Board rejects billing request
by Larry S. Chowning
The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors turned down a request from the Upper Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department at Water View to allow the company to bill insurance companies for responses to motor vehicle accidents.
County administrator Charles Culley said at the Dec. 2 board meeting that he contacted several insurance companies, including VACo Risk Management that handles the county’s coverage, regarding the proposed billing request.
“The companies contacted have indicated there are no automobile insurance policies that have this coverage,” said Culley. “If the county adopted an ordinance to allow this, then a new insurance territory would be created and everyone’s rates would increase to cover the cost.”
Culley also noted that the private billing has been contested in Pennsylvania.
The board voted unanimously not to approve the billing proposal. “I understand that our fire departments need all the financial help they can get,” said board chairman Kenneth W. Williams, “however, if insurance won’t cover the billing, it will probably fall to the private individuals who are involved in the accident. Some of these people might not be able to afford to pay.”
In other matters the board:
