You Gotta Know the Rules to Play the Game

What you don't know will hurt you.

I have a client who is a 47 year old husband, father, and homeowner. He's lived a very safe life and he's had insurance since he can remember. His company had recently raised his premiums at renewal, so he came to me to find a better rate.

He has never filed a claim through insurance, or at least this is what he told me.

So why did his rates shoot up mysteriously?

The answer: he had 2 things called "inquiry claims" on his file.

See, he had called into his company to ask if something was considered a claim or not. He wasn't claiming anything. He wasn't using insurance. He did want anything but an answer.

What is really dumb is that insurance companies will keep that question about a claim as a real claim.

The more claims on your file, the riskier you are to insure, and therefore insurance companies will charge you more for a policy.

SO

ALWAYS START YOUR INSURANCE CALLS WITH, "This is not a claim." And say it again. "This is not a claim. I have a question about claims, but this is not one itself. Please don't open a claim file."

I can't stress this enough.