Dear Claudienne

I am writing to register my disappointment with both Insurance Company of the West Indies (ICWI) and Advantage General Insurance Company (AGIC) in the way they have handled my claim for an accident that occurred on March 27, 2019 when a biker ran his bike into the side of my car, while I was parking my vehicle on the MegaMart compound on Waterloo Road in Kingston.

After the accident, I dutifully made a report to the Grants Pen Police Station then to ICWI, Liguanea.

I did all that was required of me by ICWI, including completing a very detailed and extensive multi-page report. I was also grilled for hours by an ICWI investigator at my home.

 I told the investigator and other agents of ICWI that the accident was caught on camera and that MegaMart, after witnessing the event, kindly volunteered to make the footage available to the police or my insurance company, if requested.

All the prerequisites for the claim were completed by or about the middle of April 2019. I was then told by the ICWI Liguanea branch that the claim would now be dealt with by the Claims Department at their Head Office in New Kingston.

About a week later I was advised by the Claims Department that my claim was being contested by the third party, who was insisting that I ran into his bike while I was “reversing out of MegaMart parking  space”.

I used the opportunity to remind the agent that the incident was caught on the MegaMart camera system and hence my claim could be quickly and easily verified upon them viewing it.

We ended the call with the agent promising to keep me updated on the progress of my claim.

However this never happened, and in addition to not being kept updated by the ICWI head office as promised, my attempts to get any update on my claim have been met with what I consider scant regard from both ICWI and AGIC.

Finally, after many more calls and requests for my matter to be dealt with, and after securing a deal-direct letter from ICWI,  I retrieved the camera footage from MegaNart.  ICWI then viewed it and sent it to AGIC for their viewing.

  However, after  viewing the camera footage AGIC informed me that although the video shows clearly that the biker (their client) ran his bike into my car as per my report, they were not able to see the bike’s licence plate number to connect their client to the accident.

I find it amazing that after doing everything required of me for the insurance claim to be honoured, I am now being presented with what appears to be a delay tactic.

Can AGIC escape paying a lawful claim based on such a frivolous assertion? Surely there are other ways to prove that their client is the perpetrator shown in this video.

It has now been seven months, and my car is still not repaired, which I still have to drive.

 I have reverted the matter to ICWI, but it seems to me that because they had issued me a deal-direct letter, they have essentially washed their hands (my interpretation) of the matter. ICWI however, has been quick to encourage me to claim on my insurance policy.

However, I am reluctant to claim on my insurance policy as due to the excess that I would have to pay, the loss of my No Claim discount, would cost me at least twice what I would get from claiming from the third party insurer. And, they know this!

PWDear PW

 I would appreciate your help in this matter.

On contacting ICWI On November 11, 2019, the claims manager assured Tell Claudienne that the deal direct letter you received did not mean that ICWI would cease to make a claim to Advantage General on your behalf. She said that on October 10, 17 and 31 and November 7, ICWI had been in dialogue with AGIC about your claim.

The ICWI claims manager also said that making a claim on your comprehensive insurance policy would not have affected your no-claim bonus.

Tell Claudienne also made the managing director and claims manager of AGIC aware of your issues with the insurance company.

The column notes that the matter has now been quickly resolved.

Tell Claudienne notes the following e-mail that you said you sent to the vice-president for claims at Advantage General:

“I was called by ICWI today (November 12, 2019) to come in and sign the claim settlement form. Although I did not agree with the loss of use calculation of the form (please see attached the actual loss of use that I had submitted), after much contemplation, I chose to just sign it and move on.

Above all, I’m absolutely grateful for the yeoman service that Tell Claudienne has provided. I believe that I owe her a debt of gratitude for her relentless efforts to end my nightmarish experience, in less than 48 HOURS!”

In response to your e-mail  you said that the vice-president for claims AGIC responded as follows:

“There are escalation protocols in place at AGIC to ensure the ultimate customer experience. If for any reason you were not allowed by a member of our team to avail of them, we would like to know so that the matter can be appropriately addressed.

 TWIN BIRTH CERTIFICATE ISSUES

We welcome your feedback and I am always available to address any concerns any person might have in their dealings with us, whether by phone, e-mail, the message media and otherwise.

Best wishes.”

 We wish you all the best.

Dear Claudienne

My twin sons and I have been living in Canada for the past four years as permanent residents.

In August 2019 I applied to have their passports renewed via the Jamaican consulate office in Toronto. A few weeks later I received a call from the Jamaicam consulate in Toronto that the passport office in Jamaica has advised them that I need to get ‘Second Born of Twins’ added to my second son’s birth certificate.

I contacted the Registrar General Department (RGD) both via e-mail and by calling (customer service). I was advised that I would need to submit the two copies of the original birth certificates. The birth certificates would be voided and second born of twins added.

The two birth certificates were submitted to the RGD in Westmoreland on September 18, 2019. The person who submitted the certificates on my behalf did not receive a tracking number. No payment was made either, because the RGD said that it was their error so I am not required to pay.

I have been calling, sending e-mails, and I have also asked someone to visit the Westmoreland office on my behalf to try to get an update on the status of the birth certificate.

First, they told me that it is a long process and they don’t know how long it will take.

I have also been told that they cannot provide any information because they don’t have a tracking number. Can you help with this please?

 Dear APHave a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 876- 936-9436 or cell # 876-484-1349 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.

Obtaining the revised birth certificates is a matter of urgency for me at this point so any help you can provide would be genuinely appreciated.

AP

Tell Claudienne contacted the RGD and have been advised that you have now received the birth certificate.

We wish you all the best.