Are big corporations truly evil, scum sucking entities?

I never would have believed it. Trust in big business (at a broad level, of course there are the Enrons of the world) has always been one of the few things I've agreed with Republicans on. However, I'm beginning to think they're total scum needing heavy regulation based on two recent experiences:

1. Today, I received a letter in the mail from the my former insurer, and a last date bill. They're threatening to turn me over to a collection agency if I don't submit payment by a date in the middle of November (and yes, this is December). Sprinkled in the document was all this pseudo-legal language that's utterly unenforceable but is meant to sound intimidating.

Personally, I had no recollection of availing myself of any services that I would be charged for. Moreover, I didn't remember receiving any other bills. So I called the #. Turns out, a procedure that I was informed was fully covered was subject to a 25% deductible. They, of course, have no record of the person telling me it was fully covered. It was oral. Sorry Sir, but you must pay in full. And we've already turned you over to a collection agency.

Why didn't I receive my bill previously? Well, I didn't give them my new address. I didn't give ANYONE my new address, except those who I needed to give outstanding payments to (like my student loan corp) and people I actually wanted writing me.

Think it would have been hard for them to track me down? Nope. They could have just asked my college. They give out my address to everyone and their dog anyway. And I purchased this insurance THROUGH my college... so you'd think this would have been their very first move.

Bastards.

2. I've now requested a deferment form from my student loan corporation 4 times in the past 3 months. Know how many I've received? 0. Finally, I managed to download a generic government deferment form that should work off of the web. I sent that in about 3 weeks ago, with my law school's certification... they still haven't recognized it in their stupid system (10 business days past about a week ago).

When I call? "Sorry sir, we have no record of that request." Or, "yes sir... we got the request... didn't you get the form?" Nope. Sorry fellows, the letter getting lost in the mail only works once as an excuse.

Well fellow ccnet members... am I just unlucky...? Or are corporations scum? Right now I am P-I-S-S-E-D. Republicans here are so fond of saying that I'll be more conservative when my "life experiences" demonstrate the awe-inspiring virtues of conservatism. Well, this is teaching me that government is necessary to clamp down on these assholes.

 

MadMax:

I'm not really sure. THe real problem is that it's not worth our time to seriously counter any one of these practices. Meanwhile, by abusing consumers, big business profits a great deal, and feel secure in the assumption that the little guy can't afford to do anything about it.

One solution is uncapping punitive damages (or apportioning them to % of net worth). Actual damages in situations like this are minute, making it worthless to sue even in a class action. However, if you say "for screwing over millions of college students, ye shall pay" then I'd wager that after the first time one gets hit, it'll never happen again on a large scale.

Maybe some direct government oversight would be better? With huge fines for abusive policies? Or maybe just exempt consumers from paying bills if there's even a hint of wrong-doing. Make them cover themselves, since they're in a better position to do so.

I'm really mad about this first instance. This will affect my credit history permanently, and I didn't do anything wrong.

Of course I really don't think they evil... but they're so devoted to using any leverage at all possible costs that they truly do abuse poor innocent consumers like myself.