The VanRaalte family in Belwood Ont. just wanted some pizza delivered to their home on a Friday night, but their $40 bill turned into one worth tens of thousands after the delivery driver crashed into their garage.
Audrey VanRaalte lives at the home and saw the driver pulling up to their driveway. She claims they were going about 60 km/h.
“I said to my husband ‘he’s not going to be able to stop’ and he didn’t,” she said. “He never slowed down. He never stopped. And, bang, right into the garage.”
She said the house shook from the impact. The garage door broke and part of the brick wall collapsed.
This is what it looked like moments after the crash on Dec. 1, 2023. (Submitted/VanRaalte family)
“We have an attic hole in the garage and the door opened up from the pressure,” she said.
It happened on Dec. 1. In the moments after, the family says the driver kept quiet.
“No ‘sorry’. No ‘this or that happened’. Nothing.”
The family claims the driver did not have a licence on him or insurance. They got the police involved but said they couldn’t do much.
“Police say they cannot charge him because it’s on private property,” VanRaalte said.
The family said a contractor estimated it will cost anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 to fix the damage.
The VanRaalte home in Belwood Ont. on Dec. 29, 2023. (CTV News/Heather Senoran)
DOORDASH RESPONDS
In a statement to CTV News, DoorDash said they recognize how frustrating this situation must be for the customer and they are hoping to rectify it as quickly as possible.
“We have removed the Dasher who caused the accident from our platform. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused,” DoorDash said in part.
WHO PAYS FOR IT?
DoorDash said it is up to the homeowner to work with their home insurance provider and the driver’s personal car insurance company to cover repairs.
According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), the homeowner’s premium should not go up if the claim goes through the driver’s policy. If the claim goes through their own home policy with the recovery from the driver’s auto policy, the deductible could be waived or reimbursed after an investigation.
“Each home insurance policy is tailored for each homeowner and can have different endorsements, coverages, deductibles and claims history which could have a bearing on any future premiums. For example, the homeowner could lose a ‘claims free discount,’ if there is one, which could impact future premiums,” said a representative from the IBC.
This is the DoorDash driver’s vehicle after the crash. (Submitted/VanRaalte family)
The family said they were hoping for more help from DoorDash.
“That they pay for the damage. That we get it fixed as soon as possible,” said VanRaalte.
Until then, the family said they will opt for pickup instead of delivery.
