Chapter 466

“I wouldn’t say it was typical, no,” ‘Fred’ said. The associate playing the Insurance Broker definitely wasn’t a skilled actor, but he at least didn’t seem to need to check his role notes very often.

“And why would you say that, Mr Garland?” Tucker asked.

“Well, it’s my job to get a policy in front of my clients that matches up with their needs. In the case of Randy and Felise, they were asking for a lower monthly payment without raising their deductible. It took some work to find a policy that would fit that.”

“Is that something you would usually do for a client, Mr Garland?” Tucker followed up.

“I mean, that’s my job,” ‘Fred’ said.

“Let me be more specific,” Tucker said. “It’s sensible to assume most Insurance Companies have standard best practices that most of the industry follows; did the policy that you matched up with the Jacobs follow those best practices or fall outside of them?”

Tucker was doing a decent job of laying the path towards where you knew he was going. That last question you might have been able to object to, but it would just be a delaying tactic to force Tucker to confirm there were Best Practices. Sabrina grabbed her notepad and started scribbling something on it, then showed it to you flat on the table. It was a stick figure falling into a hole, a big ‘T’ on his face. She smirked just a little at you, and you smiled and nodded.

“Well, I’d say it was more ... on the fringes of best practices,” ‘Fred’ said.

“I’m sure no insurance company simply gives away more favourable terms than their standard rates. What else needed to change in the policy to make those rates possible?”

“Several things,” ‘Fred’ said. “There were heavy guidelines based on keeping the vehicle current on maintenance schedules and safe driving practices - any sort of speeding ticket would have bounced the premium way up.”

“Anything else?” Tucker asked.

‘Fred’ pursed his lips in thought, and then looked down to check his notes. “Yes,” he said. “No after-market modifications to the vehicle, functional or decorative. No driving it internationally.”

“So four significant variances?”

“Generally,” ‘Fred’ nodded.

“Those don’t sound too onerous,” Tucker said. “But would you say it took an average amount of work, or higher than average, to get that deal done for the Jacobs?”

“Above average.”

“And is there a personal reason that you would have to go above and beyond for the Jacobs as your clients?”

‘Fred’ frowned, actually doing a little bit of acting. “I go above and beyond for all my clients.”

“Have you ever gotten a deal like this done before?” Tucker asked.

“A few times,” ‘Fred’ answered.

“More than five?”

Fred shook his head. “No.”

“Are there any similarities in the clients you’ve struck those deals for?”

“I ... make them work for friends and relatives who come asking,” ‘Fred’ admitted.

“So a sort of ‘friends and family’ discount?”

“It’s not a discount, it’s a policy I’m allowed to negotiate on their behalf,” ‘Fred’ said.

“Certainly understandable,” Tucker said. “But, when you present these modified policies to them, do you go over the changes and the extra-strict guidelines?”

“Of course I do.”

“On the day that Randy and Felise Jacobs signed the contract for their new policy, do you remember if you went over the new guidelines with them?”

“I do,” ‘Fred’ said. “I always go over every policy with every client.”

“Did they understand the policy?”

“Objection,” you said, standing up to address the court. “Calls for speculation, Your Honor.”

Judge Mathews looked to Tucker.

“It speaks to whether Mr Garland fulfilled his duties as a Broker,” Tucker said.

“Objection sustained. Try and find another way around it, Mr Jackson,” the Judge said.

“Thank you, Your Honour,” you and Tucker both said. The minutiae of the proper procedure, especially in Mock Trial, was a little dizzying at times and a good rule of thumb was ‘Always be extra polite to the Judge and the Court.’

Tucker nodded, and you sat down. The blond ‘lawyer’ tapped his fingers on the front of his suit jacket for a moment. “Did the Jacobs’ read the policy in its entirety before signing?”

“I can’t say that I remember that or not,” ‘Fred’ said.

“So, to confirm, you allowed them to sign a policy, with different-than-normal conditions, without having studied the terms?” Tucker asked.