Advantages: trouble free investments Disadvantages: not managed by company
Introduction:
I have been a customer of Windsor Life for about 15 years so I thought it might be useful for me to share my experiences with you. I took out a private pension and a long term Additional Wealth Plan with them shortly after buying my home.
A little background on Windsor Life:
Windsor Life Assurance was purchased in 2004 by Swiss Re Group, which has been a well known insurer to other insurance companies since 1860. Its headquarters in the UK are in Telford and has managed more than 75 million in funds under management. It specialises in investments be they lump sum, regular savings, life insurance or pensions. When I took out my policies it was with General Portfolio, however they then changed name to GAN and then were taken over or sold to Windsor Life.
My good experiences with the company:
I have been ...
with a car in order to scare their customers into getting additional work done. Luckily I knew a little about cars and knew when they were trying it on just to make an extra sale and just ignored their advice or sometimes double checked their advice with friends and relatives, some of whom worked in the motor trade. This worked well for me. Apart from the scare tactics they were competent mechanics and knew their way around cars and they were still competitive.
A few years ago LEX sold the business to Nationwide. Now called Nationwide Autocentres they have similar branding to LEX and Lucas and offer the same services often at the same premises.
I happened to buy a brand new MGTF at about the time Nationwide Autocentres came into being and so I've been getting my car serviced by MG Rover and haven't needed to visit Nationwide for about 4 ...
Soundsexciting 06.06.2006 (20.06.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Nationwide Autocentre
Advantages: Well known building society Disadvantages: Customer service poor
I held a Nationwide savings account for many years as did my Father. When my Dad passed away last year, I visited Nationwide with my mother in order to sort out Dad's affairs. We were shown into a side office still in view of the main branch as it was open plan. The branch was packed and we felt uncomfortable at having to discuss my father's accounts and our business within earshot of the customers in the next room.
The person dealing made very little attempt to hide her boredom and her lack of understanding or compassion for a newly widowed elderly lady's feelings was quite extraordinary! At one point she snatched the passbook, flicked through it and almost tossed it aside while sneering 'Less than £15,000'!
Needless to say I lodged a formal complaint and whilst we did receive an apology from Nationwide, my family have moved ...
