Insurance claim

[jeb]

Hi all

Out of curiosity what constitutes an insurance claim against another party ? I have often read on this forum about boats clashing, being rammed by holiday makers etc. and wondered whether you would chase someone for taking your paint off (as you would if someone did it to your car) or whether much more substantial damage needs to be inflicted before you persued them ?

[NB Willawaw]

I guess it depends on the amount of policy excess ??

[jeb]

Hi NB

If I was claiming against somebody else I would'nt worry what their excess is unless of coarse you have to go through your own insurers. What I was trying to get at is whether exchanging paint is an accepted part of canal life.It is only out of curiosity as I am not afloat for a while yet (boats taking a lot longer to build than first thought ) and it came up in discussion with a friend who is also building one and jokingly (hopefully) suggested it is a contact sport.

[David Schweizer]

Where I live at the western end of the K&A, there are dozens of hire boats plying up and down week after week, and there are the inevitable collisions. From what I have been told by others that have been in such a collision with a hire boat, a phone call followed by filling in a claim form usually results in the cost of any damege being payed out without any fuss. Except for one small company hiring predominantly day boats, who just shout at you if you phone them after a collision.

[NB Willawaw]

There is no one answer to this - it depends on the situation and what individual boaters are prepared to accept as normal boat-to-boat contact and when this becomes a matter of incompetence or carelessness on the part of one or both of the parties.

 

TBH my paint damage is minor and my own fault (no other boat involved).

 

Obviously, if a boat races to get under a bridge hole first, mistimes it and then decides they can't stop, resulting in a large bow-to-bow bang, claims would depend on how much damage, were both parties to blame ?, etc.

 

On the other hand, a Commodore of the cut with his brand spanking new £100,000 signwritten trad, might object to you brushing him in a lock without fenders between the boats and removing some of his blacking.

I can't see him getting anywhere with that at the insurance company unless he could prove excessive speed coming into the lock, etc - you see what I'm trying to say.

 

Personally, I deliberately had Willawaw blacked to the gunnels rather than having the top part painted, as I noticed that over time, most of the day-to-day paint wear is done there. I find it easier to dab on some new blacking than trying to match gloss paint.

Thats just my preference.

[John Orentas]

On the other hand, a Commodore of the cut with his brand spanking new £100,000 signwritten trad, might object to you brushing him in a lock without fenders between the boats and removing some of his blacking.

I can't see him getting anywhere with that at the insurance company unless he could prove excessive speed coming into the lock, etc - you see what I'm trying to say.

 

 

On the other hand if someone goes into a lock, single or double with side fenders fitted it should be regarded as contributory negligence and the insurance cover should be drastically cut.

[Adam]

On the other hand if someone goes into a lock, single or double with side fenders fitted it should be regarded as contributory negligence and the insurance cover should be drastically cut.

 

Do you mean that if you have side fenders on your insurance is invalid? I know you have to take them off in sinle locks but double?

[JohnO]

Personally, I deliberately had Willawaw blacked to the gunnels rather than having the top part painted, as I noticed that over time, most of the day-to-day paint wear is done there.

 

good on ya willawaw, I dont understand why anyone would want to "gloss" below the gunnel. It does not even look right in my books. I am also blacked to the gunnels so one less thing to have to worry about.

[malc1110]

I would certainly pursue anyone who damaged my boat. There is enough yobbish behaviour everywhere today why sit back and ignore it just because you are on the river/canal. I would imagine that your own insurance company would act on your behalf and take it up with the offenders insurer. Don't forget that, just like on the road, you should not pay any excess applying to YOUR policy if the damage is not your fault, your insurer should claim your (uninsured loss) excess back from the offender's. This has happened to me twice on the road, the first time I had to pay the excess then wait whilst the insurer got it back from the other party's company. The second time I told them at the start of the claim that I wanted them to claim my excess too, and they did, no problem.

 

Sure the rivers and canals are very different from the roads and some contact is inevitable. Provided all due care has been taken by all parties then one should expect a few bumps and scrapes as part of boating life, but if someone is downright carelesss or stupid then they must be made to pay for any damage they cause. You and your boat should not suffer because of someone else's actions.

[JohnO]

but if someone is downright carelesss or stupid then they must be made to pay for any damage they cause.

 

BW could recoup some dollars them blue bricks aint cheap to replace either

[Chris J W]

When I get my boat (only a week to go until I "retire") and be CC-ing there will be times, no doubt, when I fancy a break from it and I've already arranged that some friends (some experienced, some not so ...) can borrow her for a holiday - if something really awful happened like they sank her, how would my innsurance act then as I wasn't aboard and not under my control?

[bottle]

It would depend on your policy and also if you had informed them (the insurance company)that you would not be aboard.

 

When you inform them get a confirmation from them that they have received your communication.

 

Insurance companies are there to make money and any excuse for not paying out is the norm.

 

When your friends 'borrow' your boat there must be no financial remuneration as you then get into the realms of safety and licence.

[Chris J W]

It would depend on your policy and also if you had informed them (the insurance company)that you would not be aboard.

 

When you inform them get a confirmation from them that they have received your communication.

 

Insurance companies are there to make money and any excuse for not paying out is the norm.

 

When your friends 'borrow' your boat there must be no financial remuneration as you then get into the realms of safety and licence.

 

Ta - will have to make sure that's covered.

 

The "borrow" will be on the basis of "if there's a tank that should be full - fill it, and if there's a tank that should be empty - empty it!"

[carlt]

What I was trying to get at is whether exchanging paint is an accepted part of canal life.

When wooden boats collide we usually accept an exchange of boat parts, as long as it's above the waterline.

[jeb]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Its quite clear that its all down to what the person is prepared to accept and what the circumstances are at the time.

 

However I am nervous of meeting this commodore chappy sods law and all that.