The person who came up with the saying that the customer is always right has obviously never worked in the insurance industry. Allow me to paint a small portrait for you. A young man, let’s call him Dave, purchases a new vehicle. He comes into the dealership to by that Corvette that he has always wanted. Dave is only 21, so how many of you know Dave was paying more for his auto insurance than he was his car note. Well, that is not what the story is about, so let’s get back to it.

Remember, Dave is only 21, not quite old enough to have graduated from college. Has anyone asked the question: How can Dave afford a Corvette? Last time I checked, the lower end models started out around $60, 000. Maybe you underst and where I am going with this, if not, hold tight, I will get there momentarily.

Dave has to take out a full coverage comprehensive insurance policy. This is important to remember.

Seven months later, Dave, who is obviously no genius, finally does the math and realizes that he is paying twice as much for his car and insurance as he is for his apartment. He talks it over with his friend, let’s call him Evin, and the two of them decide that it would be cheaper to get a Camaro. The truth is Dave can’t afford that either, but that is not what this story is about, I digress yet again. Dave attempts to trade in his seven month old Corvette for a Camaro. Can anybody say “upside down”? By now Dave is becoming frustrated and desperation is beginning to set in. Finally the two geniuses decide that they will simply total out the car “accidently on purpose” and allow the insurance policy to pay for it. How many of you out there know this is highly illegal?

Obviously, Dave not only failed at math, but reading as well, because the policy clearly states what will happen if any fraudulent activity is detected; first thing would be denial of the claim. Dave calls his insurance agent to report the damage to the car. When the adjuster comes out the pieces of the puzzle just don’t seem to fit together. Not only can’t Dave add or read, he obviously sucks at lying as well. Final disposition: Claim denied! Only it’s not over, not from where Dave is st anding. The insurance adjuster is screwing up a perfectly good (did I mention illegal) plan. Dave is not having it. So, he calls his agent to complain. As nicely as possible, Dave’s agent explains the details of the case and implies that Dave might want to go sit down somewhere and be grateful that the police were not brought into the matter.

We have already ascertained that Dave is not the brightest light in the room, he doesn’t get the hint. What does Dave do next? He asks Evin for more advice. Evin says call her supervisor, no, call the company president. Really Evin? Has Evin ever heard of the word accomplice? I don’t need to tell you what happens to those two geniuses, but it definitely makes my point that the customer is not always right. I am starting to believe that someone in Dave’s family history coined that phrase.