well they did the core sample today & no rot.

[Mark Kurtzner]

Well as some of you know I hit a wave or somthing on Northern Champlain fishing the BFL tournament, that broke off my engine cowling which in turn let water in my engine & blew out the bottom 2 cyclinders. I turned this in to insurance & when they were doing the estimate on the engine they found that the transom was damaged, well now I'm looking at a 15000.00 estimate. The insurance inspecter came looked at the boat saw some stress cracks & said that you probably have rot which caused the transom to go. Then the insurance company says there going to pay the claim on the engine but not my transom as they said the 2 were unrelated (go figure you hit somthing hard enough to blow off your engine cowling & not hurt anything else).



I said that I wouldn't accept this, I called the (marine expert HA!) & said what gives, he said that was normal wear & tear & most likely caused by rot because my boat had a couple of stress cracks in the transom area & its 10 years old, I said that my transom was fine, even the day before I changed props & when I lifted up on the bottom no movement now it moves at least 3", I then said what do I have to do to prove that it happened when my cowling went flying, he said get a core sample done & if its not rotted then I have somthing to stand on. Well today they did the core samples which showed no rot the wood was moist (but what older boat made with wood has no moister) So by going the extra distance & bugging my insurance guy, the adjuster, the fiberglass guy & a few other I may get the claim that I deserve thats why I paided extra for re-placement insurance because I knew I had an older boat. I also have some bad words for the marine that did my estimate, 1 it took 2 weeks to look at my boat, 2 they said that we'll get the boat totalled so we can sell you a new boat, well I said that I didn't have the $ for a new boat, & 3 when the insurance adjuster called him friday after I found out there decision not to pay for all, he said that my transom problem was just normally wear & tear & that it was going for some time, (funny how that when I had it serviced there last year I asked them to look at my transom & they said it was just fine) so I say f*#@ them they"ll never see my $ again. Mark

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Mark I hope it all works out for you. I am sorry to have to say this,I Would never deal with anybody how says they will total something so they can sell new.. Car,truck,boat what ever.. Our ins rates now are high enough and if I/we incourage fraud (not that you did) but that just keeps rates higher and honest claims (like yours) harder to get.

BF

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Don't give up Mark. Give 'em hell! I can't stand insurance companies. Legal theft is all it is. They always want their money but when it's time to pay, they try everything under the sun to deny a claim. I bet a call from your attorney would expedite the process. Let me know how it's going. I would love to let you borrow my rig, but Buzz and I have some tourneys coming up on Champlain. If you can get up here, you're welcome to fish with me any time.

 

[Dan J.]

Great news! (With all the trouble you've been through, I mean it!!) If it were me, with core sample in hand, I'd set down with my agent, the guy making residuals on my policies, and get the corporate adjuster on the horn and delicately explain the two ways I see this going. They can live up to their contracted obligations or the judicial system can force them to abide by your mutual contract, plus punitive damages. You have right on your side and a very sympathetic legal system to get you to a positive conclusion. If they want to drag it out, let them know you are patient and willing to wait to have the contracted remedy in addition to whatever punitive damages are awarded by the courts for the Insurance Company's typical response on major claims. Hold your course and keep your satisfaction dead ahead on the horizon. You'll reach it, one way or the other!!

 

[Richard Whittemore]

I agree with Rob, They want to provide a service, take your money and smile. Then when you need them, they turn you around, make you bend over and they pork you. It's this kind of stuff that P#sses me off.

Make them pay, like Dan J. says, they don't like it when you stand up to them, especially with legal eagles.

 

[Rick Hale]

Mark--Hope you get everything fix ok.

In KS -- there is a state Insurance comissioner we can contact-- not sure but if this does not work out -- You might check it out.

Good luck-

HaleDamage