Insurance Claims

Originally posted by Ian99 Originally posted by tickel Well, thanks for all comments even though some are a little harsh. I have inspected the damage again to day and spoken to the kind insurers. Regarding our competance. Tasars always invert and the fantastic high tech masts do not take to being bashed into the bottom of a lake ! I ... If you know your boat inverts very easily and the lake is shallow, when you capsize just fall straight into the water and there won't be a problem....

I disagree. If you sail a boat that inverts easily and you are using it for it's prime purpose (racing) then it's reasonable to try to right the boat quickly to continue with a race. If your argument holds then any boat which scoops lots of water when it capsizes (Lark, 12 etc) breaking a mast whilst trying to 'sail the water out' could be penalised. You get insurance to race so surely any part of racing is covered.

Perhaps they should offer a no claims discount ...

Originally posted by tickel Well, thanks for all comments even though some are a little harsh. I have inspected the damage again to day and spoken to the kind insurers. Regarding our competance. Tasars always invert and the fantastic high tech masts do not take to being bashed into the bottom of a lake ! I

Sorry, but this is probably going to sound even harsher, but this incident would be a prime example of the reason why insurers put up premiums for people who make multiple claims. It is very difficult for a boat to break its own mast when on the bottom in still water, it will generally only break if someone is sitting on top of the hull or you're rescued in the wrong way. If you know your boat inverts very easily and the lake is shallow, when you capsize just fall straight into the water and there won't be a problem. Similarly when being rescued, if the mast is well and truly stuck, the capsized boat should be towed in the opposite direction to where the mast is pointing, ideally with a towline attached to the shroud which is under water.

With insurance claims in general, I wouldn't ever claim for less than about £250, and this year I've not claimed for three incidents which most people would have tried to claim for so as to keep a clean record!

I've broken a Tasar mast yself in the past - (fantastic underrated boat etc etc).  But if you have got the cost down to £ 160 it's hardly worth claiming.  Once you pay an excess of £ 50 or £ 100 you will have several years of elevated premiums.  I now work on the principle that anything under say £ 500 is not worth a claim and am even considering 3rd party only for the future.  If you can discipline yourself why not put the 'saved'  money into a ring fenced pot for the odd rainy day.    

Lastly I put foam in each end of the top secion of the Tasar mast and near the top of the bottom section and around the diamond take-offs.  It drastically reduces any tendancy to invert even if Frank B. might not approve (but he sells masts etc ...)

Blaze 720

What was the circumstances of the breakage? Not enough mainsheet tension with kite up? That's the most common reason unless it's a Laser with the XD pack and you have overcooked the cunningham or kicker. ( don't get me started on a fit-for-purpose argument re Laser masts - grrr )

But it shouldn't make a difference to your claim. If you are insured they should pay up. But as everyone else has said - expect your premiums to rise. If you are paying £300 pa for your insurance and breaking a £500 mast twice a year (figures are arbitary) then, taking into account your £100 policy excess, your insurer is down £500 on the year. Balanced against all the other non-claiming members on his books the insurer is still OK but, if you have a history of breakages, a picture starts to emerge. If you have just been unlucky this year and have been otherwise claim-free over previous years then your insurer may see it as a blip.

Talk to them. Even the largest marine insurer doesn't operate on the same scale as Direct Line or Norwich Union and because of the specialised nature of the insurance you will probably be talking to someone with knowledge of boats rather than a call centre operator.