Roy Beard has lived on Chicago’s south side for years without incident. He’d recently bought a 2023 Chevy Malibu and didn’t think much about parking it outside. But out of an abundance of caution, he opted to pay for full coverage with rental car coverage with his insurance company, National General.

National General is a subsidiary of Allstate, so he thought he was in good hands. However, after his car was stolen and he turned to his insurance for a rental, he felt let down. His insurance denied his claim for a rental car. Instead, they told him he must wait 21 days while they investigated.

“I pay for rental coverage, no matter what you’re investigating,” Beard told CBS.

Without the ability to pay for a rental car, he’s resorting to two buses and a train to get to work since the car was stolen from his home on February 4.

Beard’s been calling the insurance company almost daily—but nothing’s changed

While the insurance company is investigating, they’re still charging him for the policy, even though he doesn’t have the car. To him, it feels like a slap in the face.

“I’m fighting, but I can’t fight when my hands are behind my back,” he said. Texts between him and his broker say the company can’t pay for a rental car during an ongoing investigation.

Scott Holeman, a representative with the Insurance Information Institute, said it’s important for people to understand exactly what their policy coverage entails.

“We always recommend that people have a check-up annually with their insurance professional,” he explained.

Beard’s still going to great lengths to get to work, thanks to his lack of coverage. Until the investigation is finished, he’ll have to endure the cold.