Single Mom Needs Help: Car Accident Fallout

Hey everyone,

Thank you so much for taking a moment of your valuable time to read why I'm fundraising.

My name is Rachelle and five months ago, just a week before Christmas, I was involved in a multi vehicle car collision.

A distracted driver smashed into someone, who in turn, smashed into me, head on.

Thankfully, the physical injuries I sustained were not life threatening but the toll it took on my mental health was debilitating.

The year leading up to this event was filled with instability.

My daughter and I had moved several times, trying to find somewhere affordable to stay.

I had lost one of my part time jobs and was in the throws of actively healing some intense trauma from my childhood.

After a year of total chaos, bouncing around and so much uncertainty, I was just beginning to stabilize towards the end of the year when the accident happened and as a result ended up struggling intensely with my mental health.

I was having panic attacks every single day, I didn't feel safe leaving my apartment, I felt completely disconnected from my body and I shifted into a very dark place, where thoughts of suicide were trying to take root.

Thankfully, I had already been seeing a counsellor and had a few amazing people in my life who helped me stabilize, but it took time and is still a work in progress.

As a result of taking so long to recover and from not having access to a vehicle (mine was written off) I lost my main source of employment, nannying for a family in East Sooke.

Thankfully, thanks to disability, I have been able to keep food on the table and the lights on but things have been extremely tight and the one expense I am still struggling with is my car loan.

I had purchased my vehicle just two months before the accident and I **made sure** I went through the effort of ensuring I had all the coverage I needed, in case something like this ever happened.

I purchased the regular ICBC coverage as well as went to the extra expense of purchasing private insurance.

When I purchased the private insurance, I was told that if I were to be involved in an accident and ICBC chose to write off my car but I still owed on the loan, this gap insurance would cover what was owing and I could walk away unscathed.

I have now been fighting with this private insurance company for the past five months and they have made it clear they are not going to cover the remainder of the loan.

I am now left in a position where I owe nearly $5000 on a vehicle I no longer have, through no fault of my own, even though I had insurance which I was told upon purchasing would cover this exact event.

I am just beginning to look for part time work but am still dealing with mental health issues from the accident and as a result will not be able to work more than a day or two a week.

I am also beginning to teach a yoga class here and there but the minimal income will barely put a dent towards the loan.

I've weighed my options thoroughly, I have talked to a lawyer as well as an insurance specialist and so far the advice I have received is "insurance brokers are sharks" and "there's nothing you can do"

While I would absolutely love to hold the insurance company accountable (I can only imagine how many other people have been left in a similar situation) the cost of going to court only to very like lose, is not something I am able to take on mentally or energetically which is why I've decided to go this route.

Asking for help is a challenging thing to do, especially knowing that many others are struggling to afford life with the high cost of living but anyone who is available to help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you again for your time!

With light & love,

Rachelle