Insurance Company
When I purchased my car in 2001, I bought something called "disability insurance," which makes my car payments if I get hurt and can't work. I paid off the car about a year early, and in the congrats letter from Toyota, I learned that I am entitled to a partial refund from the disability insurance. I was to call the dealership or the insurance company to get my money.

I call the dealership, because the paperwork I have only says "Life Investors," and no contact info is given for the company. The dealership tells me that they are a new dealership, and the old one is defunct. Nohing from the old dealership came to them. So sorry, and they don't deal with that company, but here is the number for Toyota, maybe they know something...

Call Toyota, and talk to a very pleasant gentleman (Brice) who tells me to call the dealership. I explain to him the situation, and he puts me on hold, only to come back and tell me that they don't know who that insurance company is, and that I should call the dealership, which I've already explained to him... oh, never mind.

Google search of "Life Investors" (that just sounds more morbid each time I type it) gets me to an old website with a toll free 800 number. Crossing my fingers, I call it, and get a very pleasant woman at some other company. I tell her what's going on, and she informs me that I need to call the dealership. No no no, I explain and she 'fesses up that they are the parent company of Life Investors. Using my soc number, she calls up my account and tells me that I should have about $40 coming. Better than nothing. I ask her for the policy number, but she says "it's about 30 numbers long, just give them your soc and they can call it up there." She gives me the number I need to call.

Call them, and get a not-too-pleasant woman who tells me to call the dealership, they can't do that here. After explaining, she asks for my policy number, and I say I don't have one, but they can call it up by my soc. "We can't do that," she says. "Your parent company could, they got all my info right there." "You need to call them and get it, then." She finally sighs and tells me to write a letter with copies of all the documents and "we'll see."

It must not have gone to her, because two weeks later, I get my check. But boy, they sure don't want you to get your money.
( setimret likes his metaphors mixed, not stirred, Wed 18 May 2005, 14:51, Reply)