Day 13, Monday: Issue a public apology. This can be as funny or as serious or as creative as you want it to be.
Dear Mr. Insurance Agent:
I am so sorry that I yelled at you on the phone a few weeks ago. It is just that I was so taken back when my home owners policy took that jump in price from $2950 a year to over $5,000. I just could not believe that there was a single reason that you could give me for the increase, other than to say, "it's a mistake and we will send you a new paper bill that will reflect the change back to your previous amount." I was just so sure that is what you would say. Imagine that I was so surprised when you told me that I was not the only one of your clients calling to complain. That our area had seen a lot of recent payouts and that was the reason for the increases. Once again please forgive me for saying that I did not believe that. You see we haven't had any storms. Or natural disasters. Or ice storms. Or other things that I can think of that might have caused such a huge increase in my premium. I was very pleased, however, when you finally said that you would look around and see what you could do. Silly me when I told you that I thought the increase might have been due to my 25 year old shake shingle roof . That is when you paused and said," oh really!"
I am so sorry that I yelled at you when you called me back to say that you had found me another company (still owned by your company) that would be happy to continue to offer me insurance at a rate that was 'close' to the rate I used to pay. But we agreed to this change and I thought that was that.
I am sorry that I yelled at you the next week when I got my new car insurance paper in the mail and found that my LIABILITY insurance was increasing in price from $429 every six months to $649 in six months. I had alredy had people telling me that I was paying way too much for liability insurance. But I was faithful to you. I believed in you, my agent. You were doing what was best for me. Or that is what you told me when I called you. Forgive me for telling you that I didn't believe you.
It was that very same week that the shady little man, with a small Canon camera, showed up to take pictures of my house. He said he was from the new insurance agent. Forgive me for my surprise. I had a new agent! Forgive me if I yelled when I called to ask about that. And you assured me that I was still being insured with your insurance company and that it was just a matter of policy that they were taking pictures of my house. That is all he did. He took a picture of the back. And a picture of the front. That is all. But the new company, although owned by your company, still needed a check to cover me for the next year. Forgive me, but I put it in the mail already.
And I am so sorry that I looked around and found someone else that would give me liability insurance for my car for only $129.00 every six months. And I called you to let you know. And you didn't even say you were sorry for the way out 30+year relationship ended. You never apologized. Or said that you would miss me. Or that maybe you should have tried harder. But I won't hold that against you.
And forgive me when I became more than upset when I received my cancellation notice in the mail. You gave me one month and said that I would need to find another company to insure my house. And you blamed it on that 25 year old roof, you know, the one that you said was not the reason that my insurance premium took that $2000 a year jump in costs. And I am sorry if I wasn't most polite when I informed you that over the past 25+years that you had been my insurance agent that I had paid you over $62,5000 in premiums and NEVER EVER filed a claim.
Forgive me Mr Insurance agent if I have been left with a bad taste in my mouth for your company. Forgive me if I fail to understand why this happened Forgive me if I don't believe any of your lies anymore. Forgive me if I have moved on and found another agent. A nice man who will not lead me astray the way that you did. A man who will let me know if there is a reason that I am going to end up paying more. Not just send me a bill with the increase attached, the way that your company did.
And by the way, forgive me for not telling you, that a new roof is being put on my house next week. That's right! You lost me as a customer and you didn't even bother to find out if there was an amicable way we could have solved this problem. And once again, I am so sorry for ending our relationship. I have another agent in my life now.
Sincerely yours,
Disgruntled Home Owner
Dear Mr. Insurance Agent:
I am so sorry that I yelled at you on the phone a few weeks ago. It is just that I was so taken back when my home owners policy took that jump in price from $2950 a year to over $5,000. I just could not believe that there was a single reason that you could give me for the increase, other than to say, "it's a mistake and we will send you a new paper bill that will reflect the change back to your previous amount." I was just so sure that is what you would say. Imagine that I was so surprised when you told me that I was not the only one of your clients calling to complain. That our area had seen a lot of recent payouts and that was the reason for the increases. Once again please forgive me for saying that I did not believe that. You see we haven't had any storms. Or natural disasters. Or ice storms. Or other things that I can think of that might have caused such a huge increase in my premium. I was very pleased, however, when you finally said that you would look around and see what you could do. Silly me when I told you that I thought the increase might have been due to my 25 year old shake shingle roof . That is when you paused and said," oh really!"
I am so sorry that I yelled at you when you called me back to say that you had found me another company (still owned by your company) that would be happy to continue to offer me insurance at a rate that was 'close' to the rate I used to pay. But we agreed to this change and I thought that was that.
I am sorry that I yelled at you the next week when I got my new car insurance paper in the mail and found that my LIABILITY insurance was increasing in price from $429 every six months to $649 in six months. I had alredy had people telling me that I was paying way too much for liability insurance. But I was faithful to you. I believed in you, my agent. You were doing what was best for me. Or that is what you told me when I called you. Forgive me for telling you that I didn't believe you.
