Couple uses quick-thinking to get back at insurance agent who tried to outsmart them

Claiming insurance can be a tricky affair because of complex policies and lots of paperwork. However, many people are forced to deal with the system so they don't have to spend their own money to fix something up. Sometimes, insurance agents try to scam customers unnecessarily by sticking to redundant policies that slow the whole process down. Reddit user u/No_Builder7010 had a satisfying story to share about getting back at an insurance agent who tried to accuse them and their husband of lying when claiming insurance for their boat.

The individual begins the post by sharing that they and their husband had purchased a boat that they intended to fix and sell for a higher price. They write, "We spent months of time and buckets of money to fix her up and we were getting close to being done." Most of the work centered around painting it and "rehabbing the mast." The mast happened to be quite big, so it protruded from the place they had kept it. The couple decided to keep a neon orange safety cone to let people know that it was there.

A few days after painting the mast, their husband informs them that someone has damaged it. Thankfully, they had cameras in the vicinity, which caught the rat trap guy they had hired driving right into the mast, knocking it down and then proceeding to back up over it. They write, "Naturally, he didn't leave a note, but his truck was easily ID'd and he fessed up when confronted." The individual initially did not want to go through insurance.

So, the couple came up with a rough estimate for repairs by looking at prices of "buying used gear." They even decided to do the work themselves to bring down the cost. The final figure came to less than $1000 and the individual described the price to be a "bargain." Despite this price, the rat trap person decided that he wanted to go through insurance at the end of it all.

The couple got in touch with an agent who informed them that he wanted a quote from a business and not just a "scribbled estimate." They decided to contact their local boatyard for a quote. They write, "That bumped the total we were seeking to about $2500." The agent did not respond for over five months, at which point he revealed that he couldn't accept a quote that was emailed to him and it had to be attached on a letterhead.

The situation worsened as the insurance agent accused the couple of being "liars and scammers who could have had their buddy supply this fake-looking estimate." His company policy required a minimum of two quotes on the letterhead to provide funds. The individual confirmed that he required at least two quotes and that they could get them from any boatyard within the state. They then warned him that such a quote would be much higher, but he "snidely" remarked that it was good, so long as it was on a letterhead.

Taking advantage of the situation, the individual decided to contact the two biggest and most expensive boatyards in the state. They write, "These quotes included the yards doing all the work, replacing all damaged gear with new, storage fees and transportation to and from our storage lot." Adding to that, they were also hundreds of miles away from where the individual lived.

The insurance agent called them as soon as he received the expensive quotes and begged them to use the older quote. They reply, "Oh, you can't do that. You might get in trouble since it's company policy, right? We've got to follow all the rules lest someone think we're scammers. Right?" He was not happy to hear this. Interestingly, the couple gets a check with the original quote that they put together for the rat trap guy.

They recognized that the insurance agent was trying to take advantage of them but would not let him get away with it. They write, "I called our insurance, who got on the line with the other agent and gave him what for. Two days later, we got a second check for the remainder." The individual concluded the post by revealing that the final amount came to $14,000.

People on the platform loved the story and shared their insights in the comments section. u/Overall-tailor8949 said, "And that insurance company couldn't even call it fraudulent since you were playing by their rules." u/StellarPhenom420 commented, "I love insurance companies getting the what for."