7 News Belize

Man Claims He Was Gypped By Insurance
posted (February 3, 2011)
Business, home and vehicle owners often have disputes with their insurance companies, but such matters are usually settled - or unsettled - in private.

Today, though, one irate policy-holder made his dispute with Atlantic Insurance company very public by mounting an unusual rolling protest. Monica Bodden has more:….

Monica Bodden Reporting
Those passing by the KHMH hospital this afternoon - found it hard to miss these signs on this 2008 Nissan pickup truck - that was on a trailer- parked on the street side in front of the hospital's parking lot.

One of the signs boldly stated - Atlantic Insurance Company Limited is a big fraud.

The owner of the vehicle is Lyndon Bailey - his troubles all began in November when his pick-up truck was involved in an accident - that was not his fault.

Lyndon Bailey - Vehicle Owner
"I was coming down to Belize City on the 10th of November 2010 and a guy came out from Poinsetta Street, he never stop and he collided right into my vehicle and he hit the front wheel. After that happen I got a tow truck and took my vehicle back to Bravo where I buy the vehicle from. This vehicle is fully covered comprehensive with Atlantic Insurance. I wasn't worrying. The process start, I made Bravo do an assessment on it to make sure that the chassis is in good condition. They came and say that the chassis is bent."

Bailey was told that a bent chassis could not be repaired.

Having a comprehensive insurance package on the 2008 pick-up truck - in the amount of 40 thousand dollars -he told us he was least worried about getting back a new vehicle.

Lyndon Bailey - Vehicle Owner
"Anyway I went and did all the paper work and went in to Atlantic Insurance. when I went there they said no problem Mr. Bailey they will send their engineer or whatever to asset the vehicle. So what happen, I told them that Bravo says that the vehicle chassis is bent so we set up a meeting, the 3 of us; Ms. Gonzalez who is the head and they brought their engineer and I use Bravo because Bravo is the dealer for this vehicle. We sit around the table and Ms. Gonzales ask the Bravo engineer some questions; what formula he used to come up with the theory that the chassis is bent. The guy politely explain to her clearly and she says no problem 'let us set up a meeting at my place where the vehicle is because I towed back the vehicle to my property in Ladyville."

That meeting - according to Bailey- was futile.

Lyndon Bailey - Vehicle Owner
"Ms. Gonzales never showed up, she a send a representative. The engineer showed up with pieces of old tools. Bravo engineer showed up and Bravo said 'let me see the tools that you are using or bring the specs on the vehicle and then you work from there' this guy shows up without any specs, without anything, with a piece of old instrument and I am a building contractor so I know exactly when you are measuring and how to measure. First you have to know what you are looking for. And if you come without anything and you don't know what you are looking for then what kind of assessment you will do. I know a lot about vehicle and I know that there is nothing such as repairing a chassis because if a piece of iron is bent, to get that iron straight you would have to heat it and if you heat it the material will lose its strength. If you stretch it the material gets thin right where it's bent. So I have a little bit of sense about vehicle so they won't pull that on me."

On Tuesday another meeting with Bailey and the insurance company was held - in which they offered to pay him 8 thousand dollars to repair the chassis.

Lyndon Bailey - Vehicle Owner
"We had a meeting with Ms. Gonzales and when I look I see the engineer around the table along with somebody from there, they say that that person is their legal person and Ms. Gonzales. When I look at the crowd i was wondering what the engineer is doing around here because I am not having any meeting with him, he had done his work. But to me it seems like they were going to convince me to take the check and pass it over to the engineer."

Monica Bodden
"A check for how much?"

Lyndon Bailey - Vehicle Owner
"They wanted to give me eight thousand and thirty odd dollars with a deduction of a thousand dollars which I would end up with seven thousand four hundred and thirty odd dollars."

Monica Bodden
"And they told you that that would be enough for you to get the chassis repaired?"

Lyndon Bailey - Vehicle Owner
"They are saying that their engineer says that that will be enough to get the chassis repaired. Now the third party which is Home Protector Insurance came up with an assessment and their assessment is nine thousand and change and I have all the documents to prove in the truck here. So they said to me 'how in the world your comprehensive insurance would want to give you less than what we are offering you.'"

A deal he refused - he says for his own safety…

Lyndon Bailey - Vehicle Owner
"I don't have a problem if this vehicle got hit on the body, I don't have a problem for them to repair it but the vehicle got hit on the chassis and you can't repair a chassis and so you either replace the chassis along with the other parts or you replace the vehicle. Very simple and straight forward. But I will not be driving a vehicle knowing that my chassis is repaired with my family and let's say it rains and I brakes and the vehicle slide and put me into an accident and spin over with me. I will not take that chance. I don't know if any of them would want to take that chance. Even driving this vehicle I will not feel safe knowing that it has a damage. I will not do that."

And so today he drove around the city - with his wrecked truck on a trailer - and these huge posters- bashing his insurance company.

Lyndon Bailey - Vehicle Owner
"Well I want the public to know that you know these people put a lot of nice advertisement to get your money and after getting your money you are left for the mercy of the world. And so I want the public to understand be careful with insurance on a whole because I know this is happening to a lot of people but I want to bring it to the streets because enough is enough. We are already been taking advantage of in this country and we don't start to stand up. If a man is not as good as his words he will fall for anything."

Monica Bodden
"You think you are fighting a losing battle?"

Lyndon Bailey - Vehicle Owner
"Well even if I lose I feel like I satisfy myself, you understand. And the Lord and the people be the judge."

We called Atlantic Insurance this evening and were told that the manager in charge of that's specific case left already. We hope to have comment tomorrow….

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