy is invalidated.
• I have therefore complied with the Terms of my Policy, and at the “final demand” stage of chasing my Debts, have passed the matters over to the legal people.
• I have of course “won” in the sense that as soon as Solicitors have become involved, these Clients have paid the money owing to me.
• The Solicitors have recovered their costs….
And yet, because I have used my Policy, I am now un–insurable with a new Company, and therefore cannot take advantage of a policy that would cost me way less than the existing one.
Is it any wonder that the expression exists that “Insurance companies give you an umbrella in the sunshine, and take it away in the rain?”
Anyone else got a story to tell?
Don’t forget to visit my website www.normalewisnannies.co.uk for more news and other articles on my Blog.You can also follow us on Twitter, and find us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/NormaLewisNannies and follow us on Twitter, for everything you need to know about finding the right type of care for your children and your home. Of course if you would like help from a professional and accredited Nanny Agency, I am happy to provide you with a bespoke and personalised service the next time that you are looking for a recruitment agency in London to help you find your nanny, housekeeper, or companion.
If you would like to find out more about me, the way that I work, and how my Agency could help you, please either call me on 020 70 60 40 50, or email me on norma@normalewisnannies.co.uk
I look forward to speaking to you soon,
Norma Lewis