I love a happy ending. Especially when its a totally undeserved, unwarranted, ridiculously happy ending that is as surprising as it is a testament to corporate stupidity.

We applied for a new life assurance. In case we want to murder each other. Double Indemnity kind’a deal. With Zurich Life. They wanted to send round medical people for check-ups to make sure we were both alive. So they sent us appointments. Or rather, the outsource company they used for medical people sent appointments. And mine was an email with “2.30pm Tuesday 17th March”. No wriggle room, no negotiation, not asking ‘when’s good?’, just middle of a working day. So I rejected. And they sent me another. 1.56am on Sunday 9th. Tossers. So I called them and said ‘what have you got?’ and I’ll find one that suits. THIS IS CURRENTLY VERY SILLY. But they don’t do that. They find some random doctor, ask him when he has 45 minutes to come to my house for a cup of tea and send me that, and only that, time as an offer.

Meanwhile, Zurich are emailing me regularly, nagging me to have my medical. This was in March.

I emailed back saying not to nag me, instead use an efficient company capable of making an appointment.

I heard back from Zurich telling me how they were ‘starting a complaint procedure’. Yeah, whatever.

March turned to April, April to May, and eventually a doctor came round on a Sunday morning, just after tennis, nice lady who stuck me with needles, hooked me up to machines and stole some of my urine! when I wasn’t looking.

I then had a letter from Zurich telling me how sorry they are to hear about my ‘problem’ and I’d be hearing from them within 6 weeks, 10 weeks, whatever. BUT, if I was really pissed off I was given details for the financial ombudsman. Yeah, for a problem with an appointment-making company who can’t make appointments. I wrote them back and said medical’s done, forget the complaint, it was nothing.

Joey was born, then it was June. And we eventually decided against the new policy, sticking with our old one instead. Case closed.

Until yesterday. When I heard from Zurich. Who are nothing if not thorough. Oh, yeah, there’s slow, don’t forget slow. And they said how sorry they are that months ago I had a bad moment. And as I was just about to shred the letter, the last paragraph caught my eye. “… so in copensation we’ll pay you £75 for your bother. Please send details for payment…”

Seventy five quid will never feel so sweet. I might spend it on a doctor’s appointment. Just because.

Happy Friday

A xxxx