It was that very same week that the shady little man, with a small Canon camera, showed up to take pictures of my house. He said he was from the new insurance agent. Forgive me for my surprise. I had a new agent! Forgive me if I yelled when I called to ask about that. And you assured me that I was still being insured with your insurance company and that it was just a matter of policy that they were taking pictures of my house. That is all he did. He took a picture of the back. And a picture of the front. That is all. But the new company, although owned by your company, still needed a check to cover me for the next year. Forgive me, but I put it in the mail already.
And I am so sorry that I looked around and found someone else that would give me liability insurance for my car for only $129.00 every six months. And I called you to let you know. And you didn't even say you were sorry for the way out 30+year relationship ended. You never apologized. Or said that you would miss me. Or that maybe you should have tried harder. But I won't hold that against you.
And forgive me when I became more than upset when I received my cancellation notice in the mail. You gave me one month and said that I would need to find another company to insure my house. And you blamed it on that 25 year old roof, you know, the one that you said was not the reason that my insurance premium took that $2000 a year jump in costs. And I am sorry if I wasn't most polite when I informed you that over the past 25+years that you had been my insurance agent that I had paid you over $62,5000 in premiums and NEVER EVER filed a claim.
Forgive me Mr Insurance agent if I have been left with a bad taste in my mouth for your company. Forgive me if I fail to understand why this happened Forgive me if I don't believe any of your lies anymore. Forgive me if I have moved on and found another agent. A nice man who will not lead me astray the way that you did. A man who will let me know if there is a reason that I am going to end up paying more. Not just send me a bill with the increase attached, the way that your company did.
And by the way, forgive me for not telling you, that a new roof is being put on my house next week. That's right! You lost me as a customer and you didn't even bother to find out if there was an amicable way we could have solved this problem. And once again, I am so sorry for ending our relationship. I have another agent in my life now.
Sincerely yours,
Disgruntled Home Owner
Hi. I don't think it's any bad thing that you moved on to insurance pastures new. If it's anything like the UK, staying with one insurer just means you pay more. Isn't insurance getting expensive!
ReplyDeleteYes it is. And it is ridiculous how much you pay and you might never need it and there are no rewards if you go years without ever using it.
DeleteCopy this to that complaint site and send this agent a copy sis
ReplyDeleteWill do Bro. Have to go see if I can find that site!
DeleteWoah! 62,500 in premiums.
ReplyDeleteThe insurance industry from country to country can be so drastic. I can ensure my home here in Ireland for about 100e a month.
You know what they say: "Only in America"
DeleteGive the hell!! They deserve it. Insurance people can be so shady. You are the customer paying their salary. Way to hit them where it hurts and taking your business elsewhere. We do price quotes every so often just to make sure our insurance is still competitive.
ReplyDeleteI never dealt with this before. This is one of those things that Richard always took care of And it stresses me to the max. I hate being the responsible one. Do I sound just like a 1950's housewife. Hiring a roofer was another story in itself! Thanks Cristy for commenting.
DeleteThis stuff always stresses me out too. I guess I should learn about it now, just in case. I have dealt with the cable company, and that sucked!! Being the responsible one sucks too. Being a 50's housewife sometimes doesn't sound too bad...lol.
DeleteOh my. Sounds like YOU are the one needing an apology, not needing to give one.
ReplyDeleteTHat's what I thought too. But I sure didn't get one
DeleteI hope you send a copy of this to your former insurance agent! It sounds like he needs to read it.
ReplyDeletexx
That has been suggested to me!
DeletePaula, I am married to a man that has worked his entire career in the insurance industry. It may be difficult for you, or any of your readers to believe me when I say, "Oh, but I understand."
ReplyDeleteNothing is more frustrating than the note in the mailbox listing our new premiums, unless of course it is the lack of the phone call that never made it to the phone.
There are many reasons why rates fluctuate, but there is never a reason for a carrier to dismiss the need of a good customer service relationship.
I have been known to leave a situation 'open' for my husband to review, until he can talk directly with an agent, hospital, doctor or dentist, for no other reason than to have him suffer, personally, what those of us do not understand, ("You may know what is happening, but I don't. Just use some everyday words and help me understand it.)
My greatest concern is what we will face as we transition into Obama Care (I DO NOT KNOW ENOUGH To answer any questions.) I do believe each of us will be faced with such a huge learning cure, along with each and every legislator. Let us pray for endurance, and in the meantime. Let's do our homework. Insurance quotes are free, just be sure that the quotes from Company A to Company B
are match-for-match the same coverages. IF something is too good to be true, well, you know what they say...
I just think this agent was not interested in being a 'people person' with me because he had always dealt with my husband and he didn't like that I was questioning his abilities!
DeleteGirl, sometimes you have to catch a case and rip people a new one.
ReplyDeleteHa! So glad you could find something better! Sometimes it can be hard to find a good insurance agent, but it's worth a little pain to find out and move on before things really take a dump! :)
ReplyDeleteKristen's latest #BlogEveryDayInMay post: I'm Sorry, Monsters!
That is exactly what happened here. And I have no regrets!
Delete