Jeep theft Document problem, ATTN Canadians.
Lets hope the morons stay off here long enough to not get the thread closed too early. DO NOT carry the original documents proving ownership in your vehicle. Where and how you should keep them I...
Forum Discussion
I am not an RVer, but have followed this thread with interest. I have been in touch with Canadian Rainbirds, in the hope that our experience could be of assistance in their situation.
Our car was stolen in Zihuatanejo, Mexico in Feb/07 and recovered by the police several days later, damaged beyond repair.
Our insurer was Qualitas. We had purchased our policy on-line from Lewis & Lewis in Los Angeles.
First, a disclaimer: I have no particular axe to grind with either Qualitas or Lewis & Lewis. In fact, we are currently still in Zihuatanejo, covered by another Qualitas/Lewis & Lewis policy. Better the devil you know than.....
Our problem was relatively simple:
----agree on a "write-off value" of the vehicle and settle the claim with Qualitas.
----arrange for Mexican Customs to cancel the original Temporary Vehicle Import Permit, necessary if we ever wished to bring another vehicle into Mexico.
Without going into all the boring details, it took us approx. 5 months before we received a cheque from Qualitas for the write-off value of the vehicle. The amount was perhaps $1500 or so less than what I figured was fair, but what's "fair" to the insurance company is seldom what's "fair" to the claimant - in any country.
It was another year before we finally received an official Cancellation of Temporary Vehicle Import Permit from Aduana in Mexico City. In the interim, we had tried to enter Mexico with my replacement vehicle, but their computer "caught us". I had hoped to be able to clear up the whole Import Permit thing when we re-entered Mexico, but was told that Aduana at the border has nothing to do with such issues: it had to be done through Aduana in Mexico City. Fortunately, on that trip, our "new" vehicle was registered in both mine and my wife's name, so while I couldn't bring another vehicle into Mexico, (because the computer said I still had one in Mexico), nothing prevented my wife from bringing a vehicle in, so the new Temporary Vehicle Import Permit was issued in her name.
The reason I'm posting here is to say that, at all times, Lewis & Lewis insisted that settlement of the loss claim was between myself and Qualitas, and that obtaining a cancellation of the Temporary Vehicle Import Permit was my responsibility - either with Qualitas' assistance, or by me dealing directly with Mexican Aduana. Lewis & Lewis' only involvement was in response to my repeated pleas to them, to ask L&L to intercede on my behalf, to try and get some action out of Qualitas, who were very slow in responding to my e-mailed inquiries.
Reading the posts in this thread, it is clear that loss claimants seem to have to reinvent the wheel every time there's a claim. What is the problem that US insurance agents like Lewis & Lewis, Mexican insurance companies like Qualitas, and Mexican Customs can't seem to get their acts together? I'm sure they've now had plenty of experience with damaged and/or stolen vehicles in Mexico.
In another week, we'll be hitting the road for the long drive back home to Canada. I don't even want to think about having to go through this insurance farce again. Makes flying look a lot more attractive.
Our car was stolen in Zihuatanejo, Mexico in Feb/07 and recovered by the police several days later, damaged beyond repair.
Our insurer was Qualitas. We had purchased our policy on-line from Lewis & Lewis in Los Angeles.
First, a disclaimer: I have no particular axe to grind with either Qualitas or Lewis & Lewis. In fact, we are currently still in Zihuatanejo, covered by another Qualitas/Lewis & Lewis policy. Better the devil you know than.....
Our problem was relatively simple:
----agree on a "write-off value" of the vehicle and settle the claim with Qualitas.
----arrange for Mexican Customs to cancel the original Temporary Vehicle Import Permit, necessary if we ever wished to bring another vehicle into Mexico.
Without going into all the boring details, it took us approx. 5 months before we received a cheque from Qualitas for the write-off value of the vehicle. The amount was perhaps $1500 or so less than what I figured was fair, but what's "fair" to the insurance company is seldom what's "fair" to the claimant - in any country.
It was another year before we finally received an official Cancellation of Temporary Vehicle Import Permit from Aduana in Mexico City. In the interim, we had tried to enter Mexico with my replacement vehicle, but their computer "caught us". I had hoped to be able to clear up the whole Import Permit thing when we re-entered Mexico, but was told that Aduana at the border has nothing to do with such issues: it had to be done through Aduana in Mexico City. Fortunately, on that trip, our "new" vehicle was registered in both mine and my wife's name, so while I couldn't bring another vehicle into Mexico, (because the computer said I still had one in Mexico), nothing prevented my wife from bringing a vehicle in, so the new Temporary Vehicle Import Permit was issued in her name.
The reason I'm posting here is to say that, at all times, Lewis & Lewis insisted that settlement of the loss claim was between myself and Qualitas, and that obtaining a cancellation of the Temporary Vehicle Import Permit was my responsibility - either with Qualitas' assistance, or by me dealing directly with Mexican Aduana. Lewis & Lewis' only involvement was in response to my repeated pleas to them, to ask L&L to intercede on my behalf, to try and get some action out of Qualitas, who were very slow in responding to my e-mailed inquiries.
Reading the posts in this thread, it is clear that loss claimants seem to have to reinvent the wheel every time there's a claim. What is the problem that US insurance agents like Lewis & Lewis, Mexican insurance companies like Qualitas, and Mexican Customs can't seem to get their acts together? I'm sure they've now had plenty of experience with damaged and/or stolen vehicles in Mexico.
In another week, we'll be hitting the road for the long drive back home to Canada. I don't even want to think about having to go through this insurance farce again. Makes flying look a lot more attractive.
