WAR VETERAN WINS LONG FIGHT AGAINST INSURANCE GIANT (Truro and Falmouth Liberal Democrats)

Truro and Falmouth Liberal Democrats <trurofalmouthlibdems@gmail.com>

WAR VETERAN WINS LONG FIGHT AGAINST INSURANCE GIANT

October 11, 2008 12:00 AM

Roy and Sheila Ballantine celebrating the news over a cup of tea with Terrye Teverson

After a ten year battle with one of Britain's largest insurance companies, pensioners Roy and Shelia Ballantine, have finally won their case thanks to help from local Liberal Democrat Terrye Teverson.

The couple from Carnon Downs have been involved in a long running dispute with insurance company DAS over liability for legal costs arising from a land dispute on their farm more than a decade ago.

Thanks to the stressful nature of their situation, the elderly couple decided to move home - it was then that DAS decided they would not honour the insurance claim. Despite numerous letters over the years, Mr. Ballantine has been unable to get a satisfactory resolution to the problem. In fact DAS were asking for several thousand pounds back from pensioner.

Mrs Terrye Teverson said, "I was able to correspond with the insurance company and told them I felt they had behaved unfairly towards this elderly couple. Letters had flowed over years but no-one appeared to listen to Mr. and Mrs. Ballantine's side of the story. They were just pointing to the small print on their policy but not looking at the way they had treated this couple."

Mrs. Teverson whose own elderly parents both died last year understands how difficult it can be for older people when dealing with faceless corporations.

"My parents found it hard to deal with telephone call centres and could find the whole ordeal very stressful. I know there are many older people who just go to bed at night worried and unable to sleep. This seems so unfair when often it takes just a few extra minutes to explain things."

Mrs. Teverson managed to speak to representative at the insurance company after several attempts. After wading through 10 years of paperwork and finding several flaws in their decision, she was able to get the company to change their mind.

Mr. Ballantine said, "Terrye was a real life-saver. I was very depressed about it all and in fact still find it hard to sleep. I was certainly worried about the situation especially when they were trying to claim back thousands from me. It was getting me down. When you are in your 80's you don't need it. Now things have been sorted out it's a real weight off my mind"

Terrye Teverson concluded, "I was determined to help this couple as I know how worried my own parents would have been. A little bit of my time, has made their life so much easier and I was thrilled to have got this outcome for them."