I am not pleased at all with insurance companies. To be honest with you, my wife is currently fighting with one. I won’t mention the company’s name, but I WILL go so far as to say their practices ARE reptilian (you figure it out).
Anyway, the whole mess has me really looking at our insurance industry, and I’m really pretty sickened.
From the small amount of web research I have done, it is obvious that it is routine for insurance companies to fight any claim tooth and nail. No wonder premiums are so high. The sheer cost of maintaining their standard procedures must be staggering! It is common for these companies to drag these cases out for months and years hoping a claimant will miss a filing deadline and the case will be dismissed or that they can force a settlement. In addition, they retain lawyers, investigators and SIU’s (Special Investigation Units…you know…the guy who follows you will a video camera). All on our dime.
They also fund vast studies and hire data analysts to sort through the numbers to tell them what cars are most likely to be stolen in what part of the country, what ages of drivers are most likely to be in an accident, and what cars are most costly to repair. They proudly wave these studies about, saying they are providing a great service to the motoring public…What a load of horseshit! It is nothing more than the equivalent of a professional gambler doing their homework. They do these studies so they can boost profits and limit liability. Just like in Vegas…the House always wins.
One company we dealt with seemed to make in a standard practice to alter our rates and billing frequently and without notification. We didn’t catch it at first, we just wrote them a check. In fact we did it for months before we caught it and called them on it. They stammered out some lame ass excuse and did finally credit our account. Needless to say, we no longer do business with that company.
In addition to all their “normal” operating expenses they make commercials hoping to attract your business. Lots of commercials. Heck, sometimes it seems they are single-handedly funding broadcast TV. Neanderthals, lizards, helping hands, cartoon characters, and traffic accidents are all common themes. The commercials proudly featuring multiple accidents get me the worst. Just how much of your insurance premium goes to purchasing 5 or 6 vehicles, hiring a film crew, stunt drivers, closing off roads to be used and then filming more accidents than most drivers will ever have over a life time…all for a 30 second commercial, which costs them a small fortune every time it is aired.
Oh yeah…that’s our money being well spent, and that’s just your cars. These guys also have their hooks in your home, retirement, business and your very health care. Oh man…I’d get sick but it would cost me a fortune.
The more I think of it…the more those two, cupped, “Good Hands” look like they are reaching out to be filled with money from our pockets.
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