April 15, 2013
Let’s talk about Insurance today, Shall we?
I know you are thinking now- What on earth made her choose the driest and most boring subject of all to blog about?
And I know you are already checking the exit routes from here to get the hell out before I launch into my Insurance sermon.
Folks! Fear Not! For, it is not all bad. Trust Me. I can make this boring subject interesting with few twists and changes which you could have never imagined surging your way
Anyhow, I am sure hardly anyone here knows that I am an Insurance Advisor by profession. Ha! See, you didn’t see that coming, right? Well, that’s true. I have been ever present in the arena of Insurance for the past six years and I even have two industry designations to cement my claim! A Charted Insurance Professional (CIP) and Canadian Risk Management (CRM) designation. I talk to clients everyday about their insurance needs and take pride and satisfaction in guiding them to make right decisions about their ‘indemnity’ requirements (uumm…never mind, just a technical term )
But, I never imagined my calling in Insurance while I was cracking my brain studying for Masters in English Literature at the University during those younger years. If I knew then, I would have never taken so much trouble in researching and completing my thesis on Virginia Woolf’s “Delineation of the Alienated Female in Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse” in my final year. Yeah, I know, even the name of my thesis sounds horrible, right?
I didn’t know Insurance even existed when I was young and living in India. I did not know that people are required to buy insurance for their vehicles to be driven on the road and also they need to buy insurance for their homes to secure its protection. Once in a while, I remember my Dad going to Road Transportation Office (our version of Ministry of Transportation) and get some papers cleared up for his car. It was mostly to do with his license and registration of the vehicles he owned. Then occasionally, he would drop in at the local tax office to brainstorm on tax issues on some unknown stuff, still a mystery to me! Years later, with the thriving confidence on my Insurance back ground, I confronted him and questioned his lack of ‘Insurance interests’. My Dad then promptly advised me that he did have Insurance on his vehicles ‘on and off’. Hallelujah!
There, in our country, a selective few citizens were wise enough to buy the insurance protection when they acquired new vehicles or homes. They used to pay yearly at the end of the policy term rather than paying it monthly or at the beginning of a term. Due to this “paying at the end of the year business”, the norm (generally speaking) was to totally forget clearing their dues at the end of a policy year and never even reinstating the policy that expired due to non payment. The so-called Insurance companies seemed to have aversion to sending reminder letters to their clients advising them to pay.
Still shaking my head thinking of such an attitude. Don’t they want money for the risks that they insure?
Anyways, the above mentioned scenario mostly only applies to brand new vehicles or homes when people buy them. In the case of used or pre-owned vehicles or a dilapidated house, I already imagine the attitude of the people living there- “Insurance can just go to Hell”- Yeah, I know. It is sad!
Though, I fervently hope that things have changed a lot than this over the years and people are more diligent in insuring and protecting their assets properly these days.
Here, I am sure you all know, Insurance is a necessity. You want to buy a car and drive it on the road? You buy Insurance first. You are acquiring a house and yes of course, there is a mortgage? Insurance first and the rest will follow suit. Also, here, no one even likes to talk to their Insurance Company because we know we are forced to talk to them on important life situations like buying a house or a car. And then, we have to just trust them in giving us a good price. And if you do not pay for your policies on time, there will be registered letters waiting at your door step goggling at you until you clear your insurance bills.
A set system and an order is in place to deal with all aspects of our insurance needs. Now, that I work in this field and breathe insurance day and night, I badger my Dad every now and then about his attitudes and habits on this matter of utmost importance. As always, he patiently advises me that his assets are protected appropriately. Being graduated into the class of ‘Responsible and Law Abiding Citizen’ very recently – all thanks to me , he checks his policies on a timely basis and make sure to pay the premium even though his Insurance Company doesn’t give a damn if he pays it or not (I still don’t understand their attitude, I tell you).
If only I could get my Dad to organize some kind of Association or a group of some sort to create awareness in the general public of India about the importance and necessity of Insurance disciplined system, it would be awesome, don’t you think? May be, I will bring this up in our next phone chat…
You guessed right ! I really want to ask your thoughts about your friendly neighborhood Insurance Agent! Fire away!
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