Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/01/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bought my first car, needed insurance to get registered. Found out I needed some work done and an inspection before getting registered. Car had been parked at mechanics right after getting my insurance approved (Oct. ***), I requested parking insurance and John Beal Insurance LTD said that they no not offer parking coverage without inspection. My car has still been parked since, I can offer proof of my car not being used for the last couple of months. **** ****/Wawanesa double charged me and put my account -$***, I contacted them about the issue and they hadn't charged me correctly the first month, then cancelled my policy for not making up the immediate funds they withdrawal after I had already paid that months of insurance, with bank statements as proof. Now I am owing $****** for the early cancellation fee, my credit is dinged, my chances of getting insurance again for when my car is fixed is now very low and costly. I would like to be charged for the parking coverage instead of the ***** since I never got to fully use their insurance services since my car had been parked, and I had asked for parking coverage.

  

  Business response

  03/01/2025

  Hi *****,

  
  We are sorry owing your first car has been a frustrating experience. ******** was correct telling you that parking insurance cannot be offered. The underwriting rules set out by the insurance company (Wawanesa), do not allow any physical damage coverage on vehicles ** years or older without a satisfactory vehicle inspection. It is my understanding that you were are aware an inspection was required based on the phone call you had while setting up your policy. Coverage cannot be backdated. This rule is in place as coverage has to be purchased prior to a loss as a ***** of insurance.

  
  Your first payment of $****** was set up for monthly withdrawal from your bank account on Nov 1. ******** s payment contract states that a *** attempt will be made if the 1st withdrawal is unsuccessful. This is why Wawanesa tried again November *. If the *** attempt is unsuccessful a registered letter providing ** days notice that your policy will be cancelled is sent. This was sent to you with a cancellation dated *****am December ******. I do see ******** stated the payment was successful on November 12, but November **, your bank again returned the payment due to ***. Wawanesa only charges a $** NSF fee if the *** attempt is returned. Please provide a bank statement if this incorrect and we can contact ********.

  
  I did reach out to ******** to discuss if there was anything that could be done with your situation. Based on the underwriting rules on physical damage coverage and that had a liability loss happened, Wawanesa may have been liable as they were providing coverage for the you as the owner of the car; their response was no.

  
  Wawanesa had provided coverage from the time your policy was signed until the date they cancelled, driving or not. The $****** is owing to Wawanesa as you had coverage from October *, 2024- December *, 2024. Our commission with ******** paid us $***** on your policy and we are willing to give you what we were paid as token of good will.

  Customer response

  04/01/2025

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  When my mother and I were first setting up this policy, to our understanding parking coverage was available if needed. We chose to use the regular **** since at this time I was not aware I would need a provincial inspection to be registered. Then when I emailed asking for parking coverage, I was simply told it is not available. In the beginning of me setting up my policy, at no point was I told that I'd need an insurance inspection, until Nov. ****, 2024, when I received an email stating such, over a month after my policy had been secured. Within my physical letter stating my cancellation effective Dec. 4th, 2024, my amount due was only $***, compared to $*** I'm being charged. I should have been charged in October when my policy had began, I had enough money saved for October, November, and December up until January. Since I had been double charged in November, the funds I had ready for December were taken, then I had been told I was owing double. I've heard 3 different *** fees. If there was an early cancellation fee, I had not been made aware of it. No damages, accidents, or liabilities have taken place. The point of me getting insurance is to be covered in cause of any liabilities or accidents. They did owe me coverage if that is what I was paying for and agreed in the policy. Here are images provided to further state my charges, I am willing to send my previous bank statements after I receive another response. I was charged $718 today, which put me negative $-***, I moved money over to fix the negative, and received an NSF adjustment. My dispute lies within the $*** I'm charged, compared to the $*** stated in my notice of intent to cancel; which I am willing to pay.

  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

  

  Business response

  06/01/2025

  Hi *****,
  

  I listened back to the phone call on Oct 3, 2024 when you set up your policy with Priyanka, she told you an inspection would be required for vehicles over ** years old.  During this conversation, you, and your mom acknowledged the inspection was required and that you had ** days to complete it. In this conversation, your Mom said that **** was going to do it. The email of November **, 2024 was a follow-up email as the ** day requirement for the inspection had past. (Exhibit D)

  
  When you emailed about insurance on Oct 24, ******** responded we could not back date coverage or provide discounts. There was no further questions or enquiries on your part. (Exhibit F)

  
  Between Oct * and Dec * you did not make any payments. The withdrawals Wawanesa attempted all returned ***. The initial payment schedule showed the initial withdrawal scheduled for November 1. (See Exhibit A)

  
  The Nov 1 withdrawal and then *** try on Nov *, went ***. Your bank notified ******** of the *** NSF on Nov **. The registered letter was then sent. It shows $****** owing, as at that point you had only missed the November payment. It provided you opportunity by making the missed payment prior to Dec 3 to reinstate. You did not make this payment, so the policy was cancelled. The Wawanesa Cancellation notice states here may be an amount outstanding for the period the insurance was provided. On Dec 4, 2024 Priyanka emailed you with this notice and confirming the coverage had been cancelled. (Exhibit B, C, E)

  
  On Dec ** your Mom called our office asking for parking insurance and for the policy to be fixed back to the inception or backdated. While we provided her some information on the rules and answered her questions,nothing could be changed as your policy was cancelled Dec *, 2024.

  
  I am sorry for the frustration surrounding your situation, but I am unable to adjust the amount owing. If you have further issues with the way Wawanesa charged you, perhaps they can address this with you. 

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