Dealing with the ticklish matter of an insurance claim
Dear Claudienne,
My Toyota RV4 met in an accident with a truck on the afternoon of November 27, 2019 on the Marcus Garvey highway in Kingston.
I made a report on the accident immediately at the Hunt’s Bay police station, and although the driver of the truck took responsibility for the accident, he did not report the mishap to the police until several days later.
I am insured with Advantage General Insurance Company (AGIC) and informed their Mandeville branch of the accident on November 29, 2019. The truck involved in the accident was insured with General Accident.
Since the date of my initial report of the accident, I have contacted the AGIC claims department in Mandeville on several occasions. Each time I contacted the claims department they promised to contact me in two weeks. However, they never called me and when I again called them, they again promised to call me back in two weeks.
On December 3, 2019 my vehicle was repaired at Toyota Jamaica on Spanish Town Road in Kingston. Although I made the deductible payment of $274,000 after the vehicle was repaired, to date I have not got back the $274,000 from General Accident.
After several months of calling the Mandeville branch of Advantage for an update on the money that General Accident was to pay me, a representative informed me that the claims department had closed.
I was then referred to the Advantage General head office in Kingston.
When I called the head office on June 15, 2020 I was informed that a police report had to be submitted. The police report and videos of the accident were submitted to the claims department of my insurance company on May 29, 2020, and the documents were also emailed to several persons at the head office for them to be registered into the system.
On March 30, 2021 I visited the head office of Advantage General and was given a Third-Party Release form to complete, but I still have not been refunded for the $274,000 deductible payment that I made.
I have even, on my own initiative, called General Accident on several occasions to get updates on the progress of the money I am to be paid.
General Accident told me on May 19, 2021 that the payment was sent to Advantage General. However, to date (June 13, 2021), four weeks after General Accident said the money was sent to AGIC, they have told me that they have not been able to locate the money in their account. I believe that this is total slackness and I need an urgent response.
There is no way I should wait on money to be found in an account before I can be reimbursed my money.
I would appreciate your help in bringing this matter to an early resolution.
NC
Dear NC
On June 14, 2021 Tell Claudienne communicated with Advantage General in respect of your concerns.
On June 15, 2021 the insurance company advised the column that they had contacted you and would have a resolution of your concerns by the following day, June 16, 2021.
On June 18, 2021 you informed Tell Claudienne that Advantage had lodged the $274,000 to your account.
An Advantage General email to Tell Claudienne explains that: “The funds ($274,000 sent by General Accident to AGIC) were never received by AGIC through the banking system.
“There was a failure of the transit process,” Advantage General said.
Apparently General Accident, up until June 15, 2021 when AGIC contacted them, had not been informed by their bank that the $274,000 they had sent to AGIC had been returned to the General Accident account.
We wish you all the best.
Have 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 email:edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.