Who would have thought... part 2

So, I'm out in the parking lot, on my cell, and, of course, I get put on hold without even speaking to a person.

Dave came out and joined me, and handed me the fax number for the tag agency. We stood around for a while. Then we got in the car so we could sit down.

I think I was on hold for about 15 minutes before an actual person even answered the line!

(aside: my insurance is handled by a brokerage, not an individual insurance agent.)

I explained that I was sitting in the parking lot of a license plate issuing agency, and that they were refusing to take my insurance card because it was not printed with the word "Oklahoma" on it.

The rep on the line laughed, and said she could help me, but that she needed to review the notes in the account first.

I waited. And waited.

Finally, she said something about quotes. "Did you get the quotes from other companies that we found for you?"

I said: "Yes, I got the quotes, I changed out my home owner's policy, and already have all of the documentation from THAT completed transaction, but I chose to keep my auto policy as it was. The rep I spoke to then said she'd take care of it. I've never gotten my new card, and I need you to fax it to this license plate agency. NOW, if you can."

More waiting as the rep on the line reviewed the notes again. Then she said "Would you mind holding for a moment please?"

*sigh*

She finally came back, and admitted that no one had transferred my auto insurance information from Illinois to Oklahoma. She said that it was she to whom I had spoken before, but that it was another rep who had handled the follow up call.

She assured me that I WAS still covered, but not in the way that would make it possible to prove coverage in Oklahoma, and also, that my policy would be non-renewable at expiration.

I said something like "So, someone dropped the ball? You're kidding, right?"

I had called originally 9/14, a week before moving, and instructed them to update my information because I was relocating to a different state.

The rep I spoke to then, (the SAME rep I had on the phone now), had said that they would call me back with what needed to be done for both my home owners and my auto policy.

I made sure to give them my cell number, which was already my only Oklahoma number, even before I moved.

They did not call me back. For weeks.

So on 10/1, I called them again, and was given the aforementioned quotes. Again, I spoke to the same rep. She gave me quotes for both policies, and the prices for the auto policies were exorbitant. I knew that I could eventually just jump on to Dave's auto policy, so I had the luxury of being able to think about it.

I was allowed a couple of hours to think things over, and to talk to Dave.
When a different rep called me back to follow up on 10/1, I moved forward with changing my home owner's policy, and TOLD HER AT THAT TIME that I did not wish to change my auto policy, because none of the quotes were acceptable.

I explained that what I currently had for auto coverage would be fine, so I said please just transfer, or re write it, so that it shows my new state and new address.

She said "Okay."
We ended the conversation.

Funny, that.....I guess I just assumed that her saying "Okay" indicated that she was going to follow my directions!

Anyway....flash back to being on the phone from the parking lot at the tag agency.

The rep said no, she was not kidding, but that she would happily transfer me to the correct department to have my current policy switched to Oklahoma.
I reiterated that this process was supposed to have begun on Sept. 14th. She apologized and said "please hold."

Again, I was on hold for several minutes.

Then, a different rep, in a different department (and, I am pretty sure, on a different continent!) came on the line.
I was beginning to worry about my phone battery at this point.

I asked if anything had been explained to her when my call was transferred to her, and, of course, it had not been.
SO, I told the whole story, start to finish, and she said, in her Indian accent, "I can help you with that!"

She then proceeded to give me quotes to change insurance.

"No no no no no. I don't WANT to change insurance, I just want to update my current policy to my new home state!"

THIS was when she said "Oh, we can't do that."

Wait. What?

She explained that my present insurance company was unwilling to re write my policy for a different state. That "they don't DO that."

Uh.....why in GOD'S NAME had no one TOLD ME THIS PREVIOUSLY??? She said she was sure she did not know why.

She put me on hold again, to get the quotes.

When she finally came back on the line, I listened to the quotes. The prices were still ridiculous.
The best one they could offer me was $648 for 6 months.

Wait. What?

$648 for 6 months.
How could auto insurance in Oklahoma be twice the cost of auto insurance in the suburbs of Chicago, with my existing policy....and this is the "best offer" you can find???

I started to move forward with changing, just to get it the hell over with (and knowing that the only money I have is earmarked to pay my condo dues back home--but preparing myself, mentally to part with most of it to get this done), when Dave piped up and said :

"wait...WHAT? HOW MUCH??? NO...no no no...just tell her to forget it. We're going to my insurance agent right now, and we'll get you put on my policy."

So, I said to the rep..."Just a moment...can we cancel this transaction?" She said yes.

I continued, "Okay...I am not going to complete this transaction. Since my current policy is still in effect, I just won't get a damned driver's license!" and I hung up on her.

I didn't mean to hang up on her....I was just so pissed off at this point that it was a reflex.

I know she was only doing her job...over there in India somewhere.

We went back inside, and told the tag agent what we were going to have to do, and to please hold things off to the side, we'd try to get back as soon as possible.

The older woman, who had been coaching the young agent, looked at me compassionately, and said that it was ridiculous that they told me that.
She said "MET LIFE is a huge company, and there's no reason they would NOT transfer your policy!" I agreed, but what could I do!!

We headed to the office of Dave's agent. We had now been involved in this process for about 90 minutes. It wasn't supposed to have taken this long!
We got about a third of the way there, and realized we had left my car's current registration card at the tag agency...so, if we got pulled over, we would be ticketed for driving without a registration.

We turned around, and went back to the tag agency. I ran inside and got the registration, and asked them what time they close. 6 pm on weekdays. Okay.

Back to the freeway.

Buying me new insurance was NOT in our budget for this month, I can tell you that!

I have no job, and I THOUGHT my insurance would just transfer over, and probably COST LESS in Oklahoma than it did in Chicago....but here we were, being forced to buy new insurance now anyway.
Dave went ahead and paid to get my coverage. We will just have to live very leanly until the 15th of next month now.

Oh, and by the way....THIS insurance was less than half as much as what they quoted me over the phone.
THAT makes a lot more sense!! STATE FARM gave a VERY reasonable rate, and insured me without any problem.

Anyway....got the insurance card, and the letter of proof of insurance, and sped back to the tag agency.

There was much rejoicing.....I finally got my damned license plate! (then, Dave couldn't get my old Illinois plates off, because they were rusted on...but that's another story of frustration and much swearing....)

Yesterday, Dave faxed a letter to my insurance brokerage for me, canceling the auto policy, and asking for a refund.

You'd think that this process would now be almost at an end...but NO......now I have to go back to the tag agency with my title, and get my title changed to Oklahoma, and, HOPEFULLY, to my legal last name.

After that, I still have to go to the state trooper's office and get cleared by them. I am thinking I should take a copy of the marriage license, and my social security card, with me, so that I don't have to go THERE multiple times, too.

THEN, after all of that, I STILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE TAG AGENCY, to get the actual picture taken, and get the license issued....and only then, will I finally have a driver license!!

THEN, I can start the circus of trying to get a Massage Therapist's license! Oh goody! Having to prove that I am not a prostitute before I can even apply!!

This state is the most UNWELCOMING, RED TAPE CONGESTED place on the planet!!

And INSURANCE COMPANIES SUCK!!