Struck twice over

The Land Transportation Office under the Department of Transportation should review the performance of its accredited car insurance providers plus their auto repair shop tie-ups.

- ANA MARIE PAMINTUAN

The DOTr-LTO should ensure that the performance audit covers small and major insurance firms alike.

It's been over a month since my car, at a full stop while waiting to make a turn, was hit head-on by a car whose driver says he fell asleep at the wheel from fatigue.

Today my car is still stuck at the Man-Ar repair shop along the Roxas Boulevard service road in Pasay City, waiting maybe for Armageddon to be fixed. Man-Ar pointed to Makati-based Standard Insurance Co. for the delay.

I don't know if this kind of delay is typical for auto repair paid for by insurance. If it is, the LTO must improve the system to ensure the least hassle to the public.

Last Monday when my driver tried to check on the progress of the repair, he was barred from doing so. The next day I asked the sleepyhead if Man-Ar had stolen or impounded my car. Or maybe the repair had not even started, so I said we would pull out the car, bring it to my chosen repair shop and send him the bill.

If he doesn't want to foot the bill, I could just sue him for damage to property, reckless endangerment and unjust vexation, and demand that his driver's license be revoked or at least suspended.

That afternoon when my driver went to Man-Ar again to get the car, he was finally allowed to see it, but it could no longer be pulled out because it looked like the damaged part had just been dismantled.