Hans Schulz’s vehicle was parked on the street outside a downtown Lethbridge nightspot on Apr. 16, while he enjoyed some live music inside. Schulz was standing on the sidewalk between acts when his crossover SUV was hit by an e-scooter.
“I was talking to some people. I had my back to the van and all of a sudden I just hear a big bang,” Schulz said.
According to police, the e-scooter driver was issued an immediate roadside sanction fail, meaning there were grounds to believe she was operating the e-scooter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or over the federal legal limit for alcohol or drugs.
After receiving a quote for $4,121.31 to repair the damage, Schulz notified Allstate — his insurance provider — and he says roughly a month later, his claim was originally approved.
“(Allstate) phoned the repair shop and said that everything was OK,” Schulz said. “Twenty minutes later, they phone back: ‘Oh, we’ve got bad news. Our supervisor disallowed the claim.'”
“I had insurance, so why can’t I get (anything) done? It wasn’t my fault.”
Global News contacted Allstate on Monday. On Tuesday, exactly four months after the crash, Allstate approved the claim.
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“(The Allstate representative) apologized and she says everything is a go and that everything is her fault,” Schulz said. “That’s why I can go and get my vehicle fixed now.”
Allstate Insurance Company of Canada provided a statement, telling Global News Schulz has been given the full repair value for his vehicle, which is now being repaired.
“Given the rise in popularity of e-bikes, e-scooters, hoverboards, etc., Allstate would like to remind Canadians to review their policies to ensure that they have the appropriate coverage in place to cover any losses arising from these new modes of transportation,” the statement reads.
But the company did not provide any explanation as to why it took four months and an e-mail from Global News for that to happen.
“I couldn’t sleep, I tossed and turned,” Schulz said of his experience. “I was very angry.”
Global News also contacted Neuron Mobility, the company operating e-scooters in Lethbridge.
According to its website, Neuron has insurance that provides personal accident coverage for riders at no cost.
The company also prohibits riding while under the influence of any substance that may impair the operator’s ability to ride safely.
“We are actively looking into this situation. At Neuron, safety is at the heart of everything we do and we continuously advocate for responsible riding practices through ongoing education efforts,” a statement from Neuron head of market, Ankush Karwal, to Global News reads in part.
“The vast majority of our riders follow the local riding rule and ride respectfully. The city’s shared e-scooter program has been very well received with significant uptake.”
The company did not allow any follow-up questions, including whether the e-scooter driver followed Neuron’s insurance procedures or if Neuron took any action for her immediate roadside sanction fail.