In early December last year, my little lad had his first dingle and was neatly sandwiched in a four car pile up. Ouchies but nobody hurt except the Magna and his pride.
All was organised, he was quick off the mark reporting the accident, getting onto the insurance company, sorting out his fine and paying his excess. There are heavy penalties for being male, under 25 and behind the wheel of a car. I paid via my Visa. Sorted! All within days of the accident.
We didn’t think anything of it until last week when he received a letter from our insurance company asking that he pay $1150 excess. Upon further investigation and much frantic rummaging through past bank and credit card statements with no sign of the $1150 being debited we called the insurance company to query the letter.
We didn’t think anything of it until last week when he received a letter from our insurance company asking that he pay $1150 excess. Upon further investigation and much frantic rummaging through past bank and credit card statements with no sign of the $1150 being debited we called the insurance company to query the letter.
We were politely told that the payment had been declined as the card was reported ‘lost’.
Ah . . bells started ringing. I had indeed lost my Visa, had it cancelled and forgotten about the pending payment within the week it took for my new card to arrive. So, we hadn’t paid the $1150!
What really surprised me was the fact that we had only been advised of the non-payment in July 2009 when the accident was in December 2008 . . .seven months had passed and we were oblivious that the money hadn't been paid! How could I not miss an $1150 debit!
What had Adam really thinking he’d be avoiding bending over to pick up the soap in Silverwater Maximum Security prison, was the letter he received today from the claiment's insurance company threatening to sue him for $18652.64 (why they didn't round it to .65 cents i'll never know!)
Poor kid had a caniption. . news like that could kill you.
Anyway, all’s well that ends well. We had already made the payment to our insurance company last week. The legal threats ended up being empty and the insurance will cover all the damage to the car he hit. Not his unfortunately, that is a write-off with four great wheels so if you need set, let me know!
Ah . . bells started ringing. I had indeed lost my Visa, had it cancelled and forgotten about the pending payment within the week it took for my new card to arrive. So, we hadn’t paid the $1150!
What really surprised me was the fact that we had only been advised of the non-payment in July 2009 when the accident was in December 2008 . . .seven months had passed and we were oblivious that the money hadn't been paid! How could I not miss an $1150 debit!
What had Adam really thinking he’d be avoiding bending over to pick up the soap in Silverwater Maximum Security prison, was the letter he received today from the claiment's insurance company threatening to sue him for $18652.64 (why they didn't round it to .65 cents i'll never know!)
WITHOUT PREJUDICE
In the matter ofand TAKE NOTICE, THAT NRMA INSURANCE, who are the insurers of may issue legal proceedings through the COURT (well I don't know where else you'd issue them) for recovery of $18652.64 AND WITH COSTS ADDED relating t0 damage sustained to their vehicle caused by you on 6/12/2008.
This amount is to be paid by seven (7) days from the date of this letter. (The letter was dated 20 July and today is the 31st!)
If you have insurance to cover you for this loss, please contact your Insurer to avoid further personal involvement and expense.
THIS IS A FINAL NOTICE. (we didn't get a first one!) It would be in your best interests to attend to this matter
Anyway, all’s well that ends well. We had already made the payment to our insurance company last week. The legal threats ended up being empty and the insurance will cover all the damage to the car he hit. Not his unfortunately, that is a write-off with four great wheels so if you need set, let me know!
Of course he had to hit a Volvo didn’t he? Something tells me the panel beater isn’t being quite honest about the level of damage. That's an awful lot of money for a plastic bumper bar and a splash of paint. I'm definitely in the wrong career.
So Friday Fuckwits Four . .
So Friday Fuckwits Four . .
Me . .I didn’t even notice that the Princely sum of $1150 hadn’t been taken off my Visa in November. Clearly I have so much credit card debt that I just don’t look at the statements any more!
Budget Direct Insurance for leaving it 7 months before they asked us to pay the excess. Not a ‘reminder’ just a “Your excess is due . . .” letter.
NRMA Insurance for giving my kid a caniption fit without so much as a “Are you having problems raising the money in these hard economic times?” Bastard lawyers.
