Fraudulent Insurance Be Careful

[Sailorsnook]

I've been living aboard my old Dutch cutter ketch Francesca since 2003 and have travelled extensively. A few years ago I wanted to go to The Black Sea and my existing insurer was reticent. A Kiwi sailor I met recommended his insurance company as being flexible and accommodating although he admitted he'd never had to claim.

Anyhow I switched to Edward William marine Services and have been loyal to them since.

I arrived back in Gallions Point Marina London in October 2012. In May 2013 I renewed my insurance with Edward William Marine Services, but before doing so e-mailed them to explain I was not living full time on the boat at present and detailing what contents cover I needed. I specified both the amount of cover I wanted and the kinds of items on board to be covered.

When the schedule came through it showed Euro 5000 of contents cover rather than UK£5000, but it showed equipment/other which I understood to be the items I'd advised ie computers and cameras etc.

On 27th June I found I'd been comprehensively burgled, they took everything of value, even my new shoes, they crow-barred the clock and barometer from the cabin wall, they really went to town. the whole thing

I made an honest claim to Edward William, who didn't query the amount they just rejected the whole thing out of hand.

I contacted the Ombudsman, but despite having an office in Great Yarmouth the company is not regulated here! I then got on to The Financial Conduct Authority and found them listed as a firm to avoid - but who would know to look there. It appears to be a scam insurance company and I have reported the fraud to The National Fraud Reporting Centre (effectively the UK Police), Paypal, who I paid the premium with, and the Spanish Ombudsman.

I don't really expect to see a return, but i would like to warn others and hopefully see them closed down. Please note the3 company name Edward William Marine Services - the policies claim to be from Northernreef Insurance so watch out. If anyone has experience of dealing with scams like this I'd love to hear from you. A friend did tell me there's a regular on this forum going by the name JFM who may be able to help??

Cheers Malcolm Snook

 

[NornaBiron]

So sorry to hear of your problems. Thanks for posting your cautionary tale and I hope you manage to get something back.

 

[Tranona]

I think that company has come up before in a similar context.

JFM posts regularly on the MOBO forum and it may be worth dropping him a PM.

 

[rivonia]

Oh dear that was realy bad. Thank you for the warnings on the forum. Might be worth putting it on other forums as well.

Good luck to you and I just hope that in the long run you may be able some how or other to get some finance back.

Peter

 

[Tony Cross]

A very sad story. Thanks for the warning though, I've already passed this on.

I'm curious as to why you reported this to the Spanish Ombudsman though? What did they have to do with it?

 

[Carmel2]

Sorry to hear your problems with this outfit. You might want to see if you can get their rather crappy website taken down http://www.edwardwilliam.com/ You can find out the host from the following http://www.whoishostingthis.com/edwardwilliam.com click on the WHOIS bit

 

[macd]

I'm curious as to why you reported this to the Spanish Ombudsman though? What did they have to do with it?

From the website helpfully provided by Carmel2:
Addresses
Worldwide
Edward William Marine Services SL
Edificio Ofisol Central Planta 3 AB,
13 Avenida Condes De San Isidro,
Fuengirola, Malaga, 29640
Spain

 

[Tony Cross]

From the website helpfully provided by Carmel2:
Addresses
Worldwide
Edward William Marine Services SL
Edificio Ofisol Central Planta 3 AB,
13 Avenida Condes De San Isidro,
Fuengirola, Malaga, 29640
Spain

Ah. Carmel2's post wasn't there when I asked. All makes sense now. Thank you!

 

[Carmel2]

After a bit more digging the owner of this domain is this bloke, who I have to say looks rather proud of himself http://www.itinuk.com/

And these are his details http://whois.domaintools.com/edwardwilliam.com

He might not be the bogeyman, he may just own the domain name and put together the site for them, but it might be worth letting them know it's being used for fraudulent purposes.

 

[marina95]

Commiserations to the OP.

There is a long and really dreadful history behind Mr Clive Lewis who runs Edward William and insurance claims, a quick Google will show a whole list of people who have had claims rejected.

I count myself fortunate (and grateful to this ybw forum for raising the red flags) that I never had to claim.

Both Edward William and Northernreef are tied up together (in fact they share the same web designer) and the impression you get is that NR are their underwriter. I suspect however that in fact they are the same company and they don't pay out.

Whilst a policy holder I sent them this message:

"I have been a customer of yours for 15 months and am now in my second term of cover on a policy underwritten by Northernreef that you arranged for my [boat name deleted] which is lying in Greece.

I am writing as a concerned customer. I have been reading several posts on the ybw.com forum referring to a lawsuit against Northernreef for not settling a claim. Link is here:-

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?70836-Northernreef-Insurance/page5&highlight=northernreef

Within this forum thread several people have indicated that the UK FSA are advising against taking out insurance with Northernreef and are claiming that Northernreef are operating illegally from Spain.

Obviously I am concerned and am looking for assurances that the policy that you have arranged for my craft is bona fide and that the underwriter Northernreef is a) operating legally and b) meeting its underwriting obligations.

All my dealings with you with regard to insuring my boat have been pleasurable, and I've recommended you to others on several occasions. I trust that you will take the time to respond."

Their reply here:-

"From experience we can confirm that Northernreef Insurance Co SA have a very good claims record with many satisfied customers across the globe.

With regards to comments placed on forums and other sites, Northernreef Insurance Co SA have informed us that they will not make any reply nor feel that they need to.

The terms of your insurance cover are laid out in the Northernreef Yacht Clauses and Endorsed as required to personalise your own level of cover.

