Who is insured with Haven Knox Johnston?

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crazy4557

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Anybody out there care to admit they are insured with HKJ? After reading certain threads on here should you not be thinking twice about possible issues with their claims procedure should an unfortunate incident arise?

I certainly would scrub them from my list of potential insurers after reading about them on here, maybe others should too?
 
As on other threads, I used to be with HKJ, and had no complaints. Am now with Amlin, the Lloyds syndicate that covers HJK. The other threads have caused me to question a couple of the clauses, which I will do with my broker.
 
I am insured with Haven Know Johnstone .
I was insured with St Margerets for years and HKJ took over StMargerets. I had a claim while it was still St Margerts where my boat was hit while in its mooring with no dispute over who did it. I claimed and they sent a surveyor down who was appalling and treid to claim that damage to rubbing strikes could have been there before.
I argued and got no where ,the claims handler and surveyor seemed to have a very friendly relationship. They were simply dreadfully and got the impression that maybe the surveyor got payed for every letter they answered.
I made a complaint, at that time Haven Know Johnston took over St Margerets. I wrote to their chairman, detail all events and with 48 hrs got a response saying he was looking into the matter,the next day his deputy rang me and discussed the claim, he then rang back and confirmed that he agreed with me and my claim would be met in full.
I consider that I got excellent service from them and I am a satisfied customer
 
towzer said:
I am insured with Haven Know Johnstone .
I was insured with St Margerets for years and HKJ took over StMargerets. I had a claim while it was still St Margerts where my boat was hit while in its mooring with no dispute over who did it. I claimed and they sent a surveyor down who was appalling and treid to claim that damage to rubbing strikes could have been there before.
I argued and got no where ,the claims handler and surveyor seemed to have a very friendly relationship. They were simply dreadfully and got the impression that maybe the surveyor got payed for every letter they answered.
I made a complaint, at that time Haven Know Johnston took over St Margerets. I wrote to their chairman, detail all events and with 48 hrs got a response saying he was looking into the matter,the next day his deputy rang me and discussed the claim, he then rang back and confirmed that he agreed with me and my claim would be met in full.
I consider that I got excellent service from them and I am a satisfied customer
Click to expand...

Paying a claim when they were obliged to do so is not anything to write home about. Good luck for the future!
 
towzer said:
I am insured with Haven Know Johnstone .
I was insured with St Margerets for years and HKJ took over StMargerets. I had a claim while it was still St Margerts where my boat was hit while in its mooring with no dispute over who did it. I claimed and they sent a surveyor down who was appalling and treid to claim that damage to rubbing strikes could have been there before.
I argued and got no where ,the claims handler and surveyor seemed to have a very friendly relationship. They were simply dreadfully and got the impression that maybe the surveyor got payed for every letter they answered.
I made a complaint, at that time Haven Know Johnston took over St Margerets. I wrote to their chairman, detail all events and with 48 hrs got a response saying he was looking into the matter,the next day his deputy rang me and discussed the claim, he then rang back and confirmed that he agreed with me and my claim would be met in full.
I consider that I got excellent service from them and I am a satisfied customer
Click to expand...

Having to write to the chairman to get a claim considered for payment and then the deputy gets involved in no way justifies your claim of 'excellent service'. Don't forget we only really judge insurance companies when a: the premium asked in comparison to the market rate and b: when there's a claim to make and how it's handled. I would class that event as really poor service and would vote with my feet and tell em to beggar off!
You seem easily pleased :rolleyes:
 
I have said this before, so forgive me for repeating myself.

HK-J generally have a good reputation. However, I had a bad experience with them, involving quite a large claim that they refused to meet, and I wouldn't use them again even if they were the last insurer left on Earth........
 
crazy4557 said:
Having to write to the chairman to get a claim considered for payment and then the deputy gets involved in no way justifies your claim of 'excellent service'. Don't forget we only really judge insurance companies when a: the premium asked in comparison to the market rate and b: when there's a claim to make and how it's handled. I would class that event as really poor service and would vote with my feet and tell em to beggar off!
You seem easily pleased :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

No I am not easy pleased at all.
I obviously didn't make myself clear ! HKJ sorted out a claim made against StMargerets that had being going on for over a year before HKJ took over. HKJ sorted it quickly and positively although it was before they took over From St Margerets .
It maybe that does not agree with what you wanted to hear ,but thats the way it is. So to reiterate I deem that I got excellent service . I am judging HKJ on the way they dealt with me.
 
towzer said:
No I am not easy pleased at all.
I obviously didn't make myself clear ! HKJ sorted out a claim made against StMargerets that had being going on for over a year before HKJ took over. HKJ sorted it quickly and positively although it was before they took over From St Margerets .
It maybe that does not agree with what you wanted to hear ,but thats the way it is. So to reiterate I deem that I got excellent service . I am judging HKJ on the way they dealt with me.
Click to expand...

