Of course, the answer was that I could not, but offered that if he called me after the work to replace his windshield was complete, I could lower his deductible for future glass claims. He explored every other angle to get the insurance company to pay the full price for the windshield, and I had to counter every argument until he finally conceded. That gets so exhausting sometimes.

The decision about auto insurance costs and deductibles needs to be made before a claim occurs. Not after. Here, the amount of increase in premium to lower his deductible nearly cost the same as half of the $400 windshield. I advised this client to save his money in a separate account for windshields or other minor damage that might occur and leave his deductible where it is.

The point of fixing the date when coverage begins, defining what is covered, and at what price maintains the integrity of the insurance business. Imagine the chaos if everyone who got into an accident or had a claim could backdate coverage to pay a little, so the company would have to pay a lot. That’s the risk you take if you fail to purchase adequate insurance or you have high deductibles. And yes, you might complain about paying so much in and getting nothing out. I hear that one all the time: “What’s the point of having insurance if I can’t use it?” Personally, I’ll gladly pay my insurance premium for my entire life and hope I never have to use it once. Auto insurance is not an investment. It’s peace of mind.