Just received a paper in the mail today, giving me my actual insurance papers for my car for next year, and they didn’t include an invoice.
There’s only a small, listed gross price for the insurance, without taxes or any other additions:
Insurance cost: $303/year
Last year it was $328/year.
My insurance is super low because I have a super old car that works beautifully, and very basic insurance.
But don’t despair, Quebec f*cks me in other ways, by charging $300+ a year for a license. *rolls eyes*
No bill, no pay
FB: So what do I do? There’s no invoice here.
BF: HAH! The same thing happened to me.
FB: Well, I have the papers for my car, and I haven’t paid a cent for this year.
BF: Something must be messed up with their system.
FB: No bill, no pay.
BF: That’s what I did. They finally called me 2 months later, and I got my actual invoice a month after that.
Should I call them and ask for the invoice?
The answer is: No.
Would you call a pirate and tell them “come and rob me golden riches, big boy?”
Thought not.
It was their job to charge me with a proper invoice (which I need for my business records).
The best part about this is I had actually called BEFORE I received these papers.
FB: Er.. I have a “late renewal notice” from you, but I never even received the invoice for what I have to pay. So I’m not paying until I get an invoice.
Insurance Rep: No problem, I’ll have one sent out to you right away. But just in case you want to pay, it’s $300-bla-bla something.
FB: Okay. But I won’t pay it without an invoice.
DUH!? Who pays something a rep tells them over the phone, without seeing it in hard copy!?
It’s just asking for “he said, she said” trouble.
On this related side note, ALWAYS GET A RECEIPT:
When I go to a store, a restaurant, even to things like the CN tower, it doesn’t matter, I want my receipt.
Why?
- Enter the record into my budgeting spreadsheet (hey, it’s on Version 4.0 now, no need to know any more Excel formulas when you’re entering in expenses to sync to your budget)
- Need it for my business records
- ….Just want to check that the items were scanned correctly
You’d be surprised how many times they screw up on scanning.
..and you may even earn a little money back, in Canada
In Canada, we have a law only in Quebec that says you MUST be charged the correct price for an item.
If they ask for $10.01 on something that was supposed to be $10.00 even, you can ask for up to $10 back as a way to teach them a lesson, because they overcharged you by a penny!!
Some stores will resist, but just bring them up to the Retail Council and they will snap to.
The law is the law.
P.S. This correct price scanning law is also available in other parts of Canada, but only in certain stores.
See the list and the details of the price scanning law here.
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Ginger
on Oct 29th, 2009
@ 12:18 PM:
Good tips! Very useful reminders!
But the scanning law is only in Quebec… in the rest of Canada it is a voluntary code of practice, so not all retailers participate. Just an FYI!
It’s totally awesome though. I have gotten a lot of free stuff & discounts because I paid attention as the items were scanned!
Ginger´s last blog ..I want some Halloweenie!
Vanessa (Last Night's Leftovers)
on Oct 29th, 2009
@ 1:49 PM:
I love the “scanning code of practice” or whatever they call it here in MB. It has saved me 10 bucks a few times
Vanessa (Last Night’s Leftovers)´s last blog ..Sister-in-Law to the Rescue!
SeeJaneGetRich.com
on Oct 29th, 2009
@ 2:02 PM:
I love it when personal finance and the law mix.
While it is not common in the US, the state of Michigan has a “scanning law” (http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164–134114–,00.html).
Under the Michigan scanning law if a merchant rings up the wrong price and the transaction has been completed (you get a receipt) then you can request the price differece p*l*u*s a little compensation (at least $1 and at most $5). And if they don’t pay up then you can take them to court.
.
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Oct 29th, 2009
@ 5:15 PM:
@Ginger: Thanks, that’s what I said.
The law is in Quebec, but it applies to other provinces depending on what store you go to.
@Vanessa (Last Night’s Leftovers): We’ve gotten lots of free stuff as a result!
@SeeJaneGetRich.com: OOO! But to take them to court, wouldn’t that get expensive?
talesfromasmalltown
on Oct 29th, 2009
@ 5:50 PM:
This exact same thing happened to me in the spring when I changed my car insurance to be a monthly payment. My insurance company tired to take it a step further in that they sent me a letter saying that because I had not paid my car insurance that as of notice of the letter I was not insured to be driving. Thankfully when I told my father of what had happened while asking him what I should do to fix it immediately he went straight to the office to get it sorted. I don’t live near the insurance company branch that I deal with…that is why he went for me. In the end everything worked out but it gave me a bit of a scare!
paranoidasteroid
on Oct 29th, 2009
@ 6:34 PM:
A lot of grocery stores do that – if something rings up wrong, it’s free – but no other stores do, really. It would be a neat thing if they did.
paranoidasteroid´s last blog ..I spend more when I’m happy
The Asian Pear
on Oct 29th, 2009
@ 7:50 PM:
hahaha. “No bill. No pay.” That’s a good motto indeed.
The Asian Pear´s last blog ..PayDay for Me –> Family
flirty30
on Oct 29th, 2009
@ 10:02 PM:
while i TOTALLY agree with you on the no invoice, no pay thing… i’d be a bit scared about getting in an accident and not having coverage. yes i KNOW you might even have your papers but they can hire much much pricier lawyers than you and if there ever was some reason that you were in a collision that was your fault and you owed a ton… they might try to screw you. now i would never say that they would be in the right, but they could try to do it and make your life hell. while i wouldn’t pay based on something said over the phone, i’d probably pay off the paper statement… even a bit just so that you could argue it in court. i know i’m overly paranoid but i’ve learned a few things like this the hard way. big companies don’t always do what’s right, and you’re not going to win.
flirty30´s last blog ..i’m taking the lunch challenge too!
SeeJaneGetRich.com
on Oct 30th, 2009
@ 7:18 AM:
FB,
Taking a big corporation to court can be expensive for such a paltry amount. But, if someone has the time and energy then they can always do small claims court or hire an attorney since according to the statute if they win they can recover up to $300 for attorney’s fees. Which is quite low though.
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
on Oct 30th, 2009
@ 8:40 AM:
@SeeJaneGetRich: I thought that too, but you know what, apparently since “the law is the law” it is an automatic win of the case even for a penny, you can ask them to pay for your lawyer’s fees AND give you that money back.
Most companies won’t bother trying to fight it, so they end up giving you your $10 or $20 back.
BF just recently did this
The Financial Blogger » Blog Archive » Carnival of Money Hackers #89 – My Favourite Coffee Edition
on Nov 4th, 2009
@ 7:42 AM:
[...] Broke presents On Invoices, Receipts & Accuracy « Fabulously Broke in the City posted at Fabulously Broke ….in the [...]
Carnival of Money Hackers #89 – My Favourite Coffee Edition | Forexway.info
on Nov 10th, 2009
@ 9:40 PM:
[...] Broke presents On Invoices, Receipts & Accuracy « Fabulously Broke in the City posted at Fabulously Broke ….in the [...]