Georgia woman reading fine print on travel insurance from Florida-based company, Squaremouth, wins $ 10,000 in hidden competition
A self-proclaimed "nerd" from Georgia read the often-ignored scrapbook on an insurance contract – and it ended up winning her $ 10,000. Donelan Andrews recently purchased travel insurance from a Florida-based company, Squaremouth. Andrews and six of her closest friends travel together to London in September, and high school teachers wanted to secure their trip, she told CBS News.
Andrews says as nerdy as it sounds, she always reads print on contracts, policies and deals. This time her diligence paid. Hidden deep in the text of Squaremouth's insurance policy was a contest to win $ 10,000. The company buried instructions to claim the grand prize in the fine edition of each Tin Leg Travel Insurance contract.
Squaremouth
"If you've read so far, you're one of the few getting Tin Leg customers to review all their political documentation," it read. It included an email address and said that the first person who answered would win the prize.
It reminded Andrews of an old trick that she has spent on her high school students.
"I used to ask a question like this midway through an exam, and say," If you read this, skip the next question. "It caught my eye and fascinated me to continue reading," Andrews said.
What she read next surprised her – her habit of being careful had never won her $ 10,000 before.
Squaremouth explained the secretive competition on their website after Andrews won. "We understand that most customers don't actually read contracts or documentation when they buy something, but we know the importance of doing so," the company wrote. "We created the top secret Pays to Read campaign in an effort to highlight the importance of reading policy documentation from start to finish."
"Over the past 16 years, we have learned that many travelers buy travel insurance and only assume they are covered if something goes wrong, without actually reading the details of their policies," Squaremouth wrote. "However, this often leads to claims for non-covered losses. This lack of understanding is one of the main reasons why travel insurance claims are denied."
Square Mouth
Not only did Squaremouth Andrews make the $ 10,000 she won by being a thorough reader, they also donated an additional $ 10,000 to a child's literacy charity and $ 5,000 to two high schools as part of their Pays to Read campaign.
Fortunately for Andrews, she is now well versed in her travel insurance – and she has enough money to plan a second trip. "I'm leaving lessons on May 31, after 25 years," Andrews CBS News said. "My husband and I are going to Scotland to celebrate my retirement and our 35th wedding anniversary! This will cover most of that price! And by the way, I will buy travel insurance!"
