A California P&C Insurance Ethical Quandry

[marindependent]

I have an ethical question for Agents to Consider...

If you are not supposed to swear with customers on the phone, how are you supposed to update them on the state of the deplorable California Property / Causality Insurance market? [Floridians - please free to chime in with your experience here.]

I mean I cant use any of the following terms:
ClusterF#ck
Sh!tShow
Cr3pShoot

I am left with terms such as "Challenging" and "Historically poor" and "Incredibly Hard Market" or "Not enjoyable" - but I dont feel these convey the real gravity of the situation.

What to do?

 

[Al3x Lee]

If you are not supposed to swear with customers on the phone

When did that become a rule? Customers swear at me all the time, but to be fair, I usually don't fire unless fired upon.

 

[adjusterjack]

Yeah, I want to see the rule, too.

Meantime:

SNAFU - Situation Normal All Fouled Up (or the obvious substitution for fouled).

FUBAR - Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition (or the obvious substitution for fouled).

Chinese Fire Drill - though that might offend the political correct people. In case you don't know - Chinese fire drill - Wikipedia

Monkey f---iing a football.

 

[marindependent]

When did that become a rule?

I believe its an organizational type rule. with some [not all] organizations.

 

[Policy Monkey]

I have to treat most of my clients like they're 5 years old, so I'm used to working clean. I use terms like "dumpster fire" and "full blown crisis".

 

[Al3x Lee]

I believe its an organizational type rule. with some [not all] organizations.

Oh in that case, just say something along the lines of "The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated. Lives are at stake."

I recommend refusing to elaborate on the last part

 

[Allen Trent]

Just say it is government regulated for the consumers benefit & well being. That should get the swear words flowing without you having to say them 1st

 

[NY independent]

NY is in terrible shape too and customers large and small have no idea of market conditions. If the media paid attention to it, it would make these conversations go a lot easier. I usually lead off with "insurance companies are in business to make money, and between low to no investment income and little to no underwriting profit, they are hitting you hard with rate increases". It doesn't help though when carriers like Travelers, Chubb, post hundreds of millions of net income profit for the quarter however.

 

[Markthebroker]

I have an ethical question for Agents to Consider...

If you are not supposed to swear with customers on the phone, how are you supposed to update them on the state of the deplorable California Property / Causality Insurance market? [Floridians - please free to chime in with your experience here.]

I mean I cant use any of the following terms:
ClusterF#ck
Sh!tShow
Cr3pShoot

I am left with terms such as "Challenging" and "Historically poor" and "Incredibly Hard Market" or "Not enjoyable" - but I dont feel these convey the real gravity of the situation.

What to do?

I often use the term "stage 4 cluster snuggle". People seem to like that, and it still makes me chuckle.