You know how when you call the credit card company or your insurance agency, the automated system usually tells you, this call may be monitored or recorded for quality purposes?
I always assumed those purposes were quality service.
Yesterday I called my insurance company to find out their policy on covering vaccinations (for Nepal). I knew it was highly unlikely, but wanted to cover all my bases. So I asked.
Insurance rep: “No, we don’t usually cover vaccines. Which ones are you looking for?”
Me: “Well, one is rabies…“
Insurance rep: “Oh, you were bitten?”
Me: “No, it’s preventative.”
IR: “They don’t do preventative.”
Me: “Oh, well, I actually just talked to my doctor, and he said that they do.”
IR: “No. They don’t do preventative rabies shots around here.”
Me: “It’s for international travel.”
IR: “Ha!* Well now this call is recorded as you saying it’s for travel and we definitely don’t cover shots for international travel.“
*It might have been more “ah!” than “ha!” but there was no mistaking the excitement in her voice.
At this point, I knew it was a done deal, but I was curious about one more thing.
Me: “Oh, okay. So…you don’t even cover polio boosters? I thought I read something about getting a booster every 10 years.”
IR: “Ma’am, I’ve already recorded you saying it’s for international travel, so, no.”
Me: “Listen, I’m not trying to be sneaky. I was just looking for information. But thanks for your help.“
And I hung up.
Perhaps that wasn’t the mature way to handle it.
But at that point I was done being recorded.