Wrangell Sentinel -

By Kyle Clayton

Sentinel writer

Petersburg and Wrangell residents covered by Apollo Medi Trans medevac insurance might be able to renew their coverage if the Alaska Division of Insurance receives requested documentation regarding a licensing issue.

Marty Hester, Alaska Division of Insurance Deputy Director, said AMT failed to renew their license last February.

“Their license did not renew,” Hester said. “I don’t know why they did not renew it.”

Chief Financial Officer for AMT Robert Bonestroosaid said carriers who had active policies at the time AMT’s license wasn’t renewed are still covered but they can’t renew or sell new policies.

He wouldn’t comment why AMT didn’t renew its license but said it has been working with the state since February to get its license renewed and the process is almost complete.

“We got some correspondence back from the state last week and they requested another document update application to renew the license,” Bonestroo said. “They kind of made it seem like it would be the last piece of the pie and that by the next week or two we should get our license back.”

That’s if the state receives the document, which Hester says is not available for public records until the filing process is competed.

“To my knowledge, we have not gotten the information that we are requesting,” Hester said.

Hester said once the state receives the information it will take 48-72 hours to review. If the paperwork meets the requirements, the Division of Insurance will renew AMT’s license.

Meanwhile, AMT didn’t notify some carriers regarding their lapse in coverage.

Wrangell resident Kathy Sandness’ policy expired in June and she didn’t receive notification for an automatic policy renewal from AMT. Sandness e-mailed AMT regarding her coverage and received a message notifying her of the issue and that her policy was set to renew once AMT renewed its license.

Sandness replied, in a e-mail, “So.... if we needed to be medi-vaced between now and when you renew your license, do we have coverage??”

To which Bonestroo responded, “There is no policy in place so there would not be any coverage.”

AMT has provided medevac insurance for $125 a year, a fraction of the more than $20,000 possible cost of medical air transport.