Fort McMurray evacuees denied rental cars by insurers

When the third FortMcMurraygas station she tried wasout of fuel,Florence Maeko contemplated the unthinkable.

"The only thing I was thinking was of my kids," she said,panic rising in her voice as she recalled last week's mass exodus from her burning city. "I said if some good person can just take my kids, rescue them, I will survive as an adult."

Instead, shemanaged to phone a friend who hadgas and space in her car.

Maekoand her sonsditched their SUVon the side of a road already littered with cars and trucks.

Nearlya week later, they're staying with friends in Edmonton. But Maekosaid her insurance company, The Cooperators, won't cover the cost of a rental vehicle unless she provides evidence thecar she left behind isdamaged.

'I need a car, I have two kids'

"I don't know the status of my car now,"saidMaeko, pointing out shedoesn't even know if she still has a home. "I don't have the money to pay for a rental."

On Monday, shewalked to the closestEdmonton school to register her sons, Jesse andJoram, aged 11 and 8.When she found out theyneeded to go elsewhere and it wasn't within walking distance,her heart sank.

"I need a car, I have two kids. I need a car to function," said Maeko. "We are paying monthly. Why are we paying them this money?"

A day later, some good news for Maeko.

"In light of the tragic circumstances in FortMcMurray, we will provide coverage for Ms.Maeko'srental car,"Leonard Sharman,senior communications consultant withThe Co-operators, said in an e-mailTuesday. "We wish her and her family all the best as they deal with this difficult situation".

Randell Brown said The Personal Insurance Company initially told him arental vehicle was covered.

But the day afterhe rented it, he said the companycalled back to tell himwithout proof of damage to hisabandonedvehicles, he'd have to foot the bill.

"There's no one I can call and ask," said Brown. "The fire department is busy risking their life to keep this fire under control, and there's nothing I can do."

Last week, Brown and his wife abandonedtheir SUV and sedanat a bus depot after desperately trying to fill up at three different stations. He knew they didn'thave enough fuel to make it to the next gas station, an hour and a half away.

"I did that to save my life and my wifeand my unborn child," said Brown, whose wifeis four months pregnant. "I need to find a job. I need to provide for my child."

Brown said theinsurance company has since agreed to payrental feesfor the first six days.

'Have a heart'

But Brownhopes hisinsurance company will "have a heart" and reconsider.

"People all over Canada are helping and giving," he said.

CBC News has requested comment fromboth insurance companies but has not heard back.

"Theseare not normal circumstances as we know," said Bill Adams, a vice-president with the Insurance Bureau of Canada. "So I anticipate that insurers are recognizing that it's not always possible to demonstrate (the damage) given the nature of the event."

"If other insurers are providing rental vehicles to people in similar circumstances, they are doing so at their own decision and it is above and beyond what they are obligated to doaccording to the wording of the policy that's in force."

When asked by CBC News, finance minister Joe Ceci did not address whether insurance companies should makean exception in these cases.

"Government expects insurance providers to honour their contractual obligations," Ceci said in a statement provided to CBC News.

Adams has advised anyone who needshelp navigating claims to call the bureau at 1-844-2-ASK-IBC.

But Maeko said she has called several times Monday and no one picked up.

She can't wait for answers. She's alreadyrented a vehicle on her credit card.

@andreahuncarandrea.huncar@cbc.ca