Occasionally, when having a few pints with my team after work, we talk about all the things we'll build when we've made our fortune and are just doing software development for fun. A decent network file system, a good e-mail client (yes, I have read the book about the years spent developing Chandler), holiday and HR tracking that doesn't totally suck, ...

I think it's time to start dreaming about branching out and reforming other industries, though. Last week, I got an e-mail saying my car insurance was due to renew. It quoted me fifty quid more than last time, which seemed like a suitable slap in the face for another accident-free year.

So I spent twenty minutes of my life typing details into the two big price comparison websites, plus the one big independent insurer who won't participate in them, and eventually found it cheaper somewhere else. So I purchased it.

I then phoned my existing insurer to cancel (because their website is completely broken and won't let me log in) and got offered a matching price.

Gaaaaaaaaaaaah.

I told them as politely as I could manage to jog on. Having wasted all that time shopping around, I'm stuffed if I'm going to play their game.

We desperately need an insurer with the balls to offer people their best price in the automated renewal. Yes, I don't doubt that there is a nice profit to be made from the nine out of ten people who lack the time or energy to argue with an automatic renewal for a slightly higher price, but surely there's an alternative profit to be pursued from customer loyalty?

I'll let you know when I raise some venture capital and found the above.