Tier Rated Car Insurance

I was shocked last week when I received notice from Horace Mann Insurance Company (HM) that the premium on our two cars was increasing 16.3% due to a change in my “tier score.” My shock is a result of my not understanding how my credit score is related to my ability or willingness to pay my monthly premium. Credit worthiness makes sense when purchasing a car that if the payments aren’t made will result in the expense and bother of repossession, but for car insurance it would be a simple matter of sending me a note that my insurance has lapsed if I don’t pay my bill. I am paying a month in advance so HM is out nothing if I don’t pay and the insurance is canceled within that thirty-day window.

In just the past year or so, we incurred an increase in premium because a deer ran into our Buick. A few months ago there was some confusion in my rating, that while changed, the mistake was not refunded. Since I retired in February 2011 we were hit with an increase because I no longer use either vehicle for “business” driving. The funny thing is that being retired means I may be out on the streets and highways more than ever. I questioned, but did not revolt at those problems, but I’ve reached my limit.

Particularly, I’m upset that the Horace Mann Company is paying such attention to my tier (credit score), while negating my forty years of loyalty. In that length of time I’ve never been late, let alone missed a payment. That loyalty should be much more important to the company than a tier-score that predicts the odds that I might miss a payment.

I am sufficiently upset that I spent time the past several days inquiring of other insurance companies about rates and terms. While I doubt that their rates and service could match, let alone exceed what I’ve received from HM, I am willing to take that chance in order to make my point over the tier rating.

Duplicitous Standards

Listening to the ABC news on Denver’s Channel-7 I learned that the Englewood School District had not notified students parents of one of its elementary schools that several children had lice. The assistant superintendent said her sources said it wasn’t necessary and they didn’t want to ostracize any affected children or their parents. Parents interviewed on the newscast were incensed that they were not given notice that their children could be infected.

Now after a week since the discovery of the pesky bugs the district sent a letter home explaining the problem. If the district thought it not advisable to notify parents last week why now after the reporter began questioning school officials?

The very next report on the newscast was about a student at Colorado State University that was found dead Sunday morning in his dorm room. The reporter went on to tell his name, that he was from Texas, and had track marks on his arm and black heroin in his pants.

Okay, so one school won’t tell parents that some unnamed kids have lice, and their children could be infected, while another school tells that a named student is a heroin addict and died of an overdose.

I wonder about the Channel-7 reporter and newscaster as well as the news director choosing not to name kids with lice, but willing to share the sad death of a college student. Not very balanced when it all occurred on live TV in less than a minute.

Along that line I’ve wondered for several years about newspaper and television policies that won’t identify the name of a sexual assault victim while hurrying to tell the name of the probable assaulter. I understand wanting to protect the identity of a rape victim, but until proved why is the probable perpetrator not given the same degree of anonymity? 

Dutch Oven Ranch

Some may have noticed that I have created a new website called http://dutchovenranch.com. I've started a company that makes me available to personally cook meals in one's home or campsite. My intention is to prepare "gourmet comfort food" for families, river rafters, trail riders, and big game hunters wherever they camp. They can play all day and return to a delicious sophisticated meal that will allow them to sit up in the evening playing cards and talking about their day. I'll take care of the cooking and cleanup! They can enjoy dinner, and breakfast the next morning, without having to do a thing.

I'm having fun working on recipes from my files as well as some from the following websites:

GREAT DUTCH OVEN COOKING SITES

'Round the Chuckbox

Camp-Cook.com

Carolyn's Outdoor Cooking in Oz

Everyday Dutch Oven

Dutch Oven Madness

Mark's Black Pot

Outdoor Cast Iron Cook Videos

Rogue Dutch Oven Cookers