Insurance Claim, Due Diligence & A Boating Cockup

[Bosun Higgs]

I've no experience but hopefully some insurance expert will be along to explain what this translates to or is it a get out of jail card for insurance companies?

Talked to my wife who used to teach insurance staff. She says there is no fixed dividing line. Had the boat sunk there is no doubt that the OP would have been paid.

What due diligence boils down to is taking "reasonable care". Everyone's definition of "reasonable" is subjective but connecting a positive wire instead of a negative because you either were doing something you arent capable of doing or because as the OP suggests he was tired and careless is not taking reasonable care. " I was tired, it was getting dark, and I attached the wire to a convenient fixing which I assumed to be the negative." is hardly taking care.

If the OP want to push the issue there is a fair chance he will succeed not least because insurance companies often do pay out in marginal cases rather than wriggle out as people on here usually suggest.

 

[Niander]

wow im amazed what happend when you tried to start the engine?

 

[chubby]

I had a claim refused some years ago, left the heads flooding accidentally and got water in sufficently to damage the alternator and starter motor, a claim for replacement of the same refused under the small print of damage to electrics due to negligence not covered. I went round the bouys of claiming all accidents involve some sort of error but didnt get anywhere. Again had the whole boat sunk they may have paid up but if I knackered the alternator through my own stupdity, not covered! Just had to put it down to experience.

 

[LadyInBed]

the story then got picked up by YM as part of their seacock campaign and I was more than happy for it to be published

Was that under See Cock-up's?
Life's one (hopefully) long learning curve, so you can tick it off as several lessons learnt and assume that your luck quotient has been reduced by a couple of levels.

PS - Buy a multi-meter

 

[Resolution]

Refreshing honesty

I think Babylon is to be applauded for being so open about his technical c**k up, and for NOT trying to pin the blame on anyone else.

But I wonder what else he fixed wrongly and who will dare crew on his boat this year???

 

[Babylon]

But I wonder what else he fixed wrongly and who will dare crew on his boat this year???

 

[Talulah]

There's a lot of hardware on that boat ;-) I don't think you need crew.

 

[Babylon]

wow im amazed what happend when you tried to start the engine?

Good question.

1. The fizzing-away of the bronze bits only occured when the engine-start circuit was turned on, whether the engine was running or otherwise.
2. The old battery had enough oomph to start the engine on first leaving port.
3. The old battery didn't have enough oomph to re-start the engine later on when the wind went light and we were in the main channel with half of China's industrial output heading our way. (This was because I hadn't switched off the circuit after switching off the engine - see 1 above.)
4. Used jump-leads from the domestic bank to boost the failing engine battery to quickly start the engine (I have separate circuits with separate isolator switches).
5. Mistakenly assumed the problem was that the old battery was past its best, and bought a new one the following week.
6. The new engine start battery worked fine at first.
7. It didn't start a few days later, at anchor, at night, when the wind started blowing onshore. (This was because I hadn't switched off the circuit after switching off the engine - see 1 above.)
8. Used jump-leads from the domestic bank to boost the failing engine battery to start the engine and moved to an empty mooring-buoy.
9. The next morning again used jump-leads from the domestic bank to boost the failing engine battery to start the engine and put into Lymington to have a marine electrician come on board.
10. Once the electrical problem was diagnosed and fixed, the new engine start battery quickly recovered from its earlier abuse.

 

[Babylon]

There's a lot of hardware on that boat ;-) I don't think you need crew.

Exactly!

I sometimes take passengers... little do they know.....!!

 

[Babylon]

Update

A follow-on update of the situation:

My broker has just informed me that, as a result of my arguments based on a close and rational analysis of the various clauses the insurers quoted at me as a reason for not originally meeting my claim, the insurers have now agreed to make a without prejudice ex-gratia payment of £500. This goes a very good way to meeting my total costs at the time, and I am very pleased indeed.

One happy bunny