NCMA FEEDBACK

[The Juggler]

I have regrettably decided to move my insurance to MM this year due to the cover that NCMA offer for non-paying parents. I WILL move back to NCMA like a shot should they decide to offer better provision in the future however, and fully support them as an organisation. I hope this happens and have written a letter to NCMA today explainign my reasons. If anyone else is moving this year, I urge you to give them some feedback as to the reasons for your move. If we can help them see what we need and what we feel is missing then perhaps in the future they will offer this and we can move back to them for our insurance needsso that we will be supporting them to support us.

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Dear

I wanted to let you know for the reasons we've discussed earlier this year, I will not be renewing my insurance with NCMA again this year. Although I've had good legal advice on the phone in the past myself, I have not had any issues or conflicts recently but lots of members of a forum I am on have and I have to say I was shocked at some of the advice that was given - conflicting, incorrect, or in the case of non-payments, totally weighted in favour of parents.

Advice to work, unpaid, for up to 4 weeks before ending a contract in particular has been the deciding factor for me. I feel that if a parent is in arrears with payments whether these payments are for care already received or yet to be received is a breach of the contract on their part. I feel we should not have to risk working for nothing for several more weeks only to find we have still not been paid and perhaps providing up to 6 weeks of free care. Should we decide to stop care I understand that NCMA is then unlikely to support us in taking legal action to recover such costs.

In addition, I have heard that there are varying levels of support to recover that money once proceedings have been started. Some people I know have received full support but others have basically only been advised what to write in letters to parents to recover the monies. We are running a business. No other business would offer services up front for free and I don't feel we should have to either in order to access the free legal services that we pay for via our membership and insurance. I also feel if we are paying for legal representation via our insurance that this legal representation when accessed should be dealing with nonpayment claims on our behalf rather than supporting us to chase parents once proceedings have started.

If the insurance provider is changed and legal advice and non-payment protection is improved I will be back to NCMA quite happily as I WANT to support NCMA as an organisation. However, at present I am not in position to put myself at such risk in paying for insurance which ultimately I do not feel confident will not cover me adequately in case of such claims.

I would be happy to discuss this on the phone. Please e-mail me for my phone number if you would like to do so.

Regards

xxxxxx

[Blaze]

I spoke to <name removed at persons request> - for this very reason - I switched but will be back if they can offer a similar service to MM.

He said they are aware of the situation & that they are bound by a contract themselves at the moment, but will be looking at a change next Spring/Summer.

:thumbsup:

[The Juggler]

Hopefully, we can get them there then Blaze. V. impressed with NCMA - <name removed at persons request> replied to my e-mail within 2 mins (despite being on annual leave) asking if we could talk on his return from hols.:thumbsup:

[Blaze]

Hopefully!:)

[Penny1959]

Just a thought - as I (and I guess others) have months to go before renewal - could you start a petition that says something 'I intend to move my insurance from NCMA when due for renewal' So that NCMA can see the number of customers they may potentially lose.

Personally I am very pro NCMA but I am shocked at the information in your post. Some of it sounds like a staff training issue - and this could be sorted straight away and is not linked to a contract with the underwriters - I am surprised at the difference in advice that members have recieved, as when I was NCMA staff I recieved some very good training on contract issues - but then again I left NCMA in 2006 and things may have changed.

Penny :)

[Playmate]

<name removed at persons request> is also very aware of our switch to MM for insurance, and gets a constant reminder from my DH every time he see's or speaks to him :D (As the only male NPF member he sticks out like a sore thumb and can't be forgotten :laughing: ) I do think the answer is for everyone to POLITELY remind them of what are needs are as members an CM's. I to am ex staff and will always be pro NCMA and with hubby now NPF we spend alot of our time promoting the good work of NCMA, unfortunately people forget and think they are just an insurance comapany. Well done juggler :clapping: Hopefully they will soon get it sorted and we can all go back to where we want to be :D

[Hebs]

can i have the email address for <name removed at persons request>?

as i will not be renewing my membershi with NCMA when its due in feb :thumbsup:

[The Juggler]

can i have the email address for <name removed at persons request>?

as i will not be renewing my membershi with NCMA when its due in feb :thumbsup:

i'll pm you honx

[The Juggler]

Just a thought - as I (and I guess others) have months to go before renewal - could you start a petition that says something 'I intend to move my insurance from NCMA when due for renewal' So that NCMA can see the number of customers they may potentially lose.

