I’m baaaaccccckkkkkkk…well maybe !

Jo Bryant,

As you all know I have had some rather impressive computer problems in the last while. Crashes, technical issues and of course then having them stolen. Life sure does have its moments. Such as the insurance company taking two months and thirteen days to come to the party.

What you didn’t know is that while some delays were just a pain…the last delay in getting my claim settled was because the insurance company thought I might be trying to take them to the cleaners.

It seems that when you make the first phone call you should know EXACTLY what has been pilfered from your home. Adding any items later makes them suspicious apparently.

One more tip for anyone unlucky enough to get burgled. Do not…I repeat…do not have proof.

Oh I am serious. Apparently my proof was TOO GOOD.

Seems that although they tell you to have proof of your goodies…when someone takes their advice and makes sure she does it doesn’t sit well with them.

So out came an investigator. I have to tell you having your integrity questioned sucks big time !!! However once she heard about The Son’s burglary last year and how their having no proof meant no replacing of items she understood that my having 300 photographs of my home and what it contains was maybe understandable.

Then there was the burglary four years ago. Ummmmm…what burglary four years ago I asked ???? Seems I had mentioned a previous burglary in my initial phone call to them. True, I did mention a burglary. Only it was almost forty years ago and we didn’t have insurance back then…after all it was in the ‘olden days’.

What struck me through all of it was the way I was treated. Guilty until proven innocent. There is something wrong with that picture I think. Conversations were terse and little information was given. My case manager would have done much better in my opinion to have actually spoken to me. It might not only have saved time for all of us, but they would not have wasted resources on investigating me for nothing.

I am very happy to say the investigator’s report turned everything around. Seems she believed in my innocence and finally things began to happen.

As of today I am the proud owner of a computer that actually works (the loaned desktop has become a bit of a laughing stock to friends when they visit), and a phone that isn’t borrowed.

Now while I am thrilled at this development I must warn you. I am suffering technology overload. The smartphone is showing off and while I have no intention of losing the war, the first few battles have gone its way.

As for the laptop. She is soooo pretty and shiny and a bit too smart for my good at present.  It make take a while to figure out where she is hiding everything but one day her and I shall be a team rather than adversaries.

Before you know it I shall be around visiting again and you will all long for the peace and quite of the last two months.

Published by Jo Bryant

I was born in the land of Banjo Paterson, gum trees, and weather extremes. I am a freelance photographer. I love to make images that make people happy. To capture forever a precious moment. I am also a freelance writer/editor. I live in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, but still like to claim my Australian heritage. I graduated with a Bachelor of Communications in 2008. I am writing my first novel. I love to write poetry, short stories, and also write for the web. And there is nothing that is on a par with a sunny summer's day spent at Waihi Beach.

69 Comments

  2. Glad you are back and hope your creative juices are overflowing to get out. Insurance, ughh, one of those necessary evils these days. They are sure to hound you if you mss a payment, but they are the last to want to give any back. I think most try to irritate you enough that you sign and accept whatever they finally offer just to be done with the hastle. You’d think they were a government agency…… Boy, just the thought could start a rant… sorry. Welcome back.

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  4. 🙂
    New laptops can be rather confounding! I bought a new one in early Feb. (windows 8) and I’m STILL finding new things about it!
    Glad you’re back with us!! I missed you!

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    1. Everything is soooo different on ann Apple Mac but I am getting it slowly with the help of a friend who has had one for ages. She helped me yesterday set up things to work how I like it and that makes it a lot easier.

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      1. I had to use my daughter’s mac for awhile last year and you’re right…it’s a bit of a learning curve! I think you’ll LOVE it better than PCs though, given you’re an artist who does lots with photography! You’ve made an excellent choice!

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        1. I was prepared for a bit of confusion. Luckily some friends have Macs and are always willing to help out. I think I am in love already though. It is so fast…and once you learn how to do things it is like…duh !!! I did look at others [PCs]. There was more than one computer stolen, and thankfully the insurance company let me combine their value to just get one good one. I looked at so many computers my head was spinning. Thought about getting a Toshiba with a touch screen…but so glad now I didn’t. All those fingerprints would drive me nuts. Now I just have to name her…

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  5. I hate the habit insurance companies have of treating all their customers like criminals.

    But thank goodness you had an honest investigator to deal with, and welcome back!

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    1. Thanks Sharon. The investigator was nice…just doing her job I guess but it was quite intimidating when she pulled out a tape recorder.

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    1. Thanks Harry.
      🙂
      I have a great friend who lives in my street who has had a Mac for a while now and she has been great walking me through the basics. It will just take time until it all feels like normal again I guess.

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  11. What an ordeal and how can they ding you for having proof? Isn’t that what they advise. I’ve always heard that I should take pictures of things I own. What an odd system they have. That’s why I hate insurance companies–always looking for a way not to pay.

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    1. Thanks !! They are still at it. I had a heap of jewellery taken as well. Most of it was antique and kept for sentimental reasons. I don’t actually wear much jewellery. Now they say I can go to a jewelers and get the value of it in jewellery (which I will probably hardly wear) or I can get HALF its value in cash back. That seems a little unfair somehow to me.
      😦
      😦
      😦

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      1. Jo I am so sorry. Insurance companies suck. My first interaction with insurance was when I was 10. I broke my knee and my parents filed a claim for my crutches. The insurance company actually sent a letter asking why a child with a broken knee needed crutches. I broke my knee around Christmas and all of my friends called me Tiny Tim. Not the best Christmas.

