All Matthew Vallis wanted was a tow.
Instead, he found himself in the middle of a tug-of-war between his insurance and towing company.
“I’m essentially a hostage right now. I got involved in an ongoing war,” says Vallis.
Vallis was involved in a collision on March 25. Both vehicles had a flat tire so police on scene called for a tow as a courtesy. Vallis told the tow truck operator to take his truck to a body shop but it went straight to the impound lot. Little did Vallis know he’d become one of more than 50 court cases between Gervais Towing and Intact Insurance.
In a statement Intact Insurance writes:
“Intact’s approach has been to ensure that the rates they charge our customers and ourselves are fair, reasonable and in accordance with the local and regional market.”
The towing industry says companies like Intact are taking a hard-line by trying to enforce its own pricing index.
“They’re trying to get control of the rates and that’s totally wrong because you and I can’t tell an insurance company what we will pay for their products,” says Doug Nelson of the Provincial Towing Association.
Nelson says the fight goes well beyond these two companies. Still, he admits it’s the customer who often gets caught in the crossfire.
Gervais wouldn’t comment to CTV but confirms it has dozens of court cases against Intact.
Driving around in a rental car, Vallis just wants his truck back.
“It's stressful to understand you've been caught in some war that I should have no part of,” he says.
With a report from CTV’s John Hua
