Good points overall, though I'd say insurers aren't just cautious about setting expectations—they're also wary of unintentionally influencing someone's decisions based on hypothetical advice. I've seen cases where a casual hypothetical scenario ended up misunderstood as a promise of coverage. It's tricky territory, for sure. Curious if anyone's ever had an insurer actually clarify a hypothetical scenario clearly without dodging the question... seems rare in my experience.
I've noticed the same thing—insurers definitely seem allergic to hypotheticals. A couple thoughts from my experiences:
- Had a rep once who straight-up told me, "I can't answer that hypothetical, sir." Felt like I was in a courtroom drama or something... 😂 But I get it, they're probably trained to avoid accidentally promising anything.
- Another time, though, I had a surprisingly clear conversation about PIP coverage after asking about a scenario involving a minor fender-bender and some medical bills. The rep actually walked me through how they'd typically handle it, emphasizing repeatedly it was just an example. It was helpful, but I still felt like they were tiptoeing around specifics.
- Honestly, I think insurers are cautious partly because people sometimes hear what they want to hear. Even if the rep says "this isn't guaranteed," we might mentally skip over that part and latch onto the reassuring bits. Human nature, maybe?
- Still, it'd be nice if there were clearer guidelines or examples provided upfront by insurers themselves. Like, give us a few common scenarios on their websites or something, so we don't have to play this guessing game every time we call.
- Has anyone ever seen an insurer proactively offer clear hypothetical examples online or in writing? Feels like that'd save everyone some headaches...
I once asked about a hypothetical involving a deer, icy roads, and a mailbox (long story...) and the rep chuckled, paused, then said, "Let's just hope that doesn't happen." Helpful? Not exactly. But I appreciated the honesty.
"Let's just hope that doesn't happen." Helpful? Not exactly. But I appreciated the honesty.
Had a similar convo once about sliding into a neighbor's fence during a snowstorm. Rep basically said, "Well, that's one way to meet your neighbors..." Not exactly comforting, but at least they didn't sugarcoat it.
Rep basically said, "Well, that's one way to meet your neighbors..." Not exactly comforting, but at least they didn't sugarcoat it.
- Had a similar experience... rep joked, "Well, that's one way to meet your neighbors..." 😂
- But seriously, PIP usually covers medical bills regardless of fault.
- Property damage (like fences) typically falls under liability or collision coverage, not PIP. Worth double-checking your policy details.
