Juggling a week of work and study

Monday

First thing in the morning, my little team assemble and it is off to a local hotel for breakfast. After a post mortem of the previous week, we are soon back at our desks.

The post is next to be dealt with, then calls - and only 1 hour and 43 minutes are wasted listening to inane music to discover that Witan did intend to send us a cheque for 2p and to be told by my own bank that they cannot talk to me because apparently I do not know my own or any of my family’s birthdays. It seems I am now locked out but they will speak to the husband, the cleaner or anyone other then me. I feel a strongly-worded letter coming on.

In the afternoon I am on the phone to another person with a voided critical illness insurance claim. I had to explain why I did not think she would be able to claim. I hate it when that happens but the concept of 'reasonable' has to be drawn. I have always felt that the genuine cases need to be fought and supported but there are those that would abuse the system and the provider needs to be protected from them or premiums will rise for the majority to accommodate the few.

Tuesday

It is a big day today. I catch the 8 am train for a meeting at Biba house with the charming Paul Sneddon, the fragrant Susie Colley and the cuddly Bill Poynton. In the afternoon I am at chambers to discuss a new case and provide an opinion on a contentious term assurance contract problem. In the evening, I then go off to a medical meeting with Dr Geoffrey Glazier. It is then home to do my two hours of study.

Wednesday

It is clients all day today starting at 9.30 am right through to 5.30 pm, which means lots of chocolate biscuits (better get a wider chair). The meetings bring three new clients and news of one death. I always feel sad to hear of a death but this one had been with me for more than 25 years, and that hurts. I manage to get away from the desk by 6.30 pm so can start my course assignment – 2000 words on trusts. I feel exhausted already.

Thursday

I spend the first two hours of the day fighting with insurance companies. Do I speak English? Do they understand English? What is so hard about looking at a quote before they send it out? Would Mr X really have had a difficult pregnancy? Would Mrs X, mother of three, really have been born in 2008? Could Miss X actually have an undescended testicle - well, it takes all sorts.

My morning is rounded off with a jolly encounter with the Financial Ombudsman Service over one of the cases I am handling that has been with it for almost a year.