Are you saying that HKJ paid a claim that they / St Margarets were NOT obliged to pay?
 
I have been "insured" by HKJ through CETA and underwritten by AMLIN. The recent threads have also made me re-examine what I am actually covered for and the answer appears to be not much ! Clause 5 in their Small Craft Policy seems to allow them to wriggle out of nearly anything. I don't think I can post a link as its part of CETAs secure web area but I can copy and paste if anyone is interested. The small print is certainly very small! My policy is due for renewal at the beginning of Dec and I shall certainly be taking a look around. On their renewal email the following were highlighted. The one about leaving the boat unattended particularly affects me as we would leave the boat tied up overnight out side hotels on Lough Erne.

Conditions and Endorsements
Cruising range
Coastal and Inland waters of the United Kingdom including a maximum of 30 days during this insurance in European Continental Waters. Passages to or from the United Kingdom must be by passenger ferry or passenger rail services.
Use
The craft will only be used for private and pleasure purposes.
Warranted
Warranted that the craft is not left unmanned afloat for periods in excess of three hours unless on a professional marina

George
 
towzer said:
No I am not easy pleased at all.
I obviously didn't make myself clear ! HKJ sorted out a claim made against StMargerets that had being going on for over a year before HKJ took over. HKJ sorted it quickly and positively although it was before they took over From St Margerets .
It maybe that does not agree with what you wanted to hear ,but thats the way it is. So to reiterate I deem that I got excellent service . I am judging HKJ on the way they dealt with me.
Click to expand...
Towzer, all noted and I can see that you are speaking as you find

Would you mind if I ask an important question please? It is genuinely for research in connection with a policyholder I'm trying to help in a dispute with HKJ. I'll ask other HKJ policy holders the same Q

Your profile says Broom 39. Let's say you are cruising and you accidentally strike a big underwater bit of debris. One P bracket snaps and that prop shaft is pulled out, leaving a 2 inch hole in the hull where the prop shaft should go. The strong Broom hull isn't otherwise damaged, apart from some scrapes. Water comes in but you have some help from the bilge pumps, and you get quickly to the marina crane and get a lift out. At this point the seawater in the engine room has just about fully submerged the engines, wrecking one of them when it inhales water thru the air intake, wrecked the generator and batt chargers and alternators etc, but the boat is saved and perfectly repairable. Damage is:

New shaft and prop, one engine full rebuild, new genset, all new electrics in e/room, engine and gearbox flush out, clean up and re-wire, new batteries, switches, circuit breakers £40,000
Refit furniture and carpet and soft furnishing in aft cabin that got wet £8,000
Crane out and similar costs £2,000
Total £50,000

My question is, simply, which ones of those 3 £££ sums do you believe HKJ will pay?

This isn't a trick question. Assume all other policy conditions are satisfied: you were driving in daylight, with crew, sober, carefully, with proper charts and look out, not breaking any speed limit or law, and the boat is perfectly maintained and you have all the receipts to prove it. You are Mr Goody 2-Shoes. The damage was just a freak accident that could happen to anyone

If you don't know how much HKJ covers you for and want to look at the policy, would you do me a favour please and answer the Q based on what you think before reading the policy then answer the Q a second time after you've read the policy. I'll reply back with my thoughts on it after you've (hopefully!) answered the question. Many thanks
 
Loops, I have been with St. Margaret's and therefore HKJ since 2004. Had one claim some 5 years ago when a Belgium motor cruiser with a metal swim platform took chunks out of my stern quarter - only gel ooat depth. The owner admitted responsibility and St. Margaret's managed my claim expertly, but then it cost them nothing as my claim was met and their costs paid by the other insurance company. My renewal is in a weeks time hence my request for a quote from Pantaenius.
 
sunquest said:
Loops, I have been with St. Margaret's and therefore HKJ since 2004. Had one claim some 5 years ago when a Belgium motor cruiser with a metal swim platform took chunks out of my stern quarter - only gel ooat depth. The owner admitted responsibility and St. Margaret's managed my claim expertly, but then it cost them nothing as my claim was met and their costs paid by the other insurance company. My renewal is in a weeks time hence my request for a quote from Pantaenius.
Click to expand...
Ah, another HKJ customer. Please would you be so kind as to answer my question above Sunquest: which out of the £40k, £8k and £2k do you think will HKJ pay? It can be all of them or any combination. It's genuine research, I promise!