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        1. That is awful. They have also been firetrucking with me over a leakage claim I have going. They did pay one part of it…after 8 [yes I said 8] months. Now they are refusing to pay the other part. I am going to sort out a new company for sure.

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  12. I wondered where you went… Glad to see you back. Sorry you had such an ordeal. I hate how our systems seem to protect the guilty parties and criminals where the little guy is given more stress and work to do for nothing. I just had a pipe burst as I was leaving the apartment for the airport to come home for the summer. Afraid to see what I may be in for when we return in August. Hoping they won’t say I am at fault…. Fingers crossed!

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    1. I hope all is well when you get back. You are so right. They really made it so stressful at the time. And they spent a lot of time and money on something a few questions over the phone could have sorted out.

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    1. Me to…the phone is proving more difficult than the new computer. Luckily The Daughter is coming home this weekend [I have a feeling she wants to check out Mum’s new toys…hehehehe], so she will sort me out with the phone. Kids are so up on all that stuff.

      😉

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  14. Welcome back; glad your insurance troubles have been sorted. Head up girl, it’s all good from here.

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  16. Aw Jo glad you stuck with it and got what you were definitely due . Good luck with all the new technological kit and bet it won’t be too long before you are well into the swing of it all 🙂

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    1. Thanks Poppy. Still trying to sort out my jewellery with them. They only want to give me half its value if I take cash. Seeing as much of it was gifts and I don’t wear a lot it seems silly to just go buy jewellery to get ALL the value…but I think it is wrong they do that.

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  18. I am just glad to see you here again Jo and that your have your laptop again hon. Missed you! 😀 *hugs*

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  19. Good for you Jo. I’d look for a new insurance company! I had a problem several years ago with an important piece of jewelry that broke. My ins company never asked a question. They offered to pay for repair or just send a check for the full insured amount. I chose the latter and the check arrived 3 days later.

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    1. Lucky you. I had a lot of jewellery taken. All from gifts or passed down from aunts and parents etc…I don’t wear a lot of jewellery but kept it because of the sentimental value. But if I want to get the value seems I have to go to a jewelers and spend it. They will only give me half of what it is worth if I take cash instead. Sounds a bit off to me really.

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  21. Jo glad you are back and the swat team have put down their weapons Lol and you are now back in communiction with the rest of the world.
    Fingers crossed we never made a claim even when our hot tank burst through tjhe ceiling like idiots we forgot about claiming duh. 🙂
    Glad I caught this update in my email as I switched off phone for night
    Sitting here in my sleep room at WorK. On my Own time duty finised 10-30 pm And couldt sleep.
    Hope you havE a great weekend Jo.
    Hugs Sue X

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    1. I am glad you caught it too !! Yep they sure took it to overkill. The Daughter is coming home tonight so it WILL be a good weekend. She just wants to play with her Mummy’s new toys I think. First time EVER I have been more up to date than the kiddywinkles with technology…hehehe…I like that fact.
      😉

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  22. Great to see you back, Jo. Sorry for all your troubles, and glad that your insurance paid out at last. I’m sure you and your new toy will soon be best buddies. 🙂

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    1. Awwww thanks Gilly. It is soooo good to be back. Now I just have to catch up with everyone and everything. And get the laptop set up with all my bibs and bobs. Some things won’t work on a Mac so I have to find other ones that will.

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  24. Glad to have you back! All forms of insurance (car, health, home) are rip offs. I hate that we “need” to have them. They aren’t out to make sure you are protected, they are out to make money for their stockholders and investors. Grrr……

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    1. They sure make you work to get what you pay for. Just this week we had another weird thing. I got a connection for the Ipod to the car radio…only it didn’t fit the Ipod. Was not near the store I picked all the electrical stuff up at…so went to another store. Realised the receipt I had for the goods wasn’t actually a receipt at all and they said I had to go back to the original store. That the insurance company has the receipt as they paid for it all. I thought as the goods are mine I should also have a receipt for possible future warranty issues…nah ah. Now what happens if I move…as some of the warranties are for three years…do I have to travel back to the original shop. Grrrrrrrrr

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  26. Oh my gosh! I am sickened by the way you were treated and my gosh, YES, soooo glad you had proof of what went missing. I can not imagine. So glad things are turning around now. Woot!

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    1. Thanks Angelia. Though I am still working through some of it…it gets more bizarre by the day. Had to change one of the electrical items as it had the wrong fittings…OMG…what a hassle because I couldn’t get to the supplying store. And getting a receipt for future warranty purposes is a nightmare. It is like because the insurance company paid for stuff it is theirs and not mine…so bizarre.

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  27. Been swamped with company. So I’m late with all kinds of responses. I’m glad everything was settled. I hope you never have to go through this again. I have too many blogs to respond to to think that I will ever get it done so I might miss a few. You were missed so don’t think your posts are weighing me down. 😉

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  28. 😀 It’s so good to see you back and up to your crazy blogging antics again! Ugh, you have my sympathy in dealing with those scum-sucking bottom feeders who call themselves insurance agents. They’re almost (but not quite) as bad as lawyers and doctors. I’ve been playing ‘catch up’, as well, so forgive me if I’ve missed any of your posts since you have been back! Hang in there and take it one day at a time. *Hugs* Did I mention how good it was to see you blogging again?

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    1. I have to contact them again today. It isn’t all settled yet. And they NEVER ring me to advise what is happening. I always have to ring them.

      Crazy blogging antics…Moi ??? No idea what you mean dear girl.
      😉

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