Читать книгу Do As I Say, Not As I Did - Michael N Marcus - Страница 15
Some years ago my house was burglarized, and among the purloined property was a tool box filled with my nice Craftsman tools. Our home was insured by Allstate. Allstate, like Craftsman, was part of Sears at that time.
ОглавлениеAfter I submitted my claim for the loss, the Allstate adjuster applied a depreciation deduction formula for the stolen tools, based on their age and presumed decrepitude.
I responded that Craftsman tools are sold with a lifetime warranty, so there can’t be any depreciation. I told the adjuster that I could take a bent, dull, rusted 30-year-old Craftsman tool into any Sears store and it would be gladly and immediately replaced with a bright and shiny new model.
The adjuster responded that “everything depreciates except land,” and he gleefully pointed out that “a brand new Cadillac drops 20% in value when it leaves the dealer’s lot.”
I told Mr. Allstate that I would much rather drive a Craftsman than a Cadillac and I was not giving up and he’d better check with corporate headquarters.
Apparently there soon was a battle for supremacy in the Sears Tower in Chicago and it was ultimately decided that the image of Craftsman was more important than the profitability of Allstate. I got every penny I wanted.
Lesson: Do not accept the first offer from an insurance adjuster.
On the same day in 1977 that I was approved for a $56,000 mortgage I was rejected for a gasoline company credit card with a $250 limit. On another day I received two letters from the same department store—one included my new credit card and another rejected my application.
Lesson: Credit is funny.
