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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHilarious! If you don't follow Robert Reich on Facebook, you should!
I just got a call from my fathers auto insurer, telling me hes behind on his payment. I explained he died in February.
He still needs to pay for the last two months, said the man from the insurance company.
But he cant pay. Hes deceased, I said.
He owes $348.62, for the period April 24 to June 24, he said.
But he didnt drive then. He died in February. No one has driven his car since he died.
Well, someone has to pay or his insurance will be cancelled, and it will hurt his credit rating.
Im sure hed be okay if its cancelled, I said. And I dont think he cares about his credit rating.
Are you trying to be smart with me? asked the man from the insurance company.
No, Im just trying to tell you that my father is deceased and he doesnt need car insurance.
Have you cancelled his car registration?
No, I havent got around to that.
Well, you should. If hes deceased, he shouldnt have a registration.
I understand.
Nobodys supposed to have a registration if theyre not paying their auto insurance.
Right.
So, are you going to pay the insurance thats due?
I wasnt planning to.
Then its an illegal car.
But it wont be on the road.
Still illegal.
Sorry.
That could be a problem for him.
Hes no longer with us.
I know. You made that clear. Im referring to his estate.
I dont see how.
Well, lets say the state of Florida imposes a penalty for having a car registered in his name but no insurance. And lets say that penalty holds up any legal proceedings in resolving
May I ask you a personal question?
Personal?
Who do you support for President?
For President?
I dont mean to pry.
[chuckling] Oh, no problem, he said.
You have a favorite candidate? I asked.
As a matter of fact, I do, he said.
And who is it?
That Trump fella.
Really?
Yeah, Trump. Good man. No bullshit.
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)elleng
(130,714 posts)his father was a friend of my mother and father. I didn't know he'd passed, tho I did know he'd been failing.
Robert wrote this about his father in 2014: 'Still in Florida with Ed Reich, 100 and a half years young, who explained why CEOs and Wall Street moguls are now pulling in vast multiples of average worker's pay: "They don't remember the Depression and World War II. We were all in it together then. We rose or fell together. There was something called the public good. That attitude lasted for a few decades after the war and then people forgot. The generation now running big business and Wall Street don't give a damn. It's everyone for himself."'
https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/posts/812585708754027
gollygee
(22,336 posts)He's posted about that on his Facebook so that was not new infomation. And of course you knew him personally and are just finding out. <3
elleng
(130,714 posts)Thanks. Ed was a very nice guy, as was his wife Mildred, who was an artist.
tazkcmo
(7,300 posts)And thank you for sharing that small "snap shot" of him, it personalizes him and makes him real, if that makes sense. Again, my belated condolences.
elleng
(130,714 posts)It does make sense. My brother has some good golf stories about them.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,131 posts)Live chats on occasion too.
ailsagirl
(22,885 posts)ailsagirl
(22,885 posts)I suspect it did, since truth is stranger than fiction!!
ChazInAz
(2,556 posts)When my wife died, closing her bank account was a nightmare, with most of my conversations with bank personnel sounding remarkably like this. It took months.
I'm sorry for your loss, ChazInAz.
Bank personnel can be remarkably insensitive at times.
I know you've been around for awhile but I'll say it anyway:
Welcome to DU!!
forest444
(5,902 posts)LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)liberalnarb
(4,532 posts)Warpy
(111,124 posts)I had the financial POA and all my ducks in a row but there was some obscure piece of paper identified by letters and numbers that he'd needed to sign that even his CPA knew nothing about. Since I had the POA, I signed for him like I'd signed everything else. They said it needed his signature. Since he'd been dead for 6 months by then, I asked how I was supposed to obtain it. They said that wasn't their problem, they needed his signature on it or they couldn't accept his final tax return that I signed for him.
When I offered to bring his ashes in so they could try to talk them into signing their fucking piece of paper, they finally shut up.
Some people are just unclear on the concept of "dead."
JudyM
(29,185 posts)So sorry for your loss...
Warpy
(111,124 posts)I think my dad would have gotten a good laugh out of the situation, too.
cate94
(2,807 posts)The sad part is that I am sure this happened exactly as written.
B Calm
(28,762 posts)nxylas
(6,440 posts)I wouldn't have, if I was the guy on the phone.
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)They all keep looking for my uncle who died in 04, today he'd be 105. It get tiresome, so I tell them he moved. When they asked where I give them the name and address for the cemetery.