THE QUOTE BOARD AT WORK

For my job, I fill out insurance surveys. Basically, insurance companies hire me to verify information about their customers. So, I talk to these customers, ask the questions specified by the insurance company, and send the completed report to the company that requested it. Sometimes we need to contact the retail insurance agent, and have them encourage the customers to call us back. They often think we are selling insurance rather than working for their current insurance company.

I didn't even know this job existed, let alone that you could make a living at it. Once again, this proves that its who you know, not what you know. I got this job because my good friend talked to his boss and got me the interview.

The questions I ask are standardized for each insurance company. Our largest two customers primarily insure construction contractors, and we perform surveys for their commercial liability policies. Well, some of these contractors are quite the characters, and have given us some excellent quips to these standard questions. These quips are the delight in our day, and I took the time to start a Quote Board to keep a record of them. I thought I would share a few. :) In the following, S = the surveyor speaking, A = the answer received.

S: What percentage of your work is residential, commercial, or industrial?
A: I'll paint whatever paint sticks to.
- Deda Gjeloshaj, Way to go Painting
(This was the original inspiration for the quote board. :) )

S: Can you send the insured(customer) a letter, telling them to contact me?
A: That's just too much customer service for me.
- Agent Jenny Melendez

S: Do you have time to complete the survey right now?
A: I'm trying to get a 600 lb. coffee table up a staircase. Now might be a bad time to talk.
- Bo Bacinett, Captain Construction

S: Do you ever work above three stories high?
A: Heavens no. Our guys have enough trouble walking on the ground, if you know what I mean.
- Sherry Smith, Pinpoint Leak Detection


S: Anything else the company does?
A: Yeah, we build skyscrapers, fire engines and high reach ladders.


A: Did I answer the questions correctly?
S: I hope so.
A: If not will you cheat a little for me?


(This next one was from a conversation with an agent.)
A: What do these surveys entail anyway?
S: Just a verification or update of the original application.
A: The actually pay for someone to do this? That tells me the insurance company doesn't trust me, which is a good idea based on some of the other agents I know.
- Agent Tom

S: Do you ever paint bridges or overpasses?
A: Nope. Too hard to tape off.
- Michael Jeffers, Jeffers, Dolan & Dolan Construction


There are more, but I will skip to today's:

From my voicemail:
A: Call me back between 12 and noon, you can probably reach me then.

From my coworker, Krystle:
S: Do you have a safety meeting weekly or daily, or perform job site inspections prior to starting work for the day?
A: No, not really. I stand over them and beat them with a shovel when they get out of line or do something stupid.

I'll fill in the rest later. :) Hope you enjoyed these as much as I did. Remember, leave comments! Or email me. Either one. :)