The panel beater who’s ‘fixing up’ the car Adam ran into and clearly ‘stitching up’ the insurance company – if he’s not skimming, he must be making the bumper bar out of gold plate!
28 comments:
if a check is only good so many months so should a requrest be ..ok fixed Happy weekend. I have too much on my plate darn it ..sanyd
Why is it that women never drop the soap!? LOL! Insurance is the biggest racket going, it should just be called "organized crime"! Life insurance is rather annoying, also, planning for your demise!
Insurance companies only hurry when they want to - not when you want... all insurance is generally done at a snails pace except when either party thinks they won't get paid!!
I think you should srike the bodywork guy off your list - experience says he was beaten 'down' to that price by guess who? yes, the insurance company!!!!
Good job Adam's safe - thats what matters!!!
Both you and Adam are alive and well. Do you really not check your statements? I must be odd, I can tell you to within ten pence what is in my purse and how my debit and credit are. Yes, I am ODD!
Oh crap that is an hell of a friday fuckwits indeed!
Have to say I'm like Grannymar and know my cash situation to the last £1. But yes, how come it took the insurance company so long to chase you up? Because they're useless procrastinating time-wasters of course.
The only time we claimed on car insurance after our car was driven into, they took 9 months to settle. During that time, the car was also broken into and finally stolen. So they ended up paying out much more than if they'd settled more quickly. In fact they paid for one claim twice so we did quite nicely out of it.
We had a hailstorm come through about hmmmmm perhaps 15 years ago now ...
SOOOOOOOOOOOO much damage to the car and house ...all paid by NRMA the within 48 hours (the whole town was effected and NRMA paid first in most cases) ...
If I pay a thousand dollars every year until I die...I will not have paid back how much they paid out ...to me.
I still thank God for insurance.
ha. the other persons toes peaking out at the bottom of the picture...ick. ha.
well that all stinks. been in a couple fender benders...$2800 for a 1 inch scratch on a fender...left me feeling much like your boy. all well that end well i guess...have a great weekend.
Don't even get me started on insurance companies.
But the comment about the final notice made me laugh. My husband once got a speeding ticket that he didn't tell me about, and he didn't pay. So a few weeks later we get a "Second Notice" of the ticket. B had a fit that I hadn't paid off the ticket he didn't tell me about. And to cap it off, he said, "Why wasn't there a first notice? Why didn't they send us a first notice?" He settled down very quickly when I reminded him that the ticket itself was the first notice. Ha.
Oh holy hell. That's a doozie. You made a horrible story funny, one of your many talents--
I am quick to suspect any Volvo driver (but of course no offense to drivers of Volvos, lol)
quite the 4some, baino... glad it's resolved, for the most part
otin: the biggest organized crime is government! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Bloody hell, Baino! I've been hit twice while not even in the bloomin' car! My neighbour's SUV got side-swiped while parked. The bugger ran off but came back a bit later, to "settle" up. Turns out he had a rather bad record and decided not to notify the insurance company. SHe was rather happy with the( inflated damage claim )cheque.
But missing a debit that large? Don't the card companies issue monthly statements? Surely you'd have seen that? Just glad it's all been rectified...
Insurance companies. I hate them. Heh-heh, if you drop the soap in prison, leave it there.
My "little lad" keeps wanting to use my car to learn to drive. I phoned the insurance company to see how much extra it would cost to have him put on my insurance. £3,500!. Yes, insurance companies are great aren't they.
What a trial--but I'm glad it's all working out, or will. Unbelievable that it took so long to catch up with you.
Oh my. Soul mates, indeed. I can picture this happening to me so easily. And Liam can get his driving permit in six months. Help!
Very funny photo.
I think they must have done their June accounts Sandy and realised the money was outstanding. I heard nothing from them or the bank.
Sadly Otin it's a necessary evil for me. I can't afford to replace cars or service debt without insurance. It's half my pay packet! Income protection, Trauma, Health, House and Cars!
That's true Kate. It took quite a fight for me to get my kitchen replaced after my dishwasher flooded everything. They wanted to only replace the skirting boards which meant demolishing the kitchen and tried to get me to pay for the cupboards! I won! They eventually replaced the lot.
