insurance claim tips

[1114C]

We have suffered from the high winds and sadly this has lead to a broken mast with the boat sitting on a mooring.

We believe we have done everything by the book before the accident - she has new rigging a couple of years ago, insurance company knows about survey status and location and we have had a policy with no claims for around 9 years now. We are with Craftinsure

They have always been excellent to deal with but we have never made a claim before and i was wondering if anyone else had any experiences or lessons learned they could share? I am guessing we take photos of everything but we cannot even get to the boat until the weekend with further gales forecast so I dread to think what we will find at the weekend, she is miles from the nearest crane or boatyard!

It is a very sheltered mooring but clearly this was one storm too many

Thanks in advance

 

[fireball]

You should do everything possible to minimise further damage - in my mind that would include paying for someone to secure the vessel if the damaged mast is likely to cause further problems and I was unable to attend.
If the reason you can't get out is because of the strong winds then that's different ... !

But - my first course of action would be to call the insurance co ...

 

[Tranona]

Yes, call the insurance co for advice. Your policy should cover for action taken to secure the vessel and minimise further damage. Do not be afraid to claim - it is for situations like this that you have insurance. You only have your excess to lose, which you will lose anyway, no matter what you do yourself.

 

[Fantasie 19]

I'm with CraftInsure as well.... and I also had a dismasting just a month after taking out my insurance with them....

I found that they were helpful throughout - my advice would be to give them plenty of information, let them know what you are doing to minimise costs, but basically keep them updated...

Good luck - you don't say how new your boat is - if it's older, be prepared for some horse trading if the repair costs come to more than the value (I had to).....

 

[1114C]

thanks for the replies and the reassurances

have spoken to the company, we are going to head up once the wind drops and shifts early in the weekend (wind to blow until then according to forecast)

i guess there is a chance that total bill will exceed value of the boat but will cross the bridge when it comes, just hope she does not sink in the meantime

thanks all

 

[macd]

You only have your excess to lose, which you will lose anyway, no matter what you do yourself.

Quite possibly, but some carriers provide excess-free cover for "designated winter berths". Mine does.

 

[Tranona]

Quite possibly, but some carriers provide excess-free cover for "designated winter berths". Mine does.

Yes, but a remote anchorage "miles from the nearest crane or boatyard" on the West Coast of Scotland is not likely to be one of them!

 

[1114C]

sadly not, but i would rather be losing 300 than a good few thousand

something to look out for the future though when she changes her winter berth, which has to be likely now!

 

[Tranona]

Think you will find that the protected excess clause is only for afloat in approved marinas. It is very specific on my policy.

 

[mcanderson]

Ask your insurers to appoint a surveyor and see if they can go and reduce the possibility of any further damage. This may well be in the interest of all parties and then the surveyor can help assess the damage and be of assistance during your repairs.

 

[Twister_Ken]

We have suffered from the high winds and sadly this has lead to a broken mast with the boat sitting on a mooring.

Bit of a stunner to hear that wind alone was sufficient to bust a mast. Be interested to hear if a post mortem discovers a primary fault which wind pressure aggravated and exploited.

 

[bikedaft]

where is she moored?

wind dying tomorrow.

good luck getting it sorted, hope it all works out.

is the mast banging on the hull? or likely to cause further damage? etc

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Ask your insurers asap how many estimates they need, this can save a delay in them paying out, and try to get second estimate from different company than the first.
Get your claim form filled in and returned asap.
If the insurers appoint a surveyor you probably wont have say in what the surveyor will or wont do as he will take his instructions from the insurers only, as he is working for them.
My mast was broken in dec 8th, I need a complete new mast, rigging, boom, and roller reefing set up.
The cheapest estimate is £9.104.
If the boat is older ie, 80ies it will probably require a complete new set up as older style masts are no longer available, and this will mean new rigging, boom etc.
I am still waiting for a pay out or authorisation to get repairs done, and probably falling further back in the riggers repair que every day.
Good luck.
C_W

 

[AndrewB]

Bit of a stunner to hear that wind alone was sufficient to bust a mast. Be interested to hear if a post mortem discovers a primary fault which wind pressure aggravated and exploited.

Yes, that struck me too. Insurance will only cover an losses due to an exceptional event, NOT poor design, inadequate construction, or lack of maintenance. The insurer's loss adjuster will be looking for signs of these. Assemble all the evidence you can that the breakage was due only to the extreme weather conditions. A recent survey will be a great help.

 

[Rum_Pirate]

a primary fault.

Is that why we buy insurance? To 'insure' our property against damage?

 

[Fantasie 19]

Is that why we buy insurance? To 'insure' our property against damage?

We do - but most insurance have clauses in there about it not covering normal wear and tear.... be interesting to find out whether the mast failure was "reasonable" - poor choice of word but you know what I mean...

 

[awol]

This is why careful scrutiny of the Ts&Cs of the policy is a good idea. Some insurers cover "consequential loss" so a worn clevis pin is not covered but the mast and rigging damaged when it failed is. Not, I hasten to add, am I suggesting that that was the cause, just an example. Pantaenius, for example, do appear to cover consequential losses while others, usually cheaper, don't.