Personally I am very pro NCMA but I am shocked at the information in your post. Some of it sounds like a staff training issue - and this could be sorted straight away and is not linked to a contract with the underwriters - I am surprised at the difference in advice that members have recieved, as when I was NCMA staff I recieved some very good training on contract issues - but then again I left NCMA in 2006 and things may have changed.

Penny :)

might be worth a try hon. go for it!

[tulip0803]

I e-mailed and told them and I have had stoney silence - this was at the end of August. Said I was proud to be a member of the NCMA but felt the insurance cover was better with MM. I kept my membership though.

[angeldelight]

So glad I am with MM for the last few years now

Never ever had a problem with them

Good luck

Keep us posted

Angel xx

[Penny1959]

might be worth a try hon. go for it!

Not sure how to go about this 'on line' due to getting signatures - BUT if anyone wants to let ncma know that they will not be renewing their insurance unless changes are made - please private message me with details about themselves / insurance I would be happy to collate and send to NCMA along with copy of letter supplied by first poster.

Maybe details such as

Penny Worcestershire Insurance renewal April 2011

Think that would enough without giving personal details - as just need to make ncma aware how many are unhappy with situation - so they have some sats when talking to underwriters.

Penny :)

[The Juggler]

Not sure how to go about this 'on line' due to getting signatures - BUT if anyone wants to let ncma know that they will not be renewing their insurance unless changes are made - please private message me with details about themselves / insurance I would be happy to collate and send to NCMA along with copy of letter supplied by first poster.

Maybe details such as

Penny Worcestershire Insurance renewal April 2011

Think that would enough without giving personal details - as just need to make ncma aware how many are unhappy with situation - so they have some sats when talking to underwriters.

Penny :)

worth a try Penny, thanks for organising. Or you could do as above and have a reasons column at end in case anyone has different reasons i.e. better debt collection service/advice line/etc. TBH although I feel strongly about the reasons I've given I don't want the letter to head the petition as I feel it might look like I'm leading/encouraging people away FROM NCMA which is not my intention - does that make sense? i want NCMA to be aware of my reasons - in detail - but I think everyone needs to have their own valid reasons. I don't want to be in Susanna Dawson's black books:laughing: :laughing:

[The Juggler]

I e-mailed and told them and I have had stoney silence - this was at the end of August. Said I was proud to be a member of the NCMA but felt the insurance cover was better with MM. I kept my membership though.

hon, you should feed this back. <name removed at persons request> DOES want to know so again, this is a real problem with the helpline. Even the woman on the sales team I spoke to the other day was urging me to send an e-mail in with my reasons.

[manjay]

I don't want to be in Susanna Dawson's black books:laughing: :laughing:

It's ok, she's moving on very soon;)

[PixiePetal]

I have just changed mine - waiting for NCMA to say I forgot to add insurance (kept membership)

[The Juggler]

I have just changed mine - waiting for NCMA to say I forgot to add insurance (kept membership)

i got a phone call from Sales the other day asking me why I hadn't renewed yet (a week before it was due!)

[Heaven Scent]

I am insured with MM but pay a premium to be a member of NCMA and I really am having huge doubts as to why I am bothering. I actually do worry that the NCMA has lost its way in recent years in every aspect - Having attended the NW confrence earlier this year I get the feeling they are seeing themselves more as a regulatory body rather than a childminder support network. I joined in 1997/8 when I first registered and found them to be on the side of the minder offering very valuable advice and support. I now however, feel they have put themselves up on a pedistal and are now merely yes me to insurance underwriters and Ofsted and Local Early years teams - when if these people say jump NCMA say how high and we can get childminders to jump even higher. They never appear to put the needs of the minder first and seem hell bent on knocking minders who are already down.

