The Co-operators Insurance Company3-705 Red River Road Deadbeat, Deceitful, Dishonest Thunder Bay, Ontario

This is my final submission. Wish me luck as I advocate for reforms to an antiquated system, one that in its current form does not adequately protect the rights of individuals who have, through no fault of their own, a disability. I did not want to spend the rest of my life regretting the fact that I did not speak out, and I believe that for every individual who does stand up for themselves, there are many, many others who want to or wish they could, but, for whatever reason, remain silent. 

As for the fraudulent accounts and postings popping up on the web, it occurred to me, in one particular case, that whomever is responsible may have been trying to help me. This individual actually cut and pasted a Letter to the Editor I had written our local paper, and posted it to a "legal" site. If this individual did indeed mean well, rest assured that I can and will speak for myself.

The Co-operators are well aware of my opinions along with why I chose not to proceed. Given that they did not believe me from the get-go and I had no credibility whatsoever, it would be ironic, to say the least, if they did an about face and had a change of heart now. They weren't the least bit interested in what I had to say before, and adopted an adversarial position from day one. As far as I'm concerned, they made a lot of erroneous assumptions about both my character and my intentions.

I'm not an opportunist; I'm not one to exploit or take advantage of people or situations and those who know me well know that. In fact, I had provided them with numerous character references from highly respected members of our community, references which included a lawyer, retired OPP Sergeant, University Registrar, Acting Chief of Security Services and more, all of which were completely ignored.

Had I been given a fair shake, things would have turned out very differently. I'm a fair and reasonable person, and I believe that compromises can be reached if both sides are committed to working together. Arrogant, indignant, skeptical and combative attitudes and positions do nothing to facilitate good rapport. That's what I experienced. While I could leave the company and take my business elsewhere, many surely would, I'm not going to do that. Why? Two reasons.

One, I need to find closure and resolution. To that end, I chose an option that will allow me to address my concerns, challenge their system and advocate for reform, all without leaving myself vulnerable to browbeating or bullying, or financial ruin. Whereas before I had every reason to believe that they were in a position to use my disability against me, this option minimizes their ability to do so.

While I'm quite sure that they would argue that they had no intention of doing this to me and that this was merely an assumption on my part, their conduct and the nature and tone of their communications said otherwise. The law recognizes circumstantial evidence, and while no one variable on its own would support my contention, their actions, when taken together, the totality of them, reveal what they intended to do and the bigger picture.

Two, I'm on two medications that greatly reduce and manage chronic and severe neck pain, along with the migraine I've had, day in and day out, which quite often awakens me from sleep, since December 20, 2011. I began having these problems approximately 4-1/2 months after the accident and they worsened gradually. I did not have problems with my neck prior to the accident nor did I have migraines daily and for months on end. Even assuming that, given my age, normal degenerative changes are occurring, they may never have been or become an issue had I not been hit, and the complete absence of problems of this nature and magnitude prior to the accident point to the culprit.

Massage therapy also helps, as does exercising, which the physiotherapist recommended. Some days I would do anything, go through any number of operations to repair this, but all in all, and thanks in no small part to the medications, the pain is manageable and certainly far better than it had been. As for my disability, it has no relevance whatsoever; it preexisted the accident and should never have been an issue. Period.  

On that note, I'm going to end this with an analogy. Marketplace talked about the issue of "diminished value" with respect to automobile claims, and that the whole idea of insurance is to return the vehicle to the state it was in before the accident. To me, this concept applies equally well to my situation. I've accepted that this is a permanent condition and an inoperable one. There is degeneration but as I've said, I was fine right up until the accident.

Coincidence, I don't think so. That said, the medications have been a Godsend and compared to Christmas 2011, I've come a long, long way. Plus, I know that without the medications, massage therapy and exercise regimen, I could be much worse off than I am. Contrary to what I suspect The Co-operators were thinking based on their reaction to my claim, I did not perceive the accident as a "get rich quick scheme" and wanted access to the benefits for which I had paid so as to work toward getting back to where I had been prior to being hit. If they knew me at all, they would know that I am not the kind of person who goes back to the well continually or until it's drained; in fact, if anything I would have done exactly what I'm doing now, working diligently toward getting back on my feet again. Back to where I was.                   
                        

I had to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre today.  On-line accounts are being created, complete with my personal information and postings, that are not mine.  I know which accounts are legitimate, those that I created, which includes this website.  I did not receive email notices from the fraudulent accounts confirming that I had joined (the URL's in question), and that's because I didn't--but someone has. Thanks to the cyber crime sleuths at the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, IP addresses can be traced and the individual responsible tracked down and held responsible.   

