Large Companies and Their Red Tape

      This is almost the beginning of April, my parents died the beginning of last December. They both had life insurance policies from Met Life and we have yet to see the money. Every time I call I have to talk to a different person and none of them so far has been correct in their actions or information.

      Two weeks ago they told me I had not recieved a form from them because they didn't have my zip code. I gave them my zip code and still have not gotten the form. I called yesterday and had to give them the zip code again. You know it's not like the zip code is a secret from the rest of the world in the first place, and in the second place why did they not note it on the account when I gave it to them two weeks ago? It's only five numbers!
   
       There were other issues as well. Apparently my dad's policy came from his employeer and my moms was a private policy. They tell me this now because her account number ends in the letters PR. Two weeks ago even though I told them the full account number including the PR at the end they had me contacting my dad's employeers to put in a claim for my mom. I mailed them a letter and got no response. After my first round of calls to Met Life they told me I had to call my dads employers when I did they had no idea why Met Life would tell me to call them. They did however give me another number at Met Life and when I called them, they figured out about the PR and gave me another number and this department seemed to know what they are doing. We'll see what happens over the next two weeks.

      These are little details, why can't these people use their brains and avoid all this crap? Or is this done on purpose to stall giving the money away so they can make more interest on it for themselves?

My Parents Memorial Service

       My parents have been creamated and are awaiting burial. In the meantime we had a memorial dinner for them at their favorite restaurant.

     I did not make the arrangements so there was some misunderstanding about having a private room, which we did not have. I turned out fine. The food was family style. It was OK but nothing to brag about. We did not realize that the restaurant had changed ownership since my parents had been there. The old staff and owners really knew my parents well. The new Mexican owners and staff did not know them although when my sister made the arrangements they said they did. I think they did not understand English too well.

      Anyway, the deal was that we would be charged $12.95 a person which seemed reasonable to me. I expected the bill to be about five to six hundred dollars. They presented me with a bill for $895.00. I asked why so high. The manager told me there were 43 people and the tip and soda were added in. The soda was a liter of cola and a leader of something that tasted like crap. I almost forgot, the tax was also added in.

      Nine hundred dollars was clearly a rip off in my eyes and I find it even more distasteful that they would pull this for a memorial service. Jerks!