The price of convinces

For background purposes. My hot water heater went out on 5 Dec 08. I finally had it fixed on 13 Jan 09. Yes over a month with a water heater that leaked when ever it was on and on many occasions would not even turn on.

I spent a lot of time on the phone and in person with people who were convinced the average consumer is in the end willing to accept what ever is thrown at them. For those who know me. I am not average. So I spent a month with no hot water and in the end the insurance company did in fact pay, the plumber who was trying to get that bucket of gold prior to Christmas at my expense walked away with nothing.

I am writing this because the next plumber to arrive installed the new hot water heater and it was a direct replacement. The whole process took all of about 40 minutes and required no parts. The bill, over $200. Could I have done it, yes. But then in the eyes of the insurance company and the plumbers I am a “dumb consumer” who will accept what ever is thrown at them as “price of convinces”

The insurance companies have a “racket” going with many of the providers of service. The consumer pays up front in the form of insurance premiums. Then the consumer pays again for the on sight “service call fee” and the extra “other” things not authorized to be covered by the insurance company.

At the height of this fiasco I was expected to wait 3 weeks and pay $1500 for my hot water, I can imagine how many consumers bite the bullet and give in.

Be a smart consumer there is a reasonable price for convinces. Pay a worker a good wage for their work, but be smart don’t let them treat you like the “dumb consumer”