Holes in our pocket? Time to sew them up!

Don’t think I’m saying people are out to get us. But I am seeing things as they are. Al and I haven’t taken time to notice how things are stripping us of the few coins in our pockets.

It’s those little things that go unnoticed. For instance, today I had a rude awakening when I was going through old homeowner’s insurance policies. I knew the premiums were inching up twenty or thirty dollars a month over the last few years. I’ve been too busy to question the bills. I just pay them.

Our homeowner’s insurance went up because the insurance company decided we needed more coverage. Our premium has gone up $800.00 from 2011 until now. I called the agent. I told him, “It’s just not right, you increased the policy, and you didn’t even ask us.”

He said, “Oh, I see you’ve got the Platinum Package.”

“I don’t want the Platinum Package.”

“We can put you into the Gold Package. Your premium will go down $400.00.”

“I’m looking for another insurance company.”

“I’m sorry Mrs. Slade you feel that way.”

Then the agent for my 20% supplementary insurance policy sent notice this month that they will be increasing my monthly premium to $300.00 a month, which will be automatically withdrawn from my account.

I called the agent and told him, “Cancel it.”

His response was, “Why?”

“Because, between Al and I our 20% supplementary insurance will be costing us $600.00 a month. We would rather go on a cruise.”

“Are you going with someone else?”

“Probably, we don’t need your services at this price. I am never sick. I haven’t made a claimed on this insurance for the past six years. Why are you going up on me?”

He didn’t answer my question, but said, “You have the L Plan, since you aren’t sick or use the insurance, we can move you into the F Plan. That means, your premium will go down from $300.00 to $124.00 a month. The only problem, you won’t have total coverage. You will have to pay $2,400 over the 80% that Medicare will pay. Then your insurance will kick in.”

“I’ll have to think about it. I’ll call you.”

How do they all get their hands in my pocket, and unabashedly just take money out of my account? They act totally innocent. Then, to add fuel to the situation, they try to sell me something else. Why didn’t they sell that to me in the first place?

Part of understanding the change my Sweet Al and I are going through, I’m starting to look at some of these things. It’s time to start questioning these people who I thought had our best interest in mind. Hello! They are in the insurance business. They are selling insurance. Of course, they are going to put us into the Platinum Plan or the L plan.

In the past I’ve let Al handle it. I didn’t question it. It’s time to get the sewing machine out and sew up some of these holes in our pockets. I’ve got to smarten up. I’m shopping around. I’m asking questions. Amazing, how agents seem to become more workable, creative and have a better plan. I don’t want to mess with these things, but I have to.

I remember years ago saying to my longtime friend, Betty Lucero, “Why is it always a fight?”

She said, “Why do you see it as a fight? You are just confronting the situation. Don’t see it as a fight.”

Final Brushstroke! Okay, it’s not a fight. It’s time to confront these things that are stripping us of our coins. It’s time to sew the holes up in our pockets.