Poll of the Day > I just saved a bunch on my auto insurance!

(+) Yeah! (+)

A little over 50%. Had to call them to add a rental to my plan since I am tall and can't fit in most rental cars, so might as well make them pay for it if needed.

WELL, while talking to the agent I mentioned how I am working from home now and she said I can move my policy to a recreationally car instead of a commuting and when it was all said and done my monthly bill is now less than half what it was.

So that was nice.

A few months ago, I was supposed to do my 6 month renewal, and the rate jumped by like 25%, even though nothing had changed other than our cars getting older and we barely drove due to COVID and telework.
I was upset, but they said they couldn't do anything about it (the usual crap about it being due to my area's drivers in general, even though tons were also driving less and teleworking), but I could try to enter my info online and apply for a new plan.
It seemed crazy to me, especially when I went to the website and it auto-filled my car info, like...why the fuck would the company give me a lower price when it knows who I am already in its database?
Well...turns out it did work. Cut over $100 from my bill, just by creating a new policy. Absolutely fucking bonkers, but I'll take it.

hypnox posted...

WELL, while talking to the agent I mentioned how I am working from home now and she said I can move my policy to a recreationally car instead of a commuting and when it was all said and done my monthly bill is now less than half what it was.

Sounds like something that (in part) should have been covered by your employer.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/8/9/AAFUswAAD0L9.jpg

Nichtcrawler-X posted...

Sounds like something that (in part) should have been covered by your employer.

What, the costs of commuting? Those are rarely overtly covered, people just factor them in in determining whether or not a job pays enough to be worth their while.

Travel expense compensation is most definitely a thing. Sure, most times there is an upper limit, but they definitely exist and are completely normal.

Nichtcrawler-X posted...

Travel expense compensation is most definitely a thing. Sure, most times there is an upper limit, but they definitely exist and are completely normal.

They don't exist in America.

Nichtcrawler-X posted...

Travel expense compensation is most definitely a thing. Sure, most times there is an upper limit, but they definitely exist and are completely normal.

Commuting is rarely counted as a travel expense, outside of jobs where you're in sufficiently high demand to get such a bonus if you request it.

Ah yes, the US, the country where it is a privilege, honour and your right to be screwed over by your boss.

adjl posted...

Commuting is rarely counted as a travel expense, outside of jobs where you're in sufficiently high demand to get such a bonus if you request it.

The only way it would be compensated if it's something like needing to buy a plane ticket or traveling by car for business. Nobody is going to get compensated for needing to drive to and from work.

Nichtcrawler-X posted...

Ah yes, the US, the country where it is a privilege, honour and your right to be screwed over by your boss.

It's more that commuting is a decision you make based on your own financial preferences and not something your job forces on you. In reality, it can effectively be forced if the job doesn't pay enough to live nearby (which is why I think minimum wage for a job should be defined algorithmically based on the median cost of living within ~30 minutes of it, rather than a flat value), but that's still something you decide whether or not you're okay with when you take the job. I don't believe it's normal anywhere for an employer to pay their employees who live further away more than employees in the same position that live closer.

By contrast, travel reimbursement is for trips that are out of the ordinary, which you can't necessarily plan for and by which you would be inconvenienced if you had to pay out of pocket. Reimbursing that is quite common for any employer that isn't garbage, since that's the job requiring you to travel. In the rare case you aren't able to charge travel expenses, it'll be because frequent travel was presented up-front as one of the requirements of the job and your salary has already been adjusted to cover it.

Revelation34 posted...

Nobody is going to get compensated for needing to drive to and from work.

adjl posted...

I don't believe it's normal anywhere for an employer to pay their employees who live further away more than employees in the same position that live closer.

That is exactly what travel expense compensation is, within limitations of course. Just because US employers managed to brainwash the populace into believing they do not have to compensate you for traveling, does not mean that ultimately holds true.

And yes, often in situations where employees do not use up their full travel allowance, it might be spent on a bike programme or something. As in, your boss (partially) paying for a bike for you or so.

Nichtcrawler-X posted...

That is exactly what travel expense compensation is, within limitations of course. Just because US employers managed to brainwash the populace into believing they do not have to compensate you for traveling, does not mean that ultimately holds true.

And yes, often in situations where employees do not use up their full travel allowance, it might be spent on a bike programme or something. As in, your boss (partially) paying for a bike for you or so.

Europe isn't going to pay travel expenses for minimum wage jobs either.

Revelation34 posted...

Europe isn't going to pay travel expenses for minimum wage jobs either.

You'd be surprised what employers are actually willing to do, to be considered good employers here.