Template Error

[Kevin Thurlow]

We recently had contact with (1) a bank and (2) an insurance company, in the space of half an hour. We asked why names of people we had never heard of were (1) allegedly the founder of my company, and (2) the beneficiary of an insurance policy. The reply in each case was, "It's a template error." This did not make sense in either case. Is "template error" a standard excuse for an error (e.g) in banking and insurance?

[E Michael White]

Is "template error" a standard excuse for an error (e.g) in banking and insurance?

yes

Its similar to the use of the expression "The Preface" by Arbiters.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Thank you - I understand completely!

[Angus French]

It used to be the case (and maybe still is; I don't know) that limited companies could be bought off-the-shelf, with ready-made memorandum of association / articles / whatever, and set up by a couple of people as directors who would be replaced when the company was acquired. Might that explain the "template errors"?

[Kevin Thurlow]

Perhaps, I set up the bank account and maybe someone at Barclays used the usual form and did not notice there was an exisitng name. It certainly took several attempts to explain to them recently (when they finally noticed) that it was highly unlikely that a company named after me would be set up with some stranger as sole director...

Now, if they only could take notice of my address change, which I have notified repeatedly over the last three years.