by tcope » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:24 am
Thought I'd mention this as I really don't care for most people who work at collection companies. That is, when they think they own the world and everyone else should bow to them. Truth is, most of them don't have a clue.
My carrier denied our insurance coverage. But the prior adjuster sent a denial of coverage letter to the other person's carrier... never to our own insured (which is the only thing that they needed to do). Here we are almost two years later and I get an email from a collection company with a Default Judgement attached against my insured. They are asking me if I want to pay it. Nice of my insured to tell me about the lawsuit (which they are required to do if they want coverage). I call the insured who I know is a deadbeat and never picks up or calls back. Actually they put me over to a new person who has a brain and knows what is going on. She confirms that the other party got a $2100 judgement that is now $2700 with post judgement interest. My insured has a $2500 Self Insured Retention (they are responsible for the first $2500 of any loss). I call the collection company and try to get to the person who sent me the email. I am forced to talk to a goon who thinks he owns the world because he has a judgment and they "are going to collect on it". Eventually I get through to the other person and I explain the situation. I offer her $600 is she's willing to take it. I remind her that it's been over a year and they still have no collected on the judgement. Perhaps she wants to take my east money... otherwise I've denied coverage and she may not get anything (a bluff, as we really did not deny coverage correctly). She tells me that the carrier she's working for won't take less then the $2100. I tell her I'll see what I can do.
Here is the good part... I check with defense counsel in that state and he points out that they have a judgement against the company we insure. He's done a ton of defense for this insured (remember... they are deadbeats) and he knows they lease out their vehicles. So the judgement should be against the driver, not the company. He tells me that he can easily get the judgement vacated. But it gets better... the statute of limitations runs in 4 days. I'm holding off until then to call the collection company back. I'm going explain that I can spend $750 and get the judgement vacated. I will then explain that the statute of limitations ran so they can't refile. OOPS! I'll tell them I'm MUCH rather pay my nice defense counsel $750 and call it a day then give them $750. So I'll offer them $500 to settle. If they don't want it, I'll give $750 to my nice attorney and call it a day. My insured will then only need to pay me $500 or $750 and not the $2700.
Moral of the story... never think you know everything. Chances are... you don't.
My carrier denied our insurance coverage. But the prior adjuster sent a denial of coverage letter to the other person's carrier... never to our own insured (which is the only thing that they needed to do). Here we are almost two years later and I get an email from a collection company with a Default Judgement attached against my insured. They are asking me if I want to pay it. Nice of my insured to tell me about the lawsuit (which they are required to do if they want coverage). I call the insured who I know is a deadbeat and never picks up or calls back. Actually they put me over to a new person who has a brain and knows what is going on. She confirms that the other party got a $2100 judgement that is now $2700 with post judgement interest. My insured has a $2500 Self Insured Retention (they are responsible for the first $2500 of any loss). I call the collection company and try to get to the person who sent me the email. I am forced to talk to a goon who thinks he owns the world because he has a judgment and they "are going to collect on it". Eventually I get through to the other person and I explain the situation. I offer her $600 is she's willing to take it. I remind her that it's been over a year and they still have no collected on the judgement. Perhaps she wants to take my east money... otherwise I've denied coverage and she may not get anything (a bluff, as we really did not deny coverage correctly). She tells me that the carrier she's working for won't take less then the $2100. I tell her I'll see what I can do.
Here is the good part... I check with defense counsel in that state and he points out that they have a judgement against the company we insure. He's done a ton of defense for this insured (remember... they are deadbeats) and he knows they lease out their vehicles. So the judgement should be against the driver, not the company. He tells me that he can easily get the judgement vacated. But it gets better... the statute of limitations runs in 4 days. I'm holding off until then to call the collection company back. I'm going explain that I can spend $750 and get the judgement vacated. I will then explain that the statute of limitations ran so they can't refile. OOPS! I'll tell them I'm MUCH rather pay my nice defense counsel $750 and call it a day then give them $750. So I'll offer them $500 to settle. If they don't want it, I'll give $750 to my nice attorney and call it a day. My insured will then only need to pay me $500 or $750 and not the $2700.
Moral of the story... never think you know everything. Chances are... you don't.
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 07:28 pm Post Subject:
I received a call (message left on VM) from a collection agency about a debt that was not mine. Wasn't even my name. All they had was the phone number (which was obviously wrong). I called the collector who accused me of lying about who I was. So as I began to read the collector the riot act, peacefully, she hung up on me.
I dial the number again and when the collector answers her extension, I ask her why she hung up on me. Mind you, I'm now recording the call (unlawfully, because I don't tell her I am, as required by CA law), and she starts to get verbally abusive, when I say, "Would you mind repeating that, my recorder shut off accidentally." Click.
I called back -- about five times -- never once raising my voice or swearing or making any threats . . . all those things that collectors often do which are unlawful. She starts screaming about "Stop stalking me! Stop harassing me." and I calmly say, "Excuse me, but haven't you learned to do exactly just that to folks? Why does it bother you?" Click. All the calls are recorded. And the only one who is screaming, threatening, swearing is the collector.
On the next call, her "supervisor" answers and says, "We've called the police and will be filing a criminal complaint." And I said, "Fine by me. If you have a moment, I'm done talking, but I'd like you to listen to something." I play about 30 seconds of the first recording (the only one that starts unlawfully). Click.
No police report, no nothing. They can dish it out, but they cannot take it. Revenge like that is sweet.
Now on to the telemarketers! There is a fellow by the name of Tom Mabe who makes an artform of this. Check out his website and the CDs he's recorded, they are hysterical!! His latest spin, when the telemarketer calls -- he can tell on his Caller ID when the number is unfamiliar -- is to answer, "911, what's your emergency?" and proceeds to give them a ration of s*** as he pranks away at them.
Listen to the clips, you'll want to buy all his CDs. tommabe.com. There are some videos on YouTube, too. Very funny stuff.
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 06:04 am Post Subject: re
Far from funny but point taken. Thanks!
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