Filly's Frolic #25

I had dutifully changed the name on my car registration shortly after my legal name change but it was only recently that I realised that I had forgotten to change the name on my insurance. A rather crabby sounding lady answered my call to the insurance company but fortunately she transferred me to a rather nicer sounding lady after I told her what I needed to do. To be honest, I'd probably be rather crabby if my job was just to redirect phone calls to the right call centre. Some people criticise the recorded transferring system but, in my opinion, as long as there aren't too many options and too many levels of having to "press 1 for..", it actually works quite well and is much better than being greeted by a crabby lady on the phone. But I digress..

I informed the nice lady that I had to change the name on my insurance. She asked for the full details of the current holder before asking, "So, are you transferring it from his name into your name?"

I paused.

I hadn't expected that question and my mind went blank as I realised what she was assuming and I tried to figure out how to best answer it. 

"Um..", I stammered. "No no, it's still me. I've just had a change." 

That may not have been the best way to answer her question, but it was the only thing that came out of my mouth as my brain floundered, still trying to get back on it's feet. 

"Oh! Ok!", she replied sounding a little surprised. It didn't really fluster her however and my change of name was completed shortly after. After we hung up, I laughed a little as I thought about the fact that other people didn't always know my history and my voice on the phone doesn't appear to betray it either. Listening to recordings of my voice doesn't inspire me with confidence but I guess not many people do like listening to recordings of their own voice. It's not as if I have beautiful vocal qualities that would land me a gig as a singer in a band, but I guess it gets by. In the meantime, I'll just have to subject those around to my awful singing whenever a song comes on that I like and I'll just imagine that I do have a wonderfully musical voice.... imagine, just like half of the other people out there...

Filly's Frolic #16

With each ring of the phone, my heart sank a little. This was the phone call of shame where I would have to admit that I had been ditsy and had had an accident in my car. Ironically, insurance is one of those things in which you pay a significant amount of money for a product which you hope you never have to use. 

As I was waiting I realised that I hadn't changed the name on my insurance policy and this was listed under my old name. I debated whether to try and do that now as well as make a claim but I decided it would be too messy and I would do it later. A female operator answered the call and I introduced myself using my old name and told her I would need to be filing a claim.

"Do you have the policy number or the registration of your vehicle please?", she asked. I gave her the rego number and I heard the clackity click of her keyboard in the background.

"Is the insurance policy in your husband's name?", she inquired. 

I was dumbfounded. I had introduced myself using the name on the policy, hadn't I? Yes yes, I assured myself.

"Uhm, no, that's me", I replied hesitantly and sheepishly and then mumbled, "I've changed my name".

"Oh, I'm sorry", she replied and I could sense some embarrassment in her voice. 

The rest of the claim proceeded smoothly and although I was still quite upset about what I had done to my car, I couldn't help but smile a little at what had just passed.