Stupid Insurance

 So after 10 years with Frontline Insurance, they canceled me since my roof is over 20 years old. Of course, it's been over 20 years old for 7 years, but I guess that after collecting well over $100K in premiums from me, with zero claims, it was time to pull their chips off Dave's spot on the roulette table. Fine.

I called my agent Vilma, and told her just to get me a simple liability policy -- $300K. I have a huge umbrella policy, and just need the underlying policy to make it kosher. I explained to Vilma that house repair or replacement costs are huge, but I kind of know what they are -- worst case scenario, a fire comes or another Andrew -- we well the place for land value, which is already higher than we paid in 2000, and move on. What I CAN'T predict is a potentially catastrophic claim if someone trips while visiting. The unknown is what I need to insure against -- not the known.

Vilma said no -- there was a venerable company called Tower and they would give me a "fire policy" for about $5K -- might as well have THAT coverage for less than half of what I was paying Frontline. I agreed. Oh, Vilma said -- they require YOU to have an inspection and pay for it -- $175 from a local company Vilma uses. The inspector came, and was great, but said the roof was STILL a problem -- even though they were not going to insure it -- something about fire resistance after 20 years. I called my roofer, Andrew Palmer, and they gave me a report for free saying the roof had another 5 years of service -- that ought to pass muster.

Sure enough, Tower sent me a bill for $5800, and I was all set for the new insurance year, starting near Xmas. But then Tower called -- they wanted to send their own inspector, too -- it would take a few hours. A nice, not too bright young man came, and in fact he was here 2 full hours, "scanning" the house to show its size. I guess it made sense -- they need to know how much they'd have to pay if the place burned down or got hit by a falling meteor.

And then early this am, even though they had my money, came the email -- they were canceling my not yet in effect policy. Vilma read me the report -- my beloved house sounded like an Overtown crack den -- with leaks and bad roofing, and hot water heaters without emergency drains... even though one heater is in the garage, and the other on a marble floor which won't be damaged if it leaks.

Now I was annoyed. I had spent money AND hours for a waste of time. Vilma said she would now do as I originally asked -- get me a simple, liability policy for $300K coverage to protect against a claim that would cut into the Ds future inheritances. We'll see -- she has until December 24th.

So after annoyance, I turned to something to cheer my up -- MY form of Black Friday shopping. I NEVER shop on Black Friday, or really most any other day. I don't want stuff. I replace clothes when they tear -- sort of like a 10 year old shirt I almost wore to Fox's the other night before noticing a rip down the front.

But today is Give Miami Day! A bunch of non profits get together and try to raise funds -- I think it may be the biggest such event in the US, and it makes me proud. We've already given our substantial gifts -- FIU, Friendship Circle, UM, and Lotus House, but today is my version of retail therapy. I went on the site and donated to Paws4U Rescue -- Wifey's idea. She loves helping animals, particularly dogs. I gave some more to Lotus House, the leading shelter here for women and kids only.  Guys -- hell -- they can live ok under bridges -- it's camping out for them. But women and kids -- nah.

I dedicated the Lotus gift snarkily to Wifey - saying that but for the grace of the Big Woman (she prefers that reference to the Lord over Big Man) -- who knows where she would be living? The snark comes from the fact that she's agnostic and just kind of thinks she's lucky.

I have some more to Jackson Foundation, so I can have a rooting interest when Barry shares the tales of their administrative dysfunction.

So mission accomplished. No matter how annoyed the insurance industry made me -- I got to do my version of Black Friday -- and "bought"  all I wanted.

Now I just hope nothing untoward befalls Villa Wifey...