chapter 3, April 20, 21st

April 20^th,

I Called TD Meloche car insurance to insure “la Bete”.

Spent 55 minutes with a rare incompetent individual trying to get a quote and ultimately a policy with them. La goutte qui a fait deborde le vase a 50 min dans la conversation et je cite; Can I please have your name sir” . Keep in mind that at that point he had all my contact information, my bank info, everything about my car he requested as well as my grandmother secret gravy recipe.

55 min in I bluntly told him I would have to finish this interview at a later time since I was assured in the first 5 min this would only take 20 to 30 min at most and 55 min in I was still no closer to getting anything done right. Did manage to squizz out of him an estimate for a policy, 1800 a year. Welcome to Ontario licensing people. Insurance rates are off the scale & plates are only 20 – 30 bucks. Wow ! … So innocent, “sight”

April 21st

The next day, I decided to call TD Meloche back and finish what I had started the previous night during my lunch break. The lady on the phone was very good and 30 min later I had my quote, policy number in hand and things where looking up until … I mentioned I had a re-built car. By which point “an over the top” sight was hear from her end of the line and I felt the grounds of my enterprise crumble to dust. True enough, it took her 5 sec to reject my application, another 5 to erase my policy and file and though I argued that the car had been through a safety and emission check at my local Subaru Dealership, passing with flying colors after a few repairs I was politely informed they would not, never, ever grant my car with an insurance policy. Somehow got the feeling I was standing at one end of a 10 foot pole with her at the other end weaving for me to scram.

Afterwards, I spend the better part of my afternoon between calls looking up other insurance companies in the vain hopes that I might get insured for the Easter Week-end and drive back to my folks. Desjardins was glad to oblige, only they requested an emission test, safety check, integrity check, motor history, letter from my previous insurer and a vehicle health what ever that might be. K, the emission and safety I had in hand and letter was easy enough to get. But the motor history… and health thingy. REALLY !???? Like my own Dealership Inspection was t good enough for the mighty Desjardins!

….“Haaa but I remember many years ago when my darlin motor was but 2 years of age, twas the year it burped after it was fed substandard gasoline” The poor lad”. Maybe I could also include it s first art project or when it had it s first wisdom casket removed! 3%^#$%T#$WTW$%!!!

The Cooporators where about to transfer me to their version of SVU (Special Vehicle Unit, lol) when I moved on to the next. Belaire was expensive to say the least. I even entertained the idea of CAA but had to be resuscitated after seeing the yearly 3 thousands dineroes to be part of the team. Finally my Boss suggested his own insurance broker. Sounded good so I called them. Of course being a stone throw on the wrong side of the river they could t help me but as it was they had recently opened an Ontario office. In fact it was so new, the phones line could t be transferred. I took the number down and gave them a call forthwith. At that point I had pretty much given up on any pretence of actually doing any work and people where to starting to conglomerate around my neck of the office to observe my “progress”. Took me a couple of minutes but got my basic info across and though I could t get a quote on the spot, computers where not even pluged in yet, I was promised I quote for the following mid week. Hence did not make it for Easter but progress!