This blog post started out as a rant, it’s one that has featured
in many a facebook status, but I hope this is more of a positive response.
There are many things I don’t like about the world: war,
pain, abuse, ferries in stormy seas, driving on icey roads and the claim
culture we live in.
Last year I had a car accident, nothing major and I was not
injured at all. I repeat I had NO DISCOMFORT AT ALL! Mild or otherwise. However
since that accident 15 months ago I have had a whole load of different
companies trying to get me to claim this compensation that is rightly mine. This is where we disagree.
Maybe I’m cutting off my nose to spite my face but not being injured I don’t
believe I should get this money. Most companies are quite simple to get rid of,
there are two lines that work well – “Are you suggesting I make a fraudulent
claim?” or “Yeah, isn’t God amazing!” Though asking “Why?” often gets me passed
on to a supervisor or gets the phone put down on me. One time I just said hello
and I was passed to a supervisor.
Today however I had a lovely phone call with a guy called
Dean from another of these company. As well as checking if I had kids and how
long me and Boyfriend had been together, we got chatting about my views on the
point of life and the claim culture we live in. He didn’t seem to get that I
wasn’t going to take this money as as a
young woman why would I turn down £2000 (That was today’s amount, I’ve been
offered anywhere between £1000 and £5500). He believed that life is about
money. I told him I disagreed, he tried to put me off by suggesting that I
wishy washingly believed that life is about love. Life is about love, but it’s
the understanding of love that you have that makes a difference. I believe in
love that cares for those around me, that puts my neighbour first. This led to
a conversation about what I do in my local community and my training to be an
ASL in Scouts, as well as who Bear Grills is.
It’s my morals that stop me from claiming this money. The
way I was brought up but also the faith have led to my beliefs. I said I worked
for the church and Dean said he was also a Christian (when I said now I bet you
think I’m a religious nut) so I challenged him on this views on the importance
of money and then we had a random bit about a catholic priest that stole money
from the church. Dean decided to give up but told me he’d call back soon. To be
fair to him I quite enjoyed the chat, he was quite cheeky but went though all
the usual compensation stuff (like the money is already there for you so it won’t
effect anyone’s premiums) with some new things thrown in (like shock can be
counted as mild discomfort – I confused him by saying it had been amazing that
I wasn’t injured, not that it was an amazing experience).
But I’ve already made up my mind.
I’m saying no because we shouldn’t live in a culture that
means every accident automatically means money is put aside.
I’m saying no because regular pestering phone calls for 3 years
are not acceptable but this way I get to share my message with any company who
will stay on the phone long enough to listen.
I’m saying no because
the I want to live in a place that isn’t about what I can get, but about what I
can give, where who I am is more important than the money I have in the bank.
I’m saying no because I wasn’t injured and I’m not going to
make a fraudulent claim.
I’m saying no.