Nup. Just pay the minimum amount! Pathetic I know but it depresses me to see what I used to spend!
He he . .so many Fuckwits Candie, so little time!
Nine months! Well then Nick 7 isn't so bad. Our cars only have third party insurance so no doughnut if we run into a tree!
Sarah it's such a necessary evil unfortunately although I've paid way, way, more than I've ever claimed.
Brian I once 'kisssed' a bumper bar with mine and the quote was $2,500! There was barely a scratch. I really think the panel beaters have insurance companies over a barrel.
Haha . . yeh well I'm no speed queen so I'm safe on that score!
Leah you wouldn't believe this particular Volvo driver she tried to claim from the car in front as well but she ran into the back of him! Actually the car that caused the accident took off scott free! Here you're automatically 'at fault' if you run into the back of someone.
Yeh, nobody hurt fortunately Wuffa, just the Magna that's sitting looking rather sad and waiting for the wreckers.
Nah Subby, I just pay the statements. I suppose I should check. The crazy thing is that the money was paid on a debit card and I still didn't notice I was $1150 richer than usual. There was a bit of account jangling going on though. Adam was giving me cash and I was paying for his fine, repairs etc. on my card so . .maybe that distracted me.
Quite so Willow . .I hate insurance companies too but . . .need em sadly.
Alan that's the problem really. Until they're 25 it costs more than the car in more cases. That's why we wrote off the magna, it would have cost more to repair than to buy another car.
Hi Suze. Yep . .all sorted now but the poor kid rang me at work in a flat panic when he opened the letter!
Megan it's nervewracking. I'm a bit more relaxed about them driving now but still happy when they pull up at home.
Pretty good eh Ropi although I suspect those are a 'woman's' feet behind the guy . . .
I'm dreading 10 years from now when Princess Nagger will be old enough to get a license...I suppose I better save up just in case. ;)
Glad everyone was OK (except for your son's car, poor thing!) Insurance companies bug me - we pay all that money into them, you'd think there shouldn't be any 'out of pocket' expenses when we have to file a claim. :)
I remember when bumpers were covered with rubber and were made for bumping.
financial fuckwittage is one of the worse varieties, imo
Well, if girls flirt as it is told my the girl in the video in my blog, then it is better to be a hermit and take celibacy.
You don't check your credit card statements???? Bad, Bad Girl!
Please tell me you at least have some kind of budget system...
And I don't mean "earn it, spend it".
@grannymar and nick; me too, down to the last cent.
Hi Stacy welcome aboard the "Bantha" (so says VE) . . .It all happens so fast I must say. I still get them to check in and let me know where they're going, who they're with and what time they'll be home.
Kurt EXACTLY . .why all that practice in bumper cars at fairs if we can't bash into the odd one for free!
Yip . .tell me about it Lettuce. No avocados in Tassie but they grow mean berries.
Haha . .Well Ropi since I haven't yet seen her in action. . I can't comment but yeh, they do weird things. Like a slap on the arm is often a sign of affection . .as is the 'baby' talk. I'll give you sme offline heads up! Nah celebacy is for priests, not virile young men!
I know, I know. River I have been chastised. I'm getting better now that I'm earning less. Really. There's one good thing that's come out of my situation. All of a sudden I'm paying attention to my spending habits! Actually my sister gave me a caution this morning about not monitoring my statements. I am actually finally doing a budget . .I can't balance the books. Champagne taste on a beer budget and a house full of animals and scoffalots! I consider myself chastised. I shopped today and might do a post on how to be a cheapskate.
Oh, insurance jobs .. it's all a big party, isn't it? The garages charge as much of the earth as they can get away with because 'it's only the insurance company paying', the insurance company love to charge lots and lots to justify the increasingly steep premiums and excesses, and the lawyers just love the whole thing, they don't care who wins, because they still get a cut - even for writing a snotty letter.
Glad he didn't end up trying to work out how to get that soap! LOL!
Tsup*!* Oops that's as close as you'd want to get to prison soap.
Wow, Baino! Talent for making me laugh at a horrible set of circumstances! I hate insurers...They make everything so expensive and difficult and then, people want to take undo advantage, which drives the costs of everything up...(All puns intended)...
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