-LIFE-
INSURANCE
INVESTMENT

Testimony 1 - Mr. Vinod K. Mathew

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August 23, 2018, is a day I would like to forget.

Myself, a printing technologist came to the UAE to find a job 20 years ago. Life was a mixture of ups and downs for me, but I focused on my vision to become an entrepreneur. The days I worked in printing presses, I always dreamt about a printing press of my own. Thus, 13 years ago, my dream came true, when I had the opportunity to have the humble beginning of my own Printing Press. I started with one single machinery, but slowly and steadily added more machines to my printing press. 7 years ago, I started my 5 colour off-set printing press with state of the art technology. Having almost all the necessary machinery in-house and with God's grace, my business flourished faster than expected. All I earned from the business was put back into the business to add more and more services and to the working capital. I had 30 employees working with me, day and night except weekends.

2018,  August 23 was a Thursday. Since we had no pending jobs to finish, we closed the printing press at around 6 pm for the weekend. Around 8:30 pm, I received a phone call from the Civil Defense, Ajman. They informed me that there is a Fire around the same cluster of my Printing Press. I rushed to the location to find the shock of my life. A communicated fire from our adjacent warehouse set the roof of my printing press on flames. All my workers were there in the scene, but none of us could do anything as Police and Civil Defense personnel had closed the area for fire fighting and to secure the adjacent business establishments. I was mere, a spectator unable to do anything. 

The first floor of my Printing Press was burnt down with all the machinery on the floor, raw material storage, and office equipments. The ground floor, where off-set printing machineries were installed was flooded with water while Civil Defense was dousing the fire with seawater. All the finished materials kept on the ground floor was destroyed soaked in water. The costly off-set printing machines and heavy-duty cutting machines were dampened by the seawater and almost unrepairable. The floor-mounted motors were underwater.  

My many years of hard work and efforts vanished in one night. I did not have any savings other than my printing press. I cursed my fate for being so cruel to me. I did n't have any idea what will I do with my employees.

The next morning I telephoned my Insurance Advisor Mr. Shibu Thomas, who visited the site and ensured that everything possible will be done from Insurance Side. Saturday early morning, an Inspector from the Loss Adjusters appointed by Insurance Company Visited our site to take stock of the situation and report to the Insurance Company. Their visits gave me a sigh of relief. Within a couple of days, Loss Adjusters gave an elaborate report in favour of us. They asked us to submit the Machinery List and Cost of replacing it along with the Lost Stock Materials and Finished Goods. There was a long wait for me to get the Forensic Reports, Police Reports, and Civil Defense Report. First, the Insurance Company released an Interim Payment On account of the report. In January 2019, I moved my press to a new location with a bigger space, the off-set printing machines were repaired with the help of the manufacturers. New machines were procured to replace the destroyed machines. Today, I am happy to see a much bigger Printing Press with more facilities. If you believe in God, everything that happens turns around to become GOOD.

I would like to Thank Mr. Shibu Zachariah Thomas for his professional approach to protect the client's interests. He along with his team negotiated professionally with the Loss Adjusters and with Insurance Company. I recommend Mr. Shibu for the services he provides.