Saturday, April 12, 2008

Plan your defense

She called late on a Friday afternoon. Wanted to know what happened. I was busy and on my way out the door, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to speak with her briefly. Maybe I should have treated her like a telemarketer and politely excused myself. Maybe I should have asked her to call back. I started to tell her about the break in. I had immediately replaced my door locks - just in case the burglars got the extra set of keys I was unable to find. Before I could finish...

"We won't be able to reimburse you for that" she interrupted. And I had just started. She called to ask what happened. Barely twenty words had left my mouth when she let me know the bad news. I hadn't even got to the bulk of the losses. And she is already letting me know that her big insurance company wasn't going to pay - for even the simplest little expense - like replacing my door locks.

This gets me to wondering - If this rude, and unfriendly claims representative is already starting to deny me - what's next? Was this a negotiating ploy on her part? Was she trying to bully me into accepting a watered down, worthless offer? Was she just preparing me for more bad news?

Maybe she was having a bad hair day. Maybe her boss just hollered at her for paying some other customer too much on their claim. Maybe she was in a hurry to get home and didn't want to deal with me.

Who cares about maybe? All you really care about is getting reimbursed for your loss. Isn't that the reason we purchase insurance? Don't their TV ads propose to help soften life's little blows? To make our lives better? Don't they claim to be there for us? On our side?

Whatever their lame, profit based reasons - we owe it to ourselves to do as much as we can to prevent unexpected losses before they occur. Easy, simple measures like keeping your car doors locked. Keeping our houses as secure as possible. Closing the garage door when no one is around. Closing and locking windows before leaving.

Simple precautions can help protect you and your loved ones from all but the most determined criminal types. They won't let much deter them. The biggest majority of burglaries and home or business break-ins are performed by small time burglars in search of an easy bounty. Electronics and jewelry they can easily pawn or sell for a few dollars. Or trade for drugs.

Make the right decision and be proactive. Install deadbolts and use them. Install window locks and use them. Install outdoor lighting with motion sensors. Maybe even some wireless security cameras.

Plan your defense before you need it. Protect your family, your loved ones, your home, and possessions with a simple and effective do it yourself home security plan.

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