# Insurance company pays settlement w/ loose change **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 6, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985 "2014-08-06T22:53:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/1 "2014-08-06T22:53:45Z")
An auto-insurance company in California has apparently paid off a 20K settlement in unrolled [coins](http://news.yahoo.com/insurer-pays-off-lawsuit-thousands-coins-205759542.html). :eek: Clearly some high ranking executive is vindictive in the extreme considering how much more trouble they’d have to go to get 17 buckets worth of loose change instead of writing a check. How would they even be able to prove the amount they paid since it’s uncounted? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/2 "2014-08-06T23:17:56Z")
Hopefully all their customers will start paying their premiums with coins. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/3 "2014-08-06T23:25:32Z")
I wonder what the California state Insurance Commissioner would think of this behavior? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/4 "2014-08-06T23:27:21Z")
That must have been one hell of a big couch. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/5 "2014-08-06T23:43:20Z")
From the article: _“If the money’s short, then we’ll probably go back into court” to ask for the full amount, along with the cost of counting the coins “and hopefully some sanctions,” Gallo said._ I’d probably seek the cost of guarding the coins, counting them, and sanctions regardless of whether the amount was correct or not. Local judges are not likely to accept this kind of shenanigans. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/6 "2014-08-06T23:49:34Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > From the article: > > _“If the money’s short, then we’ll probably go back into court” to ask for the full amount, along with the cost of counting the coins “and hopefully some sanctions,” Gallo said._ > > I’d probably seek the cost of guarding the coins, counting them, and sanctions regardless of whether the amount was correct or not. Local judges are not likely to accept this kind of shenanigans. It’s in California and judges in California hate to get involved in shit outside the courtroom itself. It would be nice to see an appellate court weigh in on this kind of crap. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/7 "2014-08-07T00:45:48Z")
Personally, I’m making a note never to do business with that company (Adriana’s Insurance Services), given the way they’re treating their customer. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/8 "2014-08-07T01:43:36Z")
This is actually a public-relations stunt on behalf of the insurance company. Now all those untold millions of customers who think their insurance company isn’t nearly irritating enough to deal with will flock–I say veritably _flock_–to switch their policies to Adriana’s Insurance Services. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/9 "2014-08-07T02:01:05Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I wonder what the California state Insurance Commissioner would think of this behavior? I’m not sure this would fall under the Commissioner’s authority, because the payment was settlement over a lawsuit related to one of its employees. So, while the company involved is an insurance company, the payment was not an insurance payout. They are certainly feeling the wrath on [Yelp](http://www.yelp.com/biz/adrianas-insurance-rancho-cucamonga-3?osq=Adriana%27s+Insurance+Services), though. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/10 "2014-08-07T03:37:45Z")
If the insurance company gets slapped down for being jerks, maybe they’ll have to pay out $100 000. Fortunately, this can be done [in coin](http://www.mint.ca/store/mint/about-the-mint/10-kilo-coin-6500002#.U-L0MUg6m8Y), as well. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/11 "2014-08-07T05:49:29Z")
Adrianas is a broker, not an insurance company. In looking at the DOI listing, they’ve had 75 justified complaints in the last 3 years. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/12 "2014-08-07T06:50:12Z")
Where I come from this wouldn’t be “legal tender” and the recipient would be fully justified in rejecting it ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/13 "2014-08-07T07:19:13Z")
There’s a backstory to this. The company obviously feels very aggrieved by the claim. I’m guessing they think the employee’s claim is a fraud. I’m not saying their behaviour is justified (it’s completely petty and assholish) but my guess is there is some reason they particularly resent this settlement. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/14 "2014-08-07T07:21:59Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Where I come from this wouldn’t be “legal tender” and the recipient would be fully justified in rejecting it We’ve had “coins as legal tender?” threads before. Wasn’t there one (or an old one revived) just recently? I thought there was a general agreement that a creditor doesn’t have to accept any substantially large payment from a debtor in coins. The context was always “little guy” trying to pay “big guy” with a truckload of coins. Is the rule different when “big guy” pays “little guy” with a truckload of coins? ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/15 "2014-08-07T07:28:53Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Where I come from this wouldn’t be “legal tender” and the recipient would be fully justified in rejecting it The recipient did reject it. From the article: > [@](#): > > Gallo said he refused to accept the delivery because he couldn’t verify the amount in the buckets. But, he said, the cash was left the next day when he was at court. > > His assistant said eight people came in “and just dropped it off in the lobby,” Gallo said. From that, I’d say it doesn’t sound like they got a receipt, unless they badgered it out of the assistant. If not, in the lawyer’s place, I’d have been tempted to just tuck the coins away and issue a renewed payment demand. After all, the coins had already been rejected, and with no receipt, how is the broker going to prove payment? A bunch of anonymous people apparently walked in and left buckets sitting around. Clearly, it was a donation, or a piece of performance art, or something. ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/16 "2014-08-07T10:09:37Z")
With Coinstar fees, that’s less than $18k. They should sue for the balance. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/17 "2014-08-07T14:19:06Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > There’s a backstory to this. The company obviously feels very aggrieved by the claim. I’m guessing they think the employee’s claim is a fraud. I’m not saying their behaviour is justified (it’s completely petty and assholish) but my guess is there is some reason they particularly resent this settlement. It’s not an employee. It’s a former customer who claims an employee of theirs committed battery when forcibly removing him from the office. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/18 "2014-08-07T14:42:24Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > The recipient did reject it. … > > … A bunch of anonymous people apparently walked in and left buckets sitting around. Clearly, it was a donation, or a piece of performance art, or something. I like the way you think! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/19 "2014-08-07T15:16:57Z")
I’m reminded of an episode of the Mary Tyler Moore Show… Ted owed Murray five bucks, and Ted was getting out of paying the debt back by only carrying $100 bills. At the end of the show, when Murray asked for the money again and Ted said “Sure, got change for $100?” Murray grinned and started pulling heavy sacks of coins out of his desk. Ted: “Quarters??!?!!” Murray: “Nickels!” ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-company-pays-settlement-w-loose-change/694985/20 "2014-08-07T22:27:57Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > This is actually a public-relations stunt on behalf of the insurance company. Now all those untold millions of customers who think their insurance company isn’t nearly irritating enough to deal with will flock–I say veritably _flock_–to switch their policies to Adriana’s Insurance Services. Their public relations couldn’t sink any lower. Adriana’s is a bottom-feeding insurer that preys on lower income customers who have to have auto insurance to comply with the law in California.