Tuesday, April 12, 2011

I have pit bulls. I CAN'T buy your insurance.

Saleswoman: Mrs. Thomas? I was just calling to let you know that Texas auto policy premiums have increased, but Allstate's premiums have actually decreased. I wanted to offer you--

Me: Oh, Allstate? Yeah, I can't buy your insurance.

Saleswoman: You... can't?

Me: Yeah, see, we want to keep our auto policy and our homeowner's policy together. You know, for the multi-line discount and all that.

Saleswoman (excited): Oh, of course! Well, Allstate does homeowner's too and the rates--

Me: Um, no. I know we had Allstate auto for a while, a really long time ago. But we chose a different company when we bought our house, because ya'll wouldn't cover the house.

Saleswoman: We wouldn't?

Me: No. Allstate told me they won't cover houses with pit bulls.

Saleswoman: What? Pit bulls? I didn't... Allstate won't...?

Me: Yes. We have pit bulls. Allstate actually doesn't cover several different kinds of dogs. Pit bulls are one.

Saleswoman (flabbergasted): I... I've never heard of that. I'd have to look into it. Pit bulls, you say? In the house?

Me: Yes, in the house. They're our pets, you know.

Saleswoman: Yes, of course. Well I... I didn't know about this. I've never heard of it. Thank you for the information. I'll have to look into this.

Me: Sure. Good night.

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In other news, foster dog Mustang Sally and Star have become super play buddies. They love to roughhouse, chase each other, and play tug. I'll have some photos or a video in a while. I needn't have worried about their compatibility.

Even better, my mom recently gave me a pile of my childhood artwork and stories. I figured I'd share a few of the best ones here, from time to time.

So for today, here's an untitled creation that I drew in first grade. I've never seen this work before (except, presumably, when I drew it) so I'm afraid I don't have an interesting background story to tell about it. I will say that I believe the scene is entirely fictional; I don't think this is depicting something I saw.

9 comments:

Kari in Alaska said...

a budding arsonist? hee hee

Love it when sales people don't know their own policy

Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com

jen said...

I drew a vary similar red bird when I was in first grade!
http://shibainuspirit.blogspot.com/2011/01/there-were-signs.html

Way to go, Allstate.
Does Erie cover pit bulls? Since we don't own our home, I've never had to research it (yet). I have to look into it!

Yay for Star & Sally!

happypitbull said...

LOL, Kari! In middle school, I ruined all of my mom's nice candles by melting them with those really long fireplace matches. Fire so pretty...

who wouda thunk it?? said...

MY first insurance agent was a personal friend, and he told me NEVER offer the dog info. If they dont ask, and you dont tell, your coverage is binding, but if you have a dog-related claim, they will pay, then drop you like a rock.
My poor kids are registered with the county (tags)as "terrier mix" for that exact reason.
P.S. love the ducks!love their little blue, water footprints too!!

Forsythia said...

When our daughter lived in Baltimore, her house insurance company sent out a rep to have a look at the resident pit bull. He took one look at this cupcake of a dog and laughed and said she didn't need extra insurance. Ramsey's a dud as a watchdog. Every repairman who comes to the house soon becomes his new "best friend."

Daisy Dog said...

I know aboutthe insurance thing. When I moved (ie divorced)and bought the house I am in now I shopped for insurance. State Farm didn't even ask if I had a dog, they won and now have all my insurance house and cars! I am so glad the girls are getting along!! How is old Dozer :)

Daisy Dog said...

Also my vet, who also has pit bulls, told me never to put pit bull on any document when asked for the type of dog you have. She said they are really a "terrier mix". So Daisy is a terrier mix!

happypitbull said...

Yep, our dogs are plain vanilla "mixed breed" on all paperwork with the vet, the city, etc.

State Farm also got our business. We're in a good location where there is a lot of competition in the insurance market, so we could actually choose to spend our money with a nondiscriminatory company. But I understand the situation faced by people who don't have that kind of choice. When we bought this house, State Farm had pulled out of doing homeowners insurance in Texas because of that black mold fiasco (anyone remember that?). So we did have a policy for a few years with a breed-discriminatory company, "forgetting" to mention our dogs and hoping nothing would happen that would require an agent to come over (fortunately, our only claim--hail damage to the roof--was exterior, so we kept the dogs closed in an interior room with no windows while the guy was assessing the damage). As soon as State Farm offered homeowner's insurance again, we jumped at the chance to switch to a friendlier company. I asked our State Farm agent specifically about the dogs, and he said they don't care about breed, and I said, you have our business!

Dozer hates the foster. :) He kinda wants to play, but he does NOT want to share his toys, so he gets stuck in this weird loop: "let's play, let's play, NO GO AWAY GO AWAY GO AWAY, okay let's play, let's play, FOR GOD'S SAKE GO AWAY MY TOY GET OFF GO AWAY, okay let's play..."

Darren said...

I am having the same issue. we are buying a new home and the lender had "their" agent call us about insurance. when I mentioned I had a pit bull, he just said, "I don't have any companies that will cover pit bulls, I can't move forward with this quote". I also check with Progressive. they do cover Pitbulls but the rates are several hundred dollars a year more than their already high rates. basically double what Travelers is.