Looking for Soldiers Denied Car Insurance

[Journalist]

Hello. My name is Charles Rusnell. I am a senior investigative reporter with The Edmonton Journal.

I am working on a story about insurance reforms in Alberta. During the course of my research, I heard that some soldiers from Alberta, and possibly other provinces, who had allowed their auto insurance to lapse while serving out of the country in 2002/2003/2004 were denied coverage by their insurers upon their return.

Those soldiers were instead forced to turn to what was then called the Facilities Association (an insurer of last resort). Insurance could be obtained, but at rates three, four or five times higher than the rate previously paid.

I have already established that this happened to university students, overseas oilfield workers and others. But I am keen to find soldiers who served overseas and then were forced to pay significantly higher insurance rates.

If anyone out there experienced this, or knows someone who did, please contact me at your earliest convenience. My e-mail address is [email protected]. com and my office phone number is 780-429-5366. Thank you.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/33005.0.html

Here is a thread that might help.
Search 'insurance' and a page of threads come up......didn't check them out but they may be of some assistance.

 

[armyvern]

Just bumping the thread up...

 

[PMedMoe]

I heard that some soldiers from Alberta, and possibly other provinces, who had allowed their auto insurance to lapse while serving out of the country in 2002/2003/2004 were denied coverage by their insurers upon their return.

My first thought on reading this when it was originally posted was:  If I were an insurance company and someone let their insurance lapse (I'm thinking through non-payment), I would certainly refuse them insurance too.  Maybe someone can enlighten me?

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

I think the issue here is the same as it is for my student son who went away to Texas for the summer...5 months...I thought I'd save on car insurance and wanted to take him off my policy with the Personnel. they advised that if I took him off and then wanted to get him back on when he came back he would start again as an inexperienced driver even though he's just had 6 years of accident and ticket free driving.....It's all a scam in my opinion. I continued to pay the extra $30 a month because now that he's back he's driving my vehicle again and I really don't need any increases at this point.
What I don't understand and the clerk on the phone couldn't enlighten my on was why a perfect driving record built up over 6 years is suddenly void the moment you stop paying them premiums and the clock gets reset to zero.

 

[Shamrock]

My first thought on reading this when it was originally posted was:  If I were an insurance company and someone let their insurance lapse (I'm thinking through non-payment), I would certainly refuse them insurance too.  Maybe someone can enlighten me?

This is non-payment in troops going overseas and removing insurance from their vehicles as they will not be driving them -- not a case of failure to pay.

Insurance companies doing this is hardly anything new.  I remember pre-deployment in '97 speaking to an insurer about removing my insurance and being advised of the penalties; I was advised to leave fire and theft on it as it was being stored.  Worked out to around $15 a month or so.

 

[PMedMoe]

Okay, thanks for the info.  Yes, even if your vehicle is in storage, it's wise to keep fire and theft on it.

 

[niceasdrhuxtable]

This is a symptom of the government requiring you to have a service and then leaving it up to the private sector to run it any way they see fit. What I really find amusing is that the entire idea of insurance is shared liability but the insurance companies are very keen to divide you into the smallest demographic possibly and charge you accordingly. I miss Manitoba just for the public insurance system which I think is far and away better than what I've experienced in Ontario and Nova Scotia.

 

[reccecrewman]

I for one find it odd that it would lapse at all..............  I've had the same insurer for 6 years now. I've never had to "renew" or "re-apply" for insurance.  The fact that I don't call them to cancel my insurance indicates (To them I presume) that I wish to continue having them insure my vehicle and home.  I do get a letter from them every year which states my premiums for the year and new insurance tickets for my wallet, but that's about it.

Regards