A Lesson in Honesty

I was in a car accident. The other driver pulled out from a parallel park and raked the right side of my vehicle from front bumper to back. The woman then panicked, hit the accelerator instead of the break, and slammed into the back of my truck. Both cars were towed from the scene. My vehicle was totaled..

This was disconcerting for several reasons. First, I loved my truck. The half-ton, short bed, four-wheel-drive was perfect for hauling large orders and for getting around in our rural community. Second, and the most aggravating of all – it was paid for. However, no payments and low insurance rates equals low Blue Book value. Another vehicles meant monthly payments and higher insurance, especially commercial insurance.

Several friends advised against adding the commercial insurance on the new vehicle. They argued the chances were very slim the company would ever find out. I had used sub-contractors before, so how would the company know I hadn't continued that practice and was using the new vehicle for personal use only? I seriously thought about it – for one day.

I ran an early morning delivery to another insurance office. As I parked, a car pulled along side and the male driver got out. The man was my claim agent. The odds of my agent going into a competitor’s office the same time I was making a delivery was too high for just a coincidence. I waited until the man left, made my delivery and drove straight back to the shop. I called my insurance and arranged for commercial coverage.

Interestingly, every month I had enough money to cover the new car payment and the added insurance.