I’m an insurance broker. I started at current my job one month ago, but have been an insurance broker for a good long time. I know my job, I am technically knowledgeable, I’m good with clients - the fact that I was headhunted from my previous job to this one says a lot in any industry, but particularly this one, where I live.
The new place I work for is a great place. I enjoy the people who I work with and for; and for the most part all of the clients have been great.
The office was relocated about a year ago, due to a fire in the old location (yes, they were insured). Due to this fire, records going back 10 years were lost. Also, the place was bought about a year ago, and sadly, the previous owners weren’t very good at insurance.
I have the task of contacting every client upon their home renewal date to do a new “Boeckh” (pronounced “Beck”) Home cost calculator. This is a Canadian industry-standard form for ALL homes, which calculates replacement cost for the house. The Pope himself could not get house insurance without one of these submitted with the application form to the insurance company.
I contacted a client last week, to advise that his renewal is coming up, and we would like to review the replacement value on his home. I live in a ritzy-pants place, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Alec Baldwin both have vacation homes here. I know what it costs to build a house here. This guy is severely underinsured, and you can bet your ass that in the event of a total loss he would come crying to us and sue us for Errors & Omissions (which is the insurance industry equivalent of malpractice).
Soo… Old Jerk says “Well why don’t you have this on file?” I explained that due to the fire and two software conversions, that information is no longer on file with us, and that if he would only answer a few questions, we could make sure he’s adequately covered. Takes about 5 minutes, tops.
Old Jerk says “Well, now I am concerned. I would expect you people to have this information.” I explained again, in a different manner, hoping he would understand. He says “Ok, I will come into your office and go over this.” I explained that I only needed answers to about five questions, and that he could give them to me over the phone. No no no, he ‘has to come in’. Fine.
So today, Old Jerk comes into my office. After me asking the questions, he looked directly at me and says:
"I see what is going on here. You are a young girl only here for one month, and are going through the files to justify your salary."
I have a few problems with this.
Firstly, I am not a young girl. I am a 30 year old woman. Would you like to see my strech marks? That means parenthood. Responsibility. Just because I am not 50 years of age does not mean that I am not fully qualified and experienced to do the job. I have the CAIB designation, and that took a lot of hard work, not to mention sleepless nights while studying. Older does not necessarily mean smarter.
Secondly, I am an insurance broker. My entire JOB is to ensure that my clients have adequate insurance. It’s not my fault that the previous owners of the brokerage had no clue about insurance and that your house is underinsured by FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, but you will make it my fault if there is a claim. I’M TRYING TO HELP YOU.
Thirdly, and to my mind most importantly, I do not work on commission.
The biggest problem I have here? He implied that I am out to get an extra premium from him. Let’s see now -
Current premium that he pays 320.00 per year
20% commision paid to the corporation 64.00 per year
of this, the brokerage keeps 25% $ 16.00 total
So, by raising his coverage to the minimum adequate limit as dictated by the national insurance company, we would make an additional $5.00.
I very heartily wanted to slip off my shoe and drive the heel directly through his forehead. However, I very politely informed the old jerk that this simply is not the case, and that we are doing it for each and every client. I also informed him that if he thought that I was being less than forthright, that he could speak to my boss, the corporation’s CEO, the Better Business Bureau, the Alberta Insurance Council, and the Insurance Broker’s Association of Alberta, or the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario. I am a member of good standing in the insurance community in this country, I have my licenses for NWT, Yukon, Nunavut, Alberta, BC, and Ontario - and if he had a problem with dealing with someone younger than him that I would have one of the other staff members deal with his file.
He looked at me with disbelief. My boss happened to be standing by the office when Old Jerk speweed that sentence, and when I was finished speaking, he quietly and politely asked Old Jerk to go elsewhere for his insurance.
I am still really pissed off. There are a lot of things that you could call me, but dishonest is not one of them. I even pay full duty whenever I cross-border shop. I never even used Napster, for heaven’s sake.
(On top of it all my sewing machine is buggered up and I’ll never get this danged quilt sewn together)
Thank you for your kind attention. The fact that someone else will read this helps the tension go away.