As for speaking out, if no one calls attention to the fact that something is wrong, nothing can or will change.  In other words, sometimes challenging the status quo is necessary.  Additionally, since consumer satisfaction ultimately determines a company's success, and collaterally, their profits, consumer feedback is important--whether positive or negative. Consumers who feel they have been heard and that their feedback is valued make for loyal customers.

In my case, I was treated unfairly and deserved better.  For this reason I decided to speak out.  Not many will or do, although those on the Marketplace blogs are certainly willing to. Last night I watched another Marketplace segment, this one on a different insurance industry subject.  It originally aired on February 18, 2011, and dealt with the issue of auto insurance companies and "diminished value."  Once again, the bloggers let their opinions be known, with both consumers and auto insurance industry representatives weighing in.  It's a great show and the blogs make for a good read.  Which brings me to my next point.  I've been talking to people recently about their experiences with insurance companies and the problems they've encountered when trying to access benefits.  I'm hearing the same story.  People are frustrated but reluctant to speak out.  They fear repercussions or believe that speaking out will prove futile.  Nothing will change.  Although that's true in some cases, it's not always the case. Some companies genuinely do welcome, appreciate and value customer feedback, both positive and negative, and do take it into account when looking for ways to improve products and services.  Business 101, make your customers happy, treat them fairly, and your business will thrive and prosper.

On that note, I don't know who is impersonating me or why, but the timing is an extraordinary coincidence, to say the least, and few people have access to my personal information.  For anyone who might find themselves in my shoes:
   
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Toll Free: 1-888-495-8501
Overseas and Local: 1 (705) 495-8501
Toll Free Fax: 1-888-654-9426
Email: info@antifraudcentre.ca

I trust endorsements from consumers far more than the self-aggrandizing promotional campaigns, commercials and literature, insurance companies produce to market themselves. Check out the May 2011 issue of Reader's Digest, page 78. Canadian consumers have identified Sun Life Financial Insurance Company as their preferred and most trusted brand. The opening paragraph states: "It's life's more difficult moments that put some brands to the test." Given my experience with The Co-operators, I can certainly attest to that. I will continue to post information and links that I find helpful.   

Check out the following informative link; an awesome, interesting and enlightening read: (((link redacted)))

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

Evidently I'm not the only consumer unhappy with The Co-operator's business practices.  The CBC's "Marketplace", did an expose on The Co-operators which was broadcast in 2010, and shone a revealing and unflattering spotlight on the antics of not just The Co-operators, but insurance companies in general.  I have read all the comments, 150 of them, and it made for an interesting read.  The Co-operators declined to go on the show, but did respond with a letter.  Marketplace responded with one of their own.  The bulk of the complaints are about home insurance and the company's practices, but there is also a lot of commentary about insurance in general, including auto.  You can tell which comments have been posted by those who work in the industry, banner-waivers, and those that have been posted by consumers who feel
they've been deceived and jilted.  If you check the "related links" on the site, it's an eyeopener.  I also "Googled" them as well and found other complaints.   

CBC.ca 
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/blog/2010/04/marketplaces-response-to-the-co-operators.html
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/rate_hike_outrage/related_documents_and_links.html
MARKETPLACE: EPISODE #37-10 | Broadcast on April 9, 2010
Rate Hike Outrage: Has your home insurance rate gone up? Wendy Mesley reveals it could be connected to your credit score.  Comments 150
Marketplace's response to The Co-operators
By: Virginia Smart
By: Wendy Mesley

FYI: In Canada Insurers keep a secret history of your home and claims. The report is called "HITS" the code name for Habititational Insurance Tracking System. You can request a copy and see what your Insurer paid out on your claim and what they paid their adjuster/ or lawyer. Request a copy for free by sending a fax to CGI at 514-415-3989 or mail your
request to:

CGI Autoplus and HITS
1350 Rene Levesque, 7th Floor
Montreal, Quebec
H3G 1T4

The following information is required for the request to be processed:
Consumers complete name
Consumers complete mailing address
Consumers daytime telephone number
Consumers drivers licence (AutoPlus only)
Statement requesting a copy of the consumers AutoPlus or HITS report
Consumers signature

Also, I must correct an error I discovered in my report. I inadvertently left out the word "almost".  Here is the correction; I've highlighted and italicized it. I didn't notice it until after I had posted it. My apologies for the oversight:
 
 "We have several policies (mortgage, life, contents/property, auto insurance) with The Co-operators and have been loyal clients for years. We have never filed a claim for anything, and as far as auto insurance goes, which almost doubled over a five year period (2007-2011)..."