Car and home insurance haggling

If you're coming up to your renewal date of your policy, then you're wielding a powerhouse weapon: customer loyalty. Call your insurer, or see if it has an online chat, and tell it you're going to leave. You should be put through to the 'customer retentions' department – aka the Holy Grail of haggling.

None of the major insurance companies say they have a direct line to the 'customer retentions' department – aka the Holy Grail of haggling.

Here are a couple of examples of the best numbers to speak to someone about leaving. The AA's is 0343 316 4444 (option 2, 1, 1 for car and 2, 1, 2 for home), and Direct Line's is 0345 246 3761 for car and for home it's 0345 246 3564. With the latter, the process is answering some automated questions, such as why are you calling, to get through to the correct team.

It may push you to agree because it's a 'limited-time offer', don't feel pressured into agreeing to the new price or deal unless you're certain. As negotiations come to a close, a classic salesman technique is to stay silent. The salesman wants you to feel awkward and fill the silence. Make them fill it with a cheaper offer.