Fire Department bills me for nothing

[ZX600]

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Just because you don't make a claim doesn't mean that it won't get to your insurance company. If cops are involved, all the information is recorded and I imagine there's some co-operation there between the fire/police services.

Except that the report the cop made was the one where the insurance doesn't get contacted "cops words" he even had to go back to the department to find the form cause he never uses it

So unless the fire department made a claim to the insurance company which they can't, then there is no charge

 

[Paul]

Isn't it municipal taxes that pay for fire? (I have no idea...always thought it was)

I think it should be like CAA....you get 2 free fire truck dispatches per year. If the dispatch is out of your municipality....then your municipality should reimburse the municipality that dispatched the trucks.

Anything after your 2 free dispatches, you (or your insurance) gets billed.

OP-If you talk to them, they'll usually let you make monthly payments that suit you. (without interest when I did it 20 years ago)

 

[Sabex]

The firemen are paid for the services they provide in the jurisdiction - this billing outsider for where they live is just plain idiotic.

I don't expect them to cross the city to respond but it's their watch on their turf and the tax payers in their area pay for their services. This is a slippery slope to be on...

I agree with this.

Its a municipal thing. So basically if you're an out-of-towner and you use their service, you need to pay for it.

That's stupid.

 

[mmmnaked]

It is what it is.

Think of it this way... you pay local taxes and part of the money goes to fire departments. Then some dimwit from Brampton wipes out in your neighbourhood and you have to pay to patch him up and clean up the mess.

Not entirely unreasonable, right?

 

[Flywheel]

Shouldn't the municipalities bill each other, considering we all pay taxes for this sort of thing? I assume the rationale is smaller towns have more limited tax-bases and need to recoup the costs incurred by non-residents. Showing up costs money these days, however silly it sounds.

 

[Sushii]

Emergency service comes to aid you when your down (out of town), complain that you shouldn't get charged, in which case the people's tax dollars are used.

Emergency service goes to aid someone out of town, complain that they should pay for it and not use our tax dollars.

So which is it guys?

 

[19891989]

It is what it is.

Think of it this way... you pay local taxes and part of the money goes to fire departments. Then some dimwit from Brampton wipes out in your neighbourhood and you have to pay to patch him up and clean up the mess.

Not entirely unreasonable, right?

I agree it's not entirely unreasonable but if all they did was show up and provided no assistance because it wasn't needed like with what happened to OP....then there shouldn't be a bill, but now I know it doesn't work this way.

 

[mmmnaked]

I agree it's not entirely unreasonable but if all they did was show up and provided no assistance because it wasn't needed like with what happened to OP....then there shouldn't be a bill, but now I know it doesn't work this way.

Sounds like there's some discretion involved on their part too. Maybe they 'felt' like they did enough to warrant the bill. Maybe in your case they thought you were hot (or felt sorry for you if you're ugly?) and decided not to bill you? :lol:

There are definitely valid justifications for the practice... but not EVERY call warrants a charge, especially when their services aren't needed or wanted. Tough luck, you had to drive out but your services weren't necessary.. go back to the station and swallow the cost. You'll make the money back on the next calendar :lol:

 

[Joe250]

It is what it is.

Think of it this way... you pay local taxes and part of the money goes to fire departments. Then some dimwit from Brampton wipes out in your neighbourhood and you have to pay to patch him up and clean up the mess.

Not entirely unreasonable, right?

I got T-boned by a guy going through an intersection before (I had the green - he had the red). He lived in municipality, I did not.

I got charged by FD, he did not. In this case, I think he should have got the bill for the FD...

Also my Insurance co didn't pay the bill right away and the municipality put me into collections for it.. was not a happy camper with my insurance co.

 

[mmmnaked]

I got T-boned by a guy going through an intersection before (I had the green - he had the red). He lived in municipality, I did not.

I got charged by FD, he did not. In this case, I think he should have got the bill for the FD...

Also my Insurance co didn't pay the bill right away and the municipality put me into collections for it.. was not a happy camper with my insurance co.

Sounds like your insurance company or broker sucks. Sorry buddy.

The other guy didn't get billed because he already paid for it through taxes. And since it was his fault, then your insurance company should've paid for it and then went after his policy. Standard procedure...

 

[vrus]

sounds worse than rogers!

 

[Slono]

So should I just contact my insurance like a few of you said, and see if I can get them to cover it? I took a look at the bill again, and it was the Ministry of Transportation that issued me the bill on behalf of the fire department. They CC'ed the bill to the head office of my insurance company.

 

[2500Express]

I'm gonna say it, **** the FD. Actual house fires have dramatically dropped, most of their calls are false alarms and they do **** like this to keep the racket going. We had two active firefighters that worked for us since they had so much time off, and I'll tell you that they were NOT good salesmen, definitely didn't have that hunger to make a sale. I also get customers that are firefighters and want a discount for just being a ****ing firefighter, then act appalled when the bill doesn't change.
They double dip as well, cashing in on the insurance claim and hope that you'll also pay them as well. Rant over, say what you will.

 

[Joe250]

Sounds like your insurance company or broker sucks. Sorry buddy.

The other guy didn't get billed because he already paid for it through taxes. And since it was his fault, then your insurance company should've paid for it and then went after his policy. Standard procedure...

Yeah they eventually did pay it, dunno if it was a mis-communication or whatever

 

[toysareforboys]

If out of town'ers stop paying, crap like this will happen:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/side...burns-while-firefighters-watch-191241763.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3951634...pray-firefighters-let-home-burn/#.UEbR85aPvis

Imagine the fire dept is first on scene, find you injured. Pull your wallet out "Ha, he's from Brampton. We don't cover out of town'ers." and they let you bleed out right there on the pavement

In the second link there, while I absolutely don't think it's right, and as the head of whatever firefighters assoc said "You take an oath to save lives, as a firefighter. Was this guys life saved? Nope, it's destroyed."

-Jamie M.

 

[jc100]

Sooooo...if I visit a place and decide to have a crap in a public toilet while I'm there...should I pay a visitors sewer charge? Will it be by the meter or will it be by weight?

I think this is nuts.

 

[FiReSTaRT]

The only way we can avoid these fees is to pay higher municipal taxes everywhere. Hard pill to swallow for everyone.

 

[foggy17]

To go back to the OP's post, hitting a deer isn't covered by collision insurance anyway, its comprehensive. But maybe the OP doesnt have that either.

 

[short stop]

Good thing this doesn't carry over to other municipal services, like police. I couldn't imagine getting mugged while visiting downtown, and then getting billed for the police showing up to take a statement.

 

[imnothng]

If the municipality needs to be paid, then they should go to YOUR municipality for it. They should never go after a citizen.

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