Insurance or extortion?

So I find myself in the fabulous position of having to deal with an insurance company right now. It's my own fault - I made the mistake of thinking it was worth insuring one's possessions against loss or damage. Because, you know, they might cover the losses.

So now it's looks like I'm paying a $600 stupid tax. The insurance company doesn't actually call it a stupid tax, they call it an excess. I call it a stupid tax because I'm being forced to pay it for being stupid enough to place any faith in an insurance company. It isn't as if I expect these fuckers to be a charity but if they're going to indulge in extortion I'd rather they drop the pretence and act like they criminals they are. I don't know, they could wear a mask, hold me at gunpoint, make threatening phone calls.

Oh wait, they did the threatening phone call thing on Friday which is why I'm so fucking pissed off at them right now. So I'll pay the $600 stupid tax and... Well, I'm not going to be any better off. If my foresight was a little better, I would have saved the money I've been paying in insurance premiums to hire a hitman.

I used to work for an insurance company so I know a lot of their customers are jerks but you all know how reasonable I am, right? Ummm, actually I don't think that line of argument is going to work for me.