Being the good friend Buddy is, he recently lent his Mercedes to a mate who proceeded to total it.

Here’s the call where Buddy rings the NRMA to lodge the claim.

NRMA: Hello, this is Karen. How can I help you today?

Franklin: A mate’s crashed my car.

NRMA: OK sir, would you like to make a claim?

Franklin: Yeah. He wrote it off completely.

NRMA: That’s terrible. Could I begin with your name?

Franklin: Buddy.

NRMA: Is that your surname?

Franklin: No, it’s Buddy Franklin. As in the AFL footballer.

NRMA: I’m from Sydney Mr Franklin. I have no idea what that is.

I’m not finding that name on my system sir. Could it be under a different name?

Franklin: Try Lance Franklin.

NRMA: I’m not getting that either. Do you have a policy number?

Franklin: What’s that?

NRMA: It’s the number you get when you took out a policy on the car.

Franklin: What’s a policy?

NRMA: Sir, did you insure this car when you purchased it?

Franklin: Like before the accident?

NRMA: Yes Mr Franklin, before the accident.

Franklin: Why would I do that? It was a brand new car.

NRMA: Mr Franklin, insurance works by a large group of people all paying an amount as protection against a possible accident or theft. We can then cover the few people who do have an accident from the total money we receive.

You can’t just get it after the accident or no one would ever buy insurance until something happened, would they?

Franklin: I think I understand. So this is going to cost me over $100,000 now?

NRMA: It seems that way sir. Do you have any way of getting your hands on that sort of money?

Franklin: Yeah but I’ll have to go out to the shed. Thanks for your help.

NRMA: You’re welcome Mr Franklin.