Insurance Claims
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2489
Printed Date: 18 Aug 25 at 3:30am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Insurance Claims
Posted By: tickel
Subject: Insurance Claims
Date Posted: 10 Dec 06 at 3:10pm
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We are insured with the usual insurance company and have just broken our mast for the second time in 6 months. We claimed the first time and were totaly satisfied but we have done it again. Before filling in a claim form has anyone else ever made two claims in a short time and what was the attitude of the company? ------------- tickel |
Replies:
Posted By: owain
Date Posted: 10 Dec 06 at 3:19pm
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If your honest about it, and maybe get some witnesses, there shouldnt be an issue, although it will hike up your premium a bit!!! ------------- Owain H 49er GBR055 Fireball 14291 Plymouth Uni Sailing Club & Chelmarsh Sailing Club |
Posted By: tickel
Date Posted: 10 Dec 06 at 3:26pm
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It's the raised premium that bothers me.
------------- tickel |
Posted By: timnoyce
Date Posted: 10 Dec 06 at 3:42pm
Well you can't expect to get something for nothing... so I guess you either claim and get a new mast but put up with the insurance hike, or buy a new mast direct. And next time... be more careful! 
------------- http://www.facebook.com/bearfootdesign - BEARFOOT DESIGN Cherub 2648 - Comfortably Numb |
Posted By: bert
Date Posted: 10 Dec 06 at 3:47pm
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if by saying the "we have done it again" you mean you went sailing in conditions where damage was likely then the insurance may well have a problem with your payout. Mind you that is the times when sailing is best!! May a tree got blown over in the stong winds recently & mushed the mast we just don`t know!.
------------- Phantom 1181 AC-227 IC 304 blaze / halo 586 |
Posted By: tornado435
Date Posted: 10 Dec 06 at 7:40pm
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Not quite that close together but I did manage to break a few Hurricane masts in my time. The insurance company should pay out, that's what it's for, but expect your premiums to rise. The other effect could be to raise the standard insurance premium for your class of boat. I have changed to Tornado's now and because of the high number and value of claims a lot of companies won't cover tornado's and those that do charge a lot for the premium. Try to learn from your mistakes and help newcomers to your fleet learn before they do the same things. Insurance is all about risk and at the moment your risk is looking high |
Posted By: Lukepiewalker
Date Posted: 10 Dec 06 at 7:55pm
| You could try the insurance forum... |
Posted By: Guest
Date Posted: 11 Dec 06 at 9:34am
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Ring them up and talk to them about it ... ------------- |
Posted By: English Dave
Date Posted: 11 Dec 06 at 11:25am
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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. ------------- English Dave http://www.ballyholme.com - Ballyholme Yacht Club (You'd think I'd be better at it by now) Hurricane 5.9 SX RS700 |
)Posted By: tickel
Date Posted: 11 Dec 06 at 9:28pm
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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 have managed to straiten the bottom section and can re use the bits and pieces from the top section. This reduces the bill to £160, not so bad. The insurers say they would load the premium but not by more than 25% and that was based on a claim for about £400. The cost of a complete but bare mast. I was very fed up last night but happier tonight. Merry Christmas. ------------- tickel |
Posted By: blaze720
Date Posted: 11 Dec 06 at 10:14pm
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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 |
Posted By: combat wombat
Date Posted: 12 Dec 06 at 6:49pm
English Dave, its a simple case of claiming under s.14 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979, you know that.
Anyone fancy giving me a sail in a Tasar? All I hear is that they are awesome. ------------- B14 GBR 772 |
Posted By: Ian99
Date Posted: 12 Dec 06 at 7:17pm
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! |
Posted By: tickel
Date Posted: 12 Dec 06 at 9:01pm
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Putting foam in the mast seems like a great idea although the topmast is very skinny and cant contain very much, but we will try it. When we broke our first mast it hit a bouy very hard as we went in and snapped off just above the hounds. This time the mast was on the bottom and I think the hull was "vaulted" over the mast by the strong wind. As to how good Tasars actualy are. They are tricky to get right (we still need to succeed) but providing there is enough wind for both to hike they are bloody quick and technicaly facinating. Stick to the sea or large waters though. On our little lake you are either howling along or going nowhere, they can be frustrating. I am sure Combat Wombat can find a boat near to him to try, Medway?,. Most Tasar owners are pretty evangelical about the class. ------------- tickel |
Posted By: Guest
Date Posted: 12 Dec 06 at 9:01pm
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Perhaps they should offer a no claims discount ... ------------- |
Posted By: blaze720
Date Posted: 12 Dec 06 at 9:14pm
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You only need to put a small plug in each end of the mast sections. Easy to remove if needed but enough to prevent the top section flooding quickly. You are right they are technically a bit challenging but that is half the fun. They look 'easy' enough and are not difficult but they do need a bit of work and practice - (bit like the Blaze really !) What is certain is that they are the most comfortable 2 man hiker going bar none. You you do need a good sized bit of water to really get the Tasar flying - Ours is on a smallish gravel pit (Burghfield) but even here on the right day it will see off many a 'faster' boat. Blaze 720 |
Posted By: Matt Jackson
Date Posted: 13 Dec 06 at 12:50pm
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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. ------------- Laser 203001, Harrier (H+) 36 |
Posted By: charlie w
Date Posted: 13 Dec 06 at 12:50pm
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Quick advert here for Noble marine. My crew and I sail 505's, and recently broke 2 masts inside a year...albeit in different premium years. The second time, we totalled the main and jib too. Both masts were broken while racing competitively (2005 Nationals and 2006 Eurocup). Noble's were good on both occasions (each claim was into 4 figures). We were actually pleasantly surprised by the moderate increase in our premium (we thought we were going to be heavily hit on increase) explained by Nobles because they take the whole class into account when setting premiums. As we have not really claimed much over the 10 previous seasons you could claim that this has evened itself out. We were impressed with them, though. Finally, I think that not expecting any increase in your premium after 2 such incidences would be a little unreasonable, though.
------------- Quality never goes out of fashion. |