Our new house insurance policy came in the mail yesterday but the bill attached to it was nearly $250 less than the quote my insurance agent had given me.

You know, the agent I wanted to poke with a stick and didn't.

I figured there was a mistake in the bill and so rolling my eyes mightily I called her to get THAT straightened out because the last thing I wanted after all this hassle and frustration was for there to be any question about this insurance.

Well, it turns out that it wasn't a mistake.

It turns out that taking a deep breath each time before I spoke with her, that treating her with politeness and consideration while also making my case, paid off.

On her own, my agent went to her boss on my behalf. She told me she repeated all the points I'd made with her--that we'd been with them 18 years, paid faithfully, never made a claim.

He went to the local insurance company, pointed out how much business HIS insurance agency gives to them, argued on our behalf and we're now nearly $250 richer than I expected to be.

There's even a chance that next year we may edge back closer to our old rate, she said. They're working on that.

You know, there are times when I'm just about ready to throw in the towel, to admit that the cynics who say "Good guys finish last" are right. At the darkest moment, when it looked as if all those years of loyalty to a local company meant nothing, when it looked as if no one was willing to insure our home, I was very, very tempted to scream at this woman, to just cover her in the acid of my rage over this situation.

But I didn't and that small act of consideration has paid off.

Literally. To the tune of nearly $250.

You know, I'll bet there's a moral there somewhere.

--Marn

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