In fact, I'd ask and invite any HKJ policyholders to answer the question please. Many thanks
 
This thread prompted me to re-read my own policy, good thing I did as there seems to be changes to it which I hadn't registered previously.

I'm not a HKJ policy holder, but I'll chip in to the what do you 'think' -part, if I may. I would of course think that all would be covered, but from the way the question is presented, that's probably not the case.

Depending on the definition of 'debris' (as in a man made object, not sea bottom, in marine context) I'd throw in a guess that they don't cover any of it, due to only covering incidents involving grounding or something similar.

Edit: My own policy lists causes of external damage in a non-exhaustive list, in which any reference to hitting and underwater man made object like a container is not included, so a situation like this might be open to dispute.
 
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jfm said:
Ah, another HKJ customer. Please would you be so kind as to answer my question above Sunquest: which out of the £40k, £8k and £2k do you think will HKJ pay? It can be all of them or any combination. It's genuine research, I promise!

In fact, I'd ask and invite any HKJ policyholders to answer the question please. Many thanks
Click to expand...

JFM, have you directed this Q to HKJ themselves? While I am no longer an HKJ policy holder (uncompetitive quote was the reason for moving), I don't think I could have given a sensible answer when I was.
 
jfm said:
Ah, another HKJ customer. Please would you be so kind as to answer my question above Sunquest: which out of the £40k, £8k and £2k do you think will HKJ pay? It can be all of them or any combination. It's genuine research, I promise!

In fact, I'd ask and invite any HKJ policyholders to answer the question please. Many thanks
Click to expand...

Tumble weed from the HKJ fan club i see!
 
scubaman said:
Depending on the definition of 'debris' .
Click to expand...
Thanks scubaman. No special definition- there is really no trick in the question and no cute definitions. Could be debris, a rock, sandbank, anything. The important aspects of the Q are that skipper wasn't negligent and the propshaft got pulled out so the engine room took a lot of water
 
jfm said:
Towzer, all noted and I can see that you are speaking as you find

Would you mind if I ask an important question please? It is genuinely for research in connection with a policyholder I'm trying to help in a dispute with HKJ. I'll ask other HKJ policy holders the same Q

Your profile says Broom 39. Let's say you are cruising and you accidentally strike a big underwater bit of debris. One P bracket snaps and that prop shaft is pulled out, leaving a 2 inch hole in the hull where the prop shaft should go. The strong Broom hull isn't otherwise damaged, apart from some scrapes. Water comes in but you have some help from the bilge pumps, and you get quickly to the marina crane and get a lift out. At this point the seawater in the engine room has just about fully submerged the engines, wrecking one of them when it inhales water thru the air intake, wrecked the generator and batt chargers and alternators etc, but the boat is saved and perfectly repairable. Damage is:

New shaft and prop, one engine full rebuild, new genset, all new electrics in e/room, engine and gearbox flush out, clean up and re-wire, new batteries, switches, circuit breakers £40,000
Refit furniture and carpet and soft furnishing in aft cabin that got wet £8,000
Crane out and similar costs £2,000
Total £50,000

My question is, simply, which ones of those 3 £££ sums do you believe HKJ will pay?

This isn't a trick question. Assume all other policy conditions are satisfied: you were driving in daylight, with crew, sober, carefully, with proper charts and look out, not breaking any speed limit or law, and the boat is perfectly maintained and you have all the receipts to prove it. You are Mr Goody 2-Shoes. The damage was just a freak accident that could happen to anyone

If you don't know how much HKJ covers you for and want to look at the policy, would you do me a favour please and answer the Q based on what you think before reading the policy then answer the Q a second time after you've read the policy. I'll reply back with my thoughts on it after you've (hopefully!) answered the question. Many thanks
Click to expand...

Hi JFM
To answer your question without looking at the policy I would expect all the costs to be met in full,less my excess sum.
I do not policy to hand as it is my office at work,but will check when next in office and answer after looking at it.
 
Have rang HKJ just before 5 and they are going to e mail a copy ,but probably not untill tomorrow as they shut at 5pm. As soon as I have a copy of the policy I will answer the other second part JFM question.
 
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