Insurance troubles after theft
A blind Palmerston North woman’s goal of completing her masters degree was shattered when her specialty computer equipment was stolen.
Olivia Godfrey lost more than 400 hours of research and writing towards her thesis and she still has to make the tough decision of whether she will continue her studies.
The mother of three, who had her gear stolen on Labour Weekend, has received little help from her insurance company and is still waiting on a replacement laptop.
‘‘I’m getting a bit grumpy. They haven’t done anything yet,’’ Godfrey said.
‘‘I’m just getting really frustrated because I know the academic year is nearly beginning.’’
The staff at Tower Insurance did not respond to emails and took weeks to call back, she said.
‘‘I can’t believe it’s taken more than two months.’’
They kept asking for more receipts but some items were secondhand so it was nearly impossible, Godfrey said.
Godfrey wanted her braille laptop replaced so she could re-do her thesis work.
‘‘The rest of the stuff is just stuff. The laptop is the way I communicate with everyone.’’
A Tower spokesman said the claim had been a little complex, which had taken longer than usual to resolve.
‘‘We apologise that in this instance Ms Godfrey didn’t experience this. We have called Ms Godfrey today and hope to finalise this claim for her over the coming days.’’
Usually, customers’ claims were finalised within five working days, and customers were called back on the same day or within two working days, he said.
‘‘Generally speaking, secondhand goods can be insured, but customers should keep proof of purchase, or, if the item was a gift, take photos of it and keep these in a safe place.’’
Godfrey’s backup devices were also stolen, but she managed to retrieve some of the work she had previously sent to her supervisor.
Otago University graduate research school professor Rachel Spronken-smith said students should have at least one backup copy of work that uses Cloud technology.
‘‘The theft of her laptop and external hard drive has meant a considerable setback for Olivia,’’ Spronken-smith said.
‘‘The loss of her work is very upsetting.
‘‘In Olivia’s case it was not just data that was lost, but also some specialised software that enables her to study.’’
Otago University offered extensions on a case-by-case basis to students in exceptional circumstances.
There was also a hardship fund that students could apply for in emergencies, Spronken-smith said.
Palmerston North area crime prevention manager Inspector Dave White said police were unable to locate the offender or the property stolen.
‘‘The things taken in this burglary are different to the usual items thieves target, so they should be easily identifiable.
‘‘We would encourage anyone who has information which could help us to get a resolution in this burglary to contact Palmerston North police,’’ he said.