Riding life's ups and downs with MAS

Life was great for a young Wellington couple - the perfect first home and a convertible car they adored - then disaster struck. Thankfully, MAS was there to help them through.  

For Siobhan Carmichael and her husband Rob, the bond they shared with their car was more than just a matter of convenience - it was about memories, adventures and fun. "Ever since I was a child, playing with Barbie and her stylish convertible, I’d wanted one of my own," Siobhan recalls.  

That wish was fulfilled when Siobhan and Rob discovered Heidi, a 1999 Mercedes Benz convertible, sitting in a car yard in Lower Hutt. Siobhan says that before they even took the car for the test drive, they had both decided she was a keeper. “We didn’t want a boring car. We wanted something unique that we’d enjoy driving around. This was the first car that felt like it was mine, and it was all about fun."  

Siobhan says the couple had both just earned their full driver’s licenses, taking Heidi on “road trips galore”, especially on the rare Wellington days that allowed them to drive with the roof down. “We knew we’d need a sensible car at some point, but we just loved the fun and freedom that Heidi gave us,” Siobhan says.   

For anybody wondering, Heidi’s name wasn't chosen on a whim. "We tossed around a few options based on the license plate, but nothing seemed to fit. When a friend of ours called it Heidi, it just stuck. We all agreed it was perfect for a German model,” Siobhan says.     

Getting insurance for Heidi through MAS was straightforward and reassuring. Siobhan says she compared several options, but MAS stood out for value and offered the most comprehensive coverage. The couple were also influenced by Rob's parents, both long-time MAS Members, who vouched for the mutual’s service and coverage.  

Siobhan and Rob’s relationship with MAS continued when they bought their first home. Finding a home in Wellington proved a challenge for the couple, with a long search and more than a few disappointments. "We'd been searching on and off for about two and a half years. Wellington being earthquake-prone, we were really cautious. We moved away from considering apartments," Siobhan says.   

Their persistence paid off when their offer on a classic 1960s home in the city fringe suburb of Newlands was successful. It had almost everything they wanted, including a lawn big enough for an outdoor washing line and plenty of space for gardening.   

“The previous owners had been there for 45 years, which really shows it’s a place that can evolve with a family and stand the test of time. It’s a magical mid-century weatherboard-type home, exactly what we were looking for," Siobhan says.   

Siobhan says MAS offered them coverage when they were ready to make an offer, and because they had consolidated their house, contents, and car insurance with MAS, Siobhan and Rob also qualified for the MAS Goldshield discount. 

However, not all journeys are without bumps. Just months after settling into their new home, Siobhan faced a severe and unexpected incident. While driving Heidi on a sunny day in Thorndon, the car suddenly locked up. Despite Siobhan’s attempts to regain control, the car collided with the safety barrier several times, and came to a halt across 2 lanes of busy traffic. 

Both Siobhan and her friend, who was with her at the time, experienced mild whiplash and neck sprain, while Siobhan also suffered a mild concussion. They were both left shaken by the incident and unable to fully grasp the reality of what had happened. 

"It's a very strange thing to go through. You sit there thinking, 'Did that just happen?' 'Is the car totaled?' 'Am I alive?'" 

Siobhan says the after calling emergency services, the next thing she did was ask Rob to call MAS to understand what needed to be done regarding the insurance claim. An ambulance arrived to check Siobhan and her friend for injuries, and the group were escorted home by police. 

“MAS was incredibly responsive from the moment Rob called them. They immediately set out to guide us through the claims process, which was a huge relief under such stressful circumstances," Siobhan says.   

Siobhan says MAS not only handled the insurance claim promptly, but also attended to smaller details of the incident. These included a pair of recently purchased sunglasses lost during the chaos of the crash. Siobhan says MAS included these in the claim under her contents insurance policy, ensuring that her losses were adequately compensated.  

“MAS handled everything seamlessly. They confirmed they had all the details right away, even about the sunglasses, which I've always been careless with. They assured me everything was taken care of, which was incredibly relieving. It really felt like they were backing me up, especially when I was so stressed trying to manage everything else. 

"Along with my sunglasses, we also lost some cheese in the crash. I was thrilled to get the money back for my Ray-Bans, losing the cheese wasn't too much of a concern - it's easier to replace than a good pair of sunglasses,” Siobhan says.  

Siobhan and Rob say they were also impressed by the compensation MAS provided for Heidi, which covered the full purchase price of the car and ensured they weren’t financially disadvantaged as a result of the crash. Siobhan says the claim was accepted and processed within a few days, much faster than she had been expecting.   

"We thought we'd be lucky to get $3,500, but we got the full purchase price back. Rob had invested in high-quality parts for Heidi, including some from Bosch, which aren't cheap. Getting the full purchase price back was amazing, we felt fortunate and were just grateful for the outcome," Siobhan says.  

And while the loss of Heidi was a blow to the couple, Siobhan says the speedy resolution of their claim with MAS meant she was able to focus on her recovery, aiding her gradual return to work following her concussion.   

"MAS made the claim such a smooth process that we could almost forget about the insurance part of the accident. It was all done and dusted even before I was even ready to deal with everything else, emotionally and physically, that came with the crash,” Siobhan says.   

And while Siobhan thinks the couple’s new car - a Toyota Corolla - lacks the charm and charisma that Heidi had, she says the couple was pleasantly surprised by the premiums for insuring it through MAS, especially given the recent accident.  

“We know premiums are going up across the board, so we expected to be paying a lot more than MAS offered. We were also told that we could expect lower premiums after a year of not making a claim. It was another nice surprise after all we’d been through,” Siobhan says.  

Reflecting on the couple’s experiences as MAS Members, Siobhan appreciates how their insurer has supported them through critical moments good and bad, proving indispensable when they needed it most. 

"Insurance is one of those things you pay for that you hope you’ll never use. But when you do, you want it to be seamless. With MAS, when we needed it, everything was just sorted.  Exactly what you need when facing life's challenges," Siobhan says.