I work for an Auto and Home insurance company. I get a lot of really dumb questions. but most of them are because I have schooling and licenses and they don’t. But sometimes you get those people, the ones who make you red with anger because their IQ must make George W. Bush seem like Einstein. One of those calls was from an insured of ours who was in a few accidents. When I say a few I mean 3 At-Fault-Accidents (AFA’s), 1 At-Fault-Accident w/ Bodily Injury (AFAB), 1 speeding violation, and 2 Failure to obey traffic sign. There are some states where we can just; “can this high risk money pit,” and move on, but not in California, the perpetual state of confusion, and more Divorce attorneys than married couples.
This insured had all of these incidents with in the past three years. The AFAB is the most recent, and reason for the call, was also the one that caused a Premium increase of about $250 bringing a Liability only (no Comprehensive or collision) 2000 Ford Escort to a whopping (approximate) $2350.00 over a six month term. (just under $5k a year). His question to me is, “Why did you increase my premium AGAIN…?” I reply’d with the above information and advised that we are a low risk carrier yada yada yada! I tried to convince him to seek a high risk carrier that will more than likely have a better rate than us. He yelled and screamed and said the AFAB accident was our fault because we increased his premium for a different AFA accident 6 months ago. He said it as because of his yelling on the phone about that AFA [while driving] the he did not see the motorcycle, and side swiped him.(resulting in the AFAB) He went on to say if we did not have surcharges that the motorcyclist would be unharmed, and he stated we should remove the surcharge because it’s our fault and to surcharge ourselves. I reminded him that talking on the phone while driving can be a distraction. I asked if he was presently driving while on the phone and he screamed at me, called me an idiot and said, “it is none of your ($()!!*$(*#&^%_$^&)  Business.” As he was yelling about his opinion of our companies practices; I hear him say, “Oh! (insert explicitive here) he starts yelling at me screaming, “YOUR GOING TO PAY FOR THIS ONE TWO YOU SNEAKY (insert explicitive here) , YOU KEPT ME ON THE PHONE SO YOU COULD CALL THE COPS ON ME AND GIVE THEM MY LOCATION, NOW THEY ARE PULLING ME OVER FOR TALKING ON THE PHONE WHILE DRIVING, …aaaaah (#(^&)^$&)#^&)(^& ) it…” (mind you we did not call the cops, nor do we really care if people talk while driving) I almost lost it laughing but I maintained composure. The last words I remember were, “Sir, are you OK?, and can I ask you to please hang up the phone now, your being pulled over because of that and it’s not wise to push the matter…..[click]” After that I laughed so hard I had to take my break early to go and share my call with my manager. It was so funny that she gave me approved time away from my phone to share the story with her in detail. Words of the wise, don’t call you insurance company while driving, and especially not if your trying to get an exception to remove a surcharge from a cell phone caused motor vehicle accident. Not yelling also helps too!
-True Story

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