Ontario driver shocked after being told stolen vehicle won't be covered by insurance
An Ontario roofer who had his truck stolen out of his driveway two months ago was shocked when his insurance company said they wouldn’t cover the costs of a rental car.
Mississauga resident Damir Pogarcic called the initial theft “sad and scary,” but was relieved that his family was safe and that he had insurance.
Shortly after the theft, Pogarcic filed a claim with his insurance company, Aviva Canada, to replace his truck, a 2020 Ford F-150.
Pogarcic said he uses the truck to drive to customer's homes to give them quotes for roofing jobs.
"I do sales for the roofing business. I go and give prices and that's it,” he said Wednesday.
Pogarcic says he was originally given another truck as a rental, but when the insurance company found out the vehicle was being used for work, they halted payments on his rental and his case was immediately put under review.
His wife Alenka Pogarcic said she was under the impression their insurance policy did provide coverage because the policy contains the wording “vehicle used for business or business and pleasure.”
She wants Aviva to settle the claim and pay for their rental and replace their stolen pick-up truck.
“I'm saying that the vehicle needs to be paid off and replaced. It wasn't stolen on a construction site, it was stolen from our property. We have paid high insurance premiums and now we need them to pay us what we deserve,” Alenka said.
If you do use your vehicle for business purposes depending on your policy you may need to pay for additional commercial insurance and, if you don’t, an insurance company could deny your claim.
CTV News reached out to Aviva Canada and a spokesperson said “We are in the process of working with Mr. Damir Pogarcic on his claim and we do not discuss personal details of our customers’ insurance policies.”
“By way of a general comment, customers should be aware that insurance coverage for private vehicles are different from insurance coverage for commercial vehicles,” they said.
“It is important for customers to let their insurance advisors know how they are using their vehicles to ensure they have the correct coverage needed to be protected.”
The Pogarcic family is hopeful their case will be settled soon, but in the meantime, they are having to cover the cost of the rental, insurance payments and loan payments on the stolen truck.
"I have to go to work. I’m the only one making money for this family and I have two kids. I want to solve this problem and continue life,” Pogarcic said.
Drivers who use their vehicles for business purposes to make deliveries, for ride-sharing platforms, or for sales or marketing should know that they may require additional insurance.
Without it, they could have their claim denied if they're in an accident or their vehicle is stolen.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
A renewed Russian offensive on Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine forces some 1,700 civilians to flee
Russian forces began a renewed ground assault in Ukraine's northeast, killing and injuring several people and forcing more than 1,700 civilians to evacuate from the Kharkiv region, officials said Saturday.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.