Riding life’s ups and downs with MAS

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. “Since I was a child playing with Barbie and her 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, in a car yard in Lower Hutt. “We didn’t want a boring car. We wanted something unique. This was the first car that felt like it was mine, and it was all about fun.”

Siobhan says the couple took Heidi on “road trips galore”, especially on the days that allowed them to drive with the roof down. “We knew we’d need a sensible car at some point, but we loved the fun and freedom Heidi gave us,” Siobhan says.

For anybody wondering, Heidi’s name wasn’t chosen on a whim. “We tossed around a few options, 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 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. The couple had a long search and more than a few disappointments. “We’d been searching on and off for about 2 and a half years. Wellington being earthquake-prone, we were really cautious,” Siobhan says.

Their persistence paid off when their offer on a classic 1960s home in the suburb of Newlands was successful. It had almost everything they wanted, including a garage and plenty of space for gardening.

“The previous owners had been there for 45 years, which 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 their house, contents and car insurance with MAS, Siobhan and Rob also qualified for the MAS Goldshield discount.

But not all journeys are without bumps. Months after settling into their new home, Siobhan faced an unexpected incident. While driving Heidi on the motorway, the car suddenly locked up. Despite Siobhan’s attempts to regain control, she collided with the safety barrier several times, coming 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 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 totalled?’ ‘Am I alive?’”

Siobhan says after calling emergency services, she asked Rob to call MAS to understand what was needed for the insurance claim. An ambulance arrived to check Siobhan and her friend for injuries, and the group were escorted home by Police.

Siobhan says MAS 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 her losses were adequately compensated.

“MAS handled everything seamlessly. They confirmed they had all the details, even the sunglasses, which I’ve always been careless with. It really felt like they were backing me up, especially when I was so stressed trying to manage everything else,” Siobhan says.

“MAS made the claim such a smooth process. 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 of Heidi, she says the couple was pleasantly surprised by the premiums for insuring it through MAS, given their recent accident.

“We know premiums are going up, so we expected to be paying more. We were also told 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, 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.