Dear Claudienne

In June 2012 my motor vehicle was in an accident. I asked my friend to drop me off at a function and keep my car at his house until it was over. When he was going home a lady drove from a minor road onto the main thoroughfare and hit the front of my car. The car is insured with Advantage General and my broker is Solid Life and General. I submitted a claim to the broker from July 9 and in August they said I could go ahead and have the damage assessment done. This was submitted to the broker on September 4 and they said that my file would be reviewed and they would contact me. Up to now I have heard from neither the broker nor the insurance company about the settlement of my claim.

Could you find out what is the situation for me.

TR

Dear TR

We contacted Advantage General and they said they had only received the estimate of claim. They said that in order to process the claim the full details were needed such as the estimate of repairs, assessment report, loss of use claim etc. However, Solid Life gave Tell Claudienne the dates on which they sent the insurance company the claim form and your registration and fitness information, your driver’s licence and estimate of repairs. They also told us the date on which they sent the demand letter re the third party and the name of the person to whose attention the assessors report/loss of use was sent.

We note that since we gave Advantage this information they have approved the settlement of your claim and sent the release to the broker for you to sign. Advantage said that as soon as you sign the release and it is returned to them, they will prepare your cheque.

Good luck.

I worked with the Postal Service and retired at the age of 60 in 2007. On my 65th birthday — in March, 2012 — I applied to the Postal Service for my Widows and Orphans refund and all the documentation was sent by the post office to the Ministry of Finance in June.

I called the Ministry of Finance sometime in November and was told to write a letter to the minister of finance requesting the refund.

I have written to the minister but could you find out for me why this was necessary seeing that I had sent in all the documents requested by the Postal Service, such as my children’s birth certificates and my deceased wife’s death certificate?

CR

Dear CR

According to the Ministry of Finance, when a person retires and is eligible for a Widows and Orphans Refund, the Pensions Civil Service Family Benefit Act requires them to apply for a refund within six months of retirement. If the person has been retired for over six months the application has to be made to the minister of finance who will determine whether or not the refund will be made.

Section 10 (3) (a) of the Act states:

“Whereafter the 1st January 1976 a contributor retires from the Public Service of Jamaica on pension but at the time of retiring the scheme carries no risk in respect of that contributor

(a) the contributor may by memorandum in writing to the Minister, within six months of the date of enactment of this Act or six months of retirement or such longer period as the minister in any case allows, (elect to have his contribution refunded to him).”

In your case you were instructed to request the refund because your date of retirement is way past the six-month stipulation in the Act.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.