I am a relative newcomer to Alberta in general, and to Lacombe in particular.
In September 2009, I purchased a vehicle. I had the foresight to include insurance that would have my payments made on my behalf, in the event of an injury of disability. There is a clause in the insurance policy that states I would not qualify for coverage in the event that I worked less than 25 hours per week for 30 days prior to an injury. I was working full-time hours at that time and therefore was not concerned about this particular stipulation.
On Jan. 19 of this year, I slipped on some ice outside our local hospital and broke two supporting ones in my left ankle, I was in hospital for three weeks, and at the present time, I am still non-weight bearing and unable to manage stairs.
I accepted a new job in June of last year that has fluctuating hours. This is the nature of the job. Some weeks are 80-plus hours and some weeks are 10 hours. At the time of my injury, I had only one client, and therefore was working reduced hours. I am a caregiver. I was spending the balance of my days searching for employment that would offer full-time hours.
I spent many hours collecting the data required by the insurance company, a total of 16 pages, so that they could begin processing my claim. These were hours that would have been better spent on resting and conserving my energy. I was anxious for them to begin the processing procedure as quickly as possible, for obvious reasons.
Imagine my distress when I received their decision that I was being denied. I immediately sent a letter of appeal to the manager of the insurance company, explaining my circumstances. However, they remain steadfast in their original decision to deny the claim.
I am a widow and have only my income on which to survive. The monthly car payments are quite high, which is why I purchased the additional insurance in the first place. These payments take close to half of my Worker’s Compensation income, which makes it very difficult to meet my additional financial obligations. Which bill should I choose not pay due to my current financial restrictions? Rent, groceries, insurance or perhaps Blue Cross
I cannot help but wonder why the number of hours worked has anything to do with the eligibility to collect in the event of injury. I have never missed a payment or been late with a payment in the entire time that I have owned my vehicle. Each of these payments has included the cost of extra coverage that I cannot collect, due to the unfortunate timing of my fall.
Had the accident occurred several months earlier, this situation would not be an issue.
It all seems so unfair. Anyone who I have discussed this situation with absolutely agrees with me.
My employment situation has changed since I purchased the vehicle, through no fault of my own. My previous employer was downsizing and the services of some employees were no longer required. I was one of those people, which is the reason for a different employer and fluctuating hours. The economy is changing. Situations are changing. I am no different than many people being affected.
I am being denied something that I have been paying for on a monthly basis for the entire time that I have owned my vehicle.
If anyone wishes to contact me, please do so through the Advocate. I would love to hear back from anyone who has read this article, wether you agree with me or not.
As a final comment, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my sister, Madeline Hendrickson, for being my “legs” throughout this entire ordeal. She has taken wonderful care of me right from the start, and continues to do so. I don’t know where I would be without her constant care, concern, and support.
Deb O’Connell
Lacombe