My dislike of insurance companies

 

I dislike insurance companies. All of them. Vehicle, home, medical, whatever it is, it is really not worth the money we have to pay for years, especially when they continue to try and find ways to not pay claims?

I first became very disgruntled with insurance companies when dealing with homeowners' insurance. I lived on an island for 25 years, filed only one claim (not a hurricane claim), never owned flood or wind insurance, and the cost was average. 

Now I live in town. I pay three times as much for a much less vulnerable house and a deductible that would guarantee one of my credit cards would be maxed out. I swore when my house was close to being paid for and I could get out of the requirements they demand, I would carry fire insurance only. 

One of my first reasons came to light when I first became a volunteer with a humane society in Sarasota. It seems if you owned a certain breed or breeds of dog, they would threaten to cancel you. Now, I had owned Rottweilers for years, still had two, and thought that was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard. As I watched people returned their loved pets to shelters, I threw up my hands in disgust. Fight back. Tell them to take their policies and put them where the sun doesn't shine. You don't have to take that. But, as mostly happens when my inner self talks, no one listened. 

Then my insurance cancelled after groups began pulling out of Florida because of Hurricane Andrew and I was put under Florida's safety net insurance. They had no animal policy. I stayed with them for over 4 years when the letter came that stated another private insurance was interested in buying my policy but I could opt out. This policy was less expensive, based in Clearwater, and seemed to have their ducks in a row. So I switched and never heard from them. Or so I thought. 

Three years later, I received a form letter asking me if I owned dogs and what breed they were. They were checking on banned breeds. I called them and told them it was none of their business. They did not insure against dog bites and I didn't choose to tell them my business. They sent me another letter. I threw it away. After the third letter, they gave up. Had they not given up, I would have found another insurance carrier. 

This morning WFLA had a story about a woman whose insurance company flew a drone over her roof, apparently all the roofs of customers, and sent her a letter telling her she needed a new roof. She had not one, but two inspectors come out and tell her the roof was good for at least 5 more years. The company wouldn't listen, told her she would be cancelled by a certain date so she took her letters from the inspectors and found new insurance. 

That is your protection. There are hundreds of insurance companies. Find one that treats you like you deserve. Remember, they are supposed to serve you, not the other way around.