Well as my son said " You cant say you haven’t been warned" Yes my adventurous personality got the better of me and i went out on Tuesday after school with Isabelle and Frazer… then the old tired wheelchair broke down on me. Lee was away with work so i for the first time rang the insurance…They were a complete waste of time. After breaking down in a dark cold lonely place all i wanted was a taxi home, but after listening to sweet music for 5 minutes then told to ring a different number… i was told that they hadn’t got a policy for me…no one knew of me and i was made to think it had expired…after loads of anxiety i gave up and got a very disgruntled Ben …son with aspergers…hes very clever and has just passed his driving test but he has anxiety and panics driving my motability car… he has his own car which we cant fit in with the chair…so he had to drive mine to pick me up…i think i’ll owe him big for this…he’ll never let me hear the last of it. So the next day i rang and sure enough i have a policy, a very good one covering me till June 17. the lady said “as a gesture of good will we will give you £10 pounds”…I couldn’t belive what she said…I told her it wasn’t good enough… i was scared vulnerable, couldnt walk and couldn’t lock myself in as you could with a car, anything could have happened…anyway Lees back tomorrow so i’m going to let him fight it i don’t want to go with them again.
OMG Michelle, that is awful, sorry to hear this, and your Insurance company should hang their heads in shame, do NOT let them get away with it.
Just a thought in case you ever have a problem again, (hopefully not) but on the back of your chair, down by the batteries, you should have a handle either side, what disengages the motor, allowing someone to push the chair. It does make the chair heavier than normal to push, but can get you out of a tricky situation.
Hope you feel better now, not long until your new chair arrives (((hugs)))
Thats so awful Michelle,shame on that so called insurance company too.i would try and get a more caring company next time you insure your w/c.you were so vulnerable,please be careful and maybe wait until you get a new w/c before you set off on your adventures.hope you have got over the upset of it all.
Thanks Pam , unfortunately one of the disengage levers is jammed so it wasn’t an option. My chair has had a good life with me its been everywhere, probably places not fit for wheelchairs so i cant complain and I bought it second hand two and a half years ago. oh well my new one is on its way and because its nhs it will be repaired if ever it breaks down.
Lee is back tomorrow and he will be writing a strong letter to the insurance company,
Thanks Jackie, Ben said similar to you, and advised me to wait till get my new chair, i hope its not long i don’t like being grounded neither does Frazer
Bloody Hell Michelle. What a nightmare! Brilliant that Ben was able to step up to the plate to rescue you all but that could so easily not have been the case. What if he couldn’t drive? Had been out? Did the ****er insurance company give any idea WHY they couldn’t find your details? A bit fundamental for their business I would think. And if this happened to you what’s to say it couldn’t happen to others.