Insurance Deductibles
The amount you pay out-of-pocket before insurance kicks in. A financial buffer designed to prevent frivolous claims and keep premiums theoretically lower.
Deductibles create a peculiar psychological barrier. Is that dent worth filing a claim? Will your premium increase? These questions haunt every policyholder.
Manhole Covers
Cast iron sentinels of the underground, protecting us from the abyss beneath our feet. Weighing 250+ pounds, they're designed to never fall through their own holes.
EVERYTHING
SEWER
Why are they round? A circle cannot fall through itself. Also easier to roll. This elegant geometry has remained unchanged for over 150 years.
| Attribute | Insurance Deductibles | Manhole Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | Risk distribution | Access protection |
| Average Weight | Psychological burden | 250 lbs |
| Shape | Variable (percentage or flat) | Circular (always) |
| Can Be Stolen? | Technically, through fraud | Frequently, for scrap metal |
| Causes Anxiety? | Absolutely | Only when loose |
The Synthesis: Infrastructure of Uncertainty
Both insurance deductibles and manhole covers represent the same fundamental concept: managed access to dangerous depths. One protects our finances from falling into claims abyss; the other protects our bodies from falling into actual abysses.
Consider: what if manhole covers had deductibles? "We'll cover the first 250 pounds of descent, but anything beyond that is your responsibility." The average person weighs less than 250 pounds, so technically they'd never hit their deductible.
Conversely, what if insurance deductibles were round? They couldn't fall through themselves, making them psychologically easier to handle. A circular $500 feels better than a square $500.
This analysis has been reviewed and approved by the Department of Abstract Municipal Correlations.