Dear Claudienne

I am a member of the Christiana branch of the Manchester Co-op Credit Union. Eight years ago I took out a Family Indemnity Plan (FIP) with CUNA Mutual. Last week I got a letter from Cuna advising me that the policy had lapsed because the monthly premium was not being paid.

This took me by surprise as about two years ago I gave my credit union authority to take the premiums from my shares in the event that they did not reach the Credit Union on time.

How could this have happened to me? Please find out for me if the policy could be reinstated.

NG

Dear NG

We spoke to CUNA Mutual to find out if your FIP policy could be reinstated. CUNA has advised us that it cannot be reinstated as no premiums had been paid for a long time. The spokesman said that a policy is cancelled after 90 days of non-payment of the premuims. He said that a warning letter is usually sent out when payments have been overdue for 60 days. In this letter the policy holder is advised that the policy would be cancelled in 90 days if the premiums were not paid.

However, you have told Tell Claudienne that you did not get a letter warning you that the premiums were 60 days overdue.

The manager of your credit union told us that they received no authorisation from you to pay the premiums from your shares. She said that the authorisation cannot be given by “word of mouth” but must be done in writing. She said that she had no proof that you spoke to an officer of the credit union and authorised this person to take the premiums from your shares as you were unable to say who you spoke to or to give her a description of this person.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne

I live in Torrington Park, Slipe Road. Under an arrangement the community had with the Jamaica Public Service Company, all of the citizens are to pay a flat-rate electricity bill of $600 per month.

One day in January 2009 I went to work and came home to find that the JPS had removed a wire from their poles by which I was obtaining electricity illegally. I went to the JPS and had the situation regularised and got a meter. Since that time I have been receiving monthly light bills of $5,000 or $6,000. I have a no-frost fridge, a computer, a television and two fans.

In September last year I asked the JPS to cut off the electricity as I am not working and could not afford to pay the light bill. I went to the JPS and asked them to put me on the flat rate scheme, but they said it no longer existed.

I am diabetic and hypertensive and was hospitalised. When I left the hospital I got a letter from a collection agency. The letter of demand said that I was owing the JPS $44,172.44 and would be taken to court if I did not pay the bill.

How can I be asked to pay this sum when my neighbours are paying a small flat rate?

SH

Dear SH

The JPS has advised Tell Claudienne that the flat rate in question no longer exists. The JPS said that it had a pilot flat-rate project in your community some time ago but “it did not work out because the people were not paying.” As a result the pilot project was not extended to any other community, the JPS said.

The JPS has suggested that you go to their office and make an arrangement to pay the bill. If you do this your account would be removed from the collection agency’s list.

Good luck

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 511-2436 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.