Its not just on the subject of payment and legal advice where the insurance policy falls flat on its face - the whole policy appears to be a total waste of paper if you ask me - Do you remember the subject of clearing snow on your property last year - with NCMA you are damned if you did and damned if you didn't. With NCMA you can only use their contracts if you wish to use their legal advice - I used 2 packs of their contracts and was not very satisfied with them and went over to MM insurance and their contracts - I wasn't happy with these contracts either but their insurance cover is second to none and is very much based on common sense and so long as you risk assess things you are covered. It really is so much better. Also their advice team are second to none.

My other objection with NCMA is their national rate phone number - that is not covered on my land line phone bill and when I asked them for their regular number they wouldn't give it to me again not supporting their members - according to Martin on GMTV they are legally bound to give this - appartently there is a website where it will be listed but I don't know what it is.

I am also not happy that they have done away with the handbook - they like ofsted and all Early years teams are expecting that all minders should have a computer and internet access - about half of the minders in this town do not have any access to a computer never mind know one end of it from another. I think its an absolute disgrace that minders should be expected to have to down load fact sheets when membership fee is so high.

[miffy]

My insurance is up for renewal soon too - and this time I'm taking the plunge and moving it to MM.

Very sad after 20 years with NCMA to have to do this but I don't agree with having to work 4 weeks notice if parent owes me money, that's laughable when I think the parent has already broken the contract by not paying me.

I am going to e-mail <name removed at persons request> though because the more of us that do so the better the chance of NCMA sorting itself out and delivering what it's members want.

Miffy xx

[The Juggler]

I am insured with MM but pay a premium to be a member of NCMA and I really am having huge doubts as to why I am bothering. I actually do worry that the NCMA has lost its way in recent years in every aspect - Having attended the NW confrence earlier this year I get the feeling they are seeing themselves more as a regulatory body rather than a childminder support network. I joined in 1997/8 when I first registered and found them to be on the side of the minder offering very valuable advice and support. I now however, feel they have put themselves up on a pedistal and are now merely yes me to insurance underwriters and Ofsted and Local Early years teams - when if these people say jump NCMA say how high and we can get childminders to jump even higher. They never appear to put the needs of the minder first and seem hell bent on knocking minders who are already down.

Its not just on the subject of payment and legal advice where the insurance policy falls flat on its face - the whole policy appears to be a total waste of paper if you ask me - Do you remember the subject of clearing snow on your property last year - with NCMA you are damned if you did and damned if you didn't. With NCMA you can only use their contracts if you wish to use their legal advice - I used 2 packs of their contracts and was not very satisfied with them and went over to MM insurance and their contracts - I wasn't happy with these contracts either but their insurance cover is second to none and is very much based on common sense and so long as you risk assess things you are covered. It really is so much better. Also their advice team are second to none.

My other objection with NCMA is their national rate phone number - that is not covered on my land line phone bill and when I asked them for their regular number they wouldn't give it to me again not supporting their members - according to Martin on GMTV they are legally bound to give this - appartently there is a website where it will be listed but I don't know what it is.

I am also not happy that they have done away with the handbook - they like ofsted and all Early years teams are expecting that all minders should have a computer and internet access - about half of the minders in this town do not have any access to a computer never mind know one end of it from another. I think its an absolute disgrace that minders should be expected to have to down load fact sheets when membership fee is so high.


if you cancel it please feed back your reasons to them hon. x

[little chickee]

My SCMA insurance is up for renewel next month and i too am going to MM. I'm not continuing my memebership either. I dont like the SCMA contract (one page of A4 - tiny boxes to write things in, no space to add other things)

plus its a saving of about £40. I can honestly say that being a member of SCMA has been neither here nor there for me so im saving money and moving.

Im hoping i'll get on better with MM contracts too.