Assuring Your Insured

Comedian Chris Rock once called insurance "in case (stuff) happens".
And if stuff does happen, just hope you get what's coming to you.
One rainy morning in early September, I was on my way to the radio station to air the early morning news.  It was shortly before 4am, and on my way to the police precinct to pore over reports, a car coming out of a back alley way crossed my path and left me little time or space to avoid hitting him.
Police were called.  Information was exchanged.  Insurance companies were notified.  Repairs were arranged and rental vehicles were authorized.
Now a month has passed.
I'm still waiting to hear back from the other guy's insurance.
Plus, my insurance company's recovery department is working on my behalf to get it.  There's pictures of the intersection, plus my verbal and written statements.  No reason why I shouldn't get 100 percent liability in my favor, at least according to me and my insurance company.
Naturally, the other guy's insurance doesn't feel the same way. 
I already paid for the repairs out of my own pocket, because I couldn't stand to see my truck battle-scarred any longer, and felt I could wait to be reimbursed.  Hint...don't do this close to Christmas and your wife's birthday...both within a month of each other.
That doesn't mean I'll give up.
Not by a long shot.
Most people who do know me know I can be anything from tenacious to a downright pain-in-the-dupa (yes I am of Polish ancestry), when it comes to me getting what I want.  Most times I do get it.
And I don't want much.  Only what's fair.   I didn't call Edgar Snyder and fake a neck injury.  I didn't take advantage of our great Commonwealth's "lottery" court system to try and make a lot of money I didn't earn. 
I once saw a bumper sticker that said "Hit me!  I need the money!"
Uh...no.  You won't find it on the back of my truck. 
Because I could very well have been on the wrong end of this crash myself.
And the other guy could have done just that...and ruined me in the process.
I won't do that.  The guy at fault seemed OK and didn't lie to the cops or immediately deny responsibility. 
What goes around comes around.  Guaranteed.
While it might sound tempting to take advantage of a situation like this, can you live with the fact that you lied and cheated to get something you knew you didn't deserve?
If you believe the world owes you something just because you're here, that only means you're going out the same way you came in. 
There's only one thing you take with you when you leave this world.
Your integrity.
That, in and of itself, is priceless.



NEXT WEEK:  Not-so Happy Valley