Tonia, a single mother of a six-year old son and a teenage daughter, is a recovering addict. She spent nearly a year using the services of the Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Department building the skills necessary to get a decent job. In anticipation of getting that job, she did all the right things like getting a car and procuring necessary insurance coverage for it.

“I wanted to be responsible. No more skipping on things like insurance just hoping nothing went wrong.”

She got the job and was starting to feel pretty good about life. Then a new disaster struck. While backing out of her driveway into a busy street, her car was hit broadside and totaled. She had lost her transportation to work.

“Thank God, I have insurance,” she thought, “I know I'm at fault, but I'm covered on my own car and should have this cleared up in no time.”

Unbeknownst to Tonia, her insurance had lapsed. She had paid her initial six month premium, but her renewal notice had been sent to the wrong address. When she reported the accident, she was told she had no insurance.

“Can't be,” she thought, “They called me just a little while ago asking about my address. How could it go to the wrong address?”

The insurance representative insisted Tonia had given the company the wrong address, so Tonia was responsible for not making her premium payment on the date required. Sorry, no coverage.

Tonia was ready to flip out.

“Why even try,” she asked herself.

Lots of negative messages started to rush back. Fortunately, she told one of the people at Vocational Rehabilitation about her dilemma, and he recommended she contact Help Now!

“You need to understand,” says Tonia, “lots of addicts and recovering addicts have trouble putting much faith in anybody, but the advocate at Help Now! seemed to know all the right people to call and assured me things could be worked out.”

Soon she felt a bond of trust developing.

“It meant a lot that my advocate listened to my problem and took it seriously. When you are fresh from recovery, it's often hard to get people to take you seriously.”

Help Now! contended to the insurance company that Tonia had met her responsibilities and given the correct address. The company still maintained that was not the case.

However, in the course of Help Now!'s investigation, it was revealed that Tonia's teenage daughter had been in the car at the time the call came in from the insurance company requesting Tonia's address. Her daughter was able to confirm her mother's having given the correct home address, and the insurance company relented. They reinstated Tonia and covered the accident.

Tonia continues at her new job and supporting her family.

When asked how she would respond to a crisis like this today, she said, “I wouldn't begin to freak out. I wouldn't just assume the insurance company had the last say. I might still call again, but I would know there was hope and a possible fair resolution.”