Any claim submitted will of course be subject to the policy wordings of the Northenreef Yacht Clauses and any amendments applied.

As for Spanish operations, you are already aware that we, Edward William Marine Services SL, are a Spanish registered company and operate from here, NOT Northernreef.

Assuring you of our best intentions at all times"

The brevity of their reply and the arrogance that NR didn't feel the need to respond had me running for the hills. Policy not renewed. Phew.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Many years ago I insured through a broker and to cut a long story short found out that he had not in fact taken out the policy with a well known company that he claimed to in the end that company honoured my insurance ( I did not have a claim) and they gave me a further 12 months insurance for 6 months of premiums. I firmly believe that you get what you pay for in this game and penny pinching gets you nowt literally.

 

[Finesse II]

I have been with Bishop Skinner for 12 years who are RYA approved. They are knowledgable, easy to deal with and have a good reputation on claims.
IMHO it's better not to go cheap on hull and contents insurance.
?

 

[petertelford]

I've been living aboard my old Dutch cutter ketch Francesca since 2003 and have travelled extensively. A few years ago I wanted to go to The Black Sea and my existing insurer was reticent. A Kiwi sailor I met recommended his insurance company as being flexible and accommodating although he admitted he'd never had to claim.

Anyhow I switched to Edward William marine Services and have been loyal to them since.

I arrived back in Gallions Point Marina London in October 2012. In May 2013 I renewed my insurance with Edward William Marine Services, but before doing so e-mailed them to explain I was not living full time on the boat at present and detailing what contents cover I needed. I specified both the amount of cover I wanted and the kinds of items on board to be covered.

When the schedule came through it showed Euro 5000 of contents cover rather than UK£5000, but it showed equipment/other which I understood to be the items I'd advised ie computers and cameras etc.

On 27th June I found I'd been comprehensively burgled, they took everything of value, even my new shoes, they crow-barred the clock and barometer from the cabin wall, they really went to town. the whole thing

I made an honest claim to Edward William, who didn't query the amount they just rejected the whole thing out of hand.

I contacted the Ombudsman, but despite having an office in Great Yarmouth the company is not regulated here! I then got on to The Financial Conduct Authority and found them listed as a firm to avoid - but who would know to look there. It appears to be a scam insurance company and I have reported the fraud to The National Fraud Reporting Centre (effectively the UK Police), Paypal, who I paid the premium with, and the Spanish Ombudsman.

I don't really expect to see a return, but i would like to warn others and hopefully see them closed down. Please note the3 company name Edward William Marine Services - the policies claim to be from Northernreef Insurance so watch out. If anyone has experience of dealing with scams like this I'd love to hear from you. A friend did tell me there's a regular on this forum going by the name JFM who may be able to help??

Cheers Malcolm Snook

Dear Malcolm

I am preparing to sue Edward William Marine and Northern Reef Insurance Company for failing to provide a proper insurance policy and failing to comply with the terms of the policy they claim they issued. I saw this post and wondered if you would be prepared to allow me to see the correspondence from your case as part of my claim may be that they are operating a system in breach of Spanish and EU law designed to prevent claims.

I am a Barrister and a Judge.

Yours Sincerely,

Peter Telford

 

[Mistroma]

Dear Malcolm

I am preparing to sue Edward William Marine and Northern Reef Insurance Company for failing to provide a proper insurance policy and failing to comply with the terms of the policy they claim they issued. I saw this post and wondered if you would be prepared to allow me to see the correspondence from your case as part of my claim may be that they are operating a system in breach of Spanish and EU law designed to prevent claims.

I am a Barrister and a Judge.

Yours Sincerely,

Peter Telford

Peter,

SailorSnook joined in 2009 and only ever posted twice (2009 and 2013). I suppose he might be due to post again sometime soon.

It would be worth sending him a PM by clicking on his name above the initial message and choosing Private Message. You might find that this triggers an email notification to his own email and could be quicker than waiting for him to spot your post.

I see that his name was Malcolm Snook and he did have a web-site (www.sailorsnook.com). Unfortunately, that appears to be defunct and may be a dead end. I think that the website was in use up to March 2016 and is no longer registered. I don't think that the site held much detailed information.

I did note that there was an icon relating to "Land Sea Sky World Peace Foundation" and I see that there's a Malcolm Snook on Twitter (Author, pacifist and sailor). It would be worth using Twitter as an other avenue.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[One A.]

This the chap?

https://www.artflakes.com/en/shop/malcolmsnook

 

[sailaboutvic]

This the chap?

https://www.artflakes.com/en/shop/malcolmsnook

Just goes to show there no hinding once you posted something on the net .

 

[Mistroma]

This the chap?

https://www.artflakes.com/en/shop/malcolmsnook

Looks like the same guy I spotted on Twitter earlier (https://twitter.com/sailorsnook?lang=en). Shouldn't be hard to contact him, I just hope that he did hold on to old documentation relating to his claim.

 

[keith1506]

Dear Peter.

I am yet another victim of these people, facing huge clean-up costs after my boat sunk in Holland after they just refused to pay out of hand. Just spent the day (Feb 20th) with my lawyers - think it might be worth our while to communicate

 

[One A.]

Looks like the same guy I spotted on Twitter earlier (https://twitter.com/sailorsnook?lang=en). Shouldn't be hard to contact him, I just hope that he did hold on to old documentation relating to his claim.

The dreadful Web site is still active.

 

[petertelford]

Yes. 07812192832. Or 01752872123 